Interesting article. Definitely a third party consultant with expertise in construction management/project management should be retained. In many instances where buildings are involved liability issues abound, and without knowledge of these issues, there can be extra costs incurred during construction.
Property managers or board members generally do not have this expertise, nor do they have liability insurance in case of problems down the road. An Architect or Engineer is usually the professional choice for larger projects or where the building is being altered in any significant way.
You would think that no one in their right mind would want to step into a construction management role willingly, at least not without getting paid handsomely to take on that magnitude of responsibility and liability. Consider that most larger jobs are plagued with change orders because it’s very difficult to predict with any certainly how much of the old existing timber, much of which is often hidden within the structure, is going to be compromised by either wood rot or termites. In addition, many owners and board members decide they want to make changes as the project progresses, as their imaginations take flight. Finally, jobs often change due to building department or financial constraints. Essentially, larger construction and/or renovation projects are fluid and ever-changing.
View original post 319 more words
duanetilden 