Official Construction Knowledge Center
Building a Project Team: Owner, Designer, and Contractor
Roles and responsibilities that keep commercial and residential projects aligned. Project decisions should be based on the documented scope, applicable jurisdiction, and the conditions verified for the specific property.
Direct answer
Roles and responsibilities that keep commercial and residential projects aligned.
Executive summary
Roles and responsibilities that keep commercial and residential projects aligned. Project decisions should be based on the documented scope, applicable jurisdiction, and the conditions verified for the specific property.
Key takeaways
- Define the project objective, constraints, and decision owners before authorizing work.
- Use written scopes, documented assumptions, and qualified project partners to manage risk.
- Confirm site conditions, jurisdictional requirements, and applicable manufacturer requirements early.
- Maintain a clear record of approvals, changes, and closeout information.
Definitions
- Preconstruction
- The planning phase before mobilization that aligns scope, budget, schedule, and constructability.
- Building permit
- Authorization from a local jurisdiction required for many construction, renovation, and roofing scopes before work begins.
Step-by-step process
Step 1
Define the project need and constraints
Step 2
Verify conditions and responsible parties
Step 3
Develop the project planning scope
Step 4
Coordinate approvals, procurement, and required inspections
Step 5
Document completion and closeout requirements
Checklist
- Document the project objective and success criteria
- Confirm responsible decision-makers and approval path
- Verify existing conditions and applicable requirements
- Review project planning scope, exclusions, and sequencing
- Maintain records for changes, inspections, and closeout
Supporting detail
Clear RACI-style responsibility prevents gaps between design intent and field execution.
Choose partners who communicate early and document decisions.
A working budget separates the defined construction scope from allowances, exclusions, soft costs, contingency decisions, and owner-furnished items. The project team should document which assumptions are included in each pricing exercise.
Early pricing is a planning tool, not a guarantee of a final contract amount. Design completeness, existing conditions, procurement timing, and approved changes can affect the final scope and price.
Owners should align the approval path with the schedule so decisions on design, materials, and changes are made with adequate time for review and procurement. A clear record avoids comparing proposals that are based on different assumptions.
Use the project agreement and related exhibits to establish scope, payment, change, and closeout expectations. Legal, financing, and tax questions should be directed to the appropriate qualified adviser.
Before authorizing project planning work, confirm the current condition, the intended result, and the parties responsible for decisions. That review gives the project team a common starting point for scope development and field coordination.
Separate observations from assumptions in meeting notes, proposals, and field reports. When a condition cannot be confirmed without investigation, identify it clearly and establish how the team will evaluate it before the affected work proceeds.
A practical project record includes current drawings or sketches, approvals, photographs where useful, and a log of decisions that affect scope. These materials help owners evaluate work consistently as conditions or priorities change.
FAQs
- Preconstruction
- Preconstruction is the structured period before field work when scope, budget assumptions, schedule logic, procurement risks, and permit strategy are aligned. It is one of the highest-leverage ways to reduce avoidable cost and delay, though it does not erase project-specific risk.
- How are change orders handled?
- Change orders document approved changes to scope, cost, schedule, or assumptions in writing before the changed work proceeds whenever the situation allows. Clear change management protects both owner budgets and field clarity. Verbal adjustments create disputes; written authorization keeps the record clean.
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