IFMA presents an expert each month on a topic related to facilities management. LANDCO’s Greg Zuzack provided the expertise at the August 17 meeting at Maritz’s corporate headquarters in Fenton.
Greg has over 30 years of experience in commercial construction in the areas of business development and strategic planning, pre-construction services, and project management. Greg has been with LANDCO since 2008, working as a senior project manager and leading the business development efforts. He is an accredited LEED Green Associate.
Greg’s presentation was entitled “Five Common Project Management Mistakes and How to Avoid Them,” outlining the importance of implementing regular communication, systems of checks and balances, and a post construction phase plan. One of his major points was the necessity of the participation of facility managers from project inception through completion, to avoid costly revisions. The meeting was well-attended by professionals in design, construction and property management.
Here is an outline of the five common mistakes:
1. Lack of Commitment (Buy-in) from Leadership
- Identify scope of work and why it is needed.
- Provide supporting documentation from all affected internal users.
- Justify type of delivery system to be used and key team members.
- Provide a “high level” estimate based on Architect and General Contractor input.
- Contingencies.
2. No Early Engagement of Team
- Engage the key members of your team as early as possible.
- Collaboration eliminates the adversarial relationship.
- Select your General Contractor based on relative project experience, the Project Manager, General Conditions and fee.
3. Lack of Regular Communication Meetings
- Establish a meeting time and date each week.
- All team members to be present each week.
- Project Manager to be keeper of Meeting Minutes, which includes the following:
- Critical Items
- All divisions of work
- Schedules (overall and a three-week look ahead), submittal log and change order summary report
4. No Tracking or Monitoring System for Changes
- Identify change(s)
- Added scope
- Hidden conditions
- Code remediation
- Present change order reasons, possible solutions and back-up.
- Approval from the Owner in a timely manner so the General Contractor can issue.
5. No Post Construction Plan
- Ensures orderly project close-out and transition from construction to actual use.
- Quality Control – Punch List
- Documentation Control – close-out manuals, “as-built” drawings, warranty letters, LEED documentation, business license and certificate of occupancy.
- Financial Close-Out – Received all outstanding change orders, lien waivers (GC and subs).
- Building Turnover – Operating training for all systems, and service agreements.
Click to view a PDF of Greg’s Presentation >
“At LANDCO, we are committed to providing the highest quality of service to our clients, in every phase of the project. Greg exemplifies the level of dedication and expertise it takes to achieve that goal, and we are proud to have him as a key member of our team.”
Building Your Vision
Ronald L. Landolt
