Construction Management
Principled construction management, no matter the contract type
Carl A. Nelson & Company has decades of experience completing projects in the Construction Management (CM) role. Whether serving as Owner advocate and advisor from master planning and pre-construction all the way through completion as CM Agent, or transitioning to a general contractor role following conclusion of the pre-construction phase as CM at-Risk, our project leadership team members in the office and the field strive to live up to our guiding principles to serve our clients with Fairness & Honesty, Quality Workmanship and Service Second to None. That means you can always count on the Carl A. Nelson & Company team to manage and lead your CM project with a commitment to quality and integrity.
Construction Management delivery is a method where the construction manager provides both pre-construction services (in collaboration with architects and engineers engaged to design the project); and leads the construction phase, working with other contractors to build the project. CM Agent and CM at-Risk vary based on contract type, which outline different roles for the CM during the construction phase.
About CM Agency
In the CM Agency model, the trade contracts for the construction work are held by the Owner and managed by the construction manager. Also in this contract type, the construction manager serves as the owner’s representative in relation to designers and contractors throughout pre-construction, construction and closeout.
About CM at-Risk
In a CM at-Risk contract, the construction manager serves as an advisor to the Owner during pre-construction on cost, schedule and constructability. Where at-Risk delivery differs from CMa, however, is in management of the construction phase, when the CM's role becomes akin to that of a general contractor. In CMaR delivery, the CM holds the specialty subcontracts for work not being self-performed by the construction manager. The CM's role as Owner advocate/advisor ends at the conclusion of the pre-construction phase. This delivery method is sometimes known as Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc).
Read below to learn about CANCO's experience in both CM contract types:
How we approach CM Agency projects
On Construction Management Agency projects, Carl A. Nelson & Company brings its extensive pre-construction and construction experience to bear as Owner representative and advocate with designers and builders hired for the project.
Options for the Owner include:
• Contract separately for design and construction services, bringing the CM into the mix from the very beginning or early in the design process; or
• Contract with CANCO for construction management; CANCO in turn will contract with designers, resulting in a single contract for the Owner and a budget-focused design process led by our project cost experts.
In either arrangement, CANCO's role as the construction management contractor on a CMa project is to work on the Owner's behalf, and represent Owner priorities in communication with designers and prime contractors.
Frequently in the CMa delivery method, CANCO manages multiple design and construction contracts on the Owner's behalf. During the design phase, our pre-construction review includes looking at architectural and MEPT designs to ensure Owner needs and priorities for the project are being met within the available budget.
Also during pre-construction, Carl A. Nelson & Company will prepare the final budget, then create bid packages and solicit bidders, with special emphasis on encouraging local contractor participation.
During construction, our on-site project leadership team works with the prime contractors to enforce adherence to schedule and budget while also ensuring quality.
Clients discuss the benefits of CM Agency services from CANCO
On public projects in Iowa, Construction Management Agency delivery offers cities, school districts and other governmental agencies the opportunity — even prior to engaging an architect — to benefit from the expertise of an experienced construction manager in areas such as cost estimating and budgeting. Here, clients offer their views about the role Carl A. Nelson & Company played on their Construction Management Agency projects.
Additional CMa project testimonials can be found on our YouTube channel. We have collected them into a playlist you will find here.
Construction Management Agency project examples
Highlighted below are several of Carl A. Nelson & Company's projects in the role of construction management agency. Visit the Project Portfolio for additional examples of our work.
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Our work as your CM at-Risk
In the Construction Management at-Risk (CMaR) delivery method, Carl A. Nelson & Company (CANCO) is able to combine its extensive pre-construction and general contracting experience to help guide your project through design and budgeting, and then take a lead role in the construction phase as a self-performing contractor.
Working with the designer contracted by the Owner, CANCO performs a pre-construction review of the drawings to identify unnecessary costs, find value engineering opportunities and conduct code review with support from Nelson Design, Inc., our wholly owned design subsidiary; and also will establish a construction budget and schedule. At the conclusion of design and pre-construction, we will negotiate a contract for construction and begin building the project.
Carl A. Nelson & Company has more than a century of general contracting experience, while our design-build experience goes back to the early 1970s. Our superintendents average more than 25 years in the construction industry, and our project managers — all of them with degrees in civil or construction engineering, construction management or industrial technology — average more than 20 years of industry experience.
Examples of our work as Construction Manager at-Risk
Highlighted below are several of Carl A. Nelson & Company's projects using Construction Management at-Risk delivery. Visit the Project Portfolio for additional examples of our work.
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Choose CANCO to be your Construction Manager
Carl A. Nelson & Company is available to serve as Construction Manager for your organization's next construction project. Fill out the form below, or contact Dan Culp in our Burlington, Iowa, office at (319) 754-8415.