Construction Management at-Risk (CMaR)

What is Construction Management at-Risk?

Construction Management (CM) delivery is a method where the construction manager provides both pre-construction services, in collaboration with the owner-contracted designer, and construction services. 

In the at-risk type (CMaR), the construction manager would hold the specialty subcontracts for work not being self-performed by the construction manager. The CM at-Risk role is somewhat akin to a general contractor during construction, but with the added opportunity for pre-construction advising on cost, schedule and constructability.

This delivery method is sometimes known as Construction Manager as Constructor.

How does Construction Management at-Risk work?

In the Construction Management at-Risk (CMaR) delivery method, Carl A. Nelson & Company (CANCO) is able to combine its extensive pre-construction and general contracting experience to help guide your project through design and budgeting, and then take a lead role in the construction phase as a self-performing contractor.

Working with the designer contracted by the Owner, CANCO performs a pre-construction review of the drawings to identify unnecessary costs, find value engineering opportunities and conduct code review with support from Nelson Design, Inc., our wholly owned design subsidiary; and also will establish a construction budget and schedule. At the conclusion of design and pre-construction, we will negotiate a contract for construction and begin building the project.

Carl A. Nelson & Company has more than a century of general contracting experience, while our design-build experience goes back to the early 1970s. Our superintendents average more than 25 years in the construction industry, and our project managers — all of them with degrees in civil or construction engineering, construction management or industrial technology — average more than 20 years of industry experience.

Who can use Construction Management at-Risk?

Construction Management at-Risk delivery is broadly available to private owners. Access to the delivery method by public owners varies by state.

CMaR project examples

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