They have an eye for detail, are a dab hand with the nail gun, can tally up figures in their heads and have a great sense of humour to boot. Meet the Urban Homes project managers.
We call them the Men in Blue. Mark Atkinson, Darryn Herapath, Jordan Harding and Grant Burberry are our formidable team of project managers here at Urban Homes. They’re smart, savvy and have a real passion for the building industry, not to mention building honest and personal relationships with clients whilst on the journey to building their dream home.
But if you’re wondering exactly what it is they do, day in and day out, read on. We asked the guys to give us a run down of their role here at Urban Homes to give you insight into the important part they play in constructing your home.
“As a project manager I’m responsible for all construction activity on site, from consent approval at the very beginning of the process through to the day we hand over the keys to our clients,” explains Darryn. “And for me, the best part of the job is being able to create a masterpiece for our clients, ensuring their new home build is as stress free as possible. I want to exceed my clients’ expectations with regards to the overall process and quality of finish of their new home.”
It’s a sentiment agreed upon by Jordan. “Every day is different,” says Jordan. “For the most part I’m looking after trades and communicating with our clients, either on site, via emails or phone calls. My job is to run a build for our clients from start to finish as efficiently and smoothly as possible. This can only be achieved through good communication and a positive relationship with each client.”
It’s both the client relationships and the trade relationships that the guys are known for and which are much appreciated by our valued clients. At a recent handover of a beautiful new home, the client commented on the work of our project managers, their sense of humour and their efficiency.
So, what does it take to be a successful project manager? “Having a building background is a definite advantage,” says Grant. “As is a sense of humour, good time management, patience, a positive attitude and an eye for detail.”
“You also need to be very autonomous,” adds Darryn. “We work closely with architects, engineers, designers, council inspectors, suppliers, tradies and our clients during the entire project lifespan. We’re juggling a lot of balls in the air at any one time so keeping those lines of communication open is essential. We also update our clients weekly on the progress of their home via reports on the MyUrbanApp,” he says.
How each of the guys work with clients is very much dependent on what the client wants. “It depends how involved they want to be,” explains Mark. “We’ll go through electrical layouts with them, landscaping, and any special features or requirements they may have for their home. Ultimately, what it comes down to is building honest and personal relationships with clients whilst on the journey of building their dream home.”
Getting along as a team is also important, as peer reviewing builds is part of a project manager’s role. But the guys are all committed to building quality homes for their clients – it’s part of what they enjoy most about their jobs.
“Working with the clients to achieve their ideas and dreams and being able to present the highest possible standard of finish is a really enjoyable aspect of the job,” says Grant. “We’re representing Urban Homes, whether it is with the client or in the public eye, so taking ownership of each of our projects is important.”
And with that, the guys are back to it. Each project manager can have up to 10 homes on the go at any one time, hence the need for good time management skills. It also means they’ve got time at the end of the day for a round of foozeball!