A contractor builds the work. A project manager works for you, the owner: they define the scope, run the approvals, choose and supervise the contractors, check quality, and control the budget and programme. For a small, single-trade job, a good contractor may be enough. For a full villa renovation, an extension, or any project with several trades and approvals, a project manager usually saves more in avoided mistakes, delays, and variations than their fee.
What a contractor does
A contractor prices and carries out the work, usually through their own teams and subcontractors. They are paid to build, so their focus is on delivering the work they have priced. They are not there to check their own work on your behalf, or to challenge their own variations.
What a project manager does
- Scope and budget: turns your brief into a clear scope and a realistic budget before anything is priced.
- Approvals: prepares and manages developer NOCs and authority permits.
- Tendering: gets comparable quotes from vetted contractors and recommends the best value, not just the lowest price.
- Supervision: inspects the work at every stage, especially what will be hidden behind walls and ceilings.
- Cost control: checks every variation and certifies payments only for completed, inspected work.
- Reporting: gives you one point of contact and regular progress updates.
When a project manager pays for itself
- Full villa renovations with several trades working together
- Extensions, structural changes, and anything needing approvals
- Owners who are busy, travelling, or living abroad
- Older villas where AC, plumbing, and electrics need replacing
- Investors who need a fixed budget and programme
How the fee works
Project management is usually charged as a fixed or milestone-based fee, agreed up front and scoped to the project. At Tarasukh, the fee is separate from the cost of the work, and there are no hidden mark-ups on contractors or materials, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Already have a contractor?
You don't need to change them. We can act as your representative and supervise the contractor you have chosen, checking quality, programme, and payments. See contractor supervision.