What to Expect From Your Construction Manager, and What to Demand

Hiring a construction manager is one of the most consequential decisions a property owner or developer makes. The right CM is a force multiplier, controlling costs, compressing timelines, and keeping subcontractors accountable. The wrong one costs you money, schedule, and sleep.

Most owners don’t know what a great CM relationship looks like until they’ve had a bad one. Here’s what you should expect from day one, and what you should demand before you sign.

What a CM Actually Does

A construction manager is not a general contractor and not a project manager. The CM role sits above both, representing the owner’s interests across every phase of the project, from pre-construction through final punch list.

That means:

• Pre-construction: Reviewing drawings for constructability, identifying long-lead items, procuring subcontractors, establishing the project schedule
• Construction: Managing daily operations, holding subs accountable to scope and schedule, issuing RFIs, reviewing submittals, tracking change events
• Closeout: Managing punch list, securing warranties, coordinating occupancy permits, turning over the project fully documented

If your CM is only showing up for site walks and weekly owner meetings, you’re not getting CM services. You’re getting a project observer.

The Questions You Should Be Asking

Before you award a CM contract, ask these:

Who is actually running my job? Many firms sell you the principals and assign your project to junior staff. Ask specifically who your day-to-day point of contact is and what other projects they’re managing simultaneously.

How do you report to ownership? A good CM has a defined reporting cadence, weekly written reports at minimum, with budget variance, schedule status, and open items. If the answer is “we’ll keep you informed,” that’s not a system, that’s a promise.

What does your change order process look like? Change orders are where projects go sideways. Your CM should have a structured process for documenting change events, pricing them, and getting owner approval before work proceeds, not presenting a surprise at the end of the project.

How do you handle a subcontractor who isn’t performing? The answer to this question tells you everything about how a CM handles pressure.

What You Should Demand

• A defined reporting schedule, in writing, before construction starts
• Open-book cost visibility with no surprises on where the contingency is going
• A single senior point of contact who attends every site meeting
• A change order log that’s current at all times
• A 30-60-90 day look-ahead schedule updated weekly

At Dunn Development, these aren’t requests. They’re our standard operating procedure. Every client gets structured reporting, real-time budget visibility, and a senior PM who owns the project start to finish.

If you’re evaluating construction managers for your next project, contact us. We’re happy to walk you through our process before you make any decisions.