Every construction manager has a brochure.

Every website talks about experience, quality, safety, and customer service.

Every proposal highlights successful projects and satisfied clients.

The challenge for facility owners isn’t finding a construction manager who sounds qualified.

The challenge is determining how they’ll perform when the project gets difficult because every project gets difficult eventually.

• A hidden condition is discovered.
• A critical material gets delayed.
• An occupied building presents an unexpected challenge.
• A stakeholder changes priorities.
• A schedule milestone comes under pressure.

That’s when a construction manager earns their reputation.

Not when everything goes according to plan.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with facility owners across higher education, healthcare, municipal, and commercial environments. Whether we’re discussing a university renovation, a healthcare improvement project, or a municipal facility upgrade, I’ve found that the most important questions are often the ones that aren’t asked during the formal interview process.

If I were hiring a construction manager today, these are the questions I would ask.

1. Tell Me About a Project That Didn’t Go According To Plan

The best construction managers aren’t defined by projects that went perfectly. They’re defined by how they respond when they don’t. 

This is usually the first question I ask.

Not:

“What’s your best project?”

Not:

“What’s your biggest project?”

I want to hear about the project that got complicated.

Every construction manager has success stories. The more revealing conversation is about what happened when things became challenging.

• Did they identify the issue quickly?
• Did they communicate openly?
• Did they work collaboratively to solve the problem?
• Or did they spend their energy assigning blame?

The answer often tells you more about a team than any list of awards or project statistics.

What To Listen For

• Look for accountability.
• Look for transparency.
• Look for lessons learned.
• A focus on solving problems instead of assigning blame.
• A team that takes ownership when challenges arise.

The way a construction manager talks about their toughest projects often tells you how they’ll handle yours. 

2. How Do You Communicate Problems During Construction?

The best construction managers communicate problems early, explain the impact, and present options before issues become crises.

This may be the most important question on the list.

Construction projects involve uncertainty, especially renovation work. Hidden conditions are uncovered, schedules shift, and market conditions change. The question isn’t whether challenges will occur. The question is how quickly you’ll hear about them.

I once spoke with a facility manager who told me, “I can handle almost any problem if I know about it early enough.” That observation has stayed with me throughout my career.

Most facility owners understand that construction is complex. What creates frustration isn’t the problem itself. It’s learning about it after the available options have already narrowed.

Good construction managers communicate challenges early, even when the news isn’t what anyone wants to hear. They explain what happened, outline the potential impacts, and work with the owner to evaluate the best path forward.

Ask the construction manager:

“When you discover a problem, how soon will I know about it?”

The answer will tell you a lot about how they manage projects, relationships, and trust.

3. Who Will Actually Manage My Construction Project?

Your day-to-day project experience depends more on the people leading the work than the name on the company’s front door. 

Many facility owners spend time evaluating the company and less time evaluating the individuals who’ll actually be onsite.

The reality is that your project experience will be shaped by the project manager and superintendent leading the work every day. Those are the people coordinating subcontractors, communicating with stakeholders, solving field issues, and protecting the schedule.

Before making a selection, ask to meet the people who will be assigned to your project. Ask about:

• Their experience with projects like yours.
• How long they’ve been with the company.
• Their experience working in occupied facilities.
• How they communicate with owners and stakeholders.
• How they handle unexpected challenges.

The logo on the truck matters far less than the people you’ll trust to lead your project every day.

4. Have You Managed Occupied Renovation Projects Like Mine?

Occupied renovations require a different level of planning, communication, and operational coordination than projects in empty buildings. 

This question is particularly important for facility owners. There’s a significant difference between renovating an empty building and renovating an occupied one.

• A university building may need to support classes and research.
• A healthcare facility may need to maintain patient care.
• A school district may have limited construction windows before students return.
• A courthouse must maintain security and public access.
• A fire station must remain operational.

In these environments, success isn’t measured solely by completing the construction. It’s measured by how well the project team protects the building’s mission while the work is underway.

We’ve completed projects where classes continued down the hall, patients continued receiving care, and public services remained available throughout construction. Those projects demanded careful phasing, proactive communication, and close coordination with owners, facility staff, and building occupants.

What to Listen For

Ask the construction manager to share specific examples of occupied renovation projects similar to yours.

Look for answers that explain:

• How they planned construction around ongoing operations.
• How they minimized disruption to occupants.
• What challenges they encountered and how they solved them.
• What lessons they applied to future projects.

Experience in occupied renovations isn’t just about completing the work. It’s about delivering the project while allowing the building to continue doing its job.

5. What Are the Biggest Risks You See on My Project? 

Experienced construction managers identify project risks early and develop a plan to manage them before construction begins. 

This may be my favorite question because it forces the conversation beyond the drawings and into the realities of the project.

Every project has risks. Experienced teams know where they’re most likely to occur and aren’t afraid to talk about them.

One of the answers I respect most is:

“Here’s what concerns us, and here’s how we’re planning to address it.”

That’s the mindset you should be looking for.

Potential risks might include:

• Hidden or undocumented existing conditions.
• Utility shutdowns and system tie-ins.
• Occupied building operations.
• Long-lead material procurement.
• Schedule constraints and milestone deadlines.
• Site access and logistical challenges.

There isn’t a perfect answer because every project is different. What matters is whether the construction manager has already started identifying the risks and developing strategies to reduce their impact.

What to Listen For

Look for a team that:

• Identifies project-specific risks rather than speaking in generalities.
• Explains how they’ll reduce or manage those risks.
• Discusses contingency planning and communication.
• Demonstrates a proactive approach instead of a reactive one.

A thoughtful answer demonstrates experience. A vague answer should raise more questions.

One Final Consideration: Trust

After you’ve reviewed the qualifications, references, project experience, and proposals, there’s one final question that matters more than all the others:

Can I trust this team?

Construction projects are built on more than drawings, schedules, and budgets. They’re built on relationships, communication, and the confidence that your construction manager will do the right thing when challenges arise.

Sometimes you won’t have prior experience with the construction manager you’re considering. In those situations, pay close attention to how they answer your questions. Do they communicate clearly? Do they take accountability? Are they transparent about challenges? Do they listen before they respond?

The answers matter, but so does how you feel after the conversation.

You’ll spend months, and sometimes years, working through decisions and solving problems together. The best construction managers don’t avoid difficult conversations. They have them early, communicate them clearly, and work alongside you to find the best path forward. 

The Bottom Line

Hiring a construction manager isn’t just about qualifications. It’s about choosing a team you trust to communicate openly, solve problems proactively, and protect your organization’s mission when challenges arise.

The right questions reveal more than experience. They show how a team thinks, collaborates, and responds when the project doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Since 1978, BBI Construction Management has helped owners navigate complex renovations in active, occupied environments through disciplined planning, clear communication, and trusted relationships.

Planning a renovation or facility modernization? We’d be happy to answer your questions, share lessons learned, and help you develop a plan before construction begins.