CM at Risk Construction Management in Fort Collins
A guaranteed maximum price is a promise that has to be earned long before ground is broken. Under construction management at risk, the builder joins the design team early, prices the work as drawings develop, and commits to a ceiling once the scope is understood well enough to stand behind. The owner keeps a direct relationship with the architect, receives open-book pricing and shares in any savings. That structure suits institutional owners who want transparency, competitive subcontractor pricing and a builder accountable for the outcome.
In Fort Collins, the institutions that use this method are large and well known. A university with more than thirty thousand students, a regional hospital system, a school district and city departments all build and renovate continuously, often while their buildings are occupied. We bring a style suited to those owners: orderly, well documented, careful about neighbors and patients and students, and willing to share the numbers.
The Owners Who Shape This Market
Colorado State University is the largest employer in Fort Collins with 8,850 employees, followed by the University of Colorado Hospital Authority at 5,900 and the Poudre R-1 School District at 4,600, per the city's 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report as summarized on Wikipedia. CSU also reported an all-time high fall 2025 enrollment of 34,412 students, including a first-year class of 5,376. Institutions of that size produce a steady stream of renovation, expansion and new construction work, each project with its own constraints.
Poudre Valley Hospital at 1024 South Lemay Avenue has 270 beds, 11 surgical suites, 12 intensive care beds and a Level III trauma designation. The Health Service District of Northern Larimer County still owns the land and buildings and leases them to UCHealth, a reminder that ownership and operation can be separate and that approvals may involve more than one party. Our pages on Poudre Valley Hospital and CSU's Foothills campus discuss the context for work there.
Open Books and Competitive Trades
During preconstruction we help the design team test options, produce estimates at set milestones and identify risk. When the documents are ready, we divide the work into bid packages and invite qualified subcontractors to bid. The owner and design team attend bid openings and review bids with us; we do not mark up or reshape them behind closed doors. The result is a guaranteed maximum price built from real subcontract numbers.
We hold a contingency inside the GMP for the builder's use and a separate owner contingency for changes the owner approves. Savings are reported and shared according to the agreement. Reports on cost, schedule and change orders are issued monthly, and we are comfortable with an owner's auditor reviewing them. For a complementary view of earlier-stage work, see preconstruction and estimating.
Fast-Tracking Without Losing the Thread
CM at risk allows early packages to begin before the whole design is complete. Site work, foundations, structural steel and long-lead equipment can be bid and released early, shortening the schedule. The tradeoff is that early packages are committed before later design decisions are made, so we coordinate closely with the design team to avoid conflicts.
The schedule is updated monthly and shared with the owner, and it highlights decisions that must be made by certain dates to protect the completion date. We also plan around the institution's calendar: a university building has a fixed opening before the fall term, and a clinical space may need to coordinate with licensing inspections. Tied to the same discipline is long-lead procurement, which gets critical equipment on order in time.
Building Beside Patients and Students
Work on occupied campuses requires a clear plan for separating construction from daily activity. We prepare infection control risk assessments for healthcare projects, route construction traffic away from pedestrian paths and drop-off areas, schedule noisy or vibrating work outside class hours and teaching or surgical schedules, and communicate with building users in advance. Fences, signage and dust control are installed before demolition begins.
Safety performance is reported monthly, and our superintendents lead weekly meetings with every subcontractor on site. For healthcare owners, our page on healthcare construction describes the additional requirements that apply, and healthcare systems have their own overview.
Delivery Methods Side by Side
CM at risk is one of three common methods. Design-build unites design and construction under one contract and suits owners who are comfortable defining requirements and delegating the design. Traditional bidding suits simple projects with complete documents. CM at risk falls between them, with the owner keeping the design relationship and receiving construction input.
Public owners should review our page on government and public sector work, since procurement law may determine which methods are available, and education institutions describes campus-specific constraints. Whichever route you choose, we are happy to provide a side-by-side comparison for your board or committee.
How the GMP Is Set and Protected
The GMP is set when the documents are sufficiently complete, with clearly stated assumptions and exclusions. We list what is included, what is excluded and what allowances are carried for work not yet designed. Allowances are tracked and reconciled as design completes, and the owner sees every adjustment.
The largest cost drivers on institutional work are usually mechanical and electrical systems, specialized equipment and phasing requirements. We examine each and propose alternatives where they are available. If the market shifts after the GMP is set, our contract position and contingency are defined in advance, so there is no argument about who is responsible.
Choose the Delivery Method That Fits
Send us your program and your approval process. We will compare CM at risk with the other methods open to you and outline the preconstruction work, schedule and decisions each would require.
Questions Owners Ask
When should we hire a CM at risk: before or after schematic design?
Earlier is better. Bringing a builder on during schematic design gives the team time to test structure and systems, price options, and plan phasing. After construction documents, the opportunity to influence cost falls sharply. We suggest selecting the CM once the architect is under contract and the program is defined.
How does a GMP differ from a lump sum?
A lump sum is a fixed price for a defined scope. A GMP is a ceiling on the cost of the work plus the builder's fee, with savings returned to the owner or shared. The GMP is built from open subcontractor bids, and the owner sees the cost of each part. Both give price certainty; the GMP adds transparency.
Do you bid the subcontractor packages competitively?
Yes. We prequalify subcontractors, issue bid packages, hold bid openings that the owner may attend and review results with the owner and design team. We may recommend a particular bidder, but the owner decides on awards. For specialized scopes we may negotiate with a limited group, with the owner's agreement.
Can you work in an occupied hospital or campus building?
Yes, with planning. We separate the work area, control dust and noise, protect air handling, schedule shutdowns with the owner and keep emergency access clear. Healthcare projects follow infection control plans; campus projects coordinate with class and event schedules. We hold regular briefings with building staff so changes are known in advance.