by The Church Construction Resource Center

Who is the most important person once the construction begins?

The simple answer is the on-site project manager or supervisor. Many people in the construction industry are very good at building but not very good with people. A church must get a manager or supervisor with excellent people skills. He (or she) will be indirectly representing the church and its leadership through interaction with church staff, building committee members, curious church members stopping by the site, and all the subcontractors working on the project.

Concerning selecting the on-site project manager, what is an unreasonable expectations on the part of the building committee?

You cannot demand a construction company to guarantee a certain person will be available whenever you get ready to build. Most local churches take longer than expected  to go through the entire process of planning, fundraising, etc. before establishing a date certain for breaking ground. Construction companies cannot keep a good supervisor idle just waiting for your job to start sometime in the next two years. In fact, if you interview for a supervisor too early, he may have changed companies by the time you actually break ground.

What are reasonable expectations for a building or facilities development committee?

If you know a particular supervisor, you can request a preferred supervisor early in the contacts with the construction company. As time gets close to break ground and you establish a start date, check with the construction company about which supervisors might be available to be assigned to your job. You do not have to accept the construction company's first suggestion for your project if you interview the supervisor and have reservations. Be careful because the right supervisor can be a great help not only during the project but as his effective people skills contribute to a good reputation for your church, his influence is felt after the project is complete.

Our signature publication The MasterBuild Process (available from our store) will help you avoid congregational conflicts, money-wasting mistakes, and frustrating hours of meetings. These information-gathering and decision-making steps will help your building committee more effectively work with architects, builders, or church construction companies.