Choosing to project-manage your build is a massive undertaking that many think that they can handle. However, there are some things you need to know. There is a lot that can go wrong when trying to get a build complete and it often falls to the project manager to clear things up. Here are some of the things you should know about first.
What is the Precise Budget?
You might have a rough ballpark on how much you want to spend on the project as a whole. However, just having a rough estimate of the figures is not good enough. You need to make sure that you know exactly what is to be expected from this budget. How much room is there for little luxuries, is there a contingency fund, what is to be spent at each stage of the build? These are all important factors you need to know.
The budget can just appear to vanish in some building projects. As the project manager, you need to keep an eye on it at all times. It will tell you how on track things are and could help to dictate parts of the build that are yet to come. As a result, you need to make sure that you fully understand how much money you have to spend so it does not run out too soon.
Who is Going to Work on the Site?
You can’t just hire one company and expect them to be able to take the build from nothing to a completed building. Not every company offers this service. Some will only specialise in creating the shell of the building. Other important things like utilities (plumbing, gas and electric etc) will need to be sourced separately.
This is still easy to do. It is also a great opportunity for you to pull on some of the talent of your local area. Do some research online for your area and see who comes out on top. For example, if you are located in and around High Wycombe then you could try this local plumbing service who are highly spoken about to help you get the team you need to outfit your property fully. Then if you need a local electrician, you can use this search tool to help you find the best one. There is always going to be someone that you can pull on to get you the results you need.
What is the Timeline?
Do you actually know how long the build is going to take? It is incredibly important that you have a complete timeline for each stage of the build. This is because many parts will have to come together to work in tandem, and certain parts also can’t be completed until another bit is out of the way.
For example, you might have a beautiful set of windows to install, but they can’t be put in until the walls are structurally sound. However, work can’t start on the floor until the windows are in because they help to weatherproof the build. This all adds up and comes together in what might be quite a headache for you. Take your time to work out the order that things need to be arranged in. This might also affect when you place your orders, as those hand-crafted windows might need to be ordered a lot sooner than you think to get them to the site for installation on time.
Can’t Get Caught Up on Details
When you have the luxury of letting someone else handle the project management, you can afford to sit back and think a little more about some of the details of the property. You really have the chance to sit and debate small choices like light switches and socket, or what type of taps you want in your ensuite bathroom.
While you can certainly think about it as the project manager, you have no luxury in sitting back and debating your choices for hours at a time. You need to get used to making snappy decisions as quickly as you can. Choosing to do this over the smaller details is great practice in case something major happens. For one thing, you don’t want to leave your workmen with nothing to do while you try to work out what type of door handles you want on the interior doors. However, it can also help prepare you for any disasters that might happen on site. If your foremen comes to you needing a split decision between two options, it will be down to you to pick one and get things moving again,
Choosing to project manage your own build is not for everyone. It can almost be described as taking on another job, and it will require a lot of focus from you. However, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Before you know it, things will be progressing and you will be one step closer to the new build. Treat everything as a learning experience!