As a project manager of an estate renovation, you must be able to take a bird’s eye view of things while also paying attention to the countless, easily missed details that can potentially delay completion or result in unsatisfactory work. Of course, there is a wide range of potential challenges, depending on the scope and complexity of the renovations, as well as the location of the property and the client’s timeframe and budget. Digital tools, specifically, all-in-one solutions, can help you juggle all the moving parts while keeping your client in the loop.
No doubt one of the most challenging aspects of managing any project is coordinating the workflow. In the case of home renovations it begins long before anyone breaks ground, with the choosing of the right people to do the work. All-in-one solutions make this easier from day one because you can upload profiles of potential architects, contractors, subcontractors and vendors, complete with their pedigrees, references, insurance status and bondedness.
Once the project gets underway, you can upload the blueprints and work schedules and share them with everyone involved. Most importantly as aproject manager of an estate renovation, you can use the messaging features to facilitate transparent conversations. The team can discuss logistical issues in real time, whether it’s to inform each other of a late delivery or increased cost, or adjust expectations around an upcoming milestone. At the same time, the client has the freedom to scan the messages, get current on the status, and choose whether to weigh in or speak with you privately, all without disrupting their own busy schedules.
It will also be incumbent on you to make sure all the t’s are crossed and i’s dotted when it comes to state and local regulations (i.e. work permits) and/or homeowners associations’ restrictions on where one can build (i.e. if you’re going to obstruct someone’s view), and so on. Other considerations include things like soil quality or whether the design for a beachfront home, while visually appealing, provides adequate protection against the next superstorm. Using digital tools to keep track of these and other critical factors will ensure that they stay top of mind and at your fingertips when you are conversing with experts or updating the client.
Risk management is always a critical aspect of renovations, and even more so these days when the Covid situation is still in flux. If you or your client requires workers to be fully vaccinated, it will fall to you to make sure that is the case. Even if vaccination is not a deal-breaker, you will have to make sure people are taking the proper safety precautions, whether that means regular Covid tests, mask-wearing, or continually sanitizing work areas. You can use the all-in-one solution to create profiles for each person and upload photos of their vaccination card or whatever proof they provide you, as well as to keep a running checklist of everything that needs to be done to keep the area safe.
Managing the renovation of an estate can be an exciting endeavor that requires you to draw on your creative, organizational, and interpersonal skills. It will also always have its challenges – everything from unexpected weather events and faulty equipment to different personalities and temperaments. There will also likely come a point when it seems the work will never be done, or at least not done on time. While all-in-one solutions cannot completely remove these hurdles, they will make them easier to clear; in fact, once you start using these digital tools you’ll wonder how you ever worked without them.
