When I bought my house four years ago, I was thrilled. In the world of real estate, this foreclosure was a steal! The house needed some work, but “it’s just cosmetic,” I remember telling everyone.
On a handiness scale from one to Bob Villa, I’d rate myself a solid three. I understood the difference between a Phillips and a flat-head, and I could occasionally wield an electric drill, but this is where my knowledge abruptly ended.
The weekend I closed on my house, I promptly and eagerly ripped up 1,600 square feet of old, dingy carpet and linoleum. Task one of my project plan was complete. What was step two, you ask? Well, it was NOT fixing a hot water heater, but that’s what I ended up doing. Surprise! Thirteen trips to Lowe’s later (yes, I actually counted), and I had hot water again. Was this a sign? Did I question my own sanity? Maybe. I quickly realized that managing my renovation scope, timeline, and budget would be a challenge (and my DIY skills would need a boost!). Fast forward … past leaky pipes, backwards door knobs, broken tile, spilled paint, and an unexpected trip to the ER. My house is officially complete, and up for sale!
As my home renovation project nears the end, I’ve been doing some serious reflecting — a postmortem, if you will. I’ve come to the realization that the journey wouldn’t have been possible without critical project management skills and good health insurance. Just kidding on the last part. Sort of.
Whether you’re redesigning a home or a website, when you first start planning any big project, your emotions quickly can fluctuate from excitement, to anxiety, to frustration. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the enormity of what you’re about to undertake and find yourself drowning in the details. This is where the value of good project management comes into play.
Project managers are not only able to grasp the big picture, but also we’re able to identify the smaller tasks required in each phase, the order in which those tasks need to happen (critical path, anyone?), and how long it will take to accomplish those tasks. I understand now, for example, that you can’t buy paint before testing out the colors. And if the ceiling fan instructions says it will only take you an hour to install, you should really plan for four!
Armed with this type of insider knowledge, mStoner project managers develop a project plan for your site. We build timelines, we allocate resources, we manage budgets, and along the way we oversee the actual construction. It’s our job to make sure your vision grows into reality! We’re the folks always checking and double-checking that the power is turned off, and that the team has the right tools for the right job. We’re talking to the project team multiple times a day, every day, and making sure activities in one phase are complete before moving on to the next.
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Even with carefully laid plans, however, surprises can come along the way. Challenges are inevitable with complex projects, but part of our job as project managers is to expect the unexpected. During your partnership with mStoner, you’ll work with project managers who are proactively on the lookout for potential hazards down the road. These types of skills can be invaluable in saving you time and expense of rework.
As a realtor walked through my house for the first time last week, he asked me if I would do it all over again. Without hesitation, I answered, “Absolutely!” I firmly believe that with the right project management skills (and in some cases, power tools), you can accomplish anything. Having a dream of what your site will look like is the first step, but turning that vision into reality is the next. With a good project manager keeping one eye on the big picture and one eye on the details, not only will your timeline and budget stay on track, but you’ll also be able to smoothly navigate challenges along the way. Eventually, you’ll find yourself answering that question the same way I did!