For project owners both new and experienced, assembling a team of designers and constructers to complete a project can be daunting. The unexperienced owner may not know where to begin, and the experienced owner likely has memories of the tedium and frustration that come with managing separate design and construction entities working on a single project. When things are running smoothly, this frustration means dealing with multiple points of contact, spending too much time on the phone and sifting through emails. However, the real headaches begin when the project reaches an obstacle. When different teams working on a project do not agree on how to move forward, it’s left to the owner to step in and become the referee. This situation is as unproductive as it is unpleasant, and forces the owner out of their preferred role; monitoring the project’s triple constraint of scope, schedule and budget.
Recognizing this challenge in the traditional design-bid-build process, we set out to offer a better solution to our clients. Master Builder® is the result, and it addresses the main challenges to project delivery for both our public and private clients. In the place of separate design and construction teams, a Master Builder® led project utilizes Wendel’s design and construction competencies, all under one roof. It also provides the owner with a trusted adviser who acts as the single point of contact over the course of the project. This adviser works closely with the owner, keeping them apprised of the project’s progress in all areas through each step from pre-design through construction. This streamlined form of communication not only increases project efficiency, but creates a real relationship of trust between the firm and owner that will only continue to build: the teams that work on your project and the leaders who become your trusted advisers commit to each project from start to finish. The resulting consistency and familiarity are key to a smooth project experience.
Streamlined communication is just one of the ways Master Builder® improves on traditional project delivery models. In traditional models, construction personnel and contractors are brought in after the design process to execute the construction. A Master Builder® project brings design and construction personnel into the process with the owner from the very beginning, and we have found this to be incredibly valuable. Feedback on constructability, schedule and budget provided during the design process can greatly impact the project’s efficiency and bottom line, making the triple constraint easier to balance throughout the entire project.
The ultimate goal of Master Builder® is to provide a more client-centric approach to projects. Seamless communication and holistic, one-stop-shop services are a part of that. Another critical aspect for owners is the open-book, transparent approach that Wendel takes to project cost management and control. We acquire competitive pricing from pre-qualified vendors, openly share our project accounting with the owner every step of the way and return all unused project funds to the owner at project completion. This ensures accountability for the Master Builder, as well as greater cost control for the owner, not something typically found in a design-bid-build process.
When put into practice, projects led by a Master Builder are higher performing, present less cost and fewer risks. The added value achieved through transparency and partnership has proven to be a game-changer for many of our clients. The real question seems to be: Why wouldn’t you hire a Master Builder?
Example Master Builder Projects
For more information on our Master Builder delivery method, click here!
