Case Study
Situation
A large new master planned community in Houston was ready to begin approving construction of homes by a number of builders, but had no system in place to begin the process. Funds and manpower for managing the process were short, and the guidelines were written, but with no experienced backup to enforce them. The Vice President was trying to work with the builders but had little experience in the review process, so the builders were unclear as to their responsibilities for getting homes and plot plans approved for construction. This confusion, the lack of an established system and inadequate resources posed serious threats to the launch and ongoing success of the community.
Developer Challenges
The Developer needed assistance to ensure that:
• Employees were trained on all aspects of architectural reviews.
• Record keeping would be effectively maintained without downtime and without hiring of additional staff.
• Record keeping and storage would be maintained off-site, yet remain
easily accessible.
• The developer could maintain the role of decision maker without interrupting his regular work schedule. |
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Systems
McCauley Architectural Reviews designed a review process that would be self-funding and manageable within the staff limitations. Initial steps were:
• Reviewing the Guidelines and changing any inaccuracies or vagueness.
• Creating forms and guidelines for the entire review system.
• Setting-up a tracking base and a final inspection program to ensure that construction was meeting the guidelines.
• Developing a fee structure that funded the entire process.
Execution
A builder meeting was held to clarify the guidelines and new process and to establish the appropriate communication channels for architectural reviews with all related communications to go through McCauley. A standing weekly meeting was set up with the developer to cover all questions from the builders, as well as review any submittals and samples. This enabled the developer to maintain control with minimal interruption of his regular schedule. Once decisions were made, McCauley Architectural Reviews acted as the liaison with the builders handling all communications regarding approvals, disapprovals and questions. This allowed the developer to maintain his positive relationships with the builders, while McCauley buffered any potentially negative issues resulting from the reviews.
Results
The work paid off. Inaccuracies and violations were caught before the first house was built in the community. As a result, all construction followed the same rules and standards achieving the desired appearance for this high-end community. In addition, the community now has an effective self-funding system in place.
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