Why the construction industry needs to be more collaborative with property managers 

Leading Property Manager explains: Why the construction industry needs to be more collaborative with property managers 

Property managers play a vital role in overseeing estates post build, they are traditionally appointed once plans have been finalised or even once the build is complete. Following this, it is their responsibility to manage all the ongoing upkeep of the building, as well as maintaining residential needs. They are the experts in the daily running of the building and maintenance of the property yet are very often not consulted during the planning or construction phase. Block and Estate management expert, David Goldberg wants to change this.

As the founder and CEO of award-winning property management company POD, David has been in the property industry for over 20 years. From this experience he found that when working alongside designers and project managers during the construction phase, buildings were more cost-effective to maintain, operated more efficiently and allowed a more seamless customer journey.

Below, David shares why the construction industry and property managers need to work more collaboratively, particularly during the early stages of projects.

Management led design and construction

A well-designed property is key to seamless operations. Following our appointment, it is often the case that we will assess a building and see elements that we would have advised to design and build differently, in order to manage more efficiently and keep long term costs low.

Designers and builders will be experts in their field, however they are unlikely to have experienced how their designs or build will impact ongoing day to day management and liveability following occupation. This is why POD offer new build consultancy, a service which advises from the very beginning of a project. If property managers were to be consulted prior to the construction phase, we would be able to optimise every stage, from concept design to ongoing management, ensuring build and design aligns with future maintenance considerations.

One example I can give here is at our Fisherton Street development. After seeing the plans for the build, we advised the project managers to move the parcel room. Due to where the room was located in the building, the concierge would have to leave the desk unattended for a significant amount of time. Therefore, entry to the building could not be granted, or queries answered during this period. Having two people at the desk would alleviate the issue, but would incur additional staffing costs.

The location of a parcel room may not appear as a problem during the design or construction phase, but it’s an issue that will emerge later on and have a knock-on effect, potentially having a drastic impact on the day to day running and customer experience.

Short term cost for long term saving

During the construction phase, budgets are tight and adding an additional cost of a new build consultancy service may seem counterproductive, however it could actually save time expenditure in the long run as fixing problems at the design stage costs nothing. There are two main ways that a collaborative build can save money; through advising on cost control during construction phase, as well as assisting with financial planning to set realistic running costs and therefore lower service fees.

An example of this would be on a property where the designer had included plans for a ‘living wall’ including full irrigation system. POD advised the client to change the installation to high quality fake plants and by doing so, this would not only control construction costs but also significantly reduce service charges.

Smooth transition from construction to occupation

When a property management company such as POD are consulted from the early planning and construction phases through to completion, they will already have an in-depth knowledge of the property, when appointed for ongoing management. Furthermore, if recommendations have been implemented during a collaborative build, the block will have been designed and built with maintenance and liveability in mind. This includes the maintenance and operational requirements, which therefore makes the transition from construction to occupation smoother for all stakeholders.

Overall, it’s a property manager’s goal to keep satisfaction for all stakeholders high. In order to do so, early appointment is key. If the construction industry and property managers work more collaboratively during the initial stages, we will be able to improve cost control, mitigate issues further down the line and ultimately improve ongoing customer satisfaction”.

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