Realizing the Value of Preconstruction Services
James Goree, Regional Director of Preconstruction
With a decade-long career at HPM, I have learned to appreciate that highly successful projects are the ones that do a good job of balancing budget, schedule, and quality, so it only makes sense that focusing on these areas as early in the project as possible would prove valuable. In fact, that is the idea behind preconstruction services – early analysis of the effects that project circumstances and components will have on schedule and cost. Oddly enough, many owners miss the mark by not employing these services on their projects.
Preconstruction typically includes the evaluation of construction methods, project pricing, value engineering, constructability reviews and bid and award process management. At HPM, we have seen this type of in-depth analysis pave the way to a clearer path for the project, in many cases resolving challenges before they arise and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in schedule and cost overruns. Essentially, employing these services helps map out a plan early in design and way before shovels even go in the ground, putting teams in a better position to manage change and proactively communicate. We can all see the benefits in that rationale, right?
I am a firm believer that preconstruction sets a solid foundation for every project, no matter the size of the project or the market it represents. Time and time again, experts publish articles on the benefits of preconstruction. At HPM, we have seen first-hand the impact on our projects and have captured those stories in our portfolio of case studies. When teams collaborate early to identify meaningful solutions or take the time to build a project virtually through the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) owners reap the benefits. A program manager who understands the value of preconstruction and can walk-the-talk with their clients is in the best position to guide projects to success.
Simply put, our role in preconstruction is to offer a path that allows our clients to accomplish their goals while remaining on budget. As preconstruction experts, we are attuned to market conditions and are able to paint a holistic picture of the project. From budget to sequencing, we can guide decision-making from design to start of construction. Using our expertise, we should be expected to right size the bid packages for optimal performance, resulting in maximized ROI – all along the way providing regular updates and maintaining deadlines to keep the project on-track. And at the end of the day, that is our goal – to keep you informed and help you achieve success, whatever your definition may be.
Curious what preconstruction can do for you? Contact me at jgoree@hpmleadership.com.
About the author:
James Goree serves as Regional Director of Preconstruction at HPM. An experienced preconstruction and VDC Manager, his expertise has been employed on projects across the Southeast such as Pelham City Schools, Auburn University, and Wallace State Community College. Skilled in project estimation, value engineering BIM, CPM scheduling, and software implementation, he builds a project in his mind before building a budget on paper. Working alongside other team members, his approach has saved our owners countless hours of work and hundreds of thousands of dollars. With a Masters of Building Construction focused in Real Estate Development and Construction Technology from Auburn University, James is well-equipped to help owners achieve the best ROI possible on their projects.
