Inherent with any commercial construction project is risk. Risk that the project will veer off course, risk of unknown outcomes associated with decisions you make (or fail to make), and risk that the entire project may go belly-up and fail. These risks and more can become catastrophic to a project and the owner, and they have a greater likelihood of occurring if the owner is not highly experienced and well-versed in the commercial construction process.

Fortunately there’s a better way to managing all of those unknowns and risks. They can be mitigated by hiring an owner’s representative for your project.

The role of an owner’s representative in construction

Many owners turn to professionals to act on their behalf not only because of their expertise, but also in order to free up their time to continue focusing on their primary job. Once hired, an owner’s rep takes over acting as the eyes, ears, and executor of the owner’s goals.

What to look for in an owner’s representative

Trust and transparency are essential when selecting an owner’s representative because their job is to do as the name suggests – represent you, the owner – in everything from executing the design, budget, and project outlook to keeping stakeholders informed of progress, resolving conflict, and navigating potentially difficult obstacles. Make sure you take the time to thoroughly interview and vet your potential hire. If they don’t have your best interests in mind, it’s time to keep looking.

When to engage an owner’s representative

At Seacoast Construction, owners have come to us at various stages of a project’s development, and we partner with them wherever they are at – whether it’s getting a project back on track or assessing a project’s viability when it’s just an idea. As experience has taught us, the best time to connect with an owner’s rep is at the project’s outset – before it even gets off the ground. Having a strong grasp of goals, objectives, and budget from Day 1 allows your owner’s rep to make sure all the right moving parts are in place from the very beginning, thereby avoid unnecessary delays and making sure missteps are avoided.

Hiring an owner’s representative for your project can be the difference between a successful build and one that struggles the entire way – if it even makes it to the finish line at all. If you have questions about what an owner’s representative does (and how they are different from project managers) and what we, at Seacoast Construction, can do for you, give us a call at 786-433-8740.