If you are a foreign citizen looking to build your own seaside home in Croatia you are probably at the point where you are wondering about possibilities of turning your idea into a real project. But how and where to start?
As a foreign citizen, building your own home in Croatia might be a challenge, especially if you are not prepared. And here, we don’t mean dealing with laws or language barriers. What matters the most is the ability to execute the entire construction process without any “hiccups”, and deliver a meticulously constructed home. That is why it is necessary to hire a project management firm or property development company. Great project managers will deliver your vision of home as seamlessly as possible.
And here are 5 things you should consider before hiring a project management company in Croatia (or any other country).
1. What type of properties are they developing?
When you are looking for a service from a company you haven’t ever worked before it is reasonable to look for their experience and previous projects. Let’s say you found your ideal property developers online. First, you must aim for their experience, because in this field more experience equals better quality.
Of course, you also need to check their niche. If you are building a luxury villa you certainly don’t want to hire a company specialized in a field way different from luxury properties.
In an ideal scenario, a developer’s past projects will make you think: “This is exactly how I imagine my house”. So, when the interview process comes, make sure to ask the representatives of the project management company about the past projects. And don’t forget to check the reviews from previous clients.
2. How do they manage time and the budget?
Before hiring a project management company it is mandatory to ask them how they balance the time and the budget in construction. This is important because a good allocation of time and resources will have a direct impact on the house quality. The last thing you want is having water leaking issues due to saving money on materials.
Try to find out how they handled projects in the past, and how their decisions led to better outcomes, and in the end, how they improved the quality. Don’t forget, project managers are following your wishes and guidance so you have to be very specific about what you expect, and what you are looking for.
Good communication with project managers will lead to better resource allocation and better project execution.
3. How do they prioritize decisions in the development process?
The outcome of the entire project depends on how project managers prioritize decisions. Before the construction process begins, project managers have to establish a “game plan”, or in other words control mechanism related directly to the:
- scope
- budget
- schedule
In Croatia, most project managers also handle the process of getting building permits for future houses, which is another reason why they must have sharp decision-making skills.
When working with a fixed cap on spending, the project manager may have to prioritize certain scope features based on their cost. If time is of more essence to you than expenses, he/she will have to prioritize a prompt completion and balance speed with quality.
And like in every property building process every project manager will face unexpected circumstances. Will they have the ability to handle situations like a long lead time on required materials, accidents on-site, etc.?These situations can directly impact your bottom line, and proper prioritization by your project manager can help keep the project afloat.
4. How do they handle conflict situations?
Construction projects revolve around several business entities: the contractor, their trades, consultants, engineers, and of course, you. Each has a vested interest in the project.
When this individual interest supersedes the project’s common goals, conflicts are bound to crop up. Handle them right, and the project goes on with some hurt feelings; mess them up, and you may be looking at litigation.
Before you hire a project manager, you should find out how they’ve dealt with conflict situations. While they may not be free to disclose specifics, they should introduce you to their conflict resolution approach and explain a few anonymous examples.
5. How do they manage stakeholders?
While conflict resolution is a crucial project management skill and function, managing stakeholder relationships doesn’t always have to be adversarial. Most stakeholders have a genuine interest in seeing the project flourish; those who don’t, like the general public, or city officials, may have legitimate concerns.
The project manager you hire must have a strategy for managing these relationships. They can execute this plan via common project management tools. For instance, the project manager can use the power-interest matrix to gauge stakeholders’ involvement in the project and tailor the relationship accordingly. Regardless of a stakeholder’s interest or influence over a project, the PM must find the right communication approach to this individual or entity.
Hiring a great property project manager will take a lot of pressure and uncertainties from your shoulders. After the interview with potential candidates, if you get the impressions that your ideal project manager will:
- protect your interest all the time
- reduce the costs without sacrificing the quality of construction
- be honest and direct in communication (with you and other participants)
- accelerate the process of getting the building permits
- send the reports regularly
chances are you found your perfect match.
If you ever wanted to own a seaside property on the Croatian coast you will need a reliable partner at your side. At Pin & Pin as accomplished developers, we use our technical know-how and years of experience to meet complex challenges throughout the construction process. Do you have questions regarding building your first property in Croatia? Send us a direct message at info@pinandpin.hr.