Hiring an owner’s representative lets you know that a construction expert is looking out for your best interests.
Supreme Structures is well known for being a commercial general contractor in southern Wisconsin, with decades of experience building hundreds of projects of all sizes. But perhaps you didn’t know that Supreme Structures also offers owner’s representative services. Our clients have included private companies and school districts who wanted expert advice and representation on their building projects.
What is an owner’s representative?
“An owner’s representative protects the construction project’s owner,” said Supreme Structures Vice President Mike Trapino. “Having one provides peace of mind for clients who in many cases have not been through a construction project before.”
As owner’s representative, Supreme provides input, expertise, and guidance on your construction project at different stages. In other words, we can help with everything short of doing the construction ourselves. “We are there to look out for the owner’s best interests, answer questions, help troubleshoot issues, bring the construction expertise, and aid in communication with the architect and contractor,” explained Mike.
Although each project is unique, owner’s representation can include:
- Representation during the different phases of a project: preconstruction, construction, and project closeout
- Facilitating communication among the owner, contractor and/or architect
- Providing value engineering in the preconstruction stage of the project
- Reviewing and negotiating contracts
- Ensuring that appropriate insurance and bonding is in place
- Budget review
- Attending meetings with, or on behalf of, the owner
- Receiving and reviewing payment applications and invoices with the owner
- Accompanying the design professional and others on visits to the work site and reviewing the design professional’s reports as needed
- Reviewing and monitoring the work schedule
- Working with the design professional and owner to review and process contractors’ requests for changes in work
- Participating in substantial completion inspections and assisting in preparation of list of items to be completed or corrected in order to achieve final completion
- Receiving and reviewing all documentation required of contractor in order to achieve final completion and receive final payment
An owner’s representative can help keep projects to budget
Supreme Structures was hired to be owner’s representative for Midwestern BioAg, an agronomic manufacturer that needed to build a new facility. We were involved from needs analysis through completion, directing the design and construction of a 7,200 square foot office, shop and warehouse and a 17,250 sq ft fertilizer blending facility. As owner’s representative, we were able to provide substantial value engineering on this project. “We advocated for efficiency to keep the project to budget,” explained Mike.
Every project is different
The School District of Mauston won a referendum to build a new elementary school, plus provide remodeling, additions, and infrastructure and site improvements on existing schools. Supreme Structures provided value engineering, facilitated communication between the different parties, attended meetings on behalf of the district and reviewed invoices, collaborated to create punchlists and made sure that the work was finalized according to specifications.
Supreme Structures can provide owner’s representation in geographic areas outside of our usual building range
Most of Supreme Structures’ construction projects fall within a roughly 60-mile radius of our office in Madison, Wisconsin. That’s because the logistics of having our team members on a job site daily determines our range. But because builder’s representation does not require the everyday physical presence of our team, we are able to successfully take on projects farther afield.
We invite you to find out if owner’s representation is right for you. To discuss your project, contact usto get started today.