Without interfering with the responsibilities of any particular professional, a true external project manager (PM) leads and helps integrate all the vendors, elements and phases of a project from start to finish. Designers, contractors, and real estate brokers are very capable within their specialties, but they can fall short if they are entrusted with the responsibilities of an independent project management company, just like a construction manager (CM).

A PM will act as your advocate and representative throughout the project so that all of your goals are met from start to finish. During the project life cycle [or] For the duration, a PM will become the owner’s trusted advisor, the go-to person, and the single point of contact for project performance and procedure. A PM oversees the hiring of specialized consultants such as audiovisual, food service, security and IT, with direction from the client. The project manager will act as a liaison between the client and all suppliers, designers, engineers and contractors to ensure smooth and constant communication between the various parties, so that everyone remains on the same page at all times.

In simple terms, the PM will ensure that all activities are aligned with the client’s overall goals and objectives for the project. This means that the project manager will plan, manage, monitor and adjust all the details of the project, not just its construction phase, and even help select and ultimately manage the CM.

A project manager will assist in the hiring of a general contractor and / or construction manager and will monitor the quality of their work through site visits, checklist tours, and reporting at weekly project meetings. A project manager will also track and review change orders from construction managers, ensure that all vendors are coordinated with and with the CM’s schedule, and challenge the CM on product lead times and delays. * It is important to note that there is a difference between a general contractor and a construction manager.

A typical construction manager has a scope of work that is limited to the pre-construction / construction phase. A construction manager will oversee all construction aspects of a project and will typically participate in pre-construction meetings, provide on-site supervision during construction, and manage subcontractors. They may also have subcontractor contracts directly and are therefore responsible for all subcontractor work.

So before deciding whether to hire a PM or a CM for your next real estate project, know the difference. And if you can’t make up your mind, do your project a favor: Hire a project manager who will manage the entire scope of your project, not just construction.

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