In previous posts we've talked about Kansas City Opus AE Group, L.L.C. principal Gary Schuberth’s home—the awards he’s won and the design intent. With the design in place, Gary Schuberth’s next step was to plan for and manage the construction phase.
Construction on the unique home took 13 months. As Gary puts it, “We build office buildings faster than I built my house, so I am still not sure how it took that long.” But Gary’s project management coworkers must have rubbed off on him. From drainage studies to permits for building and utilities, Gary was hard at work managing the project in his off-work hours. He dealt with all aspects of the financing of the project and payment of the workers, dealing with the schedule and weather delays, temporary road closures and finally the anxiety of getting the final certificate of occupancy.
Because he works full time, Gary had to be absent from the job site during the day. He made up for this by planning meetings with each trade foreman early in the morning or evening. He’d generally meet people at the job site at 6:30 a.m. and return at 5:30 p.m. to work until midnight.
“I learned from Opus the importance of a clean jobsite,” Gary said. “So many nights would be spent cleaning up. I certainly gained a higher appreciation for what our project managers do daily. Out of the three Opus commitments—cost, schedule and quality—I managed to at least hit quality.
The process seems to have been worth it. Of his home Gary said, “Building and living in the house has been a positive, life-transforming experience not just for Robin and me but for our entire family. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
To see more images of Gary’s home, check out our Google+ page.
Photo credit: Michael Spillers Photography
How Our Architect Planned and Built His Own Home
