Do you need a dedicated set of hands to oversee your next building project? A client side project manager works with clients to manage building and refurbishment projects. Saving our clients time, money, and headaches, an experienced client side project manager can:
- Manage head contractor and consultant contract negotiation
- Provide program certainty
- Mitigate risk
- Keep budgets on track–and find cost reductions wherever possible
- Give you back your time
Sound too good to be true? Instead of risking going over budget or time on your building or refurbishment project, we outline what a client side project manager is and the five top reasons why you should use one. Highly experienced at identifying risks, unnecessary costs, and managing project stakeholders for clients with less time or industry experience, we know that this is one consultant you’ll want to have on your team.
WHAT IS A CLIENT SIDE PROJECT MANAGER? WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
A client side project manager is a fully independent project manager that manages the full project lifecycle for their client. From consultant team procurement and contractor sourcing to managing timelines and budgets, client side project managers are particularly supportive to clients who are time poor or have less experience overseeing building and refurbishment projects.
Although most building contractors will include a project management fee in their costs, an experienced client side project manager will have a series of processes in place to ensure the client receives maximum value for the work every step of the way. This means that the overall project cost will be much lower than if the builder managed the project alone.
To keep your Grand Opening date on track, check out these top five benefits gained by working with a client side project manager. Contracted by the asset owner, this extra set of hands manages project administration, oversees construction issues, maintains project quality, and is responsible for WHSE matters so that the client can focus on their own day-to-day affairs.
THE TOP 5 REASONS TO USE A CLIENT SIDE PROJECT MANAGER
For clients with limited experience or time to manage a building or refurbishment project, a client side project manager can oversee all of the project’s scope, program, consultants and suppliers to deliver the job within budget, on time, and to the correct quality. Among the many benefits gained, our clients have stated that their favourite reasons for working with client side project managers include:
- You can take back your time: Instead of trying to manage the project alone and getting bogged down in the admin and project challenges, hire a client side project manager who will come with the industry experience, insight, and connections needed to deliver it effectively while you focus on your daily operations.
- They can control the quality of the finish: Regular inspection and reporting from the client side project manager means that quality issues are identified and rectified before they become an issue. In many instances this is done during the design phase to ensure that buildability and lifecycle costs of the design is considered.
- They can negotiate with multiple suppliers: From projects valued at $100k up to $100Ms, Empire Project Management has negotiated with suppliers at every price point to balance quality, experience, and cost effectiveness.
- They keep communication flowing: Client side project managers will keep all project stakeholders connected. By outsourcing this often overlooked job, you can keep the project vision aligned and collaborating parties connected. Better still, dashboard reporting allows clients to be well informed with a quick glance.
- They mitigate risk. This benefit is one of the most pivotal aspects of client side project management. An experienced client side project manager will understand and actively work to minimise risk for all stakeholders by:
- Pre-emptively identifying the full scope of work needed from the start–meaning a more realistic project budget and schedule from day one.
- Managing the design process to ensure that all consultants are coordinated, there are no omissions or errors, and the design is fit for purpose.
- Carrying out repeated checks and sign offs to ensure that the project is on track for cost, time, and quality constraints.
- Regular inspection, tracking, and monitoring of the project deliverables.
GETTING STARTED WITH A CLIENT SIDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM
The Empire Project Management team have reduced risk, unified project visions, and maximised the use of our client’s resources across a number of hospitality, education, residential, industrial, aged care, and government projects in NSW, QLD, and VIC.
Dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of hiring a client side project manager, we know that our services save time, money, and reduce risk.
If you feel like project management is outside of your core skill set or you simply don’t have the time or head space to deal with the project challenges, contact the Empire team to learn more about how you can outsource project management activities.
Empire Project Management guarantee project success.
