How we help Developers to successfully complete projects in Spain

There’s a common misconception that project managers are only needed by people without building or development experience, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While of course, we can help someone to build their dream home, it’s developers that will most benefit from an experienced, independent Project Manager. That’s because we can save them large amounts and we can ensure delivery on time, to avoid penalties or unhappy customers. Developers that work with professional project managers in Spain generate more profit and increase their ROI on their development.

MDCI have many years of experience in Project Development in Spain, working hand in hand with investors and developers to overcome the challenges of working in an unfamiliar market and navigating the complexities of the construction process.

For maximum value, we should be involved from the initial concept and planning stage, through to the very end, supporting our clients, every step of the way. In this article, we’ll be detailing what those steps are and why our involvement is so positive to the Developer, as well as the end user.

If you’d like to discuss working with MDCI on your next development project, please contact us.

Step 1 – Development Strategy

Just like in construction, a development must be built on solid foundations in order to make it profitable and successful.

We begin by defining and agreeing the overall development strategy, schedule, budget and cashflow for the whole process to key handover.

As Project Developers with over 25 years’ experience, we are able to find the information you need and understand the market and the legal aspects of building in Spain. Our Strategic Analysis service, provides you with the knowledge and plans you need to build with confidence.

Step 2 – Building the Team

To ensure that your development is a success, and that the project runs smoothly, you need the right people around you. Not all professionals are created equal, but coming into a new country, without a network of contacts, it can be hard to know who you can trust. That is where MDCI come in!

Our CEO Mark Lawson was brought up in Spain, to English parents, for a perfect understanding of the Spanish and British cultures and working practices. He has spent his professional life building connections and evaluating professionals in the construction  and development industry and he can support you to choose the right team members for your project, personality and end goals.

MDCI work with you to select and contract the necessary technical members of the team; Architect, Technical Architect, Engineers, Interior Decorators, Landscape Gardeners etc. Our strength is not only to select, but also to negotiate and lock down the optimum conditions and with the necessary protections for the Client.

Step 3 – Design and Definition Support

We intervene in the design and definition process to ensure that cost effective, time saving, energy and conservation aspects are all integrated into the scope of the project. This delivers an integrated technical process that works properly, saves you money and avoids delays.

Step 4 – Technical Documentation Audit

Building in a new territory with different practices, plus a foreign language, makes reviewing documentation a bigger challenge than many developers expect. With a huge amount of experience behind us, plus fluent English and Spanish, we are able to audit the technical documentation produced to ensure there are no contradictions, errors, miscalculations or missing information.

Step 5 – Managing the Bidding Process

This step is crucial to reducing costs and selecting the right people, who can bring your project to completion. We call it value engineering, and it can typically reduce costs by 10-15%. MDCI manage the open market bidding process to ensure that a comparable range of bids are received from reputable companies with the capacity to take on your project. Once they are received, we carefully analyse the bids received, compare them, question them and reject any that don’t serve our clients. We manage the process for a competitive 4 or 5 rounds, in order to reach the most competitive and favourable price and conditions.

Once the negotiations are complete and the bids analysed, we draw up reports on the results of the bidding process and make the necessary recommendation to the Client.

Find out more about our process in the article What to do when tenders come in over budget?

Step 6 – Contract Negotiations

As part of our project management service, we review contracts and negotiate terms on your behalf.

We know what you require, what the process is to get there and what the potential pitfalls are. We have also seen thousands of contracts in our time and can spot problems, loopholes and potential issues in a contract in no time. Because the contracts you sign are so vital to the success or failure of your project, we even have our own contract, which includes all the key details and specifies every service and agreement discussed with suppliers. It ties those suppliers in to deliver what they promised for the price they agreed and in the timeframe discussed. Our contract aggressively protects your interests and puts you in the driving seat. It is the very foundation for a successful project and can be relied upon in Spanish courts if your suppliers fail to meet their obligations.

Not only do we negotiate all necessary contracts to ensure that the process is correct, clear, legal and contains the necessary protections to the Client, but we also administer these contracts on behalf of the Client. We become the Client´s Contract Administrator to ensure full compliance. Find out more about the importance of a good contract during development

Step 7 – Managing the Construction Period

We move from the planning and preparation phase to the Project Management Phase in Step 7.

MDCI manages the construction period by being the Clients’ local representative during the build. We are on the ground, taking a proactive approach to project management by holding weekly construction progress and coordination meetings between all the key stakeholders, taking the necessary decisions and ensuring full administrative compliance.

It’s our role to ensure the Client is fully informed on proceedings. We produce Monthly Reports evaluating the status of all the key performance indicators and recommend corrective actions where necessary, attending the necessary meetings to review and scrutinise process, progress and performances to targets.

Step 8 – Taking care of the finishing touches

Once the construction process is finished, our job is not done! MDCI organises the necessary snagging and rectification of any issues that are highlighted. We are also responsible for the implementation of the necessary guarantees and take steps to get occupancy licences and sign off from the required bodies and local authorities.

At this stage, we’re also working hard to integrate the next contracted parties into the process, such as; kitchens, Interior decorators, saunas, cinemas, gyms and landscaping and controlling and managing the final steps to project completion.

Step 9 – Project delivered, on time, on budget and to the projected quality

We hand over the keys, the papers and the licences to the developer at or before the agreed time, on, or under budget, and to true to the original plan. Another happy customer and another job well done!

RCS Spain contracted MDCI in 2017 on a Development Consultancy basis, before taking charge of the Development Process for four projects and Full Project Management for the Arboleda Villa Development. They said, “We commend MDCI’s expertise, knowledge and rigorous process and have constantly benefitted from their guidance, professionalism and wealth of experience in safeguarding our project timescales, budget and the quality of our product. Mark Lawson’s vast experience in Project Management and the extensive knowledge of the Spanish industry has protected RCS from a series of mis-directions; resulting in financial benefit to the company.

We have no hesitation in recommending Mark Lawson and MDCI to any investors, financiers or developers who require a smooth, visible and controlled development process that maintains a high standard of professionalism, resulting in a quality product within their projected business targets and aspirations.”

Coeli Asset Management created a community of 12 luxury villas and brought in MDCI as their key development representatives. Their CEO shared that MDCI “performed the role as our key Development representatives with skill and passion, always ensuring we had the best advice and updated information, performing the required tasks with transparency, fluidity and high efficiency. They were the cornerstone of the venture and we are extremely grateful for their generous added value, experience and collaboration. We highly recommend MDCI’s services to any investor or developer intending to guarantee their objectives in development in Spain. They are pure experts in these fields and deliver what they promise.”