This content provided by Wolff & Samson PC Counselors at Law, written by Jeffery M. Gussoff, real estate attorney.

• To bridge the knowledge gap, the owner should hire a construction consultant. The consultant, or Owner's Advocate, speaks the same language as the architect, contactor or design-build firm, and other construction professionals, but his loyalties are with the building owners.
  
  
• One of the traditional roles of the architect is to act as the bridge between the contractor and the owner.
     
  
• The AIA documents make the architect one part traffic cop, one part referee, one part team leader and one part wise old scholar. In addition, the architect acts as his own advocate in protecting the design integrity, which may be contrary to the owner's concern for cost or function, and the contractor's desire for better or faster construction
     
  
• In some jobs, these traditional roles create difficulties because the architect wears too many hats. The situation is exacerbated in design-build construction because both the project's designer and builder are single source.
     
  
• For owners who are not versed in the language and methods of a construction project, who speaks for the owner?
     
  
• The consultant should be engaged early in the project, so the owner can utilize the consultant's services in selecting construction professional and contractors and in reviewing plans and budget.
     
  
• Construction consultants have varied qualifications...select one who has hands-on experience in reviewing plans, budgets and the various stages of construction on construction sites…with drywall dust on his shoes, and with a good reputation.
     
  
• The construction consultant's role is to aggressively represent the owner and to lend practical expertise to the job. He is not concerned with design integrity, and he wants the owner to receive what exactly what the owner has contracted for from the contractors.
     
  
• Working on behalf of the owner, the consultant can identify and address potential construction problems in the design stages and as and independent party may be in the best position to suggest cost saving or time saving alternatives and to evaluate suggestion made by the other parties.
     
  
• Some owners find it difficult to take antagonistic positions with members of the construction team, whether the issue is design, construction method, cost of change order or scheduling. Instead, the construction consultant can wear the "black hat" or play the "bad cop" role and aggressively deal with the contractors and professionals on the owner's behalf.
  
  
  
  
  
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