Frequently Asked Questions

The Klinkam Company serves owners of commercial and institutional projects. The types of projects include, but are not limited to hospitals, clinics, schools, child care centers, retail centers, retail tenant improvement and port facilities.

The responsibilities of an owner’s representative/PM and architect are different.  The scope of the project manager’s responsibilities is global including budgeting, scheduling, planning, construction administration and owner representative to the design team. The object is to develop, support and achieve the owner’s objectives in these service areas.

The architect has design authority and responsibility to provide a design that satisfies the client’s program parameters in terms of functionality, cost, schedule, available materials, construction technology and compliance with federal state and local authorities and codes.

The project manager/owner representative must collaborate with the architect as their circles of influence intersect but do not overlap.  Though their roles are different, it is essential that they work together as a team to assure the delivery of a successful project.

Some ways we have saved significant sums of money for our clients include:

• Introducing the design team to innovative ideas we have learned from successful implementation on past projects…providing a better wheel…not reinventing one.
• Anticipating and proactively avoiding potential problems based upon similar situations experienced and solutions implemented on prior projects.
• When appropriate, direct the design team to challenge or counter propose corrections or design changes requested by building officials if their view is subject to code interpretation, on it’s face does not make practical sense or if a reasonable alternative is available and an effective solution to their concern.
• Negotiating favorable construction contracts and fees with general contractors. General contractors who have worked with us know that we are reasonable and fair managers that do not seek unfair advantage based on the “power of the project pocketbook”. They do not have to build in fee contingencies into their fee structure knowing that their fee is assured if they perform.
• Providing confident and decisive leadership. Significant time, money and opportunity can be lost through procrastination and the fear to make and act upon a decision. On a timely basis, we review the issue, review the solutions, decide, direct and move forward.
• Thorough change order review and knowledgeable negotiation of the true cost of a change.  When a contractor or sub-contractor submits a proposal or claim for additional cost and receives a response that represents a thorough and knowledgeable review of the scope and value of the change, the dynamic of that negotiation and future negotiations become orientated on the facts and actual impacts of the change, not a grocery list of potential costs and impacts.
• Knowing when to unequivocally deny claims without merit…knowing when to support those that do.
• Embodying the role of “Owner Representative” at the weekly project meetings. This means that individuals are held accountable to complete or make progress action items held over from the prior week. No action is not acceptable and noted as such by the owner representative. At this point the owner representative takes an added interest in making sure such items are addressed during and by the following week.
• Instilling confidence in the lending institution that is financing the project by providing them current and accurate cost accounting reports and projections. This allows them the ease of mind to expedite release of funds to the owner and contractor throughout the project and at final endorsement. This expedited cycle of payment removes any incentive for the contractor(s) to “load” their payment applications as a strategy to charge extra dollars as a defense against slow payments. This reduces the owner’s costs in construction loan interest.
• Maintaining an administrative framework with which the entire project team recognizes they have a functional venue in which to identify, discuss and resolve issues effectively, saving time and money.

There are several windows of opportunity.  The owner representative/project manager should join your project planning team when he or she can:

• Assist in the selection of the architect and design consultants.
• Assist in the choice of construction delivery method and the selection of the general contractor.
• Review the project concept and/or plans with the contractor to:
  • Develop a project budget
  • Develop a project schedule
  • Discuss cost savings options, building systems, materials, etc.
  • Discuss site logistics

The project manager should be involved well before the client project building committee or board members realize they have taken the project development as far as they are capable and their experience and time will allow.

We evaluate the scope, duration and complexity of the project and propose a fixed fee to match our services to your project specific requirements. The fee is pro-rated and billed on a monthly basis throughout the duration of the project. Our fee is not determined on an hourly basis or as a percentage of the cost of construction.