Over 20 years ago, during a brief period between regular paychecks and having just moved back to North Bay from Toronto, I met Paul Mitchell, my current partner, on the street and we had a brief chat about what I was doing. In no time flat, I was the CA for the construction/renovation of the relocation of the Ontario Correctional Services head office to North Bay. This was a government "fast track" (read Kiss of Death) project that started at $16,000,000 and after two years doubled in cost with over 800 Site Instructions and 750 Change Orders. Probably the quintessential definition of "Baptism by Fire". What this did for me was to force me into a regimen to successfully track site instructions, changes, and change orders, (thank you Statslog!) and to be fully immersed in a difficult and complicated and often combative construction process. Problem Solving 101 to say the least.
From that job, I moved on with Paul to another firm and did full time CA on a wide variety of projects. Several years after that, Paul bought out the firm and I was fortunate enough to be made a partner several years after that. In 20 years in this business, I have administered over $300,000,000 in projects, from $100,000 to $30 million in size, with probably 5 or 6 different types of contracts. (Why are people always trying to re-invent the wheel?).
I'm a Virgo. Focused, analytical, detail oriented, and straight to the issue kind of guy. Usually without a lot of political correctness! Fiercely competitive, I want our documents to be the best and I want our firm to get all the work. Highly unrealistic but I hate to lose a job.
The Construction Manager for the firm on the first job I was on, was a crusty bastard who knew his stuff. Sure taught me how to run a meeting and how to effectively deal with sub-trades. However, my current partner Paul Mitchell has been most inspirational to me. He writes exceptionally well, knows construction contracts inside out (should have been a lawyer) and has the ability to very quickly sort out the wheat from the chaff to get at the heart of the issue and logically render an opinion or a decision that puts contractors in their place in a very professional manner. In a word, brilliant.
Creeeeak! Is that Pandora's box opening? 20 years in this business has made me somewhat of a cynic with respect to the construction formats being currently invented (mostly by people who know little or nothing about the actual process), Owners that have unrealistic expectations, Consultants that don't put out a good set of documents or do a less than adequate job during the construction process, development consultants who don't understand the construction process, and, most of all, Contractors who have forgotten that it's their job to build the building. Of course their are some excellent people in this interesting business. I just wish those were the only people we had to deal with.
Having said all that, let me say that I learn something new about this business every day, and am always willing to listen to the guys that do the building and other professionals on how to do things in a better way. Any man or woman that is unable to do this, is a fool IMHO. It is still amazing to me how complex buildings are designed and built. Most people don't have any idea of what goes into this process.
The most enjoyable phase for me is getting into the actual construction of the project and doing problem solving. My partner says I get way too involved, but Clients and Contractors really do like being well served during this phase. Prompt answers to questions within hours and not days or weeks, protecting the Owner's interests every time the Contractor tries to stick it to him, interpretation and enforcement of the Contract Documents in a fair an evenhanded manner, owning up to mistakes from our office and team members in order to treat the Contractor fairly, and conducting all this with a real sense of humor.
What's that? The least favourable phase of the project? Why, contract closeout of course. I would rather poke rusty needles in my eyes and go scuba diving in the Dead Sea without goggles. Contractors never seem to submit what or all they are supposed to and some Owners promptly store all three copies of the close out documents in a mysterious place whose location is promptly forgotten. This whole phase should be rethought out in order to provide meaningfull information that the Owner can actually use.
Least favourite task after that? Evaluating and fighting over change quotations that are never submitted on time with little or no breakdown for ridiculous prices.
Stip Sum Contracts for 95% of the projects, with adequate contingencies, solid documents, and awarded to the Contractor closest to the mean average of the tenders.