Did you know that in the construction industry, less than 30% of contractors finish projects on time and within budget, and 70% of businesses say poor job site coordination almost always causes projects to run over budget or past deadlines?
Overbudgeting and prolonged time frames, two major issues in the construction industry, could be addressed through proper Construction Management. According to the Construction Management Association of America, Construction Management is a professional service that provides a project’s owner(s) with effective management of the project’s schedule, cost, quality, safety, scope, and function.
Construction project management is a challenging profession that necessitates handling a wide range of crucial issues, such as cost control, scheduling, procurement, and risk assessment. Construction project managers supervise the entire project and uphold a strict timeline, remaining within the allotted budget plan, assigning resources, preventing scope creep, and assuring quality and safe construction.
This blog articulates the importance of project management in the construction industry and the stages involved in Construction Management.
Importance of Construction Management
- Construction Management decreases delays and increases efficiency by planning every aspect of a construction project.
- It establishes a correct chain of command and assures that all stakeholders participating in the project are properly coordinated, which enhances communication.
- Construction Management establishes rules and procedures for each project to complete high-quality projects.
- The construction site must be kept secure at all times. Construction Management establishes and puts into place a system that can recognize possible risks and methodically reduce those risks.
- By actively participating from a project’s ideation stage through to its completion, effective Construction Management enables a construction project to stay within its budget.
Stages in Construction Management
Ideation and Research: Stakeholders examine every facet of the project to see whether it aligns with the portfolio of projects your organization is working on now and in the future. During this phase, project concepts are refined by in-depth study and data-driven analysis. Given the return on investment (ROI), pertinent regulations, integration with other projects, risk, and other factors, the proposed project must make sense.
Developing a plan: Project managers provide project feasibility studies throughout this construction management phase. During this phase, it is also required to frame the timing for each construction step, develop a plan for utilizing resources, address key performance indicators (KPIs), construct a system for monitoring quality assurance, and make sure all required procedures are followed. The project managers frame a model to create an effective communication channel with all stakeholders, management, and other project participants. Contracts and insurance matters must also be addressed at this phase of the administrative process.
Drafting Design: The design phase entails creating everything from the project’s fundamental concept to precise blueprints that depict the final design. The design will undergo several iterations, from first sketches to completed drawings and specifications. Still, each should satisfy the project’s needs while keeping the budget and timetable in mind.
Preconstruction: The next stage is to decide who is responsible for the project to prevent scope creep later. This phase entails outlining for everyone what they must do, when they must do it, how they must do it, and how much it should cost. Other crucial duties that must be completed during the preconstruction phase include establishing timeframes for each stage of the construction process, creating mini budgets, conducting final evaluations, and adjusting as necessary.
Procurement: This phase includes sourcing, acquiring, and transporting the supplies and workers needed for a project. Supply chain managers contribute their ideas during the planning process to reduce unforeseen cost overruns during this stage. Procurement, a subjective activity, is influenced by available cash, storage capacity, material accessibility, and market circumstances. Before construction begins, supplies can be acquired all at once, which implies holding expenses. On the other hand, acquiring materials as the project moves may help save liquidity, but it might also halt the operation if the shipment is delayed.
Construction: At this stage, project managers must ensure that the construction process proceeds according to schedule. Of course, even the most extensive plans can’t account for every potential obstacle, so monitoring and assessing progress during this period is essential to stay on track. While staying within the constraints of the project’s strategy, project managers must adjust as necessary. It is advised to use a change management strategy that may assist in analyzing the effects of changes and reducing their adverse impact on the project.
Professionally experienced workers will have many possibilities to increase their portfolios and skills in the upcoming years because the construction industry is constantly growing and changing. Finding experienced workers who can efficiently manage and coordinate construction operations to complete projects is difficult for small businesses. Intrivis Inc Engineering Support Services has a team of professionals with experience and expertise in hiring workers with vast experience and knowledge of the construction industry.
