On multifamily work the risk is not any single unit. It is losing track of hundreds of them. A unit tracker, a submittal log by unit type and billing built from the same source keep it straight.
On multifamily projects, a trade contractor repeats the same scope across dozens or hundreds of units, often in several buildings or floors running at once. The risk is rarely any single unit. It is losing track: which units are finished, which are waiting on another trade, which changes apply to which floor, and whether the pay application matches what was actually installed. The office prevents that with three things: a unit tracker kept current from the field, a submittal log organized by unit type, and billing built from the same tracker.
When those three run from the same source, the project manager stops reconstructing progress at the end of every month.
A unit tracker is a simple grid that everyone works from. Each row is a unit, and each column is a stage of your scope:
| Unit | Unit type | Rough-in | Inspection | Trim | Punch | Billed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building A, 201 | Type 1 | Done | Passed | Done | Open | Through trim |
| Building A, 202 | Type 2 | Done | Scheduled | Waiting | - | Through rough-in |
| Building A, 203 | Type 1 | Waiting on framing | - | - | - | - |
The tracker only works if it is updated from the field on a fixed rhythm, daily or a few times a week. A coordinator collecting those updates and keeping the grid current is usually the difference between billing what was installed and billing what someone remembers.
Organize submittals by unit type and building, not just by specification section. Track each one from preparation to approval, note which units it applies to, and flag long-lead items early so material arrives before the floors are ready. When a submittal is revised, update every unit it affects. Repetition makes a missed revision expensive, because it gets installed again and again.
A project coordinator typically owns the submittal log, the RFIs that come with it and the unit tracker, so the project manager can focus on the general contractor, the schedule and the crews.
An AP/AR specialist can prepare pay applications and follow up on payments, with your project manager confirming the percentages before submission. Our guide to a weekly accounts payable and receivable routine covers the billing side in more depth.
| Work | Role |
|---|---|
| Takeoffs by unit type and bid pricing | Estimator |
| Bid deadlines, documents and quote follow-up | Bid coordinator |
| Submittals, RFIs and the unit tracker | Project coordinator |
| Material releases by building and floor | Purchasing coordinator |
| Pay applications, retainage and collections | AP/AR specialist |
Yes, for the office side. Trackers, submittal logs, RFIs, purchase orders and pay applications all live in software and shared files. What stays local is walking the units, confirming progress in person and working with the general contractor's superintendent on site.
See how we support specialty trade contractors, including multifamily trade contractors, and the general contractors who build these projects.
Detailed enough that percentages complete come straight from your unit tracker, often by building, floor or unit type and stage. Match it to how the general contractor reviews progress, and agree the structure before the first pay application.
One named person, usually a project coordinator, updating it from field reports on a fixed rhythm. When several people update it, it stops being trusted.
Write each change order with the units, floors or unit types it covers, price it per unit where possible, and track it in the unit tracker so it is billed as the affected units are completed.
It is when several trades have to work in the same units in a set order. A delay by one trade pushes everyone behind it, which is why daily status updates by unit matter on multifamily work.
Yes. Preparing, logging and tracking submittals and RFIs is document work done in your project management platform. Technical decisions and approvals stay with your project manager.
Within a maximum of approximately two weeks we can normally present two to three pre-screened candidates who meet the requirements of the position and are ready to be interviewed. The final hiring time depends mainly on how quickly your own evaluation and decision process moves.
One consultation is enough to define the role, agree the requirements and start the search. Most companies have a shortlist to interview inside two weeks.
