Joey Adorno joined DBR in 2018 and serves as a Construction Administrator in our Houston office. Joey is responsible for conducting building surveys and facility condition assessments. He is also involved during the construction process reviewing submittals, responding to RFIs, and helping to solve coordination issues. He helps to ensure that we deliver high-quality projects.
Joey is a licensed electrician with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He has developed a wide range of project experience including K-12 facilities, hospitality, laboratories, commercial office buildings, manufacturing facilities, and distribution warehouses.
When he is not in the office or on a project site, Joey enjoys going on road trips and spending time with his family. His positive attitude and willingness to always help out make him a valued team member at DBR.
Q&A with Joey:
Q: What types and scale of projects you are working on and what observations are you noting during the construction process?
A: Most of the projects I’m currently working on are commercial and mixed-use with commercial and multifamily residential. I’m also working on a few industrial projects. The main thing that I have observed on construction sites recently is that the material and labor costs are rising and at the same time the experience of the craftsmen is just not what it used to be.
Q: What do you see as key challenges or opportunities for the CA department in the next 5 years?
A: I believe that one of the key challenges we will see is the rise in cost across the board on material, equipment, and labor. These factors will affect building owners’ decisions about what they can afford to build, or if they should build at all. Our job is to help find alternate solutions to allow owners to get the best possible facilities within their budgets.
A key opportunity for our CA team is to continue to leverage technology to help keep up with the pace of construction projects. We currently use Autodesk BIM 360 and Procore software for field management to document projects under construction.
Q: Describe the role of a Construction Administrator on typical projects.
A: We have the following roles and responsibilities for typical construction projects:
- Represent DBR with Owners, Architects, Consultants, Subcontractors and Vendors.
- Advise Owner and Architect regarding project cost, change orders, and value engineering.
- Review product data submittals and shop drawings.
- Witness start up and testing of systems and equipment.
- Attend construction meetings to monitor schedule and provide input regarding building systems.
- Perform observations of rough-ins and prepare field observation reports, including final punchlists.
- Oversee subcontractor closeout, transfer of utilities, owner training, and punchlist completion.
- Review systems operation and maintenance manuals, warranty documents, and record drawings.
Q: How do you serve as an advocate for your clients and deliver them a successful project?
A: Everyone involved in the design and construction of a building has a responsibility to advocate for “The Client”, regardless of their position or title. Construction Administrators are often the most visible client advocates because we spend a great deal of time on the job site and solving problems with the client.
The DBR CA team plays a critical role in the delivery of high-quality finished projects for our clients. From design through pre-construction, construction administration, and closeout of a project, the CA team is focused on quality assurance. Our CA team reviews plans and specifications for coordination and completeness. They review shop drawings and submittals to ensure compliance with the design. During construction, they provide detailed field observation reports documenting the progress of the work and they coordinate with the construction team to ensure compliance with local and state-wide building codes, the intent of the design plans and specifications, and the general quality of the MEP installation. Our team helps the construction team ensure that equipment and product installations meet the approved submittal requirements as well as the manufacturer’s recommendations. The goal of all these activities is to deliver the highest quality project to the client.