Construction Administration: Advocacy Until the End
September 25, 2025
At Jaffe Architecture, our commitment doesn’t stop when construction starts. The Construction Administration (CA) phase is when your vision becomes real—and it’s also when clear communication, advocacy, and oversight matter more than ever. Just like you wouldn’t leave a concert before the encore, we don’t walk away before the final detail is in place.
What Is Construction Administration?
Construction Administration is the phase where we serve as your advocate on site. We remain actively involved to ensure that every aspect of construction aligns with the approved design intent. Whether it’s new construction or a renovation, this phase is critical to getting the details right—because the field conditions don’t always match the drawings.
We coordinate directly with the contractor, troubleshoot in real time, and respond to inevitable questions and surprises—keeping momentum going without compromising quality.
What’s Included
Our Construction Administration services typically include:
Framing walkthroughs with sill plates or chalk lines to confirm layout
MEP walkthroughs to verify locations of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing elements
Approving tile layouts, flooring starting points, and siding courses
Selecting caulk and grout colors for cohesive finishes
Reviewing and approving submittals, often back at the office—always offering clients the opportunity to review with us
Reviewing change orders to ensure they’re necessary and appropriate
Verifying payment applications to confirm they align with actual work completed
Documenting progress through site visit notes that capture key decisions and action items
Keeping clients informed with regular progress updates (ideally weekly), even if they can’t attend the site visits
Why It Matters
Construction sites move quickly. If something isn’t caught early, it can mean costly rework or living with a compromise.
By remaining involved, we catch issues before they become problems, provide immediate solutions, and help make on-the-spot decisions with confidence. We also help ensure that every choice—from grout color to door placement—supports your original goals and functions beautifully for daily life.
Project Highlight: Back to the Future
During Construction Administration of our Back to the Future project, a set of burnished brass stair spindles arrived that didn’t meet our expectations. The corners were slightly rounded rather than crisp, which compromised the balustrade’s clean aesthetic. We rejected the initial batch and quickly organized a meeting at the metalworker’s shop with the general contractor to review corrected spindles before redelivery—avoiding further delays. We also created a full-size mockup so the owner and interior designer could weigh in before fabrication resumed.
In another moment, a large stone slab order shipped from Italy early in the project arrived looking dull and less dynamic than expected. Rather than accept disappointment, we visited the stone yard with the client and interior designer to sort through every slab, identify the best ones, and devise a thoughtful strategy for their use. The most beautiful pieces were reassigned to new locations, while other slabs were selected for high-priority spaces—preserving visual impact and limiting any loss from the original investment.
Learn More About Our Process
At Jaffe Architecture, we guide every project from first sketch to final move-in, ensuring no detail is left behind. Our Construction Administration services are part of a seamless process that starts with listening, planning, and designing for how you really live.
Curious about what it’s like to work with us? Explore our process overview or get in touch to start the conversation.