Project managers, architects, contractors and craftsmen: building a house on Mallorca is real teamwork.
And the better the team, the better the result.
Whether at football or on the building site. You can't do it without the right teammates. Building a house in Mallorca is also real teamwork. But who do builders actually need at their side?
First of all, this depends on the type of work, the scope of the work and the respective needs of each client. If the work to be carried out is a new build, the client will by law require an architect, a structural engineer, a technical architect, a health and safety coordinator (SiGeKo) and, of course, the executing (building) contractor, whereby one person can also perform several functions.
Depending on the requirements or complexity of the project, other specialists may be consulted, such as project managers or client representatives, building services engineers, etc.
If the work to be carried out is only minor interventions such as renovation, modernization or refurbishment work, in which no safety-relevant or structural work is carried out, in most cases only the executing contractor is required by law!
But hold on! Especially for larger and more demanding projects, a project manager is indispensable.
What are the tasks?
The project manager is the link between the client and all those involved in the construction, from the architects to the construction company to the janitor. Their main tasks are best described as control, coordination and communication. He has to control and coordinate the entire construction process from both a commercial and construction point of view, he has to consider the legal and tax perspective, must be communicative and should have the ability to look at the big picture.
Depending on the progress of the construction work and according to the motto "Trust is good, control is better", he should be on the construction site as often as possible. This is the only way to ensure that an adequate quality control actually takes place and that he is sufficiently informed about everything“says Oliver Girharz, Managing Director of the construction and project management company „Matrol Servicios y Peritajes“.
In addition to the project objectives, he advises the client on the planning and implementation of the work, takes care of the permits, draws up contracts and monitors compliance with them, checks and negotiates cost estimates, checks invoices and reports on the state of construction at regular intervals, to name just a few points.
When is a project manager useful?
In general, whenever the client is not able to support the project in terms of time, is not an expert, the project is very complex or simply due to language barriers. The involvement of a project manager is almost always worthwhile, especially for clients who do not speak the local language.
The architect as conductor on the construction site
The architect plans the building according to the client's specifications. Different contractors and companies are responsible for the construction work, but these must be selected by the client with the support of the architect. The architect is usually responsible for site management. He is also responsible for adhering to the agreed time frame, ensuring quality and preventing and eliminating defects.
The architect is therefore best placed to respond to the individual wishes and suggestions for change of his client. However, this also increases the risk of construction cost overruns. And this is usually borne by the client.
As with the first option, the builder commissions an architect to design the house according to their specifications and wishes. However, the general contractor is responsible for the entire construction process. The company must coordinate and supervise the construction site and is liable for all services agreed in the contract as well as timely completion. The risk of construction cost overruns is borne by the general contractor. In some cases, the company charges a risk surcharge for this.
In return, the client usually has no influence on the selection of subcontractors or tradespeople.
Whoever builds with a builder gets everything from a single source. From the plot to the connections, the house ready to move into and the outdoor facilities - everything is usually included. The builder builds on his own initiative with his own or financed money at his own risk. He plans the floor plan and takes care of the building permit before or at the same time as the start of sales. He awards the trades and manages the construction. Until handover, the builder remains the client with all obligations and rights.
His client, on the other hand, has hardly any authority on the construction site and is not liable for anything. However, a reputable builder will allow inspections of the house by the owner or expert during the construction phase. In this constellation, the client has only one contact person and has practically nothing to worry about.
However, although your own ideas and other equipment details can be incorporated in the form of special requests, this is usually only possible for an additional charge.
