Construction Management Services for Developers & Self-Builders

Small developers and self-builders share a common challenge: managing costs and risk while relying on borrowed funds. Whether you’re building for profit or creating your dream home, the successful control of your construction budget is absolutely vital. Achieving this control requires professional construction management from the initial concept through to the Shell stage (Structure is fully enclosed and protected, eliminating exposure to the elements).

The Challenge

Handling financial pressure and controlling costs.

Contract Options

Choosing the right contract strategy for you.

Schedule & Budget

Preparing an achievable schedule and realistic, affordable budget.

Shell Critical Path

Managing the critical path to being wind and weathertight.

Is a Construction Manager the right choice for your project?

1| The Challenges For Small Developers & Self-Builders

Small developers and self-builders face identical construction management problems despite having different end goals. Budget overruns will reduce the developers profit or even result in a loss and reduce the quality of the self-builders dream home. In both cases, projects are typically funded through loans, making cost and schedule control paramount.

Financial Pressure:
Both parties are usually reliant on borrowed money so that budget overruns will require additional borrowing.
Cost Control:
The core challenge is to establish and maintain the control of cost through to the Wind and Weathertight stage. After this, kitchens, bathrooms, internal finishes, and landscaping can be completed, free from the time pressures of the critical path and budget overruns caused by delays.

2| Contract Strategy Options for Effective Construction Management

Once planning consent is secured, choosing the right contract strategy is the next critical step. This decision directly impacts cost, risk, and the level of input required from the client.

Strategy Option	Description	Pros/Cons
Main Contractor (Design & Build)	Appointing a main contractor for detailed design and construction management.	Most expensive. Minimises client input, but risk of contractor cutting corners for profit.
Architect & Main Contractor (Traditional)	Architect handles detailed design, main contractor builds with Architectural supervision.	Costly. No means to control of Schedule or Budget.
Self-Managed	Architect handles detailed design, Client manages construction.	Highest risk (quality and budget), especially for inexperienced clients.
Professional Construction Manager	Professional manages Detailed Design and Construction.	Optimal risk reduction, superior quality, and budget control.

Save time and budget when you use a Construction Manager.

3| Schedule & Budget: The Core of Construction Management

Develop a Realistic Schedule

After obtaining planning permission, the most important element of a successful project is the rigorous control of the Schedule and Budget. Many inexperienced builders mistakenly prepare the Budget first and then the Schedule. This is not the right approach, simply because, after the materials to be used have been identified, the primary driver of cost is the time spent on the project by everyone involved in it.

But the preparation of an achievable schedule does require a great deal of experience.

Time is Money: The project schedule must be established first so that the estimate can be prepared.
Weather Float: The schedule must include a realistic float to account for bad weather delays, which can significantly affect elements like cavity wall construction.
Lack of Delivery of Materials or Contractor: The project must never be delayed by late delivery or late arrival of a contractor on the site for any reason

Prepare the Budget

Preliminary Estimates

The approximate estimates prepared during the project planning phase based on cost per square meter are useful for initial planning but are completely inadequate for construction management. The Construction Manager (CM) will be able to prepare more accurate estimates based on material take-offs from the planning drawings that can be used as the basis of his engagement, but even these will not be accurate enough for tight cost control.

Project Budget

The Project Budget must be established with certainty, including a contingency sum (e.g. 10%). The Budget will be identified by the CM after the Schedule has been developed and prices obtained from contractors and suppliers based on the drawings prepared for Building Regulation approval.

The Critical Path to the Shell (Wind & Weathertight)

Achieving the Shell stage in a residential building requires precise sequencing of interdependent stages (foundations, walls, floors, roof, and external doors/windows) managed via critical path planning to minimise delays. An experienced construction manager identifies this, coordinates scaffolding for elevated work on walls, roof, and windows, and mitigates risks like weather or supply issues that could shift the path and extend timelines. By allowing sufficient “Float” in the Schedule.

Once these elements are complete, the structure is fully enclosed and protected, eliminating exposure to the elements. This allows the subsequent tasks (kitchens, bathrooms, internal finishes, and landscaping) to be carried out in a stable environment, free from time pressures of the critical path or budget overruns from delays.

Key Benefits of Experienced Management

Ensures sequential completion without float erosion on critical tasks, preventing costly chain reactions.
Deploys scaffolding efficiently and complies with safety standards during high-risk phases.
Transitions seamlessly to non-critical work post WWT allowing the Client to focus on quality over speed.
Identifies any extended manufacturing times for structural steel, timber frames, SIPS or doors and windows, that can dictate the project start date. For instance, footings should only be started after the manufacturers’ production drawings are complete so such drawings may need to be on the critical path to prevent costly layout and level amendments.

Construction Management

DOn’t leave your build to chance.

Protect your investment from the elements. Speak to our experts to ensure your shell is wind and weathertight—built right, on budget, the first time.

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4| The Professional Construction Manager’s Role

Once a project starts on site, every single day generates cost until the Shell stage is reached. A professional Construction Manager (CM) is vital for staying within the Budget and Schedule.

Anticipation and Mitigation: The CM must anticipate potential issues that could cause delays and proactively take action to mitigate them.
Shell Focus: If a developer or self-builder lacks real experience in housebuilding, it is more economic to commission a CM to manage the work up to the Shell stage.
Cost Savings: While the CM’s fee is typically 10-15% of the cost of the WWT elements, experience shows that an inexperienced builder attempting this stage will often see costs increase by at least 20%, meaning that the use of a CM will save money.

5| Structure & Shell Construction Management Services

In the building industry, the Project Manager oversees the entire project, while the Construction Manager focuses specifically on the budget and schedule aspects of the physical building work.

ICF Designs ‘Structure and Shell Service’ has been set up to get a new residence up to the Shell stage, relieving the client of pressure during the most critical, cost-sensitive stage of the project.

The service includes:

Preparation of Building Regulation approval drawings.
Development of a detailed Contract Strategy and Construction Schedule.
Obtaining and vetting comprehensive quotes from suppliers and sub-contractors based on fixed quantities and specified dates.
Placing orders on behalf of the client and certifying payments.
Regular site visits during construction.

6| Conclusion: Securing Your Project With Expert Construction Management

The Shell stage is the most financially vulnerable period for any self-build or development project due to the interdependence of critical tasks. By securing professional construction management through a service like “Structure & Shell” you overcome the problems encountered in reaching the Shell milestone. Once this stage is complete, the project can be finished at a more relaxed pace, independent of weather and without the worry of costs escalating due to delays to the Critical Path of the Schedule. This is how you ensure successful and cost-effective construction management from start to finish.

Construction Management

Ready To Control Your Project Costs?

Secure your budget and schedule up to the Shell stage! Contact the ICF Designs team today to discuss your project and learn about our Structure and Shell Service.