Think...
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
The Q1-2026 Newsletter from ATLAS consultants llc
Q1-2026 Nearly over...
In the first quarter of 2026, I am concluding my consulting and expert witness projects that began in the latter half of 2025. While I have provided Seasoned Guidance™ to my clients, they have given me valuable insights and perspectives on various topics and issues that I wouldn't have gained otherwise. As a lifelong learner, I want to express my gratitude!
It is with a keen eye on the upcoming spring, with it's warmer weather and greening landscape I write the tenth edition of the ATLAS newsletter, inspired by the Think... section of the ATLAS website. The word think was deliberately chosen for the page title. It's been my experience that the time and effort needed for critical thinking is often challenged by various competing demands. Without the chance to truly think and understand an issue, we tend to fall back on default positions. Although these default reactions are generally based on experience, or a particular experience, and they may not be "wrong", they could cause us to overlook opportunities for realizing better solutions and in turn, greater benefits. I briefly discussed this in a blog post from February 2023 ("Seasoned, Learning from Lessons Lived"). Hopefully, this quarterly newsletter encourages us to Think.
After watching the Winter Olympics and looking forward to the World Cup this summer, I reflected on the importance of relays, hand-offs, and transitions in sports. Clean hand-offs in relays, timely defensive coverage shifts, and quick transitions from defense to attack are crucial elements for achieving success. So following in the longstanding tradition of providing sports analogies, this newsletter’s topic is titled:
“The Design & Construction Relay Race”
The Design & Construction Relay Race
The design and construction of a building is a long race run by many specialists, each responsible for carrying the project forward for their leg and then handing it off cleanly so the next runner can accelerate without hesitation. Thinking of the process as a relay race makes the importance of timing, clarity, alignment and coordination unmistakable. A dropped baton doesn’t just slow the team—it can cost the entire race. In construction, a fumbled hand‑off or muddled transition can cost time, money, trust, and quality.
The Starting Line: Owner Vision to Architect/Engineer
Every relay begins with a starting runner who sets the pace. In building, that runner is the Owner . They define the purpose, budget, schedule expectations, and performance requirements.
Their baton is the project vision .
The first hand‑off occurs when the Owner passes that vision to the Architect and Engineers . This transition succeeds when the baton pass is crisp and unambiguous: clear goals, decision authority, funding certainty, and program requirements. If the Owner’s vision is vague or contradictory, the design team begins their leg already off balance.
Leg Two: Concept to Developed Design
Once the design team is running, they translate vision into form—concepts, schematics, and eventually detailed construction documents. Their baton is clarity : drawings, specifications, and coordinated disciplines.
The transition from design to construction documents is often underestimated. It’s not a single moment but a series of micro‑transfers:
Architectural intent to engineering feasibility
Structural decisions to architectural detailing
Mechanical/electrical systems to spatial coordination
Code compliance to constructability
A clean baton pass here means the documents are coordinated, buildable, and aligned with the Owner’s expectations. A sloppy baton—conflicts, omissions, or late changes—creates downstream chaos.
Leg Three: A/E to Estimator
Estimators receive the baton next. Their job is to interpret the design and convert it into quantities, costs, and risk assessments. Their baton is accuracy .
This hand‑off is successful when:
Drawings are developed enough to price
Clarifications & Assumptions are reviewed, aligned and documented with the Owner and A/E
Alternates and value‑engineering options are clear
Risks are identified early, and contingency planning is advanced
Design, Procurement and Construction Schedules are aligned with the Owner's occupancy expectations
If definition is lacking, mis-aligned or misunderstood, the baton wobbles. The race slows. Budgets drift. Trust erodes.
Leg Four: Estimator to Procurement
Once pricing is established by the Builder and Owner Approval achieved, the baton moves to Procurement . Their leg is about commitment : securing subcontractors, materials, and long‑lead items.
A clean hand‑off requires:
Clear scopes of work
Bid leveling that eliminates overlap and gaps
Early identification of long‑lead materials
Contract terms aligned with project realities
If procurement inherits unclear scopes or unresolved design questions, they can’t lock in reliable commitments. The baton becomes slippery.
Leg Five: Procurement to Construction Operations
With contracts awarded and materials ordered, the baton passes to the Construction Operations Team —superintendents, project managers, field engineers.
Their baton is execution . This transition succeeds when:
Subcontract scopes are crystal clear
Schedules reflect real lead times
Submittal requirements are understood
Field conditions and logistics are communicated
A poor hand‑off here is one of the most common causes of jobsite issues, cost overruns and inefficiency. When operations discover mismatched scopes, missing details, or unrealistic schedules, the project begins stumbling
The Anchor Leg: Construction to Owner Turnover
The final runner carries the baton across the finish line. In construction, this is the Closeout and Turnover phase. The baton becomes completion : inspections, commissioning, training, warranties, and documentation. Not having a clear, unified and coordinated set of early Owner access dates, operation dates and occupancy date(s), the runner in the anchor leg can't see the finish tape.
Why the Relay Analogy Matters:
The relay metaphor highlights truths that every builder knows instinctively:
Speed alone doesn’t win—coordination does.
Each runner depends on the one before.
The baton is more important tha
n the runner.
A perfect hand‑off is a huge schedule & cost advantage.
Teams win races, not individuals.
In construction, the baton is information—accurate, timely, and complete. When it moves smoothly, the project moves smoothly. When it’s dropped, the entire team pays the price.
Think...
Coming next time....."TBD"
For the Q2-2026 Newsletter, Please consider this a general invitation for all readers to submit any topics you would like me to take a shot at, or let me know if you are interested in contributing to the newsletter.
In the meantime, you can check out past newsletters. Here's a chronological recap of the quarterly newsletters, Think...
Q1-2026 The Construction Relay
Q3 & Q4 -2025 Celebration, Reflection & Preparation
Q2-2025 Data Analytics and Offsite Manufacturing & Assembly in Construction
Q1-2025 Death of the Master Builder / The Art of Construction Estimating
Q4-2024 The Big Three: Quality, Budget & Schedule
Q3-2024 The Schedule
Q2-2024 The Estimate
Q1-2024 Quality
Q4-2023 Delegated Design
Current work
As we approach Spring 2026, here's a quick update:
ATLAS is completing an expert opinion assignment, significantly contributing to the Owner's legal team in a significant construction lawsuit.
ATLAS is in it's fifth consecutive year of providing regular guidance and advisory services in risk mitigation, functional effectiveness and procurement for
clients.
ATLAS' present clientele consists of Builders, Fabricators, Specialty Contractors, Law Firms and Owners, all actively engaged in the Design + Construction Industry.
If you'd like to connect, whether for a particular purpose or simply to discover more about ATLAS, don't hesitate to reach out. I'm open to a phone call or meeting in person. The best initial contact method is to email me at gmulac@atlasguidance.com or visit the website www.atlasguidance.com.
Besides the newsletter, ATLAS consultants llc is also on LinkedIn. Please visit the website and sign up for the Think... the (almost) quarterly newsletter.