Every construction project is built on the foundation of project management. To traverse the project and forge functional connections with the various teams, a construction project manager must have a wide range of skills and competencies. Project management is essential to the stability of the entire process because construction projects require changes regularly. This article will try to walk you through the key terms and ideas surrounding construction project management. Construction companies in West London are most well-known for their services in the construction industry; in addition, their prices are more affordable when compared to those of other construction businesses in the United Kingdom.
What is the definition of construction project management (CPM)?
The complete satisfaction of the client’s requirements for a viable project in terms of functionality and budget is the ultimate goal of construction project management. There are many different kinds of construction projects, including heavy civil, industrial, commercial, and residential.
Construction project management’s core idea is directly related to technical factors like budget and execution, but it also necessitates effective communication between all the agents (stakeholders, contractors, and community).
What a construction project manager does
A construction project manager is responsible for organizing, budgeting, planning, and overseeing projects from start to finish. A construction project manager must, in essence, handle the following:
- Create the budget and bargain cost estimates.
- Set up the job schedules.
- Select the construction techniques and methods that are most effective.
- Keep in touch with the clients in case of work- or money-related problems.
- With employees and other professional parties, go over technical and contract details.
- Keep an eye on the workers doing construction on the property
- cooperating with experts in construction and building
contractor: responsibilities
As soon as the design is finished, the construction project manager selects the project’s contractor. Even when the project is still in development, this can occasionally occur.
The ability to manage working drawings, human resources, mathematics, public safety, timelines, budgets, and quality is a skill that contractors should possess
The primary responsibilities of construction project management
Usually, construction management encompasses a wide range of distinct tasks. The most significant of them can be summed up as follows:
- Defining the project’s objectives and plans, including the scope, the schedule, the budget, the requirements for success, and the participants.
- Increase the resource efficacy by hiring people and purchasing the required tools.
- Properly coordinating and managing contracting, planning, estimating, design, and construction throughout the process while carrying out many tasks.
- Effective establishment of strong agent-to-agent communication for resolving potential disputes.
The cornerstones of project management for building
There is no denying the complexity of the world of building project management. Anyone who is just joining the area, though, should be aware of a few essential principles.
The project owner contacts contractors to get bids at the beginning of the process. The construction managers interested in completing the project will subsequently submit a bid to the owner. The bid will contain information on the project owner’s financial contribution for the project to be completed. There are two varieties of offers:
- Any contractor is welcome to submit a request during the auction.
- Closed bid: Closed bids are the foundation of private projects. A predetermined number of contractors receive a bid invitation from the project owner.
management of building projects
Following receipt of all bids for the specific project, the owner chooses the contractor using one of the three techniques listed below:
- Low-bid selection: The cost is the primary point of interest in this scenario. The organizations in charge of construction management offer the lowest prices for which they are willing to accomplish the project. The project owner chooses and accepts the lowest offer.
- Best value selection: In this method, qualifications and cost are considered. The owner chooses the proposal that offers the most value for the money and the highest quality.
- qualifications-based selection: The current approach is employed when a construction management business is chosen only based on its qualifications. The owner can obtain further information about the contractor’s experience and project management skills by using a request for qualifications (RFQ).
Contract formats
The type of contract must also be decided upon after the selection process. There are typically four sorts of contracts:
- Lump-sum: The most common type of contract. The owner and contractor established a predetermined fee for the entire project. Even if the project’s overall cost turns out to be more or lower than initially agreed, the price stays the same.
- The project owner provides materials with a specific unit price to cut costs.
management of building projects
- Cost-plus-fee: The optimum contract for contractors is a cost-plus-fee contract.
- Contract with a guaranteed maximum price: This contract is similar to the one before. The main distinction is the maximum defined price, which cannot be exceeded in this instance.
Processes for project management
Regardless of its unique peculiarities, every project has a typical life cycle. Four fundamental steps might be identified in this structure:
Project launch
The project’s goal and viability are decided upon during the initial stage. It is an essential step in the process because it might reveal whether or not this project is a good prospect. If necessary, a feasibility study is carried out, and based on the findings, a suggested course of action or plan is published.
A project initiation document (PID)
It is generated once everything has been decided. One of the essential project management artifacts, the project initiation document, lays the foundation for the building plan.
Phase 2 of the planning
It is a continuous process that is virtually complete. Time, cost, and resource planning for the project are the top priorities during the planning phase. The team is creating the required strategy based on these needs.
Scope management is another name for this.
Risk management comes next in this highly crucial process. The group now needs to evaluate all the risks to the project and develop effective defenses. An adequate information flow between the project stakeholders will be established via a communication plan, which is also required.
Phase 3 of the process
The construction project management strategy is implemented during the execution phase. This stage typically consists of two fundamental processes: executing, monitoring, and controlling. The project team monitors the completion of the necessary tasks. Progress is tracked concurrently, and adjustments are made as required.
A project manager spends most of his time in the monitoring phase, rerouting work as necessary and keeping the project under control based on the information he gathers.
Final stage (closure)
The project’s last phase signifies its formal conclusion. In addition to discussing potential failures, the project manager assesses what went well. The team then conducts a project report, determines the overall budget, and provides details on any tasks that are still outstanding.
Future construction projects will benefit significantly from the project report and study of the potential problems.
planning a project
Enhancing resource and material allocation within a project is scheduling’s primary objective. A project manager can choose from a variety of scheduling methods, including the following:
Gantt charts
They are unquestionably one of the most valuable tools a project team can have at their disposal. You can get a general idea of a building project from a Gantt chart, and it will also show you if jobs are on schedule or behind schedule. Another essential element of LetsBuild is Gantt charts.
Line of balance planning:
The sequence of balanced approach is a beneficial tool for repetitive jobs. It can be of extraordinary assistance in achieving deadlines and efficiently allocating resources. A critical path strategy can help your construction project finish sooner or at least on schedule.
Q-Scheduling:
This method for scheduling construction projects is gaining popularity since it enables project managers to prioritize various, occasionally contradictory tasks. Construction companies in West London are most well-known for their services in the construction industry; in addition, their prices are more affordable when compared to those of other construction businesses in the United Kingdom.