Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: project management for complex projects

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Jun 23, 2024, at 7:31 PM, Muriel Kranowski <murielk [at] vt.edu> wrote:
> 
> We are wondering how other coho communities do project management for
> projects that are large-scale  expensive, and/or complex. [snip]
> Do you have a long-term relationship with a project management professional
> who handles both occasional big repairs and on-going maintenance? 

We have more than one member with experience in project planning so they do a 
lot of preliminary planning while they consult with major contractors before we 
get bids. When only one contractor is involved that seems to be enough but the 
onsite member is crucial.

We are at the same stage you are and have been more likely to hire a consultant 
who helps determine what we need, can recommend contractors, and may also 
coordinate various contractors. The consultant we have used most frequently is 
the construction engineer with the engineering company that did our first 
reserve study. But all the jobs are different and frankly, new members seem to 
prefer a new person. Part of the “I want to do it myself” syndrome.

We do have a management company that does our finances and advises us on who to 
contact—people they have worked with on other properties. Management companies, 
however, do not do the onsite management required day-to-day to keep everything 
on track and the dogs locked up (euphemistically speaking). 

The most important thing about our own supervision of the job is to identify 
the contact person on both sides and agree on who should be contacted about 
what. Some contractors do not want you to speak to any of their workers 
personally. Always contact the site supervisor or call the office. 

We once offered use of the bathrooms to painters who were on site for 3 weeks. 
The person in charge went ballistic — they didn’t want responsibility for their 
workers being inside the common house. “Who knows what they will do?” Most 
bring a porta-potty if they will be onsite for multiple days.

And some contractors have taken directions/information from whoever walked by. 
Sometimes that is okay and sometimes not.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org