Who we are and how we will help you

Frontline Construction Services was founded in 1996 by Carl F. Cooke to provide a broad range of objective professional construction project management services to project Owner’s.  We direct, coordinate and monitor the efforts of independent project stake-holders that consist of real estate professionals, city officials, architects, engineers, corporate resource managers, construction managers, technology managers, furniture and fixture vendors.

Frontline was founded with the notion that project Owner’s need experienced representation throughout the complex process of a successful real estate development project.

After more than 33 years working in a wide variety of capacities within the design and construction industry, Carl can provide you with invaluable insights and guidance that will ensure a successful project. Following is a list of activities that Frontline believes are critical to the successful project.

1. Assembling the best project team is possibly the one item paramount to all others when planning a successful project. Selecting the design and construction partners best suited for your project size, type, complexity and schedule is the first step to a successful project. Frontline has the experience to assess your project needs, knows and has worked with a variety of Architects and builders of all capacities and specialties and can guide you in making the right decisions based on the right reasons.

2. Planning for current and future staffing requirements, current and future programming requirements, budgets, scheduling concerns and impact on your current operations all need to be considered when planning your project. With a highly qualified PM assisting you, your planning and decision making becomes educated and informed eliminating the unexpected and unwanted surprises as well as identifying potential variables that may need to be addressed. Frontline’s extensive experience with each of these concerns will afford you the ability to make informed, confident decisions reducing the anxiety often associated with construction projects.

3. The project delivery system must be chosen based on the needs of the Owner and the project. There are a multitude of excellent and proven project delivery methods available and careful consideration must be given to select the best one for the project. Most design professionals and construction companies have their preferred delivery methods however those generally work to the designer or builder’s benefit. This decision must be made with the Owner’s needs in mind. Frontline has worked with the most common of the delivery methods used and can provide advice on what method would best serve the client, the project and why.

4. Frontline coordinates the efforts of the designer and builder and along with making sure the Owner’s responsibilities are met, Frontline ensures the project moves forward along the timeline agreed to and necessary to meet the Owner’s needs. Coordination and communication are crucial to every successful project and while each team member is aware of their contractual responsibilities, the successful PM knows how to insist that the team members meet those responsibilities according to the schedule.

5. Managing project scope changes is critical to maintaining the project schedule and budget. Every project encounters scope changes whether they are recommended by the Architect or engineer, suggested by the builder, Owner requested or required because of a discovered or unforeseen condition, they will occur. The experienced and effective PM can learn the issue, process the options, analyze the cost/schedule impacts claimed and make recommendations to the project Owner in a timely manner. Timely decisions are critical to the success of your project and Frontline will provide guidance in this process.

6. Project Owners are generally not well versed in the design and construction process and even a savvy Facilities Director often finds themselves overwhelmed with terms and processes they are not familiar with. This inexperience can often lead to Owners inadvertently contributing to delays and cost overruns. These projects are complex with many moving parts. There can be thirty or more subcontractors, material suppliers and vendors working for the builder. Each with their own very real needs and issues. These entities each have their own experienced representatives and as the project Owner you need an experienced PM that understands those needs and issues and can assist in resolving them to allow every participant to enjoy a successful project. Carl’s experiences having worked on the design side, builder side and Owner side affords him the ability to do this. It is important to remember that every participant starts a project with expectations for success.

7. Frontline tracks the schedules provided by the Architect and the builder. By contract the Architect is required to provide a schedule that demonstrates how they will go through the different stages of design and the development of the construction documents. Generally those are concept, schematic, design development and construction documents. Carl’s experience working with Architects provides him with the experience and ability to accurately monitor the progress of the design team making sure adequate resources are being utilized by the entire design team, including the multiple engineering disciplines, to meet the schedule and allow construction to proceed to meet the final project completion date. Frontline also tracks the budget estimates provided by the Architect ensuring the design stays within the Owners budget. By contract the builder is also required to provide a schedule demonstrating how it will coordinate and complete the project within the contract period. Carl’s experience as a contractor provides him with the ability to review and analyze the builders original project schedule for feasibility, track the progress of the construction in conjunction with that schedule, advise the team if activities are slipping and work with the team to determine the best steps to make sure the project stays on track.

8. Frontline attends design team meetings periodically during the design phase ensuring the design stays on schedule and does not develop “scope creep” which can create budget problems and subsequent schedule challenges. Frontline then attends the weekly project meetings during the construction phase. Weekly project meetings provide the opportunity to discuss any construction issues, schedule concerns, design concerns and budget concerns with the complete team. They also provide the team with the ability to walk the project site and see and discuss any issues or concerns. The discussions, observations and resultant meeting minutes provide a record of your project that can become invaluable in the future.

9. It is important to remember that designers and contractors all want to provide you with a quality product. It is the experienced PM that can facilitate the process and assist the team members in overcoming time constraints, estimate shortfalls, and resource management so that construction team members understand that the Owner will work just as hard to ensure a successful project. The experienced PM encourages individual team members to bring their challenges to the table so that they can be addressed as a group, worked out with the final product in mind. This is a team effort and they only truly successful project is one where all team members are successful.

Retaining Frontline Construction Services for your next project is the first and best step toward a successful project. Contact us and ask us how we can help you.