Getting the Numbers Right! With Margaret Cormode and Josh Radford – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E26

Aug 26, 2024

Margaret Cormode, Program Manager at MAC Renovations, and Josh Radford, Estimator, dive into the evolving role of project managers in budget reviews. They discuss how empowering these managers before client sign-off can enhance efficiency. The duo emphasizes the importance of collaboration between sales and estimating, and the impact of their matrix structure on operational growth. With insights into effective communication and transparent processes, they reveal strategies for improving team morale and navigating challenges in project management.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Operational Growth and System Improvements at Mac Renovations

04:08 • 2min

Exploring the Matrix Company Structure

05:57 • 2min

Optimizing Sales and Estimating Dynamics

07:29 • 9min

Building Collaboration and Transparency in Project Management

16:44 • 3min

Mastering Construction Project Management

20:04 • 16min

Building Team Communication and Morale

36:19 • 5min

The Importance of Preparedness and Vision in Production

41:34 • 3min

Across the country, companies are increasingly empowering project managers to review budgets and the entire project packet before the client’s final sign-off. This practice varies widely—some companies conduct a review only after the job is sold, while others do it beforehand but may not allocate enough time. In many cases, project managers are simply asked to “review and provide feedback,” but their busy schedules often lead to delays, and by the time they get to it, it’s too late. These challenges are all too common, but today, we’re joined by Margaret and Josh from MAC Renovations, who will share how they successfully tackled this issue.

Margaret Cormode is the Program Manager at MAC Renovations in Victoria, BC. Since joining the company as a Project Manager in 2015, when there were just 23 employees, she has played a pivotal role in MAC’s growth. Now leading a team of over 50, Margaret spearheaded the development of their value chain documentation, which laid the foundation for the standard operating procedures and Operations Manual implemented in 2020. Her passion for process optimization and smart interpretation has been instrumental in streamlining operations.

Josh Radford, the Estimator at MAC Renovations, has been with the company for about 8 months. In his role, he focuses on creating systems that bridge the gap between pre-construction and production. One of his key contributions is the development of a new estimating sheet that clearly breaks down labor and materials, making the information more readable, digestible, and transparent. This tool ensures the entire team thoroughly reviews the estimate before contract signing, improving project understanding, reducing scheduling issues, and strengthening trust between the pre-construction, estimating, sales, and production teams.

Tim, Greg, Margaret, and Josh talk more about:

The importance of aligning communication between teams to avoid project delays.
How implementing clear processes has led to improved client satisfaction.
The challenges and successes of scaling a company while maintaining quality and efficiency.