When do we need a Project Manager and what do we look for

-- I hear you that evidently this "recent experience with another client" resulted in a product not to people's liking; or not up to standards; or similar. How was the unsatisfactory workmanship discovered in this latter case? Is there really the same risk here?

-- Is whoever will be doing this non-structural work licensed and bonded? Is there any kind of warranty you all can get?

-- I fear that what you propose will amount to inappropriate micro-managing, both by the condo association and by any third party inspector hired. Contractors' licenses are supposed to mean something. You seem to be saying that such licences do not have enough meaning, based on a recent experience one of your condos had. I would be treading carefully so as not to disrespect whomever is going to be hired.

-- I do not think the title of the person for whom you all are looking is "project manager." What you all want sounds more like some flavor of inspector. I think the question then becomes to whom this inspector would report. I think it's a terrible idea to try to have the contractor take direction from a third party inspector that the condo association hires. The third party inspector would have to report to the board or the condo manager. If the third party inspector does not like something, now the board or the condo manager has to give an instruction (based in the third party inspector's report) to the contractor. This sounds awkward.

-- It occurs to me that maybe you could hire another contractor to monitor the main contractor's work. But again, I think this would tend to be uncomfortable. On the third hand, it might be worth calling around and making inquiries. Also, see if the contractors who bid would be okay with such monitoring and possible corrections here and there.

-- I would also call some Reserve Study companies and see if they have any ideas.

-- Perhaps an inspection after one day, one week, and then at the end of the job, to correct problems, might be agreeable to all.

I think you're right to urge the condo board to enter into a contract with a firm that specializes in "construction management" given the description of the project and of the work. Other names I've seen are "construction quality control inspection" and construction consultants." Such a firm should have staff who are experts in a variety of construction-related fields.

The individual or firm would write reports for the Board via your MC. Yes, your PM would do the scheduling and arrange access. Every day sounds excessive for inspections. Weekly sounds good. They do not instruct the general contractor.

We hired such firm as our "project manger" for the painting of our twin tower 25-tory buildings, which including filling any cracks on our stucco exteriors including within our exclusive use common patios/balconies/decks. They also were to make sure the painters did caulking. The buildings had been recaulked 5 yrs earlier and some areas had been missed. The latter had been done without a construction manager, which was a mistake.

The results were so-so. I don't think they did that great a job though we had checked references, etc. Their construct was for $48,000.

I think there might be a construction specialist institute.