What Does a Construction Manager Do?

When a construction project is about to begin or is just being talked about, the critical processes of the project are bound to come up in the talks that follow. A construction project is not just about sourcing raw materials and giving it to labours to create a building. There are a lot of small and big processes that have to be taken care of even before the initiation of the project. All the technical and legal procedures have to be overseen by someone who knows how the processes go forward and know exactly what to do so that the proceedings go on without any glitch that might handicap the whole project.

Construction management is the proper planning, coordination, monitoring, and controlling of a construction project. A construction manager hones his skills in the construction industry. Management is a part of all the processes in the world, but construction management is a study on the various legal and physical procedures that combine to give a realistic shape to the designs made on paper or computer programs. A construction manager is a person that must have an eye on all the processes going on at the construction site and the planning and design table. Here’s what a construction manager needs to do and have.

What are the Duties of A Construction Manager?

A construction manager is appointed at the very beginning of any construction project. So they are the ones who have to take care of the initiation part as well. Construction managers can be asked to help with the development of fundamental plans, along with selecting architects and contractors. They are required for construction projects ranging from small renovation projects to building skyscrapers. The duties of a construction manager include;

• Project Management Planning: The first duty of the construction manager is to plan the whole project on paper and noting down all the processes that are to be completed. Preplanning a project helps to budget and determine the kind and amount of raw material that will be required.

• Cost Management: The construction manager has to take care of the prices of all the factors, like raw materials, workforce, planning and design staff, and contractors. The relevant costs must be managed throughout the project so that there are no overhead costs that trouble the management later.

• Quality Management: The quality of the project must also be managed by the same person. The project manager must make sure that only the most qualified people are hired as contractors and architects. The everyday work quality of the labouring staff should also be analyzed by the manager.

• Contract Administration: The contracts that bind the client with the construction company are also an integral part of the construction process. The provisions noted on the contract must always be respected at all times, and the manager is responsible for making sure that all the agendas are met on time.

• Safety Management: A construction site is a dangerous place with a lot of noise and heavy machinery at work. People working at the site are prone to accidents all the time due to the noise. A construction manager is supposed to inspect all the safety equipment like harnesses and fire extinguishers.

What are the Responsibilities of a Construction Manager?

Construction managers are responsible for managing all the staff contributing to the construction project. They have to oversee the jobs of all the individuals and mark their progress. Their task is to manage which person is better suited for a specific job. The plans that the manager has made must be presented to all the principal staff like the architects, contractors, surveyors, and also the buyers.

A construction manager is responsible for hiring appropriate staff for different processes and jobs. Construction requires hiring different types of contractors that specialize in different areas of construction. So when a contractor is not sufficient for the job, the manager must be the one to hire a more qualified contractor and coordinate them with the sub-contractors. The construction manager is required to manage all of the contractors, raw material suppliers, and manage the processes of these individuals.

What are the Types of Projects that a Construction Manager Works On?

Construction managers are a necessity in almost all kinds of construction projects. The various construction projects that require management are;

• Agriculture: Agricultural projects include setting up water supplies, drains, barns and specialized fencing for farms. Projects such as these are basically focused on industrial buildings.
• Residential: All the housing projects, apartments and small residential buildings are included in these projects.
• Commercial: Commercial construction projects are the ones that include the construction of commercial and trading centres — for example, shopping malls, banks, warehouses, resorts, and hotels.
• Institutional: These are the projects that are required for public use and are issued by the government and civic organisations. These may include schools, medical centres, military settlements, museums, and police stations.
• Industrial: Industrial projects are those that include the construction of factories or production plants for industrial use. Such structures may include oil refineries, manufacturing plants, and power plants.
• Heavy Civil: In these projects, the construction manager may have to manage the construction of roads, bridges, railroad tracks, tunnels and airports.

The work of a construction manager involves managing people through their daily work. So a manager should have the necessary people skills to make sure that the project goes on without a turmoil among the staff. A construction manager should also be creative in problem-solving skills and take the project through its course by solving issues with ease. You can get experienced management for your conventional or modular construction by getting in touch with Cormode & Dickson.