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What is an owner’s rep, and what do they do?
An owner’s rep is someone hired by an owner to manage and execute a design and construction project on their behalf. The owner’s rep sole purpose is to advocate for the owner’s interest throughout the entire process to ensure the owner’s goals and mission are met. They oversee all aspects of the project including planning, design, construction, and closeout. Their goal is to reduce costs, maximize value, ensure construction quality and keep the project on budget and schedule.
When should I hire an Owner’s Rep?
Ideally, an owner’s rep is engaged at the very beginning of the process. This allows us to work with the owner to identify budget, set expectations, and establish a realistic schedule. Once these pieces are understood, we can assemble the right team of design consultants and general contractor to deliver a successful project. Following that, it’s about management, communication, and coordination. However, a rep can come in at any stage of the project and support the owner after the project is underway.
Why should I hire an owner’s rep rather than managing the project myself?
Renovations are very exciting, but they are time consuming and can quickly become overwhelming. We work on your behalf and our goal is to represent your interests alone. We offer impartial advice with no conflicting interest or hidden agendas. Not only will we save you time by managing and coordinating all parties, but we will also mitigate change orders, cost overruns and timeline extensions by our industry expertise. If you are someone that does not have industry experience, don’t have time due to work and family or simply don’t want the headache, then hiring an owner’s rep is the right move for you.
How did your business come to be?
I am an architect by training, and have worked as a designer, general contractor and developer. The business idea came to life during the renovation of my home. I was working a full-time job, raising a family and managing a major renovation on my home. I quickly felt burnt out from the amount of time it took to shepherd the renovation process on top of my regular responsibilities. Even though I worked in this field, it requires a lot of time and coordination to have your project completed on time and on budget.
Choosing the right design team, general contractor, permitting, close out, inspections, etc is a lot! I began to research owner’s reps, but these were almost exclusively intended for major commercial developers or were design/build firms that sold you a one stop shop. Although the design/build shops can be great, they also come with a premium and you are tied down to using their designers and contractors. I saw the niche that needed filling, and launched Casa Clara Studio. I am now dedicated to acting as an owner’s rep for smaller, more custom residential projects.
What inspired the name ‘Casa Clara Studio’?
The name Casa Clara Studio was inspired by the idea of combining the comfort of home with the personal touch of my own name, Clara. I thought bringing some of my heritage into the name was important, and since I am from Colombia, I used the word “Casa” rather than “House”. The word “Studio” is included to evoke the creative power of my work and collaboration with others.