Construction management is a process involving the use of industry-specific methods to supervise and manage all phases of a project. This starts in the early stages through design and planning, continues through the work right up until its completion. So important is construction management that it influences decisions that affect the cost, the quality of the work and the schedule. Here are some of the ways that it guides the flow of the project.
- A successful project depends on proper planning from the outset. It is important to establish the details of the project. The goal is to translate the client’s needs and desires into a completed project. Early on details will include the proposed cost, list of materials, local building codes, and deployment of resources as well as other aspects.
- Monitoring the process. Proper management entails keeping a close watch on project commitments, costs and the progress of the work. Regular progress reports helps to determine which project benchmarks have been reached. These also help the project manager to monitor workers’ hours and to keep track of payments.
- Project analysis. No report is complete without a thorough analysis of the information. Labor cost is broken down based on the man hours allotted to each task. Costs will be looked at and balanced with the original project estimate. After an analysis, there may be a need to update some aspects of the project, such as the overall budget, or the timeline for completion.
- Responding to reports. After an analysis, the project manager must take any steps necessary to ensure that the project remains on track. This deals not only with phase completion, it also prevents the project from going over budget. These reports will help the project manager to determine whether the resources are being employed effectively.
The structure of the project controls are usually as flows:
- Determining the project cost
- Examining cost of completed project
- Comparing the project estimate to the actual project costs
- Taking remedial action when necessary
- Assessing the success of remedial action
Construction project managers must establish tight controls to prevent waste and to protect the reputation of the company. This professional must offer quality assurance, that is, ensuring that the project meets and exceeds expectations. Large construction projects generally start with the same basic objectives; controlling the budget, meeting the terms of the contract and meeting the project deadline. Call us at 407-316-8544 to discuss your upcoming construction project or to discuss hiring us to manage the project for you.