Why Construction Management?

Three days of straight rain and the property manager can’t answer the phone fast enough.   She thinks to herself, “How can this be, we just had the roofs replaced last year.” The roofs might be in perfect condition, but still the leaks persist.

Building Envelope Article-March2011

“Good Communication Takes Leadership”

By Dennis Brooks, Design Build Associates, Inc.

Good communication takes leadership. Does your homeowners association have a strong communication process so that you can keep the homeowners informed? During a reconstruction project it is especially critical to communicate well with the homeowners. Efficient and effectively managed projects focus almost as much on communication during a project as they do on the construction details themselves. Collaboration and cooperation occur through communication. It provides the shared understanding that enables everyone to work together toward a common goal.

Effective project communications need to be more than just a reaction to what is about to take place. It requires leadership and planning to accompany the project goals. As the saying goes “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Establishing a plan to communicate your project to homeowners is no different.  It is essential. Making the plan up as you go may work for small projects, but any major project contemplated by your association needs careful and thoughtful planning.

A successful project always involves effective communication with the homeowners. Sometimes what is said is not what you thought was said, or at least what you thought you heard said isn’t what was meant; communications can be very confusing as times. Effective communication takes effort, and it takes time to work through the process. Who has time these days? We all seem to communicate more via e-mails, IM’s, texting and now even twitter.  But is anyone really listening? Or a better question is; does the receiver of the message understand the message? Is the information really getting through? Is it being understood in the way we intend it to be understood? If not, we need to work on the communication process.

This is not always as simple as it may seem.  As George Bernard Shaw stated – “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

How many times in our dealings with people do we find that there are misunderstandings or confusion about a subject that we thought had been clearly communicated? Our goal should always be to minimize the confusion and frustration by making sure that the communication process is clear and concise. It needs to be accurate in order for it to accomplish the desired result.

Effective communication results when the sender or “source” of the information or “message” and the “receiver” of the message clearly understands the message.

When starting a major project there are many questions that need to be answered. What work is going to be included in the project? Can we handle this work on our own or do we need some expert assistance? How will we pay for these repairs? What if we can’t gain the support of the homeowners? This list of questions can go on and on, and each question is significant.  The response to those questions may have considerable ramifications as to the successful outcome of the completed project.  It is important to understand that there are numerous ways to accomplish the same goal. Collaboration with the Board is necessary to define the project’s goals and direction. The challenge then becomes to clearly communicate the goal and direction to the membership. Strong leadership is very important to this process. Usually, projects require a homeowner source of funding that mandates a vote of the membership. For the membership to vote affirmatively, it is essential that the project goals be clearly defined and understood. This is usually a very critical juncture in the process of moving a project from planning to actual construction. If communications breakdown it is likely that the project will not proceed. Consensus must be built; this will only happen when the communication process is clear, causing an accurate understanding, cooperation and trust. Due to the many legal, technical and financial issues that arise during these projects, it is imperative that the communication process builds this necessary trust and confidence between the source and the receiver.

Another important aspect of building collaboration and cooperation on a project such as this is to actually do what you tell the membership you will do. This not only applies to the many tasks required to get a project started, it also applies once the work has started. A well run project will have a job schedule, and with proper oversight, the schedule will be maintained. When the project schedule is maintained it demonstrates to the homeowners that there is accountability.

All communications are not necessarily pleasant ones.  Sometimes you will need to confront harsh reality.  At these times, it is best not to skirt around the issues but rather to be clear and direct (while always remaining respectful and professional).  It is better to address hard realities as they arise rather than hope that somehow they will go away; they never do.

One thing is certain; proper communication takes time and effort.  It is a process that should be continual. It is also important to note that communication is a two way street which includes both speaking and listening. Listening provides the necessary feedback to complete the communication process.  It helps to build trust and it assures the homeowners that all of their issues are being considered.

Stephen M.R. Covey makes an excellent point in his book The Speed of Trust that when trust is down, speed is down and costs go up.

                ↓Trust   =  ↓Speed   ↑Cost

When trust goes up, speed will also go up and costs will go down.

                ↑Trust   =  ↑Speed  ↓Cost

Examples of this are all around us in our society. When there are trusting relationships built, things happen at a much greater speed and with much greater efficiency. However, poor communication can lead to a lack of trust, causing work to slow down due to verification requirements and other strictures. In the end, this is always more costly than it would have been if there was an efficient communication process, which develops a trusting relationship and an expedient well orchestrated project.

Therefore, work to communicate in such a way that builds trust.

• Be honest, tell the truth.
• Let people know where you stand.
• Use simple language.
• Call things what they are.
• Demonstrate integrity.
• Don’t manipulate people or distort facts.
• Don’t leave false impressions.

The “process” must be trustworthy – do what you say you will do.  Deliver results consistent with what you have communicated.

Tell them what they can expect, and then deliver what you told them. This is a good formula for a successful project.

It is also a good idea during this communication process to remember what Carl Buechner said concerning this topic; “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”

In summary, effective communications will build trust, collaboration and cooperation regardless of your project.  With these attributes working for you, your chances of completing a successful project will increase dramatically.

The term “deferred” means to put something off until a later time, while the word “maintenance” is defined as work that is done regularly to keep a building, or piece of equipment in good condition and working order.  This begs the question, how does someone put something off until a later time while doing it regularly?

At a recent homeowner association meeting where extensive deferred maintenance issues were being discussed, we had invited a local real estate appraiser to address the membership concerning several different renovation options (and therefore costs) associated with the much needed repairs.   In his opening remarks to the membership he bluntly stated, “The problem with homeowner associations is that the members have an ownership interest with an apartment mentality.”  At the time I thought that statement was pretty harsh, but looking back over the past 23 years of consulting for homeowner associations I believe he has a point.  Although I understand that this is quite a generalization, there are many aspects of his statement that ring true.

The Conundrum of Deferred Maintenance (Article printed in Channels of Communication, Third Quarter 2006)

US Builders Review

In 1983, Dennis Brooks got an opportunity of a lifetime. After completing his undergrad and masters program in construction and business management at Colorado State University, he went to work for a large commercial development firm. “The partners of this firm decided they had made their money and wanted to get out of construction,” recalls Dennis, president of Design Build Associates Inc. (DBA). “I was in a fortunate place because the president asked me if I’d like to take over the business. He offered me his contacts and told me he would support me through the first year as a partner.”

A New Niche

By 1987, Dennis was the sole owner of DBA, which started out as a successful retail and commercial developer, but around the same time, he realized a special niche market the company could support. “I noticed the need for a construction management and consulting firm in the Homeowners Association (HOA) market undergoing major rehab projects,” explains Dennis. “When we started out in the mid 1980s, no one was doing it in this area.”

This article was first featured in Focus Magazine Jan/Feb 2013 Edition.

The Essex House, a three -story (14-unit) luxury condominium complex located on the sand in Marina del Rey was a property that was in need of some serious help. The original selection of building materials, coupled with years of deferred maintenance, had caused serious problems for this property. The heavy marine environment, the constant “sand blasting” and the harsh sun had taken its toll on the complex. When we were hired by the Association the building envelope had deteriorated to the point that portions of it were wrapped in plastic and had been for some time. The roofs leaked, the siding leaked, the doors and windows leaked, and the property values were depressed for such a premier location. These problems existed because of the type of materials that had originally been selected for the buildings, compounded by the lack of maintenance required for those materials in that environment.

From the onset of the project the Board realized that there would need to be a major renovation to the exterior envelope of the buildings. It became apparent to us very quickly that replacing the existing building materials with the same materials was not a good solution for the long-term life cycle of the building , nor was it a good solution for the ongoing maintenance costs. With the approval of the Board we solicited suggestions from an architect and made the recommendations to change the wood siding to stucco, to use a commercial grade window system on the expansive window front of the buildings, and to replace the worn out built up roofing with a new single-ply system. The rooftop decks were also replaced with new materials; all exterior metals were specified to be high grade stainless steel; and where possible items such as the weep screed, which are typically metal, were specified as vinyl. All materials were selected because of their ability to withstand the constant sand, sun and salt air environment.

Today the buildings are some of the most attractive on the sand in Marina del Rey. Not only have the severe water intrusion problems been eliminated completely, but the property values have been greatly enhanced.

Les Jillson
Vice President
Design Build Associates