Meet McGill’s Construction Services Practice Area Leader
MCGILL’S CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES
McGill’s construction administration services are vital for the effective execution of both public and private projects. Our construction team provides support for all of our other services, assuring the successful completion of each design and project.
Our construction management personnel assure contractors’ full adherence to plans and specifications, timelines, and processes by emphasizing proper training and monitoring. As a result of our in-depth familiarity with the concerns of all parties involved, as well as our thorough understanding of design and permitting difficulties, we are in a unique position to analyze the contractor’s suggestions and provide sound advice to the owner.
Our services include bidding and construction document preparation, pre-construction bidding and conference, contract document preparation, construction contract administration, and change order services.
MEET MCGILL’S CONSTRUCTION SERVICES PRACTICE AREA LEADER MIKE PATTON
Mike Patton has been with McGill since 2002 — starting out as an engineering technician and working his way up to his new current role as Construction Services Practice Area Leader — he has extensive experience that covers a wide range of infrastructure projects for municipal clients.
Mike’s current role entails directing field operations, preparing contract documents, chairing various project meetings, processing applications for payment, reviewing shop drawings, and negotiating change orders.
What is your favorite part of your role as the McGill Construction Services Practice Area Leader?
“My favorite thing to do is to take on a project that my teammates have worked on for several years, administer those contracts, and help the contractor get that project built.”
“In the end, when it gets completed, everyone has that sense of satisfaction, and they can move on to the next project. I love to do that for my teammates.”
What does construction administration mean in the field of engineering?
“The thing is, I’m not the one who is out there building something or swinging a hammer and actually doing the construction work. I’m taking something for my teammates, and I’m getting it pushed across the finish line. That’s what construction administration is about for engineers.”
What type of project do you enjoy working on the most?
“It would probably be water and wastewater treatment plant projects. Those are truly my favorite.”
“The life of a construction services manager can sometimes feel like a roller coaster though. It can feel like you are doing multiple treatment plant projects for a few years and then all of a sudden for a few years you barely have any of those types of projects.”
In terms of construction administration what makes McGill stand out from our competitors?
“Simple — client care. Some other firms may see it as if your job is to say ‘Whatever is within the contract is what I have authority over and that’s all I’m going to worry about. So, if there is any issue outside of that I won’t deal with it.’ “Well, that’s not the way that we do things here at McGill.”
“My construction field representatives (CFR) know that I expect them to take care of the client at whatever level. If the county manager wants to talk to you as a CFR, you will speak with them and be professional, and if the maintenance worker comes out there, you will also maintain that same level of professionalism with them.”
“The reason for holding my CFRs to that standard is because they sometimes have more contact with the client than even I do by the time the construction project is over. So, it is important that they handle themselves in a sophisticated manner — that is always the expectation.”
What is the significance of construction administration being its own practice area at McGill?
“I think the ultimate goal in making construction its own practice area at McGill — is not necessarily to set it over to the side and separate it — but rather to actually to pull all of us together, regardless of the office that we are located in, as far as the construction team itself goes. It has pulled everyone off their own island and made us an even tighter group.”
LEARN MORE
Click here to learn more about how Mike Patton and McGill’s construction administration team can help carry your project from design concept through completion.
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