Guide To Construction Project Management
In construction, each project starts with an idea, vision, and planning. Transformation of any plan or idea into a completed building requires diligent planning, coordination, and expert management. construction project management is essential and valuable. It ensures that all components, resources, budgets, and schedules are integrated.
Project management mainly includes supervising the whole project from start to finish, identifying and solving the issues, and delivering high-quality results. It combines all these crucial elements to generate beneficial and successful final products as any orchestra combines different musical instruments.
This blog is concerned with comprehensive knowledge about construction project management so, read this from start to end carefully.
What Is Construction Project Management?
Construction project management involves planning, managing, and supervising the projects of construction from start to finish. It mainly involves scheduling, resource assignments, and quality control to make sure that the project is running smoothly and completed timely.
General project management involves supervising the resources throughout the project’s life utilizing various tools and ways to handle or manage scope, time, quality, cost, etc. However, the construction field is broader. Its management demands handling restrictions specific to any design and construction of building projects.
It performs its function by assimilating different fields throughout a project, involving architecture, engineering, and public works.
Construction Project Management Team
Because of the various complexities and difficulties in any project, it is very necessary to make a team having engineers, architects, managers, etc. In the below section, we are going to explain some key members of this management team.
Project Owner:
The project owner pays for any project directly or indirectly. Supervising and managing the project from a higher-level overview and making instantaneous important decisions is also the responsibility of the project owner.
Project Manager:
The Manager has the responsibility of running the construction project. Construction projects are planned, supervised, and coordinated by this person. Below are several responsibilities of project manager:
- Estimating projects cost
- Making formulae for construction budget
- Handling and managing the timetable of the project
- Work orders handling
- Communicating with the project owner
- Working with specialist regulators and buildings
General Contractor:
Contractors manage the daily operations and job sites and give the tools, materials, and labor needed for the initial phases of any project. They are hired for several duties described below.
Overseeing the work of subcontractors
- Applying for building licences
- Supervising the general conditions of any project
- Removing waste from construction
- Managing and handling workers on the construction site
- Controlling and monitoring daily reports of the project
Construction Estimators:
They are estimators and professionals who are responsible and able to estimate the cost project. They include all types of costs such as soft and hard cost labor, materials, and unit prices. These persons can be either in-house or subcontracted by general and senior contractors.
Construction materials estimates are the most important documents for any construction firm as they affect their evaluability and their capability to win the bidding process. This is the reason that construction estimators prefer construction estimating software to ensure that everything is going and running smoothly.
At Federal Estimating, we specialize in providing top-notch estimating services using the latest software and tools. Our expert team ensures accurate and efficient cost estimation, helping you stay on budget and on schedule. Trust Federal Estimating to streamline your estimating process and enhance your project’s success.
Construction Subcontractors:
They are professionals who specialize in specific areas such as plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry. They are usually brought in to implement work outside the expertise of general contractors. Further, general contractors hold responsibility for overseeing the performance of any subcontractors. They examine construction logs routinely. However, at the end of any project, there will be some incomplete tasks that need to be re-done by workers.
At Federal Estimating, we provide comprehensive subcontractor management services to ensure seamless project execution. Our expert team oversees all subcontractor activities, ensuring quality work and timely completion. Trust us to handle all aspects of subcontractor management, from selection to performance monitoring, to guarantee your project’s success.
Electrical And Mechanical Engineers
They are specialists who have the same importance for any construction project as the backbone of the human body. Engineers and estimators estimate the exact cost of the project to ensure that the project is financially practicable.
In commercial estimating services engineers play their key role in such a way that they are responsible for estimation and working on commercial levels and they make any project financially feasible and ensure that the project is completed on time.
Phases Of Construction Project Management
There can be several phases of construction project management but in this section, we have added only 5 phases that will help you to understand project management from initial to finish. Read all of them one after one comprehensively.
Project Initiation:
The initial phase of any construction project is its initiation. In this phase, the whole period is covered before any building is designed. The project’s value, objectives, and costs are evaluated by managers.
Doubtless! This phase is very critical for any project because it lets stakeholders assess whether this is a good plan to go ahead with the project.
Several activities appear during this initial phase. Let us explain them briefly.
- The planning team undertakes the feasibility study to evaluate the benefits and goals of the project. This study checks the construction cost, design, and location.
- The project initiation document is mainly structured which mainly based on the results of feasibility studies. In this phase scope and criteria of the project are defined.
- This phase also explains which contractors, engineers, and architects will be included in any project.
Pre-Construction:
In this 2nd phase, final designs are drawn, and the preparation needed to start construction occurs. During this phase, several activities occur that are described below in bulleted lines.
- The manager decides which contractor should be chosen or involved in this construction project.
- The project team structure is organized by project managers who run pre-construction meetings of the project.
- The project owner and manager finalize the cost for the project after its estimation.
- In this phase, risk assessments are performed to make sure that the project will run smoothly.
- Contractors and stakeholders run other paperwork that is needed to start a project.
Procurement:
This 3rd phase employs the design phase’s work to buy, and transport materials, tools, and services. However, some projects can be very cost-effective because of expensive machinery systems. Here are some valuable activities that occur during this phase.
- Materials are bought and team members are linked to meet projects’ cost estimates and deadlines for completion of the project.
- All key characters such as engineers and managers are hired. It mainly depends upon the scope of any project.
Construction And Monitoring:
In this phase, contractors and subcontractors perform their several duties. They may have to handle several tasks such as laying a foundation, farming structure, and installing multiple utilities or systems. Several activities can be noticed during this phase which are described below.
- Teams must remain uncountable to the complete project plans and their parameters. Managers are in charge of linking everyone’ schedule, overviewing the work, and answering the questions from the project.
- Managers have to create and maintain precise records to track the progression of the project and guarantee the quality of work.
Post Construction:
It is the close-out phase of any construction project. If the construction has been finished, managers survey the project before handing it over to the client or owner. Some key activities of this final phase are discussed below.
- The construction project manager visits the project with the owner and client to create a construction punch list of different areas that need to be improved.
- Contractor payments, inspection certificates, and occupancy certificates are finalized by the manager and owner.
- Finally, the project is handed over to the client or owner.
Construction Project Management software:
The use of the right software and tools is necessary for both creating a structure and building. Project management tools can make projects easy. These tools ensure that the project is completed timely and within budget. Here are some prominent and popular tools that are needed for construction projects.
1. Procore
Procore is an innovative and panoramic platform that offers tools for project management, finance of construction, quality, and productivity of projects.
2. Buildertrend:
Bildertrend is a cloud-based platform or tool mainly structured for homebuilders, remodelers, and contractors. It is also used for scheduling, managing projects, and financial tools.
3. Plangrid
This tool is mainly utilized for the most important blueprint sharing, management, and punch lists. It allows real-time collaboration and ensures that all workers work with the latest plans.
4. CoConstruct
It is designed for custom builders and remodelers. It gives the project, financial, and client management tools.
5. Fieldwire
It is a job site tool that lets the office remain in contact with field workers. Doing so assists office managers and owner
6. Smartsheet
This is also an innovative platform that has several features such as project tracking, resource management, and collaboration tools.
7. Redteam
It is mainly built for commercial contractors. It involves project management, construction financials, document management, and collaboration.
8. CRE
Cre strands for construction and real estate. It is mainly integrated with construction management software and offers accounting, project management, and service management tools.
Construction Project Delivery Methods
The purpose of the construction delivery method is to explain how the project owner, general contractor, and designer are engaged throughout the project.
- Design-bid-build: This method mainly involves selecting a general contractor after the completion of the design phase.
- Design-build: In this method, the design and build phases are implemented by design-builders.
- CM at risk: The CM at risk method provides managers with more responsibilities. Initially, the manager advises the owner during design and development. Then during construction, the manager monitors the contractor to control costs.
Types Of Construction Projects
There are three types of these projects mainly known as building, infrastructure, and industrial. Here we can have some subsets of general types of construction and management is split up into some markets.
| Subsets of 3 types of construction | Markets of construction project management |
| Agriculture | Transportation |
| Residential | Petroleum |
| Commercial | Buildings |
| Institutional | Manufacturing |
| Heavy Civil | Hazardous waste |
| Environmental | Power |
| Industrial | Water |
Unique Challenges Of Construction Projects
Like some other projects, construction management can have sometimes several hardships and challenges. In the next upcoming section, we are going to explain some unique challenges for management.
The first major problem or challenge is linking several stakeholders such as clients, contractors, and suppliers. This needs clear communication and effectual management to guarantee that everything is associated with the project goals and schedules.
Another challenge is contracting with site conditions changes and regulations. The project may have some issues such as unexpected soil conditions and new building codes that may cause delays and needs adjustment to the project plans.
Maintaining safety on the construction site is also critical. The danger of accidents and injuries means that teammates should follow safety rules carefully and gain regular training.
Finally, weather conditions can also affect construction schedules and the progression of the project. Changing weather can delay work and materials, requiring flexibility in project planning.
Conclusion
Construction project management is essential for delivering the projects successfully and effectively. It mainly needs a strategic approach to planning, and implementation ensuring that each phase is concerned with the project’s objective. By comprehending the core phases, managers can easily find difficulties in the project. Strong leadership, clear communication, and risk management are crucial to steering projects toward their goals.
Advanced tools enhance the efficiency and accuracy of a project. Balancing technical knowledge with effective skills is also important, that secure successful outcomes. Federal Estimating offers expert project management services to ensure your projects are executed flawlessly, leveraging advanced tools and strong leadership to deliver exceptional results.
