CM/GC stands for Construction Manager/General Contractor. It’s an innovative project delivery method that is known to help speed up the design and construction process, shortening a project’s time period. It also allows a project owner to select a contractor early in the project development process to act in an advisory role.
In this method, a project owner will request qualifications and proposals from a General Contractor team before beginning construction and often even before construction plans are finalized for the project. The contractor will provide feedback during the design phase including constructability reviews, value engineering suggestions, construction estimates, and overall recommendations to benefit the project.
Once the project design is 90 to 95 percent complete, the CMGC contractor provides a price to construct the project if found acceptable or within reasonable project budgets. This collaboration has been utilized by Caltrans and other owners through pilot projects and is becoming more popular as a project delivery method.
CM/GC projects are typically divided into two contract phases:
Phase 1: Design
This is known as the design phase. The hired contractor and the designer collaborate together to assess risks, make budget predictions, and flush out the scheduling of the project. This gives the team a greater opportunity to complete the project on time and with minimal setbacks.
Phase 2: Construction
When the design phase reaches about 90-95 percent completion, the contractor and the designer then negotiate the price of the contract. Once they agree on the project’s cost, they move onto phase two. The second phase is known as the construction phase. As you can assume, all the steps and plans made in the first phase come into effect, and the construction begins.
Benefits
There are many benefits to a successful CM/GC project. The first benefit is that it gives the contractor and project owner the opportunity to reduce project times, and many are completed at an accelerated rate. In effect, the project cost tends to be lower as well.
Furthermore, the contractor and designer take time to mitigate risk during the design phase, reducing or eliminating any unexpected setbacks during the construction phase. The collaboration between the contractor and the designer ensures that all entities are on the same page before construction begins, allowing for more accurate cost estimates and reducing the chances of change orders down the road.
Partner With Us
G3 Quality has provided technical expertise and design recommendations on several CM/GC projects and is currently participating in several projects throughout California using this project delivery method.
At G3 Quality, we are industry leaders who are always embracing change and excellence. We are an elite team of engineers and professionals who provide world-class quality management, pavement engineering, materials design, construction inspection, and testing on infrastructure projects throughout California and the western United States.
To learn more about how G3 Quality can contribute knowledge, expertise, consulting, and professional services to your project, contact us.