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There are thousands of construction projects underway at any given moment throughout the country. Within each of those projects are hundreds of workers doing a variety of tasks. Not only do these workers need to act as a team to get the job done, but a management team must work together to make everything happen efficiently. From the architect team to the various contractors working on tasks throughout the duration of the project, everyone must work together simultaneously to create something new and exciting.

The construction management team must coordinate with each group to maximize efficiency. A construction project manager not only needs a variety of skills to navigate through the project, but they also need to establish a flow with the entire team. Since construction projects can potentially run into snags along the way, construction management provides the flexibility and stability every project needs.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s discuss what a construction project management team consists of and all of the tasks they perform.

The Construction Project Management Basics

3d Rendering of Construction Management Project

Construction project management undertakes the entire supervision of a construction project. Along with supervising the project from development to completion, project management also directs all tasks involved. Ultimately, the construction project management team works together to satisfy all of the client’s demands, including costs, design, construction, and more.

The main goals of construction project management are closely connected to technical parameters like budget and execution. To meet all of these expectations, construction management also requires reliable communication between everyone involved, including contractors, investors, team managers, and more.

The construction management team is also responsible for a variety of things, which include:

  • Negotiate cost estimates and coordinate the budget
  • Handle the task timetables
  • Put together a construction strategy
  • Communicate with clients regarding all budget-related issues
  • Discuss details of projects with various team managers and workers
  • Supervise onsite work
  • Coordinate with contractors

Construction Project Management’s Primary Functions

Construction Management Project Drawing

As discussed earlier, the construction project management team is in charge of a variety of different tasks. Let’s breakdown all the management team’s responsibilities and how this work affects the overall project:

  1. Project Specification

Construction management is in charge of detailing the project goals and drawing up plans on accomplishing those. These plans include drawing the project scope, scheduling construction, budgeting, selecting contractors, and outlining all of the specifics.

  1. Coordinate Resources

If the project hopes to be successful, it requires a plethora of resources. The construction management team boosts the effectiveness of these resources by acquiring the right workforce, equipment, and timetable.

  1. Mitigate Teams

Construction management handles the conduction of numerous operations by coordinating and managing the entire procedure. This mainly means working with all construction teams, including contracting, planning, design, estimating, and construction.

  1. Communication Agent 

All in all, the management team must develop a stable communication process. This process directly affects the efficiency of the entire projects by allowing every member of the workforce to communicate with one another.

The Construction Management Process

Construction Managment Project Interior

Basically, every construction project has a standard life cycle, no matter its location, size, or type. Within this life cycle, the construction management team uses a general process to get the entire project headed in the right direction. This process includes four stages:

  1. Project Initiation

The first phase of any given construction project determines the feasibility of the entire process. As project initiation begins, many firms will put together a feasibility plan to determine whether the project will work or not. A Project Initiation Document (PID) is also created during this phase. In summary, the first phase of the process lays the groundwork for the entire project.

  1. Planning

Once project initiation finishes and feasibility decided, the construction management team moves into stage two– project planning. This stage includes coordinating what is needed, who does what, and more. While planning occurs throughout the project, the main objective of this phase is to determine the costs and resources required. Based on those requirements, construction management develops the necessary strategy for completing the project. Another aspect of this phase is risk management, which examines all potential threats and what is needed to mitigate those issues.

  1. Execution

 In the execution phase, construction project management puts in more of the heavy lifting. Generally, this phase is made up of two processes—execution and monitoring. The project team coordinates with all teams making sure that the work is getting done. At the same time, the team monitors progress and makes changes as needed. During this phase, the project manager spends time tracking the project and redirecting accordingly.

  1. Completion

The final stage of the construction management process is complete. During this phase, the project manager evaluates the entire construction process. They determine what went well and what didn’t. As the project completes, the management team will conduct a project report, calculate the final budget, and offer any information regarding any unfinished tasks.

Final Words on Construction Management

Construction Management Project

Coordinating an entire construction project is a challenge. Whether you are working on a small project or a complete renovation, you will need a construction management team to pull it all together. If you hope for your project to be a success, trust the management of your project to our experienced professionals.

Think Architecture’s Utah construction management division is designed to meet the demands of clients seeking a truly comprehensive process from design through construction. Get in touch with us today to learn more.