Why Do I Need a Pavement, Building Envelope, Or Roof Consultant?

With every organization looking to cut costs wherever possible, how do you know if a hiring a pavement, building envelope, or roof consultant is worth the cost?

A good consultant can provide an invaluable service to your facility. They have specialized knowledge and experience that most architects and engineers do not possess and are a trusted, unbiased and independent third-party resource. Consultants are experienced in maneuvering through the industries complexities and will work with you to develop a solution that is truly in your best interest.

What does a Pavement, Building Envelope, Or Roof Consultant do?

The role of the consultant is to collaborate with owners, material suppliers and builders of construction projects to create high performance pavement, building envelope, or roofing systems. Their tasks usually include:

• Assessing the conditions and needs of your facilities
• Assisting in the management and budgeting for your assets
• Creation of plans, specifications, and drawings specific to the project
• Controlling the bid process on behalf of the owner
• Administering the construction projects for the owner
• Conducting pre-construction meetings, performing quality control inspections, and testing of materials and products throughout construction
• Ensuring that all pavement, building envelope, and roof systems are properly installed in accordance with design and submittal documents, specifications, and industry standards

In addition to an unbiased approach and specialized expertise, there are several additional attributes that consultants possess that you will not usually find in a contractor:

• Professional liability insurance
• Any licenses or registrations as required by the state based on the scope of work (PE, RA, RRC)
• Code Compliance
• A working knowledge of the building's insurance carrier's requirements

What are the Benefits of Hiring a Pavement, Building Envelope, Or Roof Consultant?

The consultant is there to handle the technical aspects of the project that most facilities departments don't understand - and don't have the time or the inclination to learn. Contractors must work in concert with the consultant to understand the requirements of the specifications and design to collectively provide the owner with a quality construction project.

In the end, hiring a consultant for paving, roofing, or building envelope expertise can provide a building owner with a significant return on investment, while meeting sustainable design standards and ensuring projects that offer the lowest life cycle cost of ownership.

The 5 Step Process for Getting Your Facility Budgets Approved

The number one challenge reported by facilities departments is securing funding for maintenance, repairs and capital projects. Short-term, band-aid solutions are often implemented instead of strategic long-term maintenance programs because facilities departments can't justify the expenditure. 

Facilities departments struggle to obtain adequate funding for a number of reasons...

1. CFO's typically do not want to invest money in managing the facility since they see the facility as an expense. They would rather invest in a new technology or initiative that is going to make the organization more profitable. They do not fully understand the value facilities departments add to their organization by correcting problems and improving how a facility operates.

2. Facilities departments often have trouble validating their funding requests. They aren't armed with the best tools and therefore can't present a solid case for funding.

3. Facilities departments don't clearly demonstrates why funding their projects will benefit the entire organization. Requests are often presented in facilities department terms rather than in context the CFO can relate to.

Our buildings do not generate revenue, but can most certainly affect the “bottom line.” Overcoming these challenges as well as others that present themselves when pitching your case to the C-suite is imperative for successful facility management. 

We have collaborated with numerous facility managers to find out the best ways to build credibility with key financial decisions makers, create a defensible capital budget, and, ultimately, get your budgets approved. 

Continue to our website to read The 5 Step Process for Getting Your Capital Budgets Approved.