Business South November 2021

88 | Noble PM DEVELOPMENT Diverse range of projects delivered Richard Loader Noble PM delivers a diverse range of projects from educational facilities, retirement villages, complex commercial projects, large-scale apartment buildings and the occasional multi-million dollar home. P art art, part craft and part hard earned experience; the magic of good project management provides clients with the confidence that their construction project will be completed to the very high standard they expect. An experienced practitioner of project man- agement, Andy Noble is passionate about the business of managing large-scale projects and delivering the finished product into the hands of the client. Andy and his wife Julia own Nelson based project management company Noble. Op- erating the very depth and breadth of New Zealand, the team at Noble deliver a diverse range of projects from educational facilities, retirement villages, complex commercial pro- jects, large-scale apartment buildings and the occasional multi-million dollar home. One of Andy’s more complex projects, Merivale Retirement Village in Christchurch, opened in 2019. Consisting of 22 luxurious ground floor apartments and 47 first floor care suites, the project also included a bar, café, and large open plan social areas. “That was probably the most challenging project I have been involved in,” says Andy. “Sadly, the client passed away two thirds of the way through, some personnel changes were required, and there were some signifi- cant variations. But the project finished within budget and only a month late. The finished product was just incredible.” Whatever the project, Andy’s first job when approached by a client is assembling a design team of consultants tailored to the project and may include the lead contractor if Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) is preferred. Andy says where a development can fall apart is when the client doesn’t recognise the value in engaging a project manager to inde- pendently steer the ship. “In the past I’ve received phone calls from people who have got twenty-five percent into a project and it’s all fallen apart because the project foundations weren’t set-up correctly from the start. It’s often called being ‘pen- ny-wise and pound-foolish’, where the client tries to save money by not employing a project manager and it ends up costing a lot more than it otherwise would have.” Once project design has been completed the project manager will start a register of all identified risks along with a plan for how each risk will be avoided or mitigated. At the start of the construction stage, unless there has been ECI, the design team completes tender documents and the project manager oversees the engagement of a contractor. “ECI is becoming increasingly popular and also reduces the risk of surprises,” says Andy. “During the building stage part of our job is to assess the contractor’s monthly claims to en- sure payments are processed efficiently and correctly. We ensure programme targets are being met and that the project finishes within budget and on time.” Andy says that while good project manage- ment has in the past been able to deliver pro- jects within budget and within programme, restrictions and supply chain issues resulting from Covid have compromised the ability for project managers to make those assurances. Since Andy has owned the business, hon- esty and a penchant for hard work have been his constant companions. “We have never been busier and that is certainly partly because the construction in- dustry is booming, but we also attract a lot of repeat business. If I have to work all weekend or all night to get something finished I will and clients love us for that. “Honesty is also important. No one is per- fect all the time and if there is a mistake, I will be the first to own it and do whatever it takes to rectify that mistake. “If a design consultant or builder makes a mistake and comes to the party, I will be very happy to work with them again. “Building relationships is also key and that’s something I’m deeply passionate about. It’s so much easier to work with people who you get on with.” Your Preferred Building Partner Proudly supporting Noble PM Ltd www.nelsonbuilders.nz CHOOSE THE EXPERTS GET IT DONE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME Heat Pumps & Air Conditioning • Ventilation • Mechanical Services Refrigeration • Design & Build Support • Hire • Building Warrant of Fitness & Maintenance Plans 81 Main North Road, Woodend 0800 23 23 03 opt 1 admin@ers.co.nz P R O U D T O S U P P O R T N O B L E P M Proud to assist Noble PM Ltd with residential & commercial fitouts New Houses • Renovations • Commercial Projects Ph 03 384 3547 joineryscene.co.nz admin@joineryscene.co.nz 5 Newton Street Bromley, Christchurch