Construction Manager at Risk
CMAR for Complex Residential Projects | Los Angeles
Beverly Hills • Bel Air • Pacific Palisades • Brentwood • Malibu • Greater Westside
What is CMAR?
Construction Manager at Risk is a project delivery method. CMAR integrates pre-construction planning, construction management, and execution under one contract with full transparency and accountability.
Originally developed for complex commercial projects, Benson Construction Group brings this proven approach to high-end residential construction.
Pre-Construction
We bring a construction project manager’s perspective to the planning phase—because we know what it takes to actually build it. Our early involvement prevents the costly surprises and delays that surface when design meets reality.
We coordinate with architects and engineers of all disciplines during design, provide market-validated budget updates at key milestones, and identify constructibility challenges while changes are still manageable. We also optimize schedule sequencing and critical path activities to streamline permitting and construction execution.
This proactive approach takes budget validation responsibility off architects' shoulders—so they're not fielding owner cost questions—while significantly reducing their construction administration burden. The result: fewer RFIs, reduced change orders, realistic budget expectations, reduced handoff risk, and smoother project delivery.
We leverage execution experience to influence outcomes when it matters most—before ground breaks.
Our Services
Construction Management
We provide two tiers of oversight based on project complexity:
Strategic Construction Management provides executive-level oversight for technically complex projects. We handle challenging issues including permitting strategy, environmental concerns, remediation coordination, engineering problem-solving, and market pricing validation. This service delivers expert guidance and coordination without the overhead of full-time site presence.
Full-Service Construction Management includes site oversight, subcontractor coordination, quality control, and hands-on project execution. We're on site managing the construction process, ensuring work quality, and keeping the project moving forward.
Both services operate on an hourly basis with complete transparency into all decisions and costs. Our approach focuses on being proactive partners—preventing problems rather than just reacting to emergencies—so architects can focus on design while we handle execution complexities.
General Contracting
We execute construction on complex residential projects where technical challenges require strategic problem-solving and skilled execution. Our focus is hillside construction, remediation work, fire re-builds, and projects requiring extensive engineering coordination.
We operate on an Open-Book Cost-Plus basis anchored by competitive fixed bids from trades. Unlike Lump Sum contracts that hide risk premiums, our model ensures you pay the true market value for execution—combining financial certainty with total transparency.
Our general contracting services integrate seamlessly with our construction management capabilities. Whether you need us solely for execution or prefer our integrated construction management and general contracting approach, we bring the same collaborative partnership and execution expertise informed by years of hands-on building experience.
Whether working as collaborative partners with architects and owners from initial design involvement through construction completion, or integrating with existing project teams, we deliver quality construction with accountability at every phase.
Projects We Build
Hillside & Site Complexity
Hillside execution is our primary discipline. We resolve the geotechnical and structural conflicts that stall other projects during permitting.
Remediation & Structural Projects
Foundation repairs, water intrusion, seismic retrofits, below-grade issues, and projects where conditions are discovered during investigation and construction.
High-End Residential Projects
New construction, major renovations, and additions where technical complexity, evolving scope, and owner expectations require sophisticated engineering coordination and construction management expertise throughout the process.
Fire Rebuilds & Recovery
Owner-driven rebuilds requiring engineering assessment, permitting navigation through complex regulatory requirements, and integrated execution with structural complexity. Our experience includes PGRAZ zone compliance, geotechnical coordination, expedited permitting processes, and pre-construction planning for properties with evolving geological and regulatory requirements.
Our Story
Complex residential projects need more than oversight—they need construction management informed by real execution experience. This is the problem Jeff Benson founded Benson Construction Group to solve.
Jeff Benson brings over two decades managing complex residential projects throughout Los Angeles. His career began with Hensel Phelps on large-scale commercial and hospitality work, including the historic San Ysidro Ranch & Resort renovation. He then spent 17 years with Peter McCoy Construction managing ultra-luxury residential projects throughout Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the Westside—overseeing projects ranging from $5 million to over $100 million, including the Playboy Mansion, the Pritzker Estate, and projects for architects like Richard Meier and Mark Rios.
Through managing projects with hillside complications, geotechnical challenges, and structural complexity, a clear pattern emerged: success requires construction management involved during design, not after. The technical coordination, budget validation, and schedule planning that prevent problems can only happen when someone with execution knowledge is collaborating with architects and engineers while the design is still flexible.
Today, Benson Construction Group works with property owners and their design teams on projects requiring seamless coordination between investigation and execution—hillside properties with geotechnical challenges, structural remediation, foundation issues, fire rebuilds, and renovations where scope evolves as conditions are discovered. We provide integrated construction management and general contracting under one contract, delivering technical expertise, transparent cost-plus pricing, and accountability from pre-construction through completion.
Our approach emphasizes practical collaboration: realistic budgets from the beginning, fewer surprises during construction, and partnership with architects and engineers throughout the process.
Let’s Discuss Your Project
Benson Construction Group provides CMAR services for complex residential projects throughout Los Angeles—integrated pre-construction, construction management, and execution.
Our focus: hillside construction, structural complexity, fire rebuilds, and projects requiring extensive engineering coordination. We also work with projects that have immediate construction needs.
If you're working on a technically challenging project, let's talk.
Phone: (310) 503-1187
Email: jeff@bensonconstructiongroup.com