I normally get up at about 6am, but am usually am awake from around 5am. I’m definitely a morning person, and so it is often when I get my best ideas!
CLPM is a small, but growing company, so as a director I get involved with almost every aspect of the business. My morning thinking sessions could therefore be on anything from thinking of a new idea for our website, preparing for an interview for a new member of staff, or a client meeting to rolling out a new IT system or planning our attendance at an industry event such as Grand Designs Live.
With 2 teenage children to organise, my first priority in the mornings is checking that they have everything they need for school. Breakfast is therefore slightly on the hoof, and is most often porridge, as I find I really need a big carb hit to make it to lunchtime!
Once the school run is over, I take our dog for a walk. Then, if I’m feeling virtuous I might do the Joe Wicks 15 minute workout – though I usually just end up putting on the washing or unpacking the dishwasher before I head off for the office.
I drive a Toyota Aygo which is decorated with the CLPM livery. It therefore doubles up as a company run-around and is hugely practical when visiting sites in London or the suburbs, as it can be parked just about anywhere and is hugely economical on fuel.
Unlike our construction project managers I’m mostly office based. My role is all about organisation and coordination and I like being in the centre of the business. I also manage the sales side of things, and am usually the first person our clients speak to at CLPM. I also spend time meeting with architects and other industry people and usually have about 2 business to business meetings per week, that can be either at our head office or at the partner office. These tend to be within about a 30 mile radius of Rickmansworth but do also occasionally take me into London.
Once I’ve checked everyone at the office is ok, and made a cup of tea, I fire up my laptop and check my emails. I prefer to use a computer rather than my phone as I do like to keep work and family life separate, but sometimes that’s quite challenging.
I am a list person, so tend to have a long ‘to do’ list which is either from the day before or further back in the week with rolling tasks. I love our project management system BuilderTrend as the majority of my ‘to do’s’ are logged in there with reminders and it’s the best tool I’ve found for organising myself.
I’m one of the few non-technical people in CLPM but I do have a real passion for period property renovation and restoration. However, I think it’s easy to forget that buildings have to be lived in, otherwise they become derelict and unusable. There is a fine balance to be struck between maintaining the historical integrity of a building, and actually using it for its purpose ie. it being a proper home. Whilst I have the utmost respect for conservation officers, I think that there can be a tendency for them to become too precious about trying to preserve properties in what is caricature of their former self.
I think what I enjoy most about my job is the opportunity of working collaboratively with people every day. CLPM work with a whole host of very talented and creative partners and together we deliver some really excellent projects. I view undertaking a building project as being one of the most stressful activities that anyone can undertake, but I firmly believe that by building a good team of people around you, you can get the result that you want. Your home is central to your life and therefore you need to invest in the best professional help to do it right.
Whilst I don’t have direct experience of working with clients on their projects, I do spend time getting feedback and chatting to clients once they have finished onsite. If you are carrying out a major building project it’s inevitable that there will be hiccups along the way. The most common issue our clients come across seems to be lack of thorough design information at the beginning of the process, which can then cause confusion and delay once in build. Here at CLPM we see our role as helping our clients to bridge that gap by checking and reviewing the specifications and ensuring that the clients instruct and make decisions in an effective and timely way.
I think clients work most effectively with their project manager when they have a good understanding of what a project team should be. The aim should be to pull together a team of people with different skill-sets, all working towards a common goal. They should all understand the part they make and accept that they have their own roles and responsibilities. To make all those relationships effective, regular and clear communication between all the parties is key.
I would suggest that there are some important Do’s and Don’ts in working with a Construction Project Manager:-
- Don’t try to do everything yourself. You have employed a professional because they have the skills and expertise that you don’t have. Stick to what you do well, and leave them to do what they do well. Clients who try to take-over the roles usually allocated to others (architects, builders or project managers) usually make errors and can then unwittingly cause costly mistakes later on.
- Listen to your build team. It’s easy to make decisions about the project with your heart and not head. Try to take on board what they are saying, even if it goes against your ‘heart’ instinct. Your ‘head’ (and wallet) will thank you later.
- Try to be organised and clear with communication. Sending 20 mails a day about 20 different things means that something will get overlooked or misunderstood. Try to collate your instructions or enquiries into one (or two) lengthier emails instead.
- Be honest and give regular feedback. Try to establish a strong working relationship with your project manager and building team. Think of them as the experts at your shoulder. If you are unhappy with anything make sure you talk to them straight away.
- Ask your project manager lots of questions. If you’re not sure about something then ask. Our Project Managers are very knowledgeable and generous with that knowledge. They will want you to come away from your project knowing more than you did before you started.
- Be patient and realistic. Whilst your project manager will visit your project as frequently as you have agreed within your service plan, they will not be there 24/7. Your builder will also try their best but they are bound to make some errors. It’s likely that issues will occur. You will need to work together with your project manager and building team to resolve them.
- Play your part. You have appointed a project manager, but this does not mean you can abdicate from your own responsibilities to the project. Check you are 100% happy with the specifications before you go onsite. Try to avoid changing your mind. Make decisions and organise for items that are required to be delivered in the timeframe given to you.
I think the best outcomes we see both in terms of the highest quality of the building work and the lowest amount of stress are with clients who understand these things and work cooperatively with their project manager.
Running a business like CLPM means working long hours, including some evenings and weekends. We often have meetings with potential clients after 6pm and attend shows like Grand Designs Live and Build It Live! As their construction project management experts. At the end of a hard day I like to relax whilst walking our small, but quite demanding border terrier-Jack Russell crossbreed. We live in a semi-rural area so have access to some lovely country walks. I also really enjoy cooking, and when not being a taxi service to our teenage children, enjoy getting to the gym. Ignoring the ironing pile has also been mastered to a fine art!
Are you planning a major building project? If you’d like to hear more about how CLPM can help save you time, money and stress then get in touch. Call 01923 896550, email info@cl-pm.com or complete a contact form.