How To Spot a Bad Owner's Representative Advisor

The Owner's Representative advocates for the owner's goals in a development project and ensures its proper close-out and the successful move-in of a client. An Owner's Representative's work varies in scope by project and per the project owner's requirements; their involvement can happen as early as in the land acquisition process, during design, or even later in the project's actual construction phase.  

Taking on a new design and construction project comes with a lot of risks. Aside from the time and money required, no two design and construction projects are exactly alike. There is a tremendous learning curve associated with becoming fluent in the process, players, and terminology involved in transforming an idea into a built reality. So how, as an owner, even one with experience, can you overcome these challenges to ensure your vision is realized? One way to reduce risk is to find an owner's representative with experience and expertise to guide you through the process. So, how can you tell a good owner's representative from a bad one? 

Here are some key characteristics to help identify a bad Owner's Representative Advisor.

Doesn't Care About Your Interests

When compiling a project team, some owner's rep never compiles high-quality, expert teams in whom they have the confidence to execute our client's needs to the best of their abilities. Some owner's representatives don't ensure all project consultants are aligned with the owner's project goals and objectives. The owner's rep hardly oversees each consultant with the owner's schedule, budget, and project priorities in mind.

Lacks Effective Communication

Some owner's representatives do not provide adequate information to contractors, project managers, regulatory inspectors, and stakeholders. This makes it difficult to get the work done correctly without error.

Doesn't Save you Time or Money

While this can be hard to quantify at times, a critical aspect of an owner's representative's role is to look for opportunities where schedule and budget can be saved. But a bad owner's representative cares about saving neither time nor money. Some owner's representatives don't manage your project closely, this may get your construction project side-tracked, and efficiency may be lost in some business areas.

Lack Dispute Resolution Skills

Disputes between contractors and project owners can be time-consuming and costly. Some owner representatives have poor dispute resolution skills, which makes it difficult to resolve conflicts. Bad owner representatives also don’t have problem-solving skills, making it impossible to identify suitable solutions to a wide variety of disputes.

Here are some key characteristics to help identify a Good Owner's Representative Advisor.

To Look Out for Your Best Interests 

When compiling project teams, good owner's reps always compile high-quality, expert teams in whom they have the confidence to execute our client's needs to the best of their abilities. It is important to have industry experts on the team who have only one vested interest in their project: both project goals and objectives. An owner's representative ensures all project consultants are aligned with the project goals and objectives. The owner's rep will oversee each consultant with your schedule, budget, and project priorities in mind.

Communicating Effectively

A good owner representative pro-period information with contractors, project managers, regulatory inspectors, and stakeholders is always effective. Verbal communication skills are needed when the owner representative responds to phone calls from contractors interested in the project. This would make it easy to get the job done accurately.

Save You Time and Money

While this can be hard to quantify at times, a critical aspect of an owner's representative's role is to look for opportunities where schedule and budget can be saved. In practice, this involves negotiating with landlords to make sure that all repairs and renovations are adequately covered, identify the cost savings solutions like selling used furniture to a variety of contacts rather than disposing of it, and many more.

A good owner's rep will manage your project closely; that way, you can continue with your daily responsibilities and not get side-tracked by your construction project. This ensures that efficiency is not lost in any area of the business while the project is going on.

Solving Disputes

Good owner representatives have strong dispute resolution skills making it easy for them to resolve conflicts in a short period. For instance, if a contractor fails to adhere to a project's construction master plan and a conflict with the owner arises. As a result, the owner representative uses dispute resolution skills to facilitate a meeting where the contractors and the developer can deliberate and find a way forward., They also have good problem-solving skills and identify suitable solutions to a wide variety of disputes.

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