An Owner Speaks

Construction Brothers

This is a re-release of an episode that originally aired on September 27 of 2023.

00:00 - Introduction
You listen to us, and we listen to you. Today we welcome a guest who engaged honestly and thoughtfully with one of our LinkedIn posts.
A while back, when Eddie posted on LinkedIn to say that he wanted designers to have more money and more time in order to produce a better product, Nick stepped up to say that he didn’t think that was always the answer.
Nick said that collaboration is also key. Nick is an owner’s rep for an automotive group, and every day he observes the complex dynamics of the construction process.
03:20 - When You’ve Tried…
Nick shares about times when he’s paid more for the “correct” design professionals. Sometimes it has panned out, and sometimes it hasn’t.
We discuss some of the design and structural characteristics that are unique to the construction of automotive dealerships.
Eddie asks Nick to describe the schematics that he hands to his architects. The plans are pretty detailed because space-planning and other elements are crucial to functionality of the space.
Nick talks through the accumulating delays that occur in the design stage. He explains how essential it is that designers who are given more time produce designs that are really, truly ready to go.
12:10 - Repeat Projects with Small Adjustments
Eddie talks about the unique challenges and advantages of working on projects that are essentially repeats of previous projects. Sometimes small differences in these repeat projects open the doors to slight cost savings–maybe using a 6” stud instead of an 8” one. When that happens, it can take an unreasonably long amount of time to get the designers to make that change.
Nick explores the reasons that architects or engineers might not be able to jump on that change as quickly as one would like. Those people are usually working on multiple projects. He talks about how the navigation of this process changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He goes on to share about a massive beam that unexpectedly appeared on the worksite of a repeat project. He and the other parties were able to find a more affordable substitution because he was willing to ask everyone involved and push for a creative solution.
22:00 - Lessons Learned, Solutions Found
Eddie asks Nick to share about some of the things he’s learned from years of encountering these kinds of challenges. Here are a couple things he mentions:
-Get together with equipment vendors. Discuss how to replicate parts of the project even when there are minor variations in projects.
-Take a close look at the process, including your role. See how you can tweak that process to minimize changes and increase the efficiency of addressing changes that do arise.
-Make sure you’re working with designers who actually know how to build buildings–people who actually know about the physical construction process.
-Make sure everyone is starting with the same vocabulary and reference points so that the content within designs can be easily understood by the workers on the jobsite.
We go on to discuss the timing of change orders and the complications that arise when they’re not timed thoughtfully.
Tyler asks Nick how he weighs the various variables in order to make decisions regarding change orders. Nick shares and Eddie contributes some thoughts from his experience.

48:40 - Is There Such a Thing as…?
Eddie asks if there is such a thing as a firm that can do top-grade work efficiently for a reasonable price? Nick says that the answer is yes but that it’s complicated. Since teams and partnerships are always changing, you might find your rhythm with one person or firm but then find that the chemistry with the entire team is not the same.
Nick mentions that he has upward of 40 projects at a time that are at one stage or in the design or construction process. He talks through the communication principles that make it possible to manage that many projects at one time.
1:05:01 - Nick’s Megaphone Message:
Communicate. We’re all trying to do the job. We’re all trying to do more with less resources every day. The more we can be concise and to communicate clearly, the more we’ll make everyone’s job easier.
Find Nick on LinkedIn
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