Our Project Managers operate from the main office or at the jobsite (as required by the specific job) and administer all contractual requirements involved in the project. He works closely with the Owner, Architect and project Superintendent to manage the construction project. Lathrop Construction Associates, Inc. Project Managers perform all cost and estimating services for the firm. Our Project Managers are responsible for the projects from inception to completion. We believe this makes us more accountable and responsible to the Owners we work for.

Our vast experience has provided us with many years of experience dealing with the State Architect and many of the Architects who specialize in the design of schools. We are very familiar with the deferred approval process and the timelines required when dealing with the State. We have worked with many DSA approved inspectors and recognize the importance of the approval process which has been duly authorized to them.

The Superintendent actively supervises all facets of the building construction. Working with the Project Manager, he develops a construction schedule. He monitors subcontractors’ activities, Lathrop’s work forces and materials, monitors our Safety Program and coordinates the project with the Owner and Architect. He also coordinates all job related activities – time keeping, material ordering and receiving, scheduling, subcontractor coordination.

For our projects, the following types of personnel are utilized for each project:
Project Director
Project Manager
Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent
Project Coordinator/ Engineer
Scheduler

Each team is uniquely qualified. Each person has relevant experience.

Our team of employees averages over 25 years of construction experience with Lathrop. We have built a variety of commercial, educational, medical and institutional projects. We take pride in our work and the fact that we have never had liquidated damages assessed demonstrates that we build our projects on time. We have had no claims nor have we ever filed any claim against an owner. This indicates our ability to be a team player and resolve all disputes. Our financial history is strong. Our banks, insurance companies and bonding companies are secure and are an integral part of our team and they support all of our endeavors.

The management of Lathrop prides itself in the relationship it has formed as members of the Construction Employers’ Association, Apprenticeship & H & W Trusts for the Carpenters Union, Construction Industry Safety committees and on legislative committees dealing with current proposed legislation which directly affects the construction industry. This helps us stay current with labor markets and laws that are passed whether they are safety or certified payroll requirements. We are prepared to deal with and meet the needs associated with these issues.

Cost estimating is performed by our technical office staff with assistance from outside sources, as required. Market surveys are a natural product of the continuous construction activities of our firm. Materials and their availability are constantly monitored by our purchasing department. Availability of labor is monitored on a daily basis through contact with trade unions and our company’s awareness of the construction activity in the Bay and Sacramento Areas.

Change Order Control Methods

Change order control methods and history is monitored through our Oracle Primavera Contract Management construction software program and our AS400 mainframe with TSC Trueline Construction software.

Project approaches including specific activities consist of reviews of the design, performed by our project managers, all of whom have had considerable construction experience. These reviews occur during schematics and design development of the projects and help to focus on constructability, availability of materials and long-term effects of the system proposed for the building.

Cost savings (Value Engineering) can be provided by us through design development by offering suggestions for systems selection and material choices. In addition, we review design details providing suggestions for more efficient use of materials and time saving methods of construction. Further, we believe we affect cost savings by appropriate division of subcontracted items offered in bid packages during the bid solicitation process. Life cycle cost studies are an integral part of the value engineering analysis and will be considered during systems review. These studies will conform to criteria established by the project’s owner and end user.

Scheduling by our experienced project team utilizes the project scheduling technology and resources using Oracle Primavera Project Planner, P6 to create and implement accurate and comprehensive timelines. Our ‘master’ schedule includes; design development activities, including document preparation, agency approvals, bid/award periods, etc. so that these activities can be “tied” to the beginnings of construction. The schedule will also include detailed schedule of construction activities, including submittals, project closeout, commissioning, and warranty management. LCA recognizes the importance of scheduling as a project management tool which communicates clearly, can be updated efficiently, and represents an accurate record for completion of the project.

A major part of LCA Project Management Plan is schedule monitoring and control. The Schedule is updated monthly on all projects. All reports are automatically updated including three week look ahead schedules, Master Project Schedule, manpower utilizations, cost loading complete with narratives. This information is provided electronically or on disk and can be e-mailed to the project team. This readily available information is very important for use in monitoring the project.

Project Managers are responsible for the activities of our office and construction personnel and coordinating them with the Owner and the design professionals. Project administration for our projects is facilitated by using Expedition, a Primavera product which integrates with the P3 schedules. Communication is enhanced by regularly scheduling jobsite meetings with the three parties. Occasionally subcontractors will be involved in these project meetings to expedite resolution of conflicts and more direct communication of the intent of the contract documents.

Shop drawings are reviewed prior to submitting them for architect’s and Owner’s approval. This review is performed by our on-site management team and results in the opportunity for effective coordination between trades.

Supervision in the field is provided by our on-site Superintendent who works with the Project Manager and is solely responsible for work in the field. The Project Coordinator/Engineer provides assistance in employee relations, expediting record keeping and administration of our safety program.

Material procurement is coordinated by our field staff and supplemented by the efforts of our office personnel. Contacts are routinely made with material suppliers, even those of subcontractors, to ensure that delivery schedules are met. Shipping information is obtained and routing of products is monitored.

Centralized purchasing allows us to take advantage of quantity discounts which are beneficial to all our projects. This approach allows us to maintain more effective cost control for our projects. Our purchasing is directed from our main office in Benicia.

Equipment is available to each jobsite as it is required. This equipment is dispatched from our yard in Benicia. Costs on a rental basis are allocated to each of the projects for the actual time the equipment is on site.

Safety is enforced by our strong commitment to safety. Our Experience Modification Rate (EMR) is among the lowest in the industry. Our company Safety Director is active with Construction Employers Association’s (CEA) Safety Forum. Lathrop has a safety program that has been developed through education and many years of experience in the industry. We have periodic discussions about our safety program with project managers, field superintendents, and all field foremen. The information discussed and distributed in the meetings is then discussed with field crews at weekly “toolbox” meeting. We have a generous safety rewards program for employees. New employees are given as extensive review of the Lathrop Safety Policy and watched over carefully by Lathrop supervisors. Our program is actively administered by our company Safety Director who makes periodic job visits. Safety meetings are held weekly on the jobsite with our subcontractors. Our program is enforced through our subcontract and all subcontractors are required to comply with CAL/OSHA safety provisions.

Our primary concern is that our jobsites are a safe workplace.

Quality control in our opinion begins with workmanship by the individual trade members actually doing the work. It is our belief that the quality of work is enhanced by carefully selecting subcontractors to perform each individual trade. It is our responsibility to coordinate the activities of subcontractors to ensure the orderly installation of separate components of the building and allow sufficient testing and inspection of the work by outside agencies. We staff our projects with trained union personnel. Lathrop is signatory to the various union agreements covering work performed by us. This includes laborers and carpenters.

Self Performed work by Lathrop Construction personnel includes all layout, structural excavation forming, placing, and pouring of foundations, structural concrete and site concrete, wood framing, finish carpentry, installation of doors and hardware, miscellaneous specialty items, and all General Condition requirements including safety, hoisting, cleanup, temporary power and lighting, dust control and all temporary measures required for the performance of the work. We prefer to perform these items of work, since they are essential to the successful completion of the project. We believe we can maintain more effective control of the work by completing the structural portion of it which enables us to ensure that layout is accurate, walls are true and plumb so that the finish items which follow will produce an acceptable project.

Our principles have been involved with Construction Employers Association for over 25 years working closely with them in the areas of contract negotiations with the Carpenters’ and Laborers’ Unions and their master agreements.

Through the CEA, we have been involved in dispute resolutions and grievances with all unions, union subcontractors, and non-union subcontractors. Lathrop has experienced strikes, settlements, jurisdictional disputes and duel gate relationships throughout the history of our company with successful outcomes.

Start up / Commissioning is needed for orderly transition from completion of the project to acceptance and occupancy by the owner. Lathrop Construction recognizes the importance of this objective and manages this within the CPM Schedule of the Project. All closeout tasks are sequenced in the Project Schedule and include activities like start-up, acceptance and occupancy dates. This information is scheduled at the commencement of the project.