Having a talented and competent team is key to any successful project. Something we have been doing a lot of at VAKOTA lately is what we refer to as ‘Owner Representation’. When starting a new project, owners look towards who they know to find designers and contractors. Sometimes, in order to cut costs or to be more selective with contractors, a property owner will put together a design and construction team that is not fully qualified to create the project of their expectations.
While there are some merits to this approach, it also has some clear drawbacks. This is particularly apparent in cases where the owner has not brought in someone whose job it is to project manage the entire build. That could either be hiring an architect or designer who does not perform construction administration or does not coordinate engineering trades. This could also be when an owner hires a contractor who is inexperienced in a particular building type or has not properly understood the design drawings.
Without that one person to orchestrate the project, there can be small lapses in communication – which lead to large problems down the line. For example, an electricial mechanical engineer and a structural engineer may both work on the project, but not speak to one another when designing an air conditioning system. Ductwork may run into beams and units that need power may not get noted in the electrical drawings. In worst case scenarios, this can mean their work will not be cohesive when it comes time for installation and changes on site are needed. This can make projects lengthier and more expensive due to the time and resource needed to fix the issue during construction.
VAKOTA has been hired to coordinate the addition and renovation to a 4-story building on Avenue A, in Manhattan. This large overhaul will add an extra, 5th Story – which will house two penthouse apartments. Our role came into play when the owner realized that while they had brought in all of the necessary consultants, no-one was coordinating their design trades, construction time, schedule, or budget. At VAKTOA, our expertise lies not just in coordinating and organizing projects – but ensuring that the client fully understands that process.
When we joined the project team, we picked up on a few missing elements straight away. For example, the project had not been through the necessary site survey for a neighbors’ agreement [link to neighbor article]. The impact of this oversight eventually meant that the owner of the neighboring building would not let the team onto their property to build one of the new walls.
We have brought a strong project management angle to the work, conducting an audit of the multiple consultants and contractors involved and their plans. This has included sifting through a large number of drawings – mechanical, electrical, plumbing, etc. – that haven’t been coordinated; so creating a Digital Matrix of assigned tasks, trades, deadlines and timelines, as well as coordinating the existing plans, were the first steps in overseeing that this project happens, and happens well.
We have guided the owner in completing an owners’ agreement, neighbors’ access agreements, a project schedule, obtaining the required permits – and any other planning elements they might have missed in the initial project kick-off. New York City has a lot of permit rules and regulations, so we have also checked that the plans adhere to those.
At VAKOTA, we are really good at asking the right questions at the right time – and those that owners might not have known to ask. Owner Representation is essentially architecture – without the design! Design is a large part of architecture; putting together information and making sure owners are protected and informed is enormously important. When we take on Owner Representation projects, we are doing just that (minus the design)!
Owner Representation projects require us to stay out of the design work, ascertain what’s missing from the plans, and ensure the project moves smoothly and is properly monitored from start to finish.
