Building Consultancy Services

Project Management	Client-Side Project Management
Design Management	Building Reports
Clerk of Works	Complex & Unusual Projects
Reinstatement  Partners	Expert Advice
Period Home Specialist	Solutions

Can I Help You?

I’ve been in the building industry since 1984. I have extensive knowledge on hill sites, historic homes, multi-units, deep piling (including stone column ground improvement), complex foundations, pre-cast and poured in-situ concrete, sheet-piling, dewatering, structural steel, light commercial projects, underpinning and basement reclamation.

If you need help with a building or property related project, call me on 027 433 1657 or contact me by email.

Qualifications

• Indentured Tradesman (Carpentry)
• Licenced Building Practitioner – Carpentry & Site-2
• NZ Diploma in Construction Management (Level-6)

I cherish memories of my traditional 8000-hour apprenticeship with commercial constructor  W. Williamson Construction Company, including training in rimu processing, steel, joiners & pre-cast workshop and light, through to heavy construction including mass concrete-insitu.

Sadly, this type of extensive apprenticeship no longer exists, but was the basis for a lifetime of building-industry success. After further experience with C.S. Luney, spanning multiple types of construction and size, I concentrated on leading the design & construction of residential and architectural buildings through my business, Paul Reed Homes. Projects often entailing a high degree of technical or commercial-type construction.

Traditional Values

In addition to my qualifications and unique knowledge, I subscribe to the following traditional values that underpin my core values of conducting business;

• Close connection with people
• Our individual history
• Clear communication
• Trust
• The act of supporting, protecting and showing respect, generosity and care for others
• Family stability
• Love
• Social support and connection
• Community cohesion – supporting and looking out for each other

Affiliations

Why use a Project Manager?

The importance of a good project manager for your building project is often not realized until well after the project kick-off, and by then it’s too late. With a strong and knowledgeable project manager, budgets become clear, timelines are monitored and the components necessary for the successful outcome of the project are delivered.

When you have an experienced project manager involved, the project’s paradigm shifts. Their job ideally starts well before the planning and/or construction commences; this proactive planning period helps ensure budgets, goals, and risk factors are adequately accounted for to communicate problems and expenses before they arise.

Having a third-party project manager presents an advantage of an unbiased platform for open communication, to help unite, guide and prepare all parties involved. This provides a more realistic timeline, proactive problem-solving, and better overall project coordination.

To suit your unique project, we have different solutions that can be tailored to your desired outcome. We have real, relevant & significant skill and knowledge. Which solution or solutions best suit your desired outcome?

Project Design-Management

This is limited to pre-construction. We take a lead role of the design team.

There is now a complex and number of specialities involved in design and compliance. As every sports team or ship at sea needs a captain, it makes sense that your planning and consultation phase needs the same cohesion and leadership. The risk to getting this wrong can greatly increase budgets and construction times that the client ultimately pays for.

We are usually engaged by the client but sometimes by the lead designer. Overall management of the components can include;

• Budgets
• Buildability and methodology
• Preliminary costing
• Collaboration and team
• Time management
• Compliance
• Development
• Tendering

“Controlling the complexities of design can result in lower cost design consultancy & construction through team management. Timelines can also be significantly improved, additionally contributing to client cost savings.”

Client-Side Project Management

A Client-Side Project Manager usually commences at the planning of the project and often it’s quite early or otherwise at pre-construction. This is a client consultation role.

This role is specifically tailored for engagement directly by the client. Most people have a good understanding of what a Project Manager does when employed by the main contractor, but not when engaged by the client.

You may not be aware that often the Principal (Client) may not fully understand all the steps in taking a project from an initial business case, all the way through to something that’s tendered to the market and then something that’s been delivered for the Principal.

Often, they are experts in another area, and this is where a Client Side Project Manager is engaged to work with the Principal to bring a professional service to assist the Principal to understand the options and successfully deliver the project.

As life and conducting business reaches new heights of complexity and time commitment, having a professional Client-Side Project Manager to walk with you, is imperative. Consultation can include discussions and advice about;

• Risk
• Viability
• The link between time, quality and price
• Planning
• Compliance
• Programs
• Procurement
• Tender assessment
• Conducting meetings on behalf of the client
• Documentation reviews
• Site visits and reporting
• Contractor Payment claims
• Variation Claims
• Extension of Time Claims
• Retentions
• Contractor deliverables
• Defects
• Maintenance

“We assist the Principal to understand the options to successfully deliver the project.”

General Project Management

This is the process of managing the construction phase. We are usually engaged by the ‘client/principal’ who often has the dual role of ‘main contractor’.

Projects can take many different forms and this evolving role can have subtle differences project by project. Role definition is focused on the solution and outcome the client desires. Some of the many components we often undertake are;

• Estimating and negotiating project costs
• Formulating the construction budget
• Managing the construction scheduling and work timetables
• Managing work orders
• Determining which project management methods and strategies are appropriate for the project
• Communicating with the project owner and stakeholders, re. budget, progress, etc.
• Leading or interfacing with job contractors, teams and other construction professions on technical and contract details
• Working with building, construction, and regulatory specialists

This role does not include Clerk of Woks or, Safety Management duties.

“We provide Leadership, teamwork, vision, confidence, strategy, management.”

Project Manager – Clerk of Works

NZ has a torrid history and continuance of systemic defects and legal claims. These can be minor poor-quality issues through to total-loss leaky homes. So, what’s gone wrong? The answer to this question is too lengthy and complex, but it is our belief the following generalisation is of substance; The rot set in when the traditional 8000-hour apprenticeship was abolished in the late 1980’s.

Modern apprenticeships can now be completed in sometimes half the time. Trades have also been diluted into specialist fields. An example of this is a foundation contractor. These two issues of sub-prime training and skill dilution into specific fields has in our opinion, been the largest contributors to the skills decline. The outcome is underskilled people operating in narrow fields.

We can be engaged by the client, designer or project manager and this role can include;

• Carry out inspections for construction vs the Building Consent Documentation
• Inspect workmanship
• Monitor the construction program
• Provide regular written reports

“Aiming for contractors to get it right every time – This is your opportunity to have an extra set of eyes and ears on the project.”