Real estate owners who don’t build for a living are often shocked by how fragmented, inefficient, and opaque the construction industry can be. They don’t understand why the business of construction can’t operate with the same level of productivity as other aspects of their business world. Neither do we. We created LePatner Project Solutions to help our clients successfully navigate the day-to-day planning, design, and construction process. We help them define a real estate or facility need, align their capital program objectives with their overall business goals, and oversee every phase of their project’s development and execution.
On each project, LePatner employs the right combination of experienced project managers and consultants to provide fully-integrated project solutions consistent with the terms and provisions of the C³ Agreements.
LePatner has long understood there is a smarter way to build. Over the years, we have developed a set of project management services and best practices that span from project conception to close-out.
Evaluate and Plan
- Prioritizing client interests and objectives
- Project Risk Assessment
- Real Estate Feasibility Studies
- Retrofits and Renovations
- Zoning & Development Analysis
- Property Condition Assessments
- Lease Analysis
- Identifying and Mitigating Risk
- Budgeting and Scheduling
- DOB/Landmarks Application and Approvals Strategy
Design and Construction
- Assembling the Team
- Design Phase Management
- Cost and Schedule Controls
- Negotiate a Fair Price
- Construction Management
- Sustainability & Energy Efficiency
- Constructability Reviews
- Reduce Owner Stress Through Management of Day-to-Day Project Operations
Close-outs and Disputes
- Sign-off Management
- Forensic Investigations
- Project Takeovers/Rescue
- Defective Work Claims
- Dispute Resolution
- Insurance Claims
- Project Cost Reconciliation
A full-service LPS scope includes the tasks outlined below. Because every project is different with a unique set of challenges to solve, we cost-effectively tailor our approach and services to match the budget and desired outcomes of our clients.
Strategic Planning
- Align facility requirements with business plans
- Provide lease analysis
- Provide land or building pre-purchase property condition assessments
- Create acquisition/disposition strategies
- Define financial parameters
- Establish sustainability and energy efficiency efforts
- Develop a project cost accounting structure consistent with client policies and procedures
Project-specific Risk Analysis
- Review and recommend insurance requirements for owner, professionals, and contractors and bonding coverage as needed
- Review cost reports and analyze deviations from the project budget
- Evaluate the financial implications of delays, project acceleration or disruptionand recommend corrective action
- Regularly review project schedules to foresee potential impacts on completion or client operations
- Develop claim-avoidance strategies
Maximize ROI
- Develop sustainability and energy-efficiency retrofits and audits
- Evaluate facilities/space utilization
- Provide property/building condition assessments
- Provide lease analyses
- Evaluate occupancy cost reduction
- Provide leasability enhancement
- Develop tenant retention strategies
Assemble the Right Team
- Pre-qualify and select project team through an RFP and interview process
- Prepare LePatner C³ Agreements and coordinate between all team members
- Review and recommend insurance coverage
- Define the sign-off decision-making process
- Establish project communication procedures
- Organize the project kick-off meeting
Anticipate the Pitfalls
- Review of lease/purchase documents
- Develop project budget, including identifying of all relevant cost categories and benchmark project costs
- Ensure proper communication flow between the client and the project team
- Ensure a proper decision-making process between the client and the project team
- Oversee timely procurement of government approvals and permits
- Conduct constructability reviews of project team documents
Getting It Built
- Recommend and implement cost-control systems, change review and owner approval process
- Verify that project team members have procured the required insurance
- Regularly review project documents for conformance to client’s function and financial goals
- Maintain team’s focus on client’s business goals and objectives
- Review the project milestone schedule for potential impacts on client operations
- Identify potential impediments to timely completion — and recommend corrective action
- Evaluate the financial implications of delays, project acceleration or disruption
- Identify deviations from the original budget — and recommend corrective action
- Assist with value engineering and recommend cost effective alternatives
Closing It Out Quickly
- Prepare a final cost summary and overall budget reconciliation in advance of owner’s final payments
- Ensure delivery of final lien waivers, as-built drawings, guarantees, warranties, sign-offs and manuals prior to final payments and release of any retainage
- Oversee and coordinate commissioning activities, client move-in and turnover to ensure a seamless transition to occupancy
- Oversee submission to USGBC for LEED certification
- Prepare and manage post-occupancy user surveys
Resolving Disputes
- Manage the project rescue and completion process in the event of contractor terminations or defaults
- Prepare and analyze claims
- Resolve additional service claims
- Investigate and prepare warranty and defective work claims
- Manage insurance, bonding and surety claims
- Dispute resolution: Mediation, arbitration, or litigation support