Note: This is the final article in a 6 part series explaining the services of Bureau Xavier David. Previously a general overview of Construction Management, an explanation of the Xavier David Method™, an introduction to Feasibility Analysis & Pre-Design Planning, the Design Process, and the Construction Process. Finally, today an overview of Post-Construction Maintenance and Management.
April 2020 Saint-Barthélemy — Construction is completed, congratulations! But now what? It depends on the building type. A family home is typically managed by it’s owner occupants. But larger buildings can require a management strategy. Something complex like a medical facility or mixed-use development will require bespoke management on a case-by-case basis. Rental villas are a unique class in part because of their ubiquity on St Barts. Here, Bureau Xavier David can be especially helpful to property owners living abroad. Our experience allows a customized hands-on approach that takes advantage of scale but only when appropriate.
Management
Post-occupancy of a new building is one of Bureau Xavier David’s strengths. In addition to the typical assistance with warranty issues, we are actively involved in the management of many of our projects after construction completion. This can be especially useful for owners located outside of St Barts, often in distant places such as New York, London or Paris. In those cases, we can help choose staff and monitor their work in order ensure that the buildings are operating at optimal efficiency. In recent years, this has gained an extra level of scientific precision as computer Building Information Models created during the design phase can be programmed with information from the real life utilities for analysis of problems and refinement of performance.
Maintenance
A well-built villa or building should last for generations if properly cared for. This begins with the routine monitoring of systems : mechanical, electrical, plumbing and—increasingly—information technology (IT). But as the modern villa is often not merely just a building but also a business itself and often even a brand ; a team of potential employees and/or freelance professional services also play important roles in the ongoing maintenance of the property and the stewardship of the vision that it presents. It is not unusual for a villa to have housekeepers, gardeners, pool cleaner, handy man / jack-of-all-trades and possibly even a full-time manager as part of the team. A villa designed for rental use is essentially a small hotel and moreover requires the aid of rental managers to provide booking and marketing services.
Thus in every facet of a building project—across all styles and types—Bureau Xavier David has both the experience and the professional knowledge or savoir-faire to provide clients with invaluable advice from the earliest conceptual stages of development all the way to the most minute details of day-to-day operations in a competitive marketplace.
