A Complete Guide to Construction Management

Construction management is not a new concept. Though not in specific terms, it had existed since the very beginning of civilization. There was always someone who performed the duty of managing the things behind every construction project. And, today we call it construction management. It is one of the most lucrative industries in these days as the demand for competent construction project managers won’t perish as long as civilization persists. This article is going to be a guide to construction management for you if you’re interested in this field.

What is Construction Management?

In simple words, construction management is managing and organizing every aspect, such as planning, designing, execution, and coordination phases of a construction project.

A construction project encompasses a variety of phases and human resources. To be precise, financial analysts make the plan and budget; architects design the structure; managers procure the materials; engineers execute the plan; supervisors manage and lead the workers, legal advisors oversee the laws and regulations, etc. So, there must be someone who will act as a bridge among these different players and organize them all in a common point to keep the project running smoothly. That common point is construction management, and the person who is responsible for this is the construction project manager.

Construction management is a multi-spectrum subject. Construction management aims at ensuring a project is running on track in terms of cost, quality, and time. So it requires a bunch of technical know-how as well as soft skills. As a newbie in this field, you would find it challenging even if you’ve got the other knowledge and skills. So you need a proper guide to construction management about how it works and what skills it actually demands. No worries. Stick to this article. We’ll cover the core things to know.

Duties and responsibilities of A Construction Manager

The main duty of a construction manager is to keep the harmony between different segments involved in a construction project and ensure that the project is smoothly running to be completed within the allotted time and budget. To perform this duty well, a manager shoulders the following responsibilities:

Planning and drafting the budget with cost assessments.
Setting up the working schedules.
Taking part in determining the appropriate construction method and strategies for the project.
Liaise between the authority and different stakeholders.
Negotiating agreements with contractors and other project partners.
Maintaining a good working environment for the employees in the construction site.
Taking expert prescriptions and implementing them in the project.
Keeping follow-ups of the regular progress and reporting to the authority.

Apart from these, more duties and responsibilities may come according to the project’s demand.

The key functions of Construction Management

Just like any other project, a construction project also has some clearly defined objectives that need to be met. All the duties and responsibilities of a project manager revolve around these objectives. And, these duties originate from some key functions of construction management which could be segmented into the following four:

Scoping and Goal Setting

The first thing that comes to construction management is setting clear objectives and scopes of the project. It consists of planning for everything, such as resource allocation, setting performance standards, budgeting, placing, etc.

Resource Allocation

A plan doesn’t work until the right things are placed in the right place. That’s why efficient resource allocation is a core function of construction management that ensures project success.

Execution of Operations

After setting up everything, the next thing comes to execute the plan and operations, and it requires proper coordination and monitoring throughout the whole process.

Communication

Another core function is to ensure effective communication song the respective stakeholder to avoid conflicts and disputes.

Stages of Construction Management

As I mentioned before that construction management is a multispectrum subject, it consists of several stages from the starting to the end of a project. Each of the stages has its specific purposes and roles. Though the management of construction project is somewhat different than other types of projects, some key principles remain the same for all. Every construction management project comprises the following five basic stages:

1. Initiation

Before starting a project, a feasibility study is a must to figure out the pros and cons of the project. A construction project manager takes part from this stage and a significant amount of time and effort goes here. The feasibility study explores the SWOTs of the project and the manager documents everything. Then it is submitted to the authority for approval and once everyone agrees with this, the process approaches the second stage.

2. Planning

This is the most crucial stage of construction management where all the guidelines, strategies and standards are established for the project. Proper planning is the key to the success of a project. The project manager has to lead a team of expert in the planning process and figures out everything that will be required for completing the project successfully. The planning stage consists of a variety of plans such as budgeting, sourcing, procurement, communication, contract, etc. All these plans togetherly lead the project to success. And a project manager is responsible for holding the leash.

3. Execution

The outcomes of the planning stage are executed in this stage. This is where the building project actually begins. This is the most dynamic and shifting stage of construction management as a number of players perform on the field. So, the project manager has to be the most vigilant and active in this stage to ensure everything is going as expected.

4. Monitoring

Basically, this stage is a part of the execution stage. When everything is put on place to perform their duties, the project manager’s role is to take control and monitor the execution process. Also, he/she looks for improvisation in any part of the process if needed.

5. Closure

The final stage of the construction management process is closing the project. In this stage, the project manager assesses the project and measures to what extent it has achieved the goals. After completing a project successfully, the manager compiles everything to prepare a report and hands over the project to the authority.

Skills Required for Construction Management

Since construction management is a complex process, it requires deep knowledge and a strong skill set regarding engineering, business, management and many more. Here are the seven key skills required for construction management as followed:

7 Key Skills For Construction Management

Technical Knowledge: Unlike other projects, construction management requires strong all-round technical knowledge in the field of engineering, mathematics, analytics, accounting, finance, etc.
Strategic Planning: Strategic planning skill is required to determine the strengths and risks of a project and craft the best strategy to overcome the threats.
Leadership: A construction manager has to lead a team of people from different backgrounds. So he needs strong leadership skills to supervise and lead them effectively.
Organizational Skills: The role of a construction manager is like a chess master. He has to organize and manage different pieces on the board and play the game. So it requires strong organizational skills to do the job effectively.
Communication Skill: Different stakeholders are involved in the whole building project. Since the manager has to liaise among them, he must have good communication skill in terms of both written and verbal communication.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Construction projects are of the most dynamic and changing projects. Many situations will arise there where you have to take immediate decisions. In this case, critical thinking and problem-solving skills would help you out.
Conflict Resolution: Since there are different people involved in a construction project, it’s not unusual to arise conflicts. So conflict resolution skills are essential to resolve this type of problem.

How to Learn Construction Management

It requires years of learning, training and persistence to build the technical knowledge of construction management. Once you’ve gained the other knowledge and skills, then it comes to learn the core construction management process. You have multiple options to learn this. You can pursue a degree in this field or do a diploma. Also, there’s an option for learning online. Many providers are offering quality online training in this subject which could be a good guide to construction management for you.

To help you out, Training Express, a leading online course provider in the UK, has come with the CDM – Construction Design and Management Training. It’s worth checking out.