Owners are increasingly considering alternative project delivery methods such as engineer-procure-construct (EPC), design-build, and construction manager/general contractor (CM/GC). While the advantages and disadvantages of the EPC method were discussed in a previous post, my personal experience lies more with CM/GC contracts. There are a variety of advantages and disadvantages to CM/GC, but in my experience it is extremely important for owners to realize that it is not in your best interest for the CM/GC to self-perform a high percentage of the work.

If you’re an owner who's been involved with a major construction project, this question isn’t hypothetical. Yet while this situation is extremely common, many owners don’t have a strong grasp on their contract’s terms and conditions or the relevant case law that forms the underpinnings of a defensible answer.

The Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) contracting model has grown increasingly popular in recent years. If your organization doesn’t already use it, odds are you’re at least considering trying it on a project.

Budget and schedule: two critical components that often define your project’s success. There are many approaches and tools to help you meet your budget and schedule, but one of the best is a constructability review. We’ve discussed the benefits of these reviews in previous posts (Four Tips for User Friendly and Maintainable Fish Facilities and Stop! Read This Before Replacing or Updating Your Hydro Turbines Part 1). In this installment I will discuss constructability review tips and how they can be used to defend your budget and schedule.