Building Management Hawaii February/March 2014 - (Page 42)
On Site
Men At Work
Where does the resident manager fit in?
At BMH, we know that managing property in Hawaii isn't easy. For that reason, we've
dedicated this page to you! We invite you, and your peers, to use this page as a forum to
address common problems and share insights-helping you do your job even better.
In this issue, we call on the expertise of Reginald Eubanks, the association manager
for Seventeen Seventeen Ala Wai. He is an Accredited Residential Manager® and holds a
Master of Business Administration degree. 1717 Ala Wai is currently undergoing concrete
spalling and drain waste piping repairs with an estimated cost of $19.6M.
Reginald Eubanks
Associations are taking proactive
measures to repair aging infrastructure
across the Islands, which is creating
quite a stir in numerous communities.
This trend is affecting everyone,
including residents, real estate
agents and neighboring buildings or
communities. Therefore, a resident
manager's (RM) ability to find
resolution amidst the turmoil that
construction creates is essential.
Commonly, by the time the project
crews show up, months or even
years of planning have already been
invested in the job. The process can
be slowed down by many factors,
including costs, financing options and
required association majority votes.
So, by the time construction actually
begins, homeowners and residents
may feel frustrated, confused and
deeply worried.
A good project manager (PM)
can help the association's board of
directors and managing agent work
through these initial challenges, but
the PM's role is mainly geared toward
being the owner's representative
during the pre-construction and
construction phases. During these
phases the PM coordinates with
the RM for resident notifications,
contractor mobilization areas, parking
issues and contractor utility access.
Skilled negotiating tactics maybe
required to reach an agreement with
the contractor on each of these issues.
For most RM's, there is so much
more to deal with than meets the
eye once construction is underway.
Logistical concerns by far top the
42
February-March 2014
BMH
list of issues. For instance, when the
construction contractor wants to
temporarily close a road but does not
provide the manpower to redirect
traffic and prevent an accident. The
burden of fixing the problem in a
situation like this is usually left to the
RM, with little notice sometimes.
Looking residents in the
eye and telling them
they must park offsite
for 4 to 6 months, or
stay off their lanai for
30 days, is a challenge
for any RM.
~ Reginald Eubanks
Another example is when the
construction schedule is inaccurate or
the contractor simply fails to follow it,
causing homeowner communication to
become unreliable and untrustworthy.
This situation, while not the RM's
fault, becomes a nightmare because
some owners and residents will view
everyone associated with the project
as incompetent.
The examples of daily construction
problems are endless but remedies exist
for most logistical and communication
challenges. A possible solution is for
RMs to develop an internal action
plan for the onsite staff to deal with
contractor related issues such as
construction site safety, elevator usage,
worker behavior and site cleanup. The
RM should also have a plan to deal with
disgruntled homeowners and residents,
real estate agents, prospective buyers
and neighbors who have numerous
questions or concerns about the project.
Additional bulletin boards,
interactive displays, newsletters
and websites that are dedicated
to construction information are
tremendous resources. The written
word is a powerful tool but it can
lead to more questions and confusion
if the notices/articles are unclear. If
the budget allows, some associations
hire or dedicate a staff member to
assist with the massive amount of
homeowner and resident construction
concerns and coordinate with the
project manager. The staff member
also attends weekly coordination
meetings with the PM, owner and
contractor representatives to resolve
problems before they start.
Looking residents in the eye and
telling them they must park offsite for
4 to 6 months or stay off their lanai
for 30 days is a challenge for any RM,
but with enough notice, a solid plan
(and tough skin), you can prevail.
An RM's experience with dealing
with construction challenges brings
value and expertise to an association. So
the next time someone asks, "Who is
responsible for construction site security,
traffic control, parking issues, rubbish
disposal, information dissemination,
conflict resolution, swimming pool
closures, damages and all other issues
related to construction?" Tell them to
visit the RM's office for details.
www.buildingmanagementhawaii.com
http://www.buildingmanagementhawaii.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Management Hawaii February/March 2014
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Engineered Efficiency: A Holistic Approach
Why Host An EV Charger
The New Age Of Energy Metering
Are You On Island Time?
Time To Stay Cool
Through The Tinted-Glass, And What Savings You’ll Find There
SECURITY
Managing Off-Site
Safe & Secure
HVAC: Top Trends
EDITORIAL Notes
An Industry Unites At Expo 2014
The (Often Overlooked) Success Factor
On Site: Men At Work
Building Management Hawaii February/March 2014
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