The Holy Trinity Of Land Development: What You Need To Know

According to the Housing Industry Association (HIA), the development industry has seen over 200,000 new dwellings commence across the country in 2015 alone prompting land developers to search for new ways to take advantage of the boom and add value to their projects.

One of the best ways developers can add value to their land development is by implementing the ‘holy trinity’ of land development: project management, engineering design and construction management.

The trick, according to Ray Verratti from Verve, is for developers to first understand how each service works and the role it plays in the development.

“Each service is powerful in and of itself, but it’s only when the three services are integrated that developers start to see remarkable commercial outcomes,” Mr Verratti said.

“For example, a developer can use project management to conduct a project feasibility study and keep finances on track, and then use engineering design to bring the project to life. This creates a more comprehensive approach for the development that works to keep costs low and increase value.”
Project Management
As the key to keeping a project under budget and on deadline, project management is a simple necessity in a land development of any size or complexity.

“A good project management team will be able to perform a multitude of tasks for your development including feasibility studies and financial reporting, risk identification and management of the approval process,” Mr Verratti said.

“Project management is what will improve your outcomes while managing your risks. Your project manager should be able to give you comprehensive ideas on keeping your project moving forward.”

Engineering Design
Project management is good as a standalone service, but developers should be looking to use an integrated design team to transfer project management experience into a high quality documentation phase.

“An engineering design service rooted in experience can improve cost and time outcomes particularly throughout the approvals process and integration of landscape and electrical designs,” Mr Verratti said.

“An integrated engineering design service combines engineering with experience creating an environment where high quality documentation sits next to innovative design solutions.

“After 15 years in the business, we knew that engineering design was an integral part of     the land development process. That’s what prompted us to provide it as a key service to our clients.”
Construction Management
“Experience is key when choosing a construction management partner. Practical experience is what allows a construction manager to turn plans and approvals into a reality,” Mr Verratti said.

“Spanning from cost estimates to contract management and site status reporting a construction management service should leave a developer confident that the construction phase is being managed efficiently.

“An experienced construction management team will create the best environment for construction to move forward on time and under budget.”

Creating the ‘Holy Trinity’
So, how do you create the ‘holy trinity’?“Integration. That’s the key to ensuring these three services work to add value to the most simple to the most complex land development,” Mr Verratti said.

“Imagine sending all your project management, engineering design and construction management requests to one place and knowing that it would all be done that’s the type of smart thinking that saves a developer time and money.

“At Verve, we have 15 years of experience behind us to help make sure every development we work with has the opportunity to integrate their three services to continually add value to their project.

“By integrating the services developers can get everything done in the one place helping to keep costs low, increase land value and provide peace of mind that every facet of the project is under control.”

Ray Verratti is the Managing Director of Verve an integrated Project Management and Engineering Design consultancy with over 15 years experience working with some of the largest land developments across Victoria.

Verve’s integrated services are centred on creating successful outcomes for developers and span the entire life of the project: from inception to hand over. To find out more about how Verve can help add value to your next project, click here.

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