The stage is set for a project’s success during Phase 0. This is where project management starts: It is crucial to fine-tune the vision for the project and ensure that it is economically sustainable. This philosophy, which we have embraced since the 1990s, is clearly the right one. This is evident from regular news reports about major construction projects that have failed. For us, project management means keeping an eye on all aspects of a building’s life cycle. This includes pragmatic considerations, including everything from the utilization plan and realistic architecture to the most efficient use of floor space. Our team’s first-hand experiences as an executive board member, investor, portfolio manager, architect, structural engineer, project developer, project manager, property manager, and troubleshooter mean that it can see things from all angles. As a result, we can keep in mind all dimensions of a building’s life cycle, from the smallest details to the big picture.
Preparation for construction
During the development and preparation phase, we determine how the plan will be implemented. Consistent budgeting and strategic scheduling allow us to reduce costs. Everything must fit together perfectly when a bid is submitted. Every detail – down to compiling an inventory list for a hotel – is taken into consideration so that no unforeseen expenses arise. As the project progresses, the core management task is to optimally coordinate the work of all involved. Ensuring the flow of communication allows for the optimal integration of project phases. This avoids inefficiencies and expensive misunderstandings in increasingly complex projects.
Construction and completion
Budget pressures, the interests of the successful tenderers and the trend toward increasingly integrated technologies place growing demands on quality management. In short, everyone wants to save on costs – but this must not compromise construction quality. Qualified construction supervisors need to be able to handle all manner of tasks, from assessing the quality of concrete and the latest technologies to making sure that the seams are straight on hotel doormen’s uniforms. The handover usually takes place under time pressure in a delicate balance between construction companies, tenants and the interests of the owner. HP Developments offers the necessary skill and discipline to prevent any problems that may arise as the finishing touches are added to the project or defects are corrected. Our expertise allows us to weigh relevant legal and financial information and make the handover process as efficient as possible. We provide careful documentation so that information can be found even after the warranty period has expired.
Contract management
We develop a project-specific contract management framework in close cooperation with the building owner’s legal advisors, which results in an appropriate strategy for awarding the contract. In many cases, cost-effectiveness and quality are determined by the ability to weigh complex contracts and goal-oriented contract awards. All too often, we have seen that even before a contract is concluded, exaggerated demands on both sides can interfere with a functioning partnership later on at the construction site. We review the basic content, but we also formulate that content if necessary.
Cost management and control
Additional costs arise from a lack of careful preparation for the project, gaps in planning, too little coordination and incomplete contracts. To prevent this from happening, it is important to take a systematic approach from the very beginning, and – crucially – to calculate costs accurately from the outset. Our interdisciplinary approach allows us to keep all of these aspects in mind. Only if you understand all of these cost aspects is it possible to control costs. Which specialists should be consulted, if needed, and where is there potential for optimization? – We handle it all.
Crisis management
Crisis? What crisis?
We are called in to consult on ongoing projects for various reasons, including space calculations, excessive costs, additions and unexpected difficulties. Our clients report that we are capable of recognizing problems within mere hours, and that we develop solutions that meet the needs of each specific case. Those solutions are in keeping with the existing environment and create no further problems. Evaluating such individualized special solutions requires considerable expertise, experience and – not least – the ability to mediate among all concerned.