There’s no denying that the number of construction projects has increased drastically in the last decade. With several people joining the business world’s bandwagon, the need for corporate spaces and large buildings has increased. If you want to know about the art of construction project management, we’re glad to have you here.
In simple words, construction project management is the process that is inclusive of managing, processing, and executing the different phases of this industry. Many believe construction is the best example of project management.
This is because construction is inclusive of clearly defined objectives. A construction project has to be completed within a certain time frame, and its management is crucial. Here, we will guide you through the important phases of CPM.
Different phases of Construction Project Management (CPM):
1. Conception
Regardless of whatever kind of project you’ve undertaken, it will go through the conception phase. Keep in mind that it will be hard for you to initiate the project unless you don’t have a plan. This phase is where the idea of a project will be laid in front of the stakeholders. You will have to engage in detailed discussions with the investors and let them know about the project’s outcomes. Once the plan is finalized, stakeholders will hire an engineer who will be in charge of drawing a building design. Before this happens, a project manager will be hired as well. This person will identify the needs of different staff members and lay out the plan.
2. Pre-Construction
Now that the project manager and the engineer are in place, the chief project manager will have to begin preparing for the final phase. This process might be lengthy because it includes soil testing, site examination, project scheduling, gathering workforce, and a lot more. Learners who don’t have hands-on experience managing such a project before can settle for construction project management software. This software is an abundance of several tools that can easily help you manage a lot of information about the construction project. For instance, if you are worried about the payroll, this software will easily calculate the workers’ wages.
Must Read: Do You Need Radon Testing for New Construction?
Among the various construction roles, the following are well-known:
- Construction workers: These are laborers who work on-site, pour concretes, operate machinery, and build brick by brick. They are wage earners who contribute to the project by bringing it to life.
- Electricians: Electricians are another important part of the construction project, responsible for all kinds of electrical connections.
- Foreman: The person in charge of the construction workers, the foreman is responsible for organizing, dealing with the payroll, overseeing, and keeping track of the workers’ progress.
- Safety managers: As the name suggests, the personnel are responsible for the safety standards, i.e., whether the men engaged in the CPM adhere to the standards and protocols; also, whether there is adequate provision for reporting of any mishap.
- Expeditors: Construction Expeditors are responsible for material inventory, stock keeping, reordering, and ensuring quality control.
- Supervisor: The construction supervisor supervises the subordinates’ work, i.e., whether the delegated tasks are properly carried on and adequate communication.
3. Project Execution
Your team is here, the material is ready, and the plan is all over the place; what else are you waiting for? It’s time to step foot on the ground and convert everything into reality. Although every project manager’s goal is to rest assured about not making mistakes, as humans, we all tend to fail in different ways. Before you decide to issue the final instructions to anyone, it is best to consider risk assessment. It will help you in identifying the loopholes in your current plan. Not to forget, during risk assessment, it is important to discuss everything with the team. Once they all are in the affirmative regarding a particular idea, you are good to go with it.
Also, a risk management response plan is highly essential. The plan helps in action and reaction management without delaying or risking any further. This involves both preventive as well as corrective action, and therefore, prevents future unforeseen events.
4. Commissioning
The next phase involves commissioning. This phase precedes the actual occupancy; thus, constituting testing of all the activities conducted to date. The constructed system is therefore put to the test, and errors and faults are detected. Once detected, these are rectified, and corrections are made to the system. The owner and his personnel are trained to get themselves acquainted with the workings of the system. The step requires detailed documentation and maintenance of the same for a while. Training should also be concerning the routine maintenance of the building to avoid any discrepancies.
The detailed documentation will help you in the future if any misunderstanding crops up between you and the owner.
5. Occupancy and Warranties
As soon as the new building owners move on, this is when the warranty period begins. Keep in mind; that every project owner has to cater to two kinds of warranties. The first one is the contractual warranty which is a written contract inclusive of the building integrity and current system. The other one is inclusive of the written laws regarding the structure. If you have mentioned everything about the building’s maintenance to the stakeholders, you have covered a major part of your job. As far as the work’s quality is concerned, it is discussed during the time of construction. The warranties may also contain the quality clause.
6. Final Touch Up
The final wrap constitutes giving a final touch and reviewing your checklist if any task is yet to be attended. These may constitute post-construction or implementation review, evaluation and documenting the same, reviewing any leftover aspect of the project lifecycle, and maintaining the same. Preparing crisp reports will help you in future projects as a reference and as a lesson for improvisation. This enhances your efficiency with an impressive learning curve.
See Also:
- How to Create and Manage a Construction Project Schedule
- 5 Construction Painting Problems, Causes, and Solutions
- How to Be an Effective Construction Project Manager
Conclusion
Remember the three key elements that are necessary for any project management, including construction project management:
- Proper and adequate communication
- Stakeholders’ involvement in every decision you make
- Thorough reading and understanding of any contract before you sign
Keeping these points in mind, every project management will require your complete involvement and commitment. Remember, these project cycles need to be updated to keep pace with the evolving technology and advancement in the rest of the fields.
