Sometimes, companies try to manage construction projects themselves. They take it upon themselves to hire different tradespeople and try to coordinate all the moving pieces. No matter how simple a project may seem, it is always more involved than they think, resulting in delayed schedules, increased costs, decreased quality, and frustration.
Over the years, Adform Interiors began addressing some of these issues for clients. We filled a need. Today we have a 100% client-focused approach in which we act as a single point of contact on construction projects. Below are five ways clients tell us working with Adform is better than taking projects on themselves.
"Our Employees Can Focus on What They Do Best"
The Facilities Team can take it on is often the thinking. The reality is that coordinating multiple tradespeople, from designers and electricians to carpenters and plumbers, is a lot of work! It’s time-consuming, detailed work that quickly racks up the manhours. When employees have to solicit and compare quotes, plan and coordinate project schedules, follow-up with trades, coordinate payments, and more, it pulls employees off their priorities. Adform Interiors act as a “fractional facility manager” and a temporary extension of our client’s team on construction projects, allowing employees to focus on what they do best.
“We Lack the Relationships and Construction Experience”
In addition to the above, coordinating different tradespeople is exponentially more difficult when companies work with tradespeople for the first time. After three decades of working with different trades, we have seen it all! Overcoming various challenges on different projects, we have a familiarity, trust, and common understanding with firms that ensures our client’s projects run smoothly.
“I Can’t Handle Finger-Pointing from Firms”
When issues arise, it can be difficult to determine the root of a problem and who is responsible for correcting it. A project manager without construction expertise will get caught between tradespeople blaming each other. Adform Interiors clients never experience this. We resolve issues for them. More importantly, we have the construction experience to anticipate and avoid potential problems in the first place!
“The Day-to-Day Details Are Too Much”
Companies that manage construction projects themselves need to be very, very hands-on. They need to provide direction, make decisions when issues arise, follow-up, follow-up, and follow-up. They are involved in every issue that arises every day of the project. Adform Interiors provides clients a buffer from day-to-day issues. Because we invest time up-front planning and designing with clients, we can make decisions on their behalf throughout the project.
“I Never Hear Back from Contractors”
Very quickly into a project, companies find themselves in reactive mode. It’s hard to keep up. Tradespeople can be… less-than-responsive to requests and questions. It can seem like you don’t know where your project stands. Sometimes companies are surprised to learn about major project changes months after they happen! Communication is critical. Adform meets with clients weekly to give project updates. Virtual meetings and walk-throughs help to show clients the progress. There are never surprises. We also stay on top of firms working on the project. We have a rapport with firms, understand their trade, and can anticipate problems. We also provide funding at different stages during projects, which helps keep them motivated and on track.
These are real issues that can make a construction project a very frustrating and costly experience. Adform Interiors moved to a business model based on long-term relationships with customers. While other firms may focus on their part of a project, whether plumbing, electrical, or construction, we focus on our client’s entire project from beginning to end—a proven methodology for keeping projects on budget, on time, every time.
