Owner’s Representative vs. Project Manager: How to Understand the Important Differences
There are a lot of terms used during a construction project. And sometimes those terms can seem so similar and interchangeable that it gets confusing. Like an owner’s representative and project manager – these 2 terms seem the same at first glance. But they’re 2 different roles.
What’s an owner’s representative vs. project manager?
An owner’s representative is your advocate.
You hire an owner’s rep to represent and advocate for you throughout your construction project. An owner’s representative will act as your liaison with the various contractors, architects, engineers, and other professionals on the project.
Think of an owner’s rep as an extension of you and acting as a connector between you and the project. They play the crucial role of ensuring your construction project is completed successfully while protecting your interest through the process. All while keeping you up to date on any issues and progress.
When you hire an owner’s representative, they will help keep your project on time, within budget, and to your specifications. They can also help manage the bidding process, oversee the construction contract, resolve project disputes, and manage cost escalations & supply delays.
A project manager is responsible for completing project tasks.
A project manager (PM) is usually employed by the general contractor or other discipline involved in the project.
So there can be several project managers involved in a construction project. There can be one for the general contractor, one for the engineer, one for the architect, and so on.
These project managers manage tasks for whoever they work for – the PM for the architect is responsible for tasks assigned by the architect firm. Nothing else.
A project manager will oversee the planning and delivery of the project, ensure work is completed on time and within budget, organize site logistics, delegate work, obtain equipment & materials, and communicate with other disciplines & vendors to arrange scheduling for different construction phases (to name a few possible responsibilities depending on their discipline).
What’s the difference between an owner’s representative vs. project manager?
An owner’s rep and project manager share similar responsibilities, but there are some key differences.
The owner’s representative’s primary responsibility is to protect your interests and advocate for you. They’ll monitor your project while guiding you through decisions like the construction contract, the budget, materials, and more.
The project manager’s primary responsibility is to manage project tasks as it relates to their discipline. The project manager for the general contractor has different responsibilities than the project manager for the engineer. Their roles may intersect, but they focus on their particular discipline.
The owner’s rep and project manager will work with each other to ensure the project is completed. But your owner’s representative serves as an extension of you and a connector between you & the other project manager.
Does the owner’s representative have a project manager?
Yes!
An owner’s rep will have their own project manager that helps execute the 1,000s of tasks that come with completing a construction project. Their project manager assists in overseeing the entire project.
Some of the tasks the owner’s representative’s PM completes are:
Leading meetings
Conducting site visits
Managing day-to-day review of invoices
Helping resolve issues in the field
They do all this while always “representing the owner” as the owner’s representative.
Often, the managers, general contractor & their team of superintendents, other project managers, and so on, will come to the owner’s rep or their PM for any issues, clarifications, etc.
Guard your investment and interests by hiring an owner’s representative.
With The Common Area as your owner’s rep, we’ll act as your advocate throughout the project. Giving you the peace of mind that your project is expertly monitored and your interests protected.