Bring in an Owner’s Rep Early On

By THOMAS CROUCH

Over the years I’ve noticed something interesting in this industry.

When a project starts going sideways…

Budgets creeping up.
Schedules slipping.
Finger pointing starting.

That’s usually when someone says:

“Maybe we should bring in an owner’s rep.”

But here’s the reality most people don’t talk about.

An owner’s rep shouldn’t be brought in to fix a broken project.

An owner’s rep should be involved before the problems start.

A good owner’s rep protects the owner’s interests by helping:
• align the design team and contractor
• ensuring clear scopes and bid packages
• identify risks before they become expensive problems
• keep projects moving when issues inevitably arise

And one thing that matters more than anything else…

Experience actually building projects.

Understanding construction from spreadsheets is one thing.

Understanding what happens on a muddy jobsite at 6:30 a.m. when trades aren’t showing up and a detail in the drawings doesn’t work in the field is something completely different.

Waiting too long to bring in an owner’s rep can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you’re a developer, investor or business owner planning a project, it’s a perspective worth considering.

Thomas Crouch is managing member and principal consultant at 52 Construction Advisory.