Life would be a little simpler for most people if they could take along a former car salesman to do the haggling when buying a vehicle. While Bob Brunning isn’t a car salesman, he is all for helping people have less stress and more time. Brunning offers a unique service as an independent owner’s representative. It’s a service more familiar to commercial projects, but unique in that he helps the residential community manage the building of a custom home or remodel of an existing one. Though not an architect or a builder, Brunning’s main focus is to represent and assist the home or property owner with the supervision, management and control of the process. But do builders get offended if a homeowner shows up worth an owner’s rep? “If they’re comfortable and confident in their integrity my being there shouldn’t bother them”, Brunning said. Coming from the construction arena, Brunning said, he had the best working relationship with people that understood the process, helping it go smoother. Three primary roles of the owner’s rep. Brunning said, are cost control, time control and quality control.

While it’s human nature, he said, to want to avoid confrontation, Brunning has no problems challenging a builder if concerns do exist. With more than 23 years of experience in the fields of design and construction he is well suited to provide viable explanations if concerns come about. Brunning grew up in Chicago with a family that worked in various trades in the construction business. He got into the finishing trade and worked doing drywall, tile and more, eventually working his way into a construction superintendent and then to project manager. After moving to Arizona four years ago he joined Jokake Construction where he worked as its senior project manager prior to leaving to start his TEAM Construction Consulting business in May. “Fifty percent of the time as a construction manager you’re sitting across from an owner’s rep.” Brunning said. So Brunning decided after researching the options he would use his experience to teach and represent home owners. “I still get a kick out of turning nothing into something”, he said. In addition to helping people manage the process, he is also an educator. He provides personal seminars tailored to the specific needs giving out a manual outlining the real world of the design and construction process. A personal seminar runs 4 to 6 hours and costs $400. Brunning said the price is well worth it in the long run in helping people save money. He also has a periodic hourly consultation to assist customers with projects. Since starting TEAM Construction Consulting, Brunning’s most notable project was the work he did helping with the process of renovations to the Golf Club at Eagle Mountain.