Services offered
- Runs the project
- Reports to the project champion
- Supports the project, and communicates his enthusiasm to the team
- Sole point of contact with the project team
- Day-to-day management
- Programming
- Responsible for all decisions so must have the authority and knowledge to do this
- May be in-house or may be a professional project manager
Selection criteria
Track record
Look for experience of your type of project. Ask for references from current clients and visit completed recent projects. Find out about their reputation.
Firms providing professional project managers:
- Project management companies
- Quantity surveyors
- Architects
- Designers
- Design and fitting out specialists
- Building surveyors
The people
What is their technical skill and knowledge?
Look at the qualities of the people you meet
Are you going to be able to get on with them through the life of the project?
Resources
Can the firm handle your project is it too big, is it too small?
Location
Is it important for a firm to be close to you or close to your site? (It might be more convenient for you to have easy access to your team than for them to have easy access to your site)
Communication
Do they use your language or do they speak in jargon you dont understand?
Understanding
Do they appear interested in, and understand your needs and your brief. If not, it is doubtful you will ever get what you want from them.
Overall abilities
Do they have the ability and qualities to implement the brief and achieve your objectives?
Is what you see what you will get?
Check that the people that you meet during the selection process are the people that you will work with, and not just front men .
Financial status
Do they have the right level of financial stability and insurance cover to survive the sometimes financially precarious construction industry?
