Construction Project Management: Importance and Implications
Digital technology is becoming increasingly important, with its ability to capture, transmit, and analyze large amounts of data to oversee and deliver projects successfully. Long-term benefits can often be realized by working with a construction management company with a high level of technological expertise.
Furthermore, effective construction management improves communication, efficiency, and cost within a construction project. Managing projects ensures the right people do the right things at the right time, resulting in successful projects.
Plan & Organize
Organizing and planning are the first steps in project management. Plan and process creation, budget allocation, and resource allocation are among the project management tasks. In the early stages of the project, construction management functions as the first line of quality control.
Quality construction managers are often architects or engineers who are knowledgeable and experienced in construction. The pre-construction construction management process includes choosing a construction project delivery system, as well as bidding and hiring contractors.
To ensure that there is no duplication among the designer, contractor, and owner obligations, an effective construction manager will review the contracts, as well as conduct constructability and schedule review to ensure that the project will be completed within realistic time frames.
Construction Phase
Monitoring
Keeping the construction management team closely involved in the process is crucial during the construction phase. Monitoring the progress and quality of the construction will be the responsibility of the construction management team.
Keeping track of submittals helps the construction manager anticipate and avoid delays by getting the contractor to order timely, fabricate long-lead items, and sequence the trades properly. Maintaining a project's progress and avoiding disputes requires the construction manager's attendance at job meetings.
Project Oversight
The project oversight team is responsible for troubleshooting. Project oversight can make adjustments and improvements if the project management team is unable to keep the project on schedule or within the proposed budget when the oversight team becomes aware.
Communication
Communication between contractors, owners, and designers is also centralized by construction managers. By incorporating an objective third party who speaks the language of all participants in the project, fewer change orders can be generated & conflicts can be avoided more quickly. Through improved communication, parties can become more integrated, and give and take can be more beneficial.
Project Success
Planning, Execution, Monitoring, Control, and Closure are the main tasks of project managers. The success of a project depends on effectively executing all of these steps.
Managers will consider past successes and failures to ensure that current projects do not duplicate the bad & benefit from the good. The importance of project managers in construction can also be attributed to this factor.
The project's success depends entirely on them, as they ensure the project accomplishes its mission with as few snags as possible. However, if problems occur, the processes and procedures implemented by the project management team are what will assist in rectifying and correcting the errors and resuming the project on track to success.
Post Construction
It is not the end of the construction manager's role when the work is completed. Construction management is heavily relied upon by owners and their counsel when a project issue evolves into a dispute. Among the most important facts and figures about a project are provided by the construction manager as well as information regarding the progress of work on the project.
Construction managers are well positioned to defend or support a contractor's claim as the owner's eyes and ears. It is privileged communication between the construction management team and the owner's legal counsel in order to develop a legal strategy utilizing the construction manager's extensive knowledge.
Construction Project Management Benefits
Error Detection
Construction mistakes can be detected early, rather than well into the construction stage, if a skilled construction manager is watching the construction closely. Remediation work can be time-consuming and expensive if such an issue is not identified until well after it has occurred.
The owner can improve the chances of uncovering conflicts, reducing unexpected change orders, detecting potential design errors, and highlighting poor construction practices by having the construction management team review construction activities regularly.
Auditing
There are a variety of ways in which these additional functions can benefit projects. Audits help detect fraud, which can benefit a project. Among these abnormalities are contractor overbilling, improper cost shifting, and abusive change order practices.
A contractor's compliance with government regulations can also be verified through an audit. If these requirements are violated, a project can be slowed down or even stopped midway through. In addition, a project audit can help allocate responsibility for unexpected costs to the right party, keeping the project within budget.
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Video Source: Invensis Learning
Reporting
It is also important that the construction management team reports regularly on progress to ensure the project remains on track. Despite the massive amount of documentation created by the project management team, keeping track of things regularly ensures that a project doesn't go off course. An earlier deviation from the schedule is detected; the less difficult and costly it will be to correct it.
Reducing Cost
Some owners cut corners on construction management costs to reduce overhead costs, but they might end up paying more in the long run. Conflicts and claims can be avoided by having an effective project management team in place.
Performing periodic project audits can also help prevent delays, conflicts, and cost overruns for the owner. It is common for larger, more sophisticated construction management firms to employ engineers, accountants, and cost-control specialists.
Technology Application
In addition to digital technology, some construction management firms utilize a variety of other technologies as well. From selection, planning, financing, delivery, maintenance, portfolio management, and beyond, digital technologies are transforming every phase of capital projects.
