True Owner Advocacy: Building Better with Michael Tagliavia of Estate Haus
Episode Summary On this episode, we sit down with Michael Tagliavia, founder of Estate Haus LLC, a firm built around a simple but powerful idea: the owner deserves a true advocate. Estate Haus serves as the owner’s strategic partner from the earliest planning stages through completion and long-term stewardship – assembling the right team, protecting…
Kassidy Scheuring
September 29, 2026
64 mins read
Episode Summary
On this episode, we sit down with Michael Tagliavia, founder of Estate Haus LLC, a firm built around a simple but powerful idea: the owner deserves a true advocate. Estate Haus serves as the owner’s strategic partner from the earliest planning stages through completion and long-term stewardship – assembling the right team, protecting the owner’s interests, and guiding luxury residential projects to success.
Michael shares his path into the architecture and construction industry and what led him to start Estate Haus. We dig into what real owner advocacy looks like in practice, how to assemble the right project team, and why managing communication is just as critical as managing budget and schedule. Michael also breaks down why successful projects require far more than great architecture and quality construction – and offers practical advice for anyone about to start their own build or renovation journey.
Whether you’re planning your first project or your fifth, this episode is packed with insight on protecting your vision from concept to completion.
Episode Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview (0:19)
Paul: This is the Hamptons Project Experience podcast. I’m grateful to have, Michael Taglavia from Estate Haus here.
Michael: Thanks for having me, Paul. Absolutely.
Paul: Yeah. So, we’re gonna get into it. I kind of envision the podcast will be, like, three phases. One, get your background and story, learn a little bit about you, talk about what you’re currently doing. I know, you just made a change, so it’d be great to introduce Estate Haus. Mhmm. And then, you know, kinda get your input on where things might be going. So, if you wanna just introduce yourself, give a quick, bio, and then we’ll get into it.
Michael’s Background: Estate Haus and Owner’s Representation (0:49)
Michael: Alright. Great. Yeah. Michael Taglavia, like Paul said. I am the founder and owner of Estate Haus LLC. Owner’s representation, construction advisory, and I am an owner’s advocate in the construction world. See them through the purchase of a property, acquisitions, preconstruction, construction, all the way through stewardship and introducing estates management personnel, to take care of the ongoing maintenance after construction, after project is complete.
Starting as an Apprentice Architect at 14 (1:26)
Michael: Didn’t always do this. Always been in the construction and architectural industry. Started as an apprentice architect, at the age of 14 in 2002. A firm picked me up, allowed me to come in with an unpaid internship for the first summer of of freshman year in high school, right after, getting my working papers. And I worked for him all four years of high school after, you know, school let out for the summer season.
I was with him five days a week. Got introduced really quickly to Datacad, which was the software they were using then. Was, know, predates AutoCAD and all the Revit software we have now. And went from filing papers and and doing research to drafting by, you know, the third or fourth year that I was with his firm, in high school before going away to college. I did a bachelor’s in architecture and received my bachelor’s in architecture in 2011.
College, Field Experience, and Studying in Rome (2:35)
Michael: While going to school for architecture, I wanted experience with hands on-site, and construction. So I was lucky enough to work for Bulgin and Associates, who, is one of the top general contracting firms out here since the late seventies, early eighties, and still, you know, one of the most elite. And, I was with them five years. Started pushing a broom, cleaning up job sites, and worked my way all the way up to a, supervisor or foreman’s apprentice and was their right hand man. Worked on some great projects and experienced hands on, construction, you know, from, like, I had mentioned site cleanup, material handling, all the way to finished trim carpentry and specialty finishes. Wow. While also going to school for architecture, I studied abroad in Rome.
I did, six months in Rome, Italy doing architectural photography and architectural history. So that was one of the most profound experiences for me, having a more hands on learning ability, being able to put down the textbook and walk around the city during the history classes and learning and absorbing through the actual experience was was huge in Wow. You know, not only the knowledge that I gained, but the the immersement in, you know, architecture and how it started
Paul: Mhmm.
Michael: Back in the Roman days. After graduating from college, I, it was 2011, and it was shortly after 2008, which was…
Why Volunteer at 14? Getting Started in the Field (4:29)
Paul: I wanna hold hold off for a second.
Michael: We covered a
Paul: lot there. Let’s circle back a little bit if Yeah. That’s Absolutely. I do wanna get into that, because I think that’s a a pretty profound story you’re about to get into. But, so was that when you got your working papers at fourteen Mhmm. And came out East to work, was that your first experience to the the East End and high end residential construction and everything? And did you I mean, that must have been a pretty big for a fourteen year old kid that wants to go enjoy summers, everything else. Like, how did you know that, oh, I need to get I need to just volunteer to work to get some experience, get in this direction? Was there something that kinda was steering you to that?
Was that something that everyone in your family just worked, or what what was that, like, for you? I mean, that’s certainly atypical for a 14 year old to get their working papers and be like, I’m not gonna get a job that I get paid at, but I’m just gonna go volunteer to get this experience because it’s something that, you know, you may wanna pursue in the future. So, like, what was going through your mind there? What what brought you to to do that?
Michael: Yeah. Well, I actually I had a cousin who was, dating a a gentleman who his, stepfather was an architect. And in conversations and hanging out with them, it came to… It came about to be, an opportunity where, rather than go and take a lifeguarding job, which, you know, for me, I always knew I wanted to be in something more artistic or something that I can use my hands or Mhmm. You know, in design and and development of, you know, images and, you know, products. I’ve always been into connects and Legos and all that kind of thing. Building was always building and drawing was always something I was interested in growing up. So the thought process of how could I bring those into a career led me to that. And then just having a connection of someone who was willing to take on someone in that age and inexperienced and, you know, provide me guidance along the way to reinstate my, you know, my initial attraction to it.
So before I even signed the papers to go away to college, I knew that it was a path that I wanted to take because I had that, you know, that real life experience.
What Made Him Stand Out: Problem-Solving and Asking Questions (6:43)
Paul: Sure. And after you so you you showed up there 14 years old, didn’t know anything. Somebody gave you an opportunity. Right? Like, hey, you don’t know anything, but you can come work. We’re gonna start to show you the ropes or whatever. What is it? I guess, what characteristics or or skills or or attitude, whatever it was, what what was it about that, the way you worked that first summer that enabled you to come back for, you know, every summer thereafter until you graduate high school? Because it’s, you know, one thing to give somebody a chance. It’s a whole other thing to be like, oh, actually, they did what we needed to, you know, coming from a place they knew nothing.
Like, we’re gonna bring them back and keep investing in that individual. Mhmm.
Michael: Well, that’s a great question. I think problem solving and, doing my own research come to conclusions, and just seeing things through. Understanding that, you know, especially being so new and inexperienced that everything was going to come with a 100 questions, and not being afraid to ask those questions, something I’ve always been good at, and, you know, put ego aside and and realize that unless I’m asking questions, unless I’m searching for answers or or looking to the people who have experienced or or researching answers.
I mean, research… There was no ChatGPT back in the day, so the research was a little different. You know, you googled there was Google, and you googled aspects of of of what you were researching, but, you had to do a lot more digging. You know, the answers weren’t right at your fingertips. I think I always had the innate skill set to, you know, dig and dig and dig until I found the answer.
Paul: Okay. Yeah. Yep. You got to the grindstone.
Michael: Yeah, exactly.
Advice for Young People: Diversify Your Experience (8:20)
Paul: Did what you had to do to figure it out. Yeah. What, so, I mean, a lot of people were, listening to podcasts. Obviously, other professionals in the industry like ourselves. Mhmm. But also, young people may be interested in pursuing similar careers. So if there’s a 14 year old or 15 year old, you know, someone about to go to college for architecture that’s listening, like, what kind of advice would you have for them, you know, that not so long ago you were kinda in their shoes and not sure what direction you’re going specifically, but we’re able to get experiences that at that age. Like, what would you recommend to them, and what kind of things, characteristics, mindset things, and or experiences should they focus on given that experience you have?
Michael: I think diversifying your experience and understanding not only what aspects of the profession you’re going into or seeking to explore, but also those surrounding it. So having, an understanding a a little bit of an understanding of other professions around it. Like, architecture, was interested in, but I immediately had an opportunity to go into the field in construction, and I took that to learn another aspect of the relationships and the the team that was combined in executing those projects.
So I think exploring not only, you know, with tunnel vision, but opening yourself up to learning about other aspects that directly connect and directly affect the the success of, you know, that specific career path. You know, understanding that if I went to college as an architect without the field experience in general contracting, I would’ve had a I would’ve had a whole different perspective on the learning, on the designing, on how I approached projects and how I approach things within school.
So, and I think that helped me in the long run. You know, I was not I was not the top of the class in the architectural program. You know, we started with a 140 students and only 72 graduated. Wow. It’s a very rigorous, you know, education process, and they they weed out
Paul: a lot of that. Which school is that?
Michael: Just everyone. Right now, it’s Jefferson University. When I was there, it was Philadelphia Philadelphia University.
Paul: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that’s they know how to weed some people out.
Michael: Yeah. The class to graduate.
Why Engineers and Architects Should Get Field Experience (10:44)
Paul: Yeah. And, I mean, that’s you know, we’re we’re constantly recruiting for engineers, young people that have a a different degree but still pursued education. And and something that we see is it’s very rare that you have kids that got a high level, like, degree that way, you know, an exhaustive, educational experience, but also chose to get experience in the field. You know, it’s actually something that I try and recommend to young people is, you know, if you’re gonna be an engineer and you wanna work on buildings, you shouldn’t understand how they go together.
Go get a field job. Go work with your hands. Do that. What was, like, what was the driving force between for you to do that, and what was going through your mind? Because I’m sure that was a different, like, pretty probably a pretty humbling experience to go from, hey. I’m pursuing this a degree college degree at a prestigious institution to, oh, I need you to sweep the floors and move this lumber and haul this lumber around. I mean, it’s summer on the East End. You’re waking up early, fighting traffic, gonna push a broom around, and, you know, doing not so maybe not the most appealing work in some ways.
Michael: Yeah. Not so glamorous. Glamorous. Broom around. Yeah.
Paul: Yeah. But that’s something that you felt you needed to do, and and, obviously, was valuable in your career, and and and played a big part in getting you where you are today. But what was going through your head? What kinda inspired you to do that? And it sounds like it’s something you’d recommend. Is that kinda still the case?
Climbing the Ladder and Respecting Every Role (12:03)
Michael: And Absolutely. Well, I’m a big believer in, you know, really not asking people to do things unless I’ve done it myself. And I think climbing that ladder is is is essential to really understanding every bit and piece and part of what makes, you know, the success of whatever it is you’re doing. So I think understanding the the bottom of, what it takes to complete a a construction project, for example.
You you need somebody on-site on these substantial projects to clean every day. Otherwise, it’s an unsafe work environment for everybody else. You want it to be presentable for the client, or designers who are walking through and need to have a a clear and clean canvas to continue their design work. So I I was always I always understood that you had to climb the ladder, and nothing’s gonna be handed to you. And I and the end result of that is understanding the whole process and and respecting and appreciating every part of of what entails.
You know, I I think I I have a great appreciation for, you know, people in all positions through these projects and and can relate. And understanding everybody’s perspectives kinda helps me, even today, you know, be the best owner’s rep that I could be. Mhmm.
Paul: Yeah. You have you have real experience to give so you have genuine empathy for what’s going on. And and, I think I mean, that’s something we’ll get into a little more later. But one of the biggest challenges, I think, in the industry, in general, is communication. Mhmm. Because people are always communicating from where what their perspective is. Yep. And not necessarily taking account, like, somebody else’s. You know? And, so, I guess, you know, for you, good good for you to have that ex that physical experience working with different people Mhmm. At every level so that you you can kinda you you have genuine empathy and understanding of what’s going on to to bridge those communication gaps the clients and the owners, as well as the contractors and everyone else involved.
Michael: Right. And that’s essential in what I’m doing now.
Studying Abroad in Rome (14:15)
Paul: Yeah. Yeah. You, so you mentioned you you you studied abroad in Rome. That must have been a pretty profound experience, being that I mean, that is where a lot of the… I mean, architectural, but engineering, I mean, there’s a tremendous amount of history and stuff there. Mhmm. Is that something that, you’d recommend for people in college as an opportunity to take advantage of? And and is that something that, it’s not something I’ve done. You know, I never studied abroad. So I I don’t know. What’s what’s your take on that? It must have been a unique experience, to say the least.
Michael: It is. Yeah. Not only getting the exposure to, you know, classical architecture and with the limited technology that they had and how they produce these, you know, profound structures that still stand today. And, you know, we we live on the coast of the Hamptons, and there’s there’s storms, and there’s, you know, in in your aspect of the job, engineering with seismic loads or, you know, wind Mhmm. Wind loads. The fact that they were able to build these structures when they did with the limited technology and, you know, just how how innovative they had to be, you know, that’s that’s of the most interest to me.
And having that experience of not only the architecture, but the culture in itself was, was amazing. I mean, it was something that I highly recommend. You know, you don’t… Depending on what what your career path is, it doesn’t even have to match it. Just studying abroad and experiencing other cultures, other ways of life, I mean, it it’s a humbling experience as well as an educational experience. And, yeah, I highly recommend it, you know, no matter what your field is. Okay. It’s it’s something that I I would, you know, completely happy that I did, and, I would I would recommend anybody to do it.
Graduating in 2011 and Finding a Creative Way In (16:06)
Paul: Nice. And then, so now, you complete your, your your degree. You get a degree in architecture. Mhmm. And then what’s next? I think you’re just about to, get into, you know, how you found yourself working on the East End. Is is, if you wanna get into that.
Michael: Sure. Yeah. So I graduated in 2011, which was, you know, not too far after or long after 2008, crash here with the economy. And there was a 8% employment rate for architects coming out of school at that time. I must have sent out 65 resumes. I went on multiple interviews in in New York City and here on the island, knowing that, you know, the East End is where I wanted to plant my roots eventually. You know, and I had started mentioning I wasn’t the, you know, the best student, but I always did great in school, and, you know, I excelled.
And I I think I proved myself to be worthy of, you know, a position coming out of school. And I think it was just so, so difficult a time. I had to think outside the box. So I started working for a company designed within reach. I’m not sure they have any branches out here now, but it was a furniture, store that provided interior designers and architects with architectural furniture and very aesthetically pleasing pieces. And I took that job understanding that the people in the profession that I wanted ultimately be in would be the ones shopping there.
So I I would bring my own personal business cards, and I’d had the business cards of the company that I was working for at the time. And anytime an architect or a designer would come in, I would let them know my story and what I ultimately wanted to do, and I would appreciate an opportunity. And it took about three weeks working there to run into somebody who had an office in East Hampton. And, they they hired me, and I worked for them for the better part of a year, which jump started my architectural career.
You know?
Turning Setbacks into Speed Bumps (18:12)
Paul: So, mean, what were you… Like, that must have been a pretty challenging time. As a young graduate, you just worked hard to get a degree. Now you’re like, alright. I’m gonna get a degree. Go work in architecture. And, things you know, economically, everything going on, things didn’t go your way. But you found a way, a creative way. Don’t I think most many people would think, like, outside the box like that to be able to say, like, alright. Well, I can’t get where I wanna go, but I’m gonna take this step, and that’ll provide some exposure and hopefully get that. I mean, is that some did you feel confident when you went to do that that you knew you’d get a job that quickly in three weeks?
Or was it something that, I mean, you just well, you need a job, so you took it? Or what what about you personally? That enabled you to, take a bad situation and make it a a good opportunity for you to succeed?
Michael: Well, I think I was certainly nervous. I wasn’t sure. But knowing that if I I put in the work and I kept at it, that eventually something would happen. You know, I I think I’m a strong believer that, you know, with effort comes results. You know, it’s not it’s not the other way around. And, you know, I always just, you know, had faith that it would work out if I continued to work towards it. And and I think I live by a lot of that today, like, even understanding that there’s challenges in in every day.
I mean, there’s you know, no matter how well you do your job, there’s problems or issues that are gonna come up or there’s, you know, things that you’re gonna have to overcome. And I I think I see them more as speed bumps rather than roadblocks. And, anytime that I’m challenged, I use it as an opportunity to grow instead of, you know, seeing it as, a deterrent to continue the path. So and always coming out of challenges makes you stronger and and have another opportunity to to grow as an individual and a professional.
So I think I’ve I’ve always had that. I think I realize it more now, being more experienced and, you know, more experienced and have a lot more life behind me. I can I can see it more clearly, but I always had that, you know, innate
Paul: Mhmm?
Michael: Perspective of things.
First Architecture Job on the East End (20:27)
Paul: Yeah. So then you’re you’re work you worked for so then you got a job working with an architecture firm
Michael: Mhmm.
Paul: On the East End. What was that experience like? Was that what you expected to be? Yeah,
Michael: it was. I mean, I I was sort of dropped into it a lot more without supervision than I thought. You know, the the firm that I worked for also had a, an office in New York City, and their children went to school in New York City. So they traveled back and forth a lot. So I would be with an admin, personnel in the office without any supervision of, you know, a superior. One of my bosses at the time or or any other architect for that matter.
So I was completely self reliant, and they trusted me to, you know, do the right thing and be working all week long while they weren’t there in the office.
Paul: So Oh, wow.
Michael: I was dropped into it, and it was a good boot camp for me to start my career. I I ended up… Actually, that was the first job that I ended up getting let go from because of, you know, some restructuring they were doing in their office. But, it… Again, it was another speed bump. And all of a sudden, I’m a year in. Finally got the job in the architecture field that I wanted. And, you know, a year later, they tell me they need to let me go because they’re restructuring and figuring out the Hampton’s office versus the city and and their personnel.
Design-Build: Drafting and Managing the Same Projects (21:57)
Michael: And, it was another
Paul: Oh, that
Michael: I had to get over. But I used it to my advantage, and, I found other… I actually moved on to a design build firm. Okay. That was paired between an, an architect and a contractor. We’re, you know, direct partners. And it allowed me to develop both the architecture and then, started my experience in the general contracting world. I was actually drafting projects as an architect
Paul: Mhmm.
Michael: Or as an associate architect, and then working as a project manager to execute the same projects that I had drawn. Oh, wow. And it was a it was a incredible setup and opportunity to, you know, sharpen my
Paul: skills in both Oh, that’s tremendous.
Michael: Yeah. And it was my my experience in the general contracting world, and other than, you know, having a belt on Mhmm. When I was, going through college.
Drawings vs. Field Reality (22:57)
Paul: Wow. Yeah. I think that’s something that, like, for on our end, when we’re training new peep like, young engineers, like, the biggest, like, moment or, like, growth period is when they’ve done a drawing for a full house or whatever building it needs. And then they have to manage the structural aspect or whatever aspect of the construction administration as it’s getting built. Because it gives that perspective of, like, well, drew it in the like, when you first start, at least in my experience and what I’ve observed, when you first start working on the design side, it’s like, oh, well, I drew it here.
It’s clear as day. But, like, you’ve been thinking about that detail or that plan or that set like, you’ve been diving through all the plans, doing all the stuff for, like, hours. Mhmm. So there’s so much information understanding that you have. It’s a real, art and or or learning to be able to convey, like, hey. They they’re gonna look at this for, like, five minutes. They’re not gonna have all that other understanding of the project that you have. Like, you have to convey it in these drawings and through the notes, whatever you’re doing, that somebody can look at it, it reads, like, a story. But there’s this nature that, like, oh, no, I did.
I conveyed it all. And then once it gets into construction, and now you start dealing with the people that are trying to build it and execute it. It’s like, okay. Now I’m starting to see where it’s coming from. So from your perspective, where you had done all that work and then you had to manage it, you really got your feet put to the fire where, like, you kinda I mean, you probably it was a little bit of a sink or swim moment, I imagine, where you had to learn and get up to speed and manage it, or otherwise, it was things weren’t gonna be so pretty.
Michael: Yeah. Absolutely. But it it also allowed me to understand that not everything, you know, is perfect in the field. You can control a lot on paper. You have that, you know, that absolute control on what’s designed on paper. But when you get into the field, there’s, you know, there’s there’s certain tolerances and certain things that you have to adjust for. You know, we’re not building jet airplanes. You know, it’s not an assembly line that every part and piece is exactly, you know, exactly the same.
And it’s custom, you know, it’s custom builds, whether it’s residential, commercial, institutional. The projects need, a sense of adaptability when you get from the the plans to the field. Mhmm. You know, there’s a tolerance that’s acceptable. You know, you wanna execute, to the designer specifications, but the the team has to communicate along the way because it’s something always comes about.
Building as a Team, and Advice for Young Engineers (25:25)
Paul: Well, and it takes a team. Mhmm. You know, I mean, even on the the design side takes a team. But even then, to execute the construction and the drawings, like, it’s you have a small army of people working together to try and execute this project on the timeline that they need to and to the level that’s acceptable, given the project. That’s no, yeah, experience. I mean, experience with in the field and the construction side, I think, is is not valued enough
Michael: Mhmm. In our industry, at
Paul: least as it relates to the engineering and the architecture. So I know I spoke at, East Hampton to some young, high school students that were pursuing engineering degrees. And, you know, before I did that, I had to reflect on, like, oh, I gotta talk to like, I don’t wanna give these kids bad advice. Mhmm. Right? So, like, what what am I gonna tell them? And, the thing that I I was, like, thinking about it, and I’m like, well, they’re gonna go to school to get an engineering degree. They’re gonna learn a a good foundation on engineering. What what what could I tell them that would potentially set them apart or enable them to be more successful than somebody else?
Just and it it came down to it. In my mind, it was, you you need to get exposed to whatever engineering you’re interested in. You know? If it’s buildings, get a job working in the field, working construction. If it’s you wanna do mechanical engineering, get a job working for a mechanic or fabricating stuff or whatever it is just because, insight to how things happen and and, like, they’re how how people are gonna use the documentation that you’re creating is so valuable in that industry.
Michael: Yeah. I couldn’t agree more. I mean, for me too, college, you know, it it set the the precedent of, a work ethic and an expectation of what the job would entail in terms of the the time and time management and how to execute. But it wasn’t until you you get the field experience that, you know, you you really develop as a professional. I mean, college is is certainly setting you up for success, but there it’s not a mandatory aspect of of being able to succeed in in our industry.
Paul: Mhmm.
Michael: You know, with engineering, it is to because you need the licensing. But, you know, in the construction world, you know, the field experience is everything. Yeah. You know, seeing how it’s done, is essential to to, you know, your progress.
From Project Manager to Founding a General Contracting Firm (27:55)
Paul: Yeah. And and so at that time, you were you were doing the drafting and, managing the construction projects. What’d you what where did that lead to? What was the next step in your career that way?
Michael: So that that led to actually understanding, the difficulty between, you know, properly executed plans and a successful construction project and actually building and developing it. And it it steered me more in the general contracting realm or aspect, in that I enjoyed being on-site with with the vendors and managing the team that was responsible for, producing and analyzing the drawings and making sure that the design intent was executed.
And I really enjoyed that aspect of it, and it started steering me in the direction of general contracting. So I took on more of that management within the firm where I was on their, you know, their most substantial projects or, you know, their more difficult projects than running it as a project manager. Boots on the ground Mhmm. On-site every day rather than being in the office. That led me to, have an opportunity, to, work for a dedicated general contractor who I was with for nine years in East Hampton.
And I gained my field experience and and became one of their, you know, one of their premier project managers or senior project managers after nine years. And that was until about 2014. I’m sorry. I started with them 2014, and that was until 2020 where I decided during COVID, to, break off and, develop my own general contracting firm. So, a partner and I, started, a general contracting firm five and a half years ago now, and, we did very well.
You know, it was it was one of the fastest growing general contracting firms out here. And we were very quickly bidding against the elite. It was… You know, that five years invaluable experience being an owner and operator, that allowed me to, you know, tune all of my skills from, you know, managing clients, you know, a little bit of owners’ representation along the way, working very closely with, you know, prestigious and the highest of high end architecture firms in our industry, and really exposed me to the the world of, you know, architecture and construction out in the Hamptons.
Launching Estate Haus (30:44)
Michael: Just this past December, I decided that it was time for me to move on, and I started an owner’s representation firm. So now playing back on those aspects of construction and project management of assembling a team and and, managing the team through the course of construction, I’m I’m doing that, just at a different level now. Managing it as an advocate for the owner. But I’m still responsible for putting in place all of the, you know, teammates to execute this successful project.
What Estate Haus Does and the Ideal Project (31:17)
Paul: Oh, yeah. I mean, well, it’s I think the like, it’s important. I’m glad we were able to cover so much of your background because, with what you’re doing now, I mean, it’s it’s in my my experience on the East End, it’s very rare that you have a someone that is pulling the team together, that’s worked on the design side, worked on the general contracting side, and has a diverse enough experience to really, pull the team together and and and function properly, that advocate and adviser to the owner. You know, I think that one of the biggest challenges with the high end construction due to the pace of it and the expected quality is someone to help pull everything together, whether it be the GC and the subs and the owner and the design team.
And, you know, it really takes a a large team to operate that way. So what, so, specifically, what’s what is what’s the goal of, Estate Haus in that? What what would be the ideal project for you guys and, that you would
Michael: like to take on? Or it’s a good question. So, ideally, we are engaged very early on in the project and the process, even before the project is developed. As early on as I can be involved with the homeowner or the family office or the developer, to begin, communication and conversation about what it is their expectations are in the final project, and allow me to assemble the team and all of the consultants, the design professionals, the general contractor, you know, assist with vendor, agreements and and and sign ups.
Having the control of the entire team that’s involved, knowing that all of those components of the project are going to jive. You know, even and even with, you know, everything aligning, these projects can be very difficult to manage. So step one is to have relationships between all of the trades, all of the design professionals, all the consultants be as as as best a relationship as they could potentially be to Mhmm.
To make sure that the outcome is is greater. So, in in the twenty four years that I’ve been in this industry, I’ve developed those relationships, and I’ve developed that referral base. So when a client approaches me and says I want to build a 10,000 square foot house, you know, in in the Hamptons, I want a I want a modern design. You know, I’m I’m looking at this as a budget. This is my timeline. I can begin to put those parts and pieces together recommending, you know, the architects, the design professionals, and and, help bid contracts for construction, and compare, you know, the high end builders, as well as other, you know, development projects and, commercial projects as well.
You know, it’s not it’s not strictly, residential that we’re working on. It can be commercial, institutional, and residential as well. But being able to put together those parts and pieces and the relationships and managing them throughout the process is, you know, what I do every day.
What Architects, Engineers, and Owners Should Know (34:44)
Paul: Oh, yeah. And so I gotta ask, like, given your experience and and, I mean, really decades now managing those, the projects as well as the people involved with them from the design side, the construction side.
Michael: Mhmm.
Paul: What are some things that you wish, maybe just to put the you know, for my sake, what that architects and engineers knew from your perspective? Like, if there was something, information that you could share with them that would help things, you know, in the future. Mhmm. If you have some input or feedback for us, that’d be great. And then I’d also like to extend that out to what what advice would you have for some, like, owners, you know, that are, maybe aren’t as familiar with the industry as you are? What are some things that you wish owners were more aware of when they started this this process?
Michael: Mhmm. Well, about, you know, architecture and design professionals, it it’s all about the communication with the the people in the field. I would say, you know, those professionals who are up and coming in their careers certainly get the field experience, because it’s only gonna help your design. And just just like you had mentioned with the engineering, you know, understanding how it’s put together in the field can inform what you’re drawing behind the computer. That’s always something that I felt strongly about, that, you know, architects should have some kind of field experience and and an understanding of what the the contractor is is, sort of…
Or how the contractor is interpreting. Mhmm. You know, the the design intent is the most important thing, but having the the flexibility along the way to adapt and and and make the changes that are required based on field, especially in a renovation, based on field conditions. I think it’s all about communication and and speaking the same language across the board. You know, architects, contractors, vendors, everybody needs to, you know, be a collaborative effort.
Advice for Homeowners: Nail Down the Design and Bring in Consultants Early (36:43)
Michael: In terms of homeowners, I think that, having a clear, clear intent and clear expectations developed with the architect early on is very essential to help, help in the process and controlling schedule and budget. Mhmm. A lot of what I do is maintaining schedule oversight and and budget control through the process, spending more time with the design team and nailing down the design, is only gonna benefit in the end.
I I know a lot of a lot of times, everybody is really chomping at the bit to get the project started, and and we go into construction often with a 70% completed construction set.
Paul: Mhmm.
Michael: It makes it more difficult for the contractor to foresee, you know, future, you know, future speed bumps along the way. So the more you can work with your architect and your design team and engage with as many of the consultants, major consultants, like furnishings, interior design, lighting consultants, your, you know, security, if security is a high priority, your audio and video. All of those elements need to be introduced early on in the design process, so that the architect can properly design the spaces for for what it is you’re looking as the end result. And that’s definitely one way, I just wanna emphasize that. That’s definitely one way that you
Paul: could help, by getting involved earlier in a project, by being that advocate for the owner and start to bring up those things that, may not be would normally get brought up much later in the design project. You know, it’s, like, hey, we gotta get this. We gotta get we gotta get their zoning board, whatever it might be. But, having someone like yourself talking to the owner and and also pulling in the right people so it’s not in construction and trying to get a lighting designer or, oh, what about an alarm system? Like, oh, we gotta talk to the insurance company.
You know, pulling all those people in early on is definitely, I would say, tremendously valuable for someone trying to execute a project like we’ve talked about. And that’s, if I’m I mean, correct me if I’m wrong, but it sounds like that’s something that you’ve geared yourself perfectly to be able to assist an owner.
Coordinating Early: Mechanical Rooms, Lighting Controls, and Square Footage (39:05)
Michael: Yeah, absolutely. And and think about your position too. How many times have you designed a structural shell or a shell and core for a house, and and then a a bathroom is designed, and a medicine cabinet has to go where a column was placed?
Paul: You know? Oh, it happens all the time. Yeah. Or even, I mean, even on our side, it’s, you know, we design a little things come up. Like, we’re doing the electrical design. You know, we’re trying to design the service and distribution. We’re like, all right. Can you guys send us an appliance list? And it’s like, oh, well, we have we don’t know what we’re doing yet. You know? So, I mean, that’s a little thing that, yeah, we do the best. We’ve got enough experience to kinda fill in the gaps and be safe, but having that early on is is tremendous. Or, we start talking about, oh, well, yeah, we have no problem. We have the electric panels filled up, figured out we’re trying to size a mechanical room.
Mhmm. Right? That’s one of the first things that needs to get kinda properly established in the layout of a plan set. And we’re like, oh, so are you guys gonna do a lighting control system? You know, you know, from the projects, you might need more lighting control panels than you do electric panels in the house. They take up a lot of space. So we’re trying to lock in a footprint of a mechanical room where, later on in the project, if all of a sudden that mechanical room grows, now we’re taking something back from the owner. Mhmm. Right? That they might most likely don’t wanna give up square footage in their living space or bedroom or whatever it is.
So, I I can’t echo that enough that getting everyone involved in the team early on is is tremendously valuable. And I think, sometimes, you know, architects, owners, different people need a resource like yourself to to know who like, well, who should I pull in for this? You know? Maybe they haven’t built a house on the East End, or, maybe this is the first substantial project they’ve done on, you know, 10,000 square feet or, whatever that might be.
Michael: Yeah. Right. No. I I couldn’t agree more, but, with the understanding that the whole process is not perfect. You know, you can you can do your due diligence. You can, you know, you can spend the time, and there’s always something that’s gonna come up. And in in the design process, you know, I can relate with the architecture firms, and going through a schematic design and design development with an owner, you know, before mechanical spaces are are sized. Mhmm.
You know, you know, nobody wants to give up square footage to, you know, unconditioned, unusable mechanical space. Yeah. So we can all relate to that. But knowing early on what the the minimum requirements are so that an architect doesn’t have to go back, or or those conversations are made before it even has to get to the owner. Mhmm. You know, with, an engineer and an architect speaking, they can, you know, determine those items before even having the conversation with the owner. So they’re not they’re not feeling like they missed out.
Handling Issues That Come Up: Turning Problems into Decisions (41:49)
Paul: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And I know it’s it’s a… There’s so much going on. Things inevitably do come up throughout construction Right. Or throughout design phase. How do you handle that? And what, like, maybe if you have an example, or how how do you walk the both the contractor, the owner, and the architect, you know, through that process when something does come up?
Michael: Mhmm. That’s a great question. I think I think it starts with communicating within the team, you know, coming coming to solutions or options to present to the owner. Whether it has cost implications or, you know, schedule implications, and if it’s a major decision that’s going to affect the overall functionality of the home. I think, coming to options of, remedy before approaching the owner is important. You know, I’m I’m hired as the owner’s advocate to troubleshoot and, you know, foresee these things.
And having that outside perspective, when when you’re a contractor on the job every day, you know, you’re so immersed in the project, you’re in tune with the details. But sometimes, like, the the bigger picture is is not your focus. Mhmm. So, having a fresh set of eyes of an owner’s rep with my experience or an architect who’s walking through weekly to provide updates and and, comments through the process, and then everybody coming to the table and discussing those before approaching the owner. And if there’s, you know, if there’s no significant impact, maybe it’s something that we you can move past as a team, you know, with without owner involvement, depending on how involved the owner wants to be.
You know, it’s up up to them on how involved they wanna be. Some owners are very present. Some owners, you know, they wanna see the project or talk about the project a few times along the process and just move into a finished product. So, it’s all tailored to their to their expectations. But I think communication is key, and coming up with those solutions or options before presenting it.
Paul: Yeah. That makes yeah. It makes changes the problem to, like, a decision.
Michael: Right. It’s instead of just being not problems. Right. Yeah. It makes
Advice for Someone Buying, Building, or Renovating (44:00)
Paul: sense. And as far as so, like, I mean, your wealth and knowledge, I just wanna, pick your brain a little bit. But if you had, like, a friend, say, buying a piece of property or looking to build or renovate a house, what kind of advice would you give, you know, someone close to you that is looking to do these things, just has some some knowledge or some things to think about that people probably, aren’t considering on a regular basis?
Michael: Well, I think, first and foremost, budget always, you know, comes to mind. Everybody has a tolerance of of what they wanna spend on a you know, whether it’s, a new construction that they want turnkey, move in, ready, or if it’s a piece of land that they wanna build on. I think understanding your budget is is number one. Then then timeline on on how soon you need to move in or how soon you need to occupy
Paul: Mhmm.
Michael: Is is number two. And if if I could make some suggestions, or give some advice is, you know, under understand your your wants and needs, not only at the time that you’re purchasing, but, you know, do you have plans for a family? Do you have, you know, future plans? Are are in laws going to move in? Are you going to need additional spaces? You know, make make a a checklist of, you know, your must haves and, you know, your would like to haves and, do your due diligence.
I think that’s the most important thing because especially out here, there’s beautiful properties, that at first glance seem an amazing opportunity no matter, you know, what price point you’re looking at. But as you dive deeper into, you know, wetlands or land use and environmental, aspects of a a certain piece of property, you can without doing your due diligence, you can really unravel, you know, long time frames to getting approvals to do do certain things that you might wanna do.
So I think doing due diligence is is number one, understanding your budget, number two, and then a timeline on on really when you need it is number three. Yeah. Makes sense. We’ve, definitely had been unfortunate, in our experience, to have to be the ones, to be the bearer of
What Drives Michael: Helping People Through a Grueling Process (46:20)
Paul: bad news when it comes to some of the wetlands constraints It’s, and different yeah, that’s important. Just a few, quick things. Wanna so, circling back, I know, obviously, you’ve excelled throughout your life and your career, and I’m excited for what Estate Haus will do in the future. What what drives you to succeed and to have that high those high standards that you try to uphold on both your personal life and for the business’ sake as well?
Michael: I think it’s just helping people, you know, being able to use the experience I’ve gained along the way to, you know, help clients in in what can be a grueling process and turn it into a great experience for them. I mean, in all aspects throughout my career with the architecture design, the general contracting, and now owner’s representation. I mean, managing expectations and and making it a smooth process, and and keeping the owner, you know, engaged and happy along the way.
The Emotional Roller Coaster of a Build (47:25)
Michael: You don’t want the construction of your home, you know, although it will be stressful at times. You you the end result, you wanna move in, you wanna have a a good experience along the way, and and have it feel like a home and not feel like a burden. Mhmm. Some of these projects we embark on are two, three, four years. I mean, some even I’ve had experience with projects up to seven years for construction just because of, you know, site conditions or, you know, design changes.
But I think that you want to try to maximize the the pleasant experiences within the process so that, in the end, when you you’re walking into your home, you you have a great feeling about about the whole process. Mhmm. You know, the process itself is a roller coaster. Starts out very exciting during the design process. You go through schematic design, design development. You know, everybody’s spirits are high, and then you start to bid out with general contractors, and you get a realistic sense of what the budget’s gonna be.
And the owner, you know, their their excitement about it sort of teeters a little bit once once they see the costs associated. And during construction, there’s, you know, the change order process or change in design that brings on other costs that maybe weren’t planned for. So, you know, you go from a real high to, you know, plateauing or even a little bit of the excitement fizzing away during the initial course of construction. But then you start to close-up the rooms, you see that things are finishing up, you get a sense of the space, that excitement starts to increase again until, you know, finally, you see furniture and artwork and and move in.
And it’s, you know, that grand experience for the homeowner. So that’s another thing that I would say to a homeowner is expect, you know, an emotional roller coaster through the process. But we wanna try to limit that, you know, the peaks and the lows. As, you know, we let’s not limit the peaks, but, you know, let’s limit the lows during the Yeah.
How the Industry Has Changed: Timelines, Technology, and Phones (49:32)
Paul: The Makes us. Make it a steady climb until they’re moving in and enjoying the summer in the beach and the Hamptons. Exactly. If you can. And, I mean, you’ve been in the industry on the East End for a long time. How has how has the industry changed over the past twenty years? And and how have the people executing the work and the project? Like, guess, twofold. How has the projects changed in the industry? How’s the industry changed, and how has the people completing that work changed?
Michael: I think, an expectation of timeline has certainly changed. Everybody wants to move in as soon as possible. I I think an understanding of of the time it takes to execute these projects is something that, you know, should be part of, the conversation. Technology has certainly changed. You know, there’s a lot of talk about AI and how that’ll affect our our positions, our jobs, especially as designers. You know, can an owner design a space themself without without the input of an architect?
And and I think at the level that, you know, we’re working on projects, I think that personability and the direct connection between an owner and architect and the conversation you have throughout the process is something that AI just, you know, can’t achieve. And I think that with the information and moving so quickly because of technology, turnaround times for responses and answers are expected to be a lot quicker. I mean, cellphones, everybody… You know, when I first started working in construction, you had to leave your cell phone in the truck.
You know, you weren’t allowed to have it on the job site. Now, you know, I think people are lost without a cell phone. You know? If they’re not speaking to somebody or texting somebody every half hour, they’re they’re lost. So, you know, there’s a lot of adaptation, you know, within the project. Everybody is, you know, accessible at any time. A project manager, a site supervisor used to have a landline and, you know, schedule their calls, you know, around the the development of the project and the day to day.
But now, you know, a project manager is on their phone probably 75% of the day.
Paul: Yeah. That’s hard to imagine being on a job site and not having, like, phones around and access to plans. I mean, even our job site meetings, everyone has an iPad. They’re like, what’s the Wi Fi so I can connect to the outside world?
Michael: Yep. That’s No Wi Fi back, you know, when when I started working on jobs, no WiFi. Your cell phone was in the truck unless you’re taking a break or going to lunch. You know, I when I was a laborer, you didn’t really need it. You’re not running the project. And the site supervisors and managers had their phones, but, yeah, it’s a whole different world now. It’s almost like you
Paul: could do a, little bit of, like, a mental health, retreat where people get to go work on a house and keep their phones locked in a box. Yeah. Might be onto something there. How else do you feel like the the industry’s changing as we in the future? You know, we’ve I think we covered at least I I got mine I’m just going through my notes. I think we covered what you’re doing now and what’s going on. If do you have anything else? I just don’t before we move on.
Why an Owner’s Rep Pays for Itself (52:34)
Michael: Well, I think that, you know, the the idea of an owner’s rep, it’s not only advantage, on high end projects that you can have. I mean, I I think, you know, if if it’s a cost you can build in, having somebody advocate and understanding the process and taking that time and that effort away from an owner who who’s doesn’t have the skill sets to do it and they need to, you know, worry about their day to day. You know, they’re they’re in the position to be able to afford, a home or the construction of a home because they’re good at what they do and not that’s not design or or construction most of the time.
So having somebody to advocate for you to that understands everybody’s positions and can help facilitate, you know, a seamless process is, you know, it essentially pays for itself. You know, I’ve I’ve heard horror stories where, you know, there projects that came in two, three x, the initial budget, and it and it’s just the the process can get away if there’s not somebody, you know, overseeing it, whether it’s a general contractor, also playing owner’s representation.
But I I strongly feel that the the designers, the contractors, they have so much on their plate already that bringing in an owner’s rep, and if done properly, you know, can only help them do their pro do their their jobs better. Mhmm. It doesn’t take away. It it allows them to do their specific tasks and and focus on their jobs rather than, sort of getting distracted by a lot of the things that an owner’s rep would do.
Paul: No. It makes sense. And, I mean, going back to your to your points, I mean, if you’re if you’re considering buying a property, you know, I wanna invest this, I wanna build that, getting a, like, giving an understanding on what you can do, how much you’re gonna spend. Your skill set and what you’re offering fills a lot of holes and voids that, like, one, like, one general contractor you know, most general contractors aren’t gonna elaborate on what you can and can’t build and what it’s gonna look like or get a full understanding of that.
You know, that’s gonna fall on the architect. Mhmm. An architect, generally, they might speak generally about scope and cost and stuff, but they’re not gonna get dive into the details of it. That’s gonna be a general contractor. Mhmm. Then you start talking about all the other disciplines, you know, land use consultants, engineers, all so there’s a lot early on in a project or someone trying to plan something out appropriately. You really need someone not not that you need it, but there’s a lot of holes to be filled that, I mean, I I would say it’s an investment, but when you’re planning that out, you you should figure on someone with with your skill set to fill those voids to help make it a smooth process.
Right. If not, you know, otherwise, like you said, you you can end up in that situation where you have a horror story and or maybe not a horror story, but where things don’t go as smoothly as they should.
Bridging the Gap: Schedule, Budget, and Value Engineering (55:44)
Michael: Yeah. I often find myself saying that I bridge the gap between everybody involved. So I I bridge the gap between the owner and the architect, the contractor and the architect, the contractor and the owner. You know? I I am that that facilitator. And, you know, it it allows me and and I’ve been in the position where you have to sometimes have difficult conversations and and make decisions to, you know, ensure that the schedule and the budget are are on track or or they’re managed in a way that is, you know, tolerable for the owner.
So, while all of the other professionals are focusing on their job, I can hone in on schedule and budget, you know, alongside them, to make sure that we have a happy client in the end of the day. I mean, we’re not we’re not talking small numbers of some of these projects. I mean, there there’s properties out here that, you know, you’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the end, and, you know, one change can cost millions. So understanding, you know, whether it’s whether it’s just modifying a direction that you’re taking or value engineering and then changing the design to to help, you know, with the budget and con budget control.
Those are the conversations I have with the clients that, you know, help steer the architect and and the influence of their design and, and, in turn, help the contractor understand what they’re building and and knowing the costs or the time associated, with or any constraints that are, you know, on that that change or that task.
Incomplete Drawings and Leveling Contractor Bids (57:30)
Paul: Yeah. Not to belabor the point, but just back to what you’re saying, without someone like you, I mean, the we see the drawings that go out for bids, and like you said, they’re 60, maybe 70% complete.
Michael: Mhmm.
Paul: So now you take a 60 or 70% complete drawing, send it out to a bunch of general contractors who have to fill in a tremendous amount of the scope, come back to you with a bid, and then, you know, I know architects will help you with this, but as an owner, you ultimately have to make a decision on which general contract you’re gonna go with based on bids that really need to be, to some extent, like, leveled, deciphered, and and really analyzed.
Michael: Mhmm.
Paul: And that’s, know, without having experience on the East End and within the industry specifically, that’s a that’s a challenging thing to do. I mean, that right there could, just someone like, you know, with your skill set, being able to look at that and advise and whatever, could set the project up for success or failure, like, right off the bat.
Michael: Right. Yeah. It’s a very difficult thing to do, and some contractors do it very well. You know, you you put in placeholders. And if you clearly define those allowances, you know, it’ll help keep you as tight to the original budget as possible. But, again, it’s it’s guess guess game, you know? And unless it’s specified, unless it’s in the plans and, you know, a contractor has the ability to, you know, directly relate their budget to a specification, then it’s a guessing game in a way.
Paul: Yeah. But then even that, I mean, the amount of work, like, to to what you said before, as an owner, a potential owner that’s successful at doing something else, now you’re gonna get say you go out to three contractors, you get three thirty page documents Mhmm. That somebody has to sift through and make sure that, oh, did they cover this? Did not correspond back and forth? Like, there’s a tremendous amount of, high skill level work to make sure that what you’re comparing is actually is realistic. Right. And you’re not getting sold the delusion of this house is gonna cost $10,000,000 to build, where that that was never the house they envisioned, where the house they envisioned was actually a $13,000,000 build.
Right. Just because the specifications, they clear the contractor did a good job in clearly outlining those, but what they clearly outlined wasn’t necessarily what the vision of the project was on the owner’s behalf or, you know, whatever. I mean, it’s just I guess, the more the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to have an owner’s rep on these projects or someone like yourself.
Michael: Absolutely. You know, a lot of the times, it’ll fall on the architect to be the one who does the big comparisons, and that’s a tough position to be in. You know, some some love doing it, many don’t.
Paul: You know?
Michael: I I’ve I’ve been in in projects where the architect takes on the role of the owner’s rep, and they do it very well. But it’s a it’s a whole another aspect of the job that you have to be willing to take on.
Where the Industry Is Going: AI and Technology (1:00:21)
Paul: Right. That makes sense. And then as far as where do you see the industry going? What kind of things do you should we expect in the next few years? And or what are some of the trends that maybe people aren’t aware of that they should be as time goes on?
Michael: Well, I see technology definitely having an impact. You know, whether it’s the Pinterest storyboards that turn into owner generated AI renderings that they’re sending, you know, maybe maybe it’s a Yeah. It’s a helpful exercise in a way that they can, interpret their, you know, their intent to an architect. But I I worry that, you know, we allow it to get away from us because it’s the outcomes of what AI or technology is generating is only as good as what you input.
And and a lot of a lot of owners are, you know, those individuals with the lack of, you know, design experience, you know, may be missing out on opportunities where, you know, a pretty picture might express some excitement or or, you know, instill some joy. But you might be missing out on an opportunity that a professional would’ve been able to give you other options that would’ve surpassed, you know, what you might have in terms of initial excitement seeing or rendering before even putting pen to paper.
So, I see technology certain being certainly being an impact. The, the speed at which we can all communicate, I think, is just gonna continue to to increase. Mhmm. I feel like we might see less and less paper on-site and more and more iPads. Like, every everybody on the job has an iPad. But, you know, it’s not a negative in my mind. You could take your own personal notes. You can share very quickly. Mhmm. So I I think technology is going to be, you know, hugely impactful on on the industry.
Technology as a Tool: Complexity and the Human Element (1:02:27)
Michael: Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, we’ve seen it on our end in some ways already.
Paul: Yeah. I mean, even just when we started, we used to do it was kind of we used to do red marks. Right? Red mark meant you actually, like, took a red pencil and marked up a set of plans and sent them back. Yep. You know, I think I I never mailed them. I scanned them in, but that was like, oh, this is a red mark set. That’s what we’re gonna do. Yeah. Where the idea of doing that now is, like, unheard of. So, I’m sure we’ll see more higher end renderings, detailed drawings. And and I hope I think as long as we use that technology as a tool, it should elevate what we’re all able to do.
Right. Which is exciting. Yeah. You know, I think, the complexity you know, we enjoy where I’m sure as you you do as well, but we enjoyed working on the complex projects. Mhmm. You know? I’m always happy to design a beam to take out a column in a basement for someone, but when you get, like, to mentally, like, really have to exercise your brain and figure something different out, you know, or really coordinate a you know, that’s that’s exciting for us. And I think as we’ve seen as, like, the ability technology get is a tool that gives us the ability to do more, which means projects get more complicated.
Right. Which, in return, makes them harder to execute, but also more rewarding to execute and to work on and to figure out. So Yeah. Absolutely. I’m excited for where that’ll go. At the end of the day, it’s I I think it’s ultimately still gonna come down to people doing the work. Yeah. Which is kind of the human aspect of it that, I think, you know, I think I’m seeing the construction industry, especially on the East End turn, from, like like, we work with we’re very fortunate to work with construction professionals. Mhmm. You know, there’s a big difference between someone that, like, and someone that could just execute the work and someone that’s, operating at the high level that you’d you’d expect, given the the complexity of the projects that are going on.
Right. That’s that’s pretty exciting, and I’m excited to see that continue to develop too. Yeah. Definitely.
Michael: I couldn’t agree more. And and the opportunity and the numb number of projects that go on simultaneously around here is incredible. You know, there’s plenty of work for everybody. And, you know, as long as you’re doing the right thing and, you know, you’re providing, you know, a genuine service for this clientele. I mean, there’s there’s plenty of work out there.
Paul: Yeah. Yeah. We it’s definitely an exciting area to be a part of, and, fortunate that we get to work here. Yeah. Mike, that’s all I had for you. I don’t know if there’s anything you think I missed or you wanna No. Dive into.
Closing Thoughts: How Engineers and Owner’s Reps Can Work Together (1:04:50)
Michael: I appreciate your time and, you know, understanding that you guys are a young firm yourselves, and maybe there’s, you know, one one bit of advice or or something that you could, so to speak to in terms of the engineer’s perspective and how, you know, you you see us collaborating in the future? Sure. You know, as an owner’s rep and an engineer in terms of the team.
Paul: Yeah. So I think, like, the biggest thing, that piece of advice that I would say for people, and I think you’ve, you’ve outlined this well throughout the podcast, but these projects are really about a team. Mhmm. Right? There’s no single person that’s gonna do any of this on their own. And, for us, when I reflect back on the the most rewarding projects or the beneficial, they’re always the ones that had the right teams. And that starts with, the owner, the owner’s rep, the architect, you know, and and the builder, and then all the secondary or, you know, the engineers included, but, all the other members of that team you need to bring together to ultimately execute the project.
So we’ve seen, you know, almost every time something has gone an unexpected direction, or as you put it, the ups and downs on the roller coaster, it was more than they needed to be. It was a reflection of, in some ways, the team or members of the team, and and either poor communication between them or things not operating the way they needed to. So, I’m very excited for you, and for getting an opportunity to work with you on projects where we operate from a limited scope. You know, we’re not, like, there’s a lot of projects.
We never even speak with the owner. You know? So, we get a we get a set of plans. We have some we do our best to have conversations, really understand what’s going on, and then do the best to engineer it appropriately for that project. But I think as much in in the world today, it’s easy to send a lot of information, and communication’s better than ever has been. It’s still, like, more information only helps us. And diving into those questions and comments, and so, you know, in the future, working together, I’m excited for to be on projects with someone like yourself, with you, specifically, and and able to bridge those gaps and bring things up that’s just gonna be benefit us.
You know? As engineers, we’re pretty good at taking, accounting for a certain level of uncertainty. Mhmm. And not necessarily knowing everything, but making sure that it’s gonna be adequate and acceptable all the same. But we’d much rather have all the information and be able to operate that way. So, just having someone that can get ahead of things, be aware of things, and help to the the owner to understand what that means and what that looks like early on is is is tremendously valuable for us.
And then the same thing with in the field, you know, where things are a lot easier to change on paper than in the field. You know? So we do the best we can to coordinate, but we can only coordinate and account for what we know. You know? So, you you mentioned earlier putting a steel column behind the vanity in the bathroom. Like, we don’t know there’s gonna be a vanity there. You know, it’s not practical for us to or I shouldn’t say not practical. Sometimes the cost of not putting that column behind the, you know, right behind where the sink would be, it could be tremendous.
For us to go on every project and just say, no, we don’t put columns, like, in behind the bathroom. You know, the sink in the bathroom, would be, like, an extreme solution to that problem. But making it aware and having it like, hey. This is a built in vanity here. You know? We need the the studs can only be two inches deep or whatever that is. That would be tremendous. Mhmm. And I think, you know, we’re we’re able to we’re we’re creative in our own way, not in a design standpoint. But as far as solving problems, engineers are creative. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a cost to that.
You know? Yeah. I could easily extend that beam, come up with a splice connection, move that column. You know, it’s not particularly challenging on the engineering side, but the level of cost and effort to execute that in the field is tremendous. Right. So, you know, the having highly qualified, capable people, especially someone like yourself on a project like that, that’s just that’s that’s our that’s in everyone’s benefit. We’re super excited about that. Because because, overall, if if the quality of the project is smoother, the execution goes more seamlessly.
People are gonna be happier with the process. Right. They’re not gonna have the feelings of the up and down, and, you know, it’s the worst thing when you talk to an owner. You’re like, wow, this is a beautiful house. And they’re like, yeah, I’ll never build another one. You’re like, what do you mean? And it’s like, well, because and you you get into all the things that happen that, could have been preventable, and we we want people to enjoy that. And if if they have a positive project because a successful project isn’t just, oh, wow, look at that house. It’s, the process that it took to get there. And if that’s if that’s the case, then that’s how you get, you know, that’s how we get more projects.
You know? And and that’s how we’re able to keep doing what we love to do, and, and it benefits people. So Absolutely. I rambled a little bit there.
Wrap-Up (1:09:56)
Michael: I apologize for better, though. No. It was all good. Yeah. No. I appreciate it. Thanks for inviting me today.
Paul: Anytime. Thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time, and, sharing all your insight.
Michael: Yeah. I’ll go forward to working together, continuing our conversation. And, yeah, if I have an opportunity to do this again, I’d love to.
Paul: Absolutely. We definitely I’m sure there will be, and, looking forward to the next project together.
Michael: Yeah. Awesome.
Paul: Thank you.