For Adolfson & Peterson Construction (AP) to stay at the top of its game, we have to be innovative and utilize best practices. Focusing on continuous learning and seeking knowledge from the construction industry’s finest leaders, AP strives to regularly meet with our colleagues from clients to architects and trade partners to discuss and implement better standard operating practices.
Through the years, I have strived to play an active role in the evolution of the construction industry’s best practices. We’ve come a long way in sophistication, but the concept remains the same: projects are built from the ground up.
Collaboration from all major stakeholders using their expertise in unison to create state-of-the-art buildings is something we’ve learned – as an industry – can make or break a project’s success. And working together from the start is the centerpiece of the process.
Operating side-by-side with our partners is one of AP’s top priorities. As part of this goal, we hosted a series of Q&A sessions over the past few months with industry leadership including Echelon Founder, President, and Project Leader Jason Harper; Corgan Principal and Commercial Sector Leader Matt McDonald; and J&E Companies Vice President Craig Hunt. We learned success varies from the vantage point, which was eye-opening, so we wanted to share a few key points discussed.
With so many entities now involved in every project, communication features prominently from the beginning. Communication is fundamental, yet we all still struggle with it and, at times, experience communication breakdowns.
We advocate for communication starting with preconstruction. Cost, schedule, scope, conceptual design – all of that reliable preconstruction data allows our clients to set a budget early.
Participating in preconstruction and the design process fosters communication and a more inclusive approach; when the contractor understands the design decisions, they can do a better job in the field. Having the decision-makers all working together from the start makes sure the space is designed and built to the owner’s needs. Tension largely arises over cost-related issues. However, when owners are looped in from the start, some of those challenges are alleviated.
There are two things we must do: anticipate and then communicate. Ultimately, what we give you is a set of finished drawings that should serve as instructions. Each project includes a great deal of interaction, leaving more room for error, so each group must anticipate the other’s needs. Effective communication with each role in the design and construction process is a must to successfully accomplish this.
We educate the owners about involving the general contractor and trade partners from the beginning. An architect’s ability to communicate with the project team during the design process is crucial because we can share certain ideas and features with the contractor and trade partners while designing. In turn, the trade partners can know their specific roles from the start. When the general contractor is involved in the design stage, they know the history behind decisions. This helps them in their role as air traffic controllers. This communication style also establishes a continuity of knowledge transfer.
From our perspective, a project’s success depends on relationships, which are developed through communication. Trade partners need to understand the project goals, who the players are and what everyone needs to do to implement the plan; this depends on great communication from day one.
Trade partner communication helps maintain the project sequence and prevent tasks from getting out of order, which can result in the project going into disarray.
Additionally, having a quality, experienced project foreman provides a wealth of knowledge. When we ask questions, the information they have, and their thought processes blow our minds.
From design to delivery: scheduling, managing expectations and timely execution are all critical aspects. From our perspective, general contractors are truly the hub/keeper of the information and key coordinators of a smooth operation. More diverse scheduling is crucial as projects become more sophisticated (re: timelines, material lead times, design decisions, weather impacts, etc.) So how do we stay on track?
As a project manager, we look to the entire team from the architect to the trade partners to execute a job and follow the schedule; most importantly, we look for everyone on a project to care. It is an industry-wide challenge that the people in the field don’t routinely look to the CPM (Critical Path Management) scheduling printouts and follow them.
The CPM approach to project scheduling includes a flow chart for the various tasks with a calculation for the duration of each task, among other details. We need to get people on board with using it. One way to do that is to create user-friendly documents to help those in the field see the value and embrace the process. Too many people aren’t adequately managing their projects because they see CPM as paperwork rather than a planning tool.
Transparency is also important across the project because problems don’t improve by sweeping them under the rug. Issues must be addressed promptly to determine and implement solutions instead of letting the challenge deteriorate. We recommend crafting proposed solutions and talking to the architect or engineer because the answer may be back in those planning documents.
On-time projects are less common since the pandemic as project teams have become desensitized a bit to instant gratification. However, this doesn’t mean we can become lazy with the schedule, because it is still a key to success. Though some imperfections exist through the design and building process, a detailed schedule helps us all work together to address bugs once found.
Key project metrics come down to stressing quality, safety, production and customer service. Often, all four of these have to be focused on at the same time because they all influence production. A main factor in this is having an informed and detailed schedule. When trade partners can help build the timetable, we are in a better position to affect how the project flows, which can be an important part of a project’s profitability.
A schedule should be seen as a living, breathing document that is updated as needed. A consistent sense of urgency throughout the project is better than only having urgency in the last month. This allows us, as trade partners, to best influence the manpower needed to complete each project stage. All of this is dependent on the quality of the schedule.
Another factor impacting the schedule is the course of the project. A quality superintendent is an integral part of the process. Each of us is a spoke in the wheel and to be successful, a leader must guide the flow. The project runs smoother the earlier we can get involved. This allows us to plan the next steps and provide feedback, especially for things like drywall, which drives the progress on the project’s interior.
Technology is necessary. It allows us to be more efficient and do more, but it can’t take away from the attention and time needed to produce quality work. However, processes such as laser scanning deliver precise data capture, facilitate informed decision-making and enhance project efficiency. It’s a delicate balance all teams should factor into every project.
Technology is both a benefit and a curse to the industry. In years past, there were multiple steps for blueprint review and acknowledgment. Each role signed off with colored pens, they searched for problems and reviewed, marked up and forwarded them around. It provided a process for scrutiny and a personal stamp to acknowledge receipt and understanding.
Today, project engineers get an email in the field, and they just forward it up the chain, so the step of scrutiny, review and putting your stamp on things doesn’t seem to happen anymore, which can lead to later problems in the field. The same occurs for architects who aren’t reviewing scope changes or logistical concerns that aren’t working in the field. Technology has enabled this; it hasn’t made us better builders.
VDC (Virtual Design and Construction) is fantastic for using digital models for building designs, processes, schedules, budgets and more. But it is only as good as the driver using it.
As in most industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing up more questions than solutions. We want to embrace technology in the most ethical and appropriate ways, yet we don’t fully understand AI’s impact. We are exploring ways to harness the benefits through efficiency and precedent. Good or bad, we have found, that it can be a faster way to get off the blank page.
Educating clients is critical to what we do. GCs, architects and engineers have the most face time with clients, especially at the front end, and that’s the best opportunity to educate them. When we do a project for a first- and probably only-time end-user, that means our credibility is extremely important from the get-go to get their buy-in.
To help owners understand the cause of change orders when they occur, we educate them on everything from soil conditions to drainage issues. This helps them understand why contingencies are important and costs may be changing.
The construction process can be enhanced before the first brick has been laid simply by collaborating from the start allowing us at AP to become even better project partners for our clients.
As Vice President of Preconstruction and Estimating, Granger Hassmann leads the region’s preconstruction and estimating departments. His responsibilities include the development of preconstruction strategies on large, complex and high-risk projects while ensuring alignment with the client’s strategic goals. He is responsible for developing an environment of accountability to ensure that the preconstruction department performance is consistent with project planning, scope and budget.
Granger is extremely versatile and experienced in all preconstruction and estimating delivery formats. He has been successful in hard-bidding an $110M school facility and managing $120M fast-track GMPs for national corporate clients and has achieved a volume of over $2.7B in work during his career. He maintains open lines of communication with each client and subcontractor throughout the project life cycle to ensure seamless communication and deliver a consistent message. Some of his favorite projects throughout his career are memorable simply due to the exceptional teams that made them successful.
Will Pender, Regional President, AP; Jason Harper, Founder, President and Project Leader, Echelon; Granger Hassmann, VP of Preconstruction & Estimating, AP; Matt McDonald, Principal and Commercial Sector Leader, Corgan; Craig Hunt, Vice President, J&E Companies