Construction Management in Houston

Construction Management Services

Marwood Construction offers construction management in Houston to clients in need of exceptional supervision in residential and commercial construction.

Our construction management service agreement approach allows our clients the flexibility to staff a project as they require and still maintain control over the direction and cost of the construction activities.

We facilitate this service to allow our clients to introduce project influencers into the decision-making process and to retain control over the budget, major decision making and overall leadership of challenging projects.

What is Construction Management?

Construction management is a professional service offered by a competent and experienced individual or company facilitating on site construction services for managing the performance of executing the building activities of a construction project.

These services include the required items such as planning, design, operational safety, scheduling, cost control and quality control. It involves coordinating contractors, managing cost, mitigating risks, and ensuring compliance with codes and regulations during the duration of the project.

The construction management team typically answers to the owners or their representative. This accountability might take place in a personal debriefing or a series of detailed reports.

The goal of an owner hiring a construction management company is to have an expert managing the project, but also to keep communication open with the owner to be able for them to make informed decisions during the entire project.

What Does Construction Management Do?

The construction management company is the pivotal project leader and liaison between the owner, architect, engineer and subcontractors coordinating all the activities to construct and deliver the project on the owner’s behalf.

The scope of work often includes facilitating the coordination and oversight of all resources deployed in the performance of the project. These cover the management of the activities from conception to completion, ensuring that the project is completed on budget and on time within the specified quality standards.

The construction management firm should have the capabilities of performing or facilitating any service that the owner may need to execute a project. But the actual services vary project by project depending upon the detailed scope of work of services required by the owner.

Construction Management Role & Responsibility

In most cases the responsibility of the construction management firm is to manage the affairs of all onsite activities associated with the construction of the project.The CM’s role is to carry out the defined scope of work for their services that is defined by the owner for each project they are contracted to perform. They are also responsible for the logistics of orchestrating the resources of labor, materials and equipment associated with the on-site activities.

Any major building project can be divided into 3 primary phases of the delivery process and the operational CM task required can be associated with the appropriate project phase:

Preconstruction Phase – This phase consists of discovering the owners needs and preparing design and construction documents. This involves determining the feasibility of the project, preparing architectural & engineering drawings, soil reports, survey needs, schedule of values and permitting.
Procurement Phase – This phase is usually executed after the preconstruction duties are completed, but before the commencement of construction. During this phase the CM finalize the scope of work development, solicit subcontractor bids, finalize project schedules, issue contracts, purchasing long lead items completing site prep requirements.
Construction Phase – The construction phase is where the CM actually manages the building process, involving inspecting work and implementing quality control measures, conducting safety compliance, managing resource logistics and day to day problem solving.

The range of these services are determined by the owner and can be defined as a comprehensive oversight plan to as simple as hourly construction consultant role. This depends upon the owner’s building needs and complexity of the over all project.

Service	Preconstruction	Procurement	Construction
Planning & Scheduling	X	X	X
Scope of Work Development	X	X
Estimating & Budgeting	X	X
Contracts & Cost Control		X	X
Inspections & Quality Control			X
Resource Logistics		X	X
Site Safety	X		X
Communications & Reporting	X	X	X
Payment & Lien Releases			X
Insurance Administration		X	X
Document Control	X	X	X
Problem Solving	X	X	X

Construction Management Consulting

The CM plays a pivotal and important responsibility in facilitating the project, with none more important than the role as an expert trusted adviser.

The CM should operate in an inherent fiduciary role with the owner, providing transparency, operating at a high level of ethical standard and providing uncompromising advice.

The CM also offers the owner the professional guidance through project managing the financial administration, contracting authority and evaluating the value of procuring project resources.

These consulting services can be tailored by contract for the construction needs of the owner.

Types of Construction Management Companies

CM is a technical science of skills and trade disciplines that require a competent and experienced professionals to carry out the best interest of their clients project needs.

At Marwood Construction we offer CM services for residential home construction and smaller commercial construction projects.

Residential Construction Management

The services for residential construction management involves the management services for larger new home construction or major restoration of larger luxury homes.

These projects can typically be defined as complicated projects that have special needs such as material testing, many incremental inspections requirements, unusual construction phasing requirements or special circumstances.

These types of services are also popular for owners that wish to build their project as acting as their own general contractor. Although the owner doing this creates a higher level of risk exposures, they should be prepared to mitigate the risk by contracting with a construction management company.

It is also common for owners building homes to use the services of a CM as another set of eyes on the project to mitigate other layers of risk.

Commercial Construction Management

Commercial construction management is a more common practice of owners implementing then residential CM. This is due to the complex nature of commercial construction and the frequent schedule demands of projects.

Commercial CM’s may have a broader role in commercial construction projects than the residential CM. They commonly have some traditional PM responsibilities if the owner deems necessary. Although generally speaking, private commercial construction CM is not significantly different then residential CM, with the exception of their knowledge of building codes and regulations.

Public commercial construction management is much different than privately owned commercial projects. Public construction management involves strict, tax-funded, open-bid processes with heavy regulation and mandatory bonding (e.g., schools, infrastructure).

Privately owned construction focuses on developer funding, offering flexible negotiations, faster decision-making, and specialized, profit-driven design. Key differences center on funding sources, procurement methods, and compliance requirements.

Construction Management Process

Marwood Construction strives to provide value at every step of the design and construction process. We understand that many decisions should be made early in the planning and budgeting process to minimize unwelcome surprises.

Our firm recognizes that setting clear project objectives early in the process results in a much more successful project and higher client satisfaction.

Construction Management On Site Services

Planning & Execution Errors

Feasibility Studies/Pro Forma
Site Selection
Site Assessment and Evaluation
Preliminary Site Layout
Zoning, Platting and Permitting
Budgeting and Conceptual Estimating
Design Assistance/Development
Design Review and Constructability Analysis
Coordination with Owner and Design Team Members

Construction Procurement Services

Preliminary Cost Estimating
Value Engineering
Project Scheduling and Sequencing
Coordination with Owner and Design Team Members
Material Selection Assistance
Bid Package Development and Solicitation
Contract & Insurance Administration

Construction Services

Materials Quality Control
Subcontractor Specification Inspections
Monitoring Clearing and Site Preparation
Inspection of Pier / Footings / Foundation
Framing and Roof Structure Compliance
Energy & Fire Compliance Insulation / Drywall
Facilitate Trim / Paint
Shop Drawing Review for Cabinetry / Counter Tops
Quality Control & Inspections of Finishes
Facilitating Hardscape / Landscaping

Post Construction Services

What is the Difference Between Construction Management and Project Management?

Construction management focuses on the onsite activities of a building project, whereas project management incorporates a more comprehensive scope of work executing a building project.

PM’s focus on the strategic approach of the big project picture and profitability in delivering the project, while the CM’s approach a project tactically and focus on productivity and safety during project delivery.

Although CM’s may be requested to perform some back office administrative responsibilities, but PM’s regularly are responsible for contract and insurance administration as well as the accounting of the financial affairs.

Although the PM is also the pivotal firm in project delivery, they traditionally are far more active in the early design phase of a project then the CM. They are often the driving force in creating the design representing the owner.

The PM is also the owner’s advising agent, but often have more discretionary authority for making decisions that impact the architectural and engineering design as well as the financial impact decision making.

These financial authority come with selecting and contracting with vendors and subcontractors. The project management’s authority, much like the CM’s, comes from the contract negotiated with the owner.

PM services are commonly used on major projects when the owner has contracted with general contractor for the construction of the project and requires the PM to create the design and initial cost budget and facilitate the execution of the project.

Construction Contracts

Traditional Construction Contracts Services Agreements

Lump Sum Contract

The lump sum contracts are effective in transferring the construction cost risk to the builder. Careful attention should be used in analyzing the allowance schedule for comparable values. This contract method is paid on progress milestones and create difficulty for the owner when they request credit for scope of work changes.

Cost Plus Contract

The cost-plus contract is commonly used when the scope of work cannot be clearly defined or the design of the project will be changing during the progression of the project. The risk of the project cost will remain with the owner. This construction contract method requires the owner to carefully define for the general contractor acceptable price ranges and variances to be authorized without the owner’s direct approval.

Unit Price Contract

Unit price contracts are not commonly used in residential or light commercial construction. They are based on price units of measurement, such as dollars per square foot, or dollars per cubic yard. This construction contract method allows the owner a very easy method of quantifying payment and progress associated with a project.

Time and Material Contract

Time and material contracts are also commonly used when the scope of work or design for a project cannot be well defined or definitively developed. This contracting method is paid on the basis of recorded hourly dollar amounts and the actual cost of the materials to construct the job. The general contractor would bill this cost with a specified fee amount for each billing cycle for approval by the owner.

Optional Construction Contract Services Agreements

Design Build Service Agreement & Construction Management Agreement

Design / Build Services Contracts

Design / Build is a very effective method of project delivery creating a more collaborative relationship between the owner, architect and builder, which can provide significant benefits to the owner.

Marwood will ensure that the project precisely fits your requirements and long-term needs. Traditionally the owner selects one firm to provide both design and construction services.

The design/ build process has been proven, by the Construction Industry Institute, to provide significant cost savings and schedule compression on building projects, when compared to more typical Design / Bid / Build or Construction Management type project delivery systems.

Under a design / build contract, Marwood Construction takes complete responsibility to perform both the design and the construction. This approach reduces the time spent by the owner, and thereby reducing the overall project schedule. The owner deals with a design / builder, rather than with a separate architect, contractor and subcontractors.

The Design/Build Advantage:

Single Source Responsibility
Greater Safety Control
Project Cost Established Sooner
Shorten Project Time
Innovative Solutions to Challenges
Cost Savings and Better Cost Control
Improved Risk Management
Greater Quality Control

Construction Management Services Contracts

Considering the increasing difficulty of the zoning, platting and permitting process with local and federal jurisdictions early involvement of the contractor has become crucial to maintaining schedule and budget.

Construction Management Services Advantages:

Goal of the Project is shared by Contractor, Design Team and Owner
Provides services that complement and enhance the services of the Architect
Early Establishment of Budget
Early Establishment of Contractor Fee
Opportunity to Receive all Available Subcontractor Bids
Design follows the Established Budget
Less Time – Early Occupancy of Facility for Improved Operating Cash Flow
Less Time – Substantial Reduction of Interim Costs and/or Operational Equity
Greater Savings on Owner Interim Costs
More Innovative Solutions
Greater Control
Greater Team Approach
More Experience
Highest Level of Quality
Fewer Changes

To learn more about the advantages to hire Marwood Construction as your construction management company, please reach out to contact us

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES HOUSTON & CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS

Marwood Construction offers construction management services in Houston to clients in need of exceptional supervision in home and commercial construction. Our construction management service agreement approach allows our clients the flexibility to staff a project as they require and still maintain control over the direction of the construction activities. We facilitate this service to allow our clients to introduce project influencers into the decision-making process and to retain control over the budget, major decision making and overall leadership of challenging projects.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROCESS

This process requires conceptual estimating, design development, scheduling and value engineering to help each client determine how to best to effectively build their project before committing to a plan for final pricing. Our firm recognizes that setting clear project objectives early in the process results in a much more successful project and higher client satisfaction.

Pre-Construction Services

Feasibility Studies/Pro Forma
Site Selection
Site Assessment and Evaluation
Preliminary Site Layout
Zoning, Platting and Permitting
Budgeting and Conceptual Estimating
Design Assistance/Development
Design Review and Constructability Analysis
Preliminary Cost Estimating
Project Scheduling and Sequencing
Value Engineering
Coordination with Owner and Design Team Members
Material Selection Process
Bid Package Design and Implementation