The Contractor's Song: Builder As Advisor — Solid (As A Rock)
And soon both of us learned to trust / Not run away, it was no time to play / We build it up and build it up and build it up / And now it's solid / Solid as a rock -Ashford & Simpson
BY JEREMY HOLLAND
Over the first 25 years of my career, I spent a great deal of that time working as the engineer and advising owners from the engineering perspective. While I was involved in alternative delivery projects as an engineer, it wasn’t until I joined Mortenson and focused on building water infrastructure projects for owners through alternative delivery projects, that I came to appreciate the role of the contractor. I’ve come to realize, and I think more and more owners are realizing this as well, that a contractor is very well suited to perform the role of an overall project advisor. I’ve discussed in past articles the challenge of supply chain disruptions, cost volatility, technical construction challenges, and start up and commissioning. As I’ve jumped into these and other issues, I’ve been enlightened that projects led by a contractor can provide some “solid” benefits to owners that are looking to have a single point of guidance as they deliver water infrastructure for their communities.