Any construction project, regardless of size, needs one person to always ensure the project runs smoothly. This individual has an important job ahead of them, whether they’re overseeing a huge project, such as the building of a skyscraper, or smaller and medium ones, like renovating an apartment. This person is the construction manager.
Similar positions exist outside the field of construction but the fundamentals of being a construction manager (or CM for short) are essentially same. Their main focus is making sure the project is completed and completed well, ideally on schedule and under budget. This isn’t always possible, even under extremely competent management, certain factors are always beyond their control such as the weather. Even with unpredictable circumstances, many skyscrapers are completed by their due date due to good planning.
CMs monitor and control three main aspects of a project: cost, quality, and time. And in order to do this well, a lot of planning is involved. This includes calculating the budget and keeping the channels of communication open between the stakeholders, the supervisors, and the construction workers. CM positions are best suited for people who can think on the fly in order to adapt aspects of a plan or make a new plan altogether, which are not uncommon requirements in construction.
CMs need to know what materials and components will need to come together to create the finished projects. Their concerns need to include the smallest thing such as 449 flat head bolts and A325 flat head bolts, as well as larger items, like the steel required for framing the building. Every essential element, from BACO head bolts to the concrete delivery service is important and managing all those details needs to be within the abilities of the CM.
Once they figure out the planning and the budget of the project, it’s necessary to make all arrangements to begin production, which requires even more coordination and problem-solving. For example, A CM will need to anticipate as many issues as possible in order to stay within budget and make sure everything is in place to ensure all the workers on site are safe and capable.
And they need to keep communicating with everyone involved in the project so that everyone is on the same page, partly in a literal sense, as they even keep the current and updated blueprints of the building on the site. On a small or medium scale project, such as renovating an existing structure rather than building one from a new foundation, a CM can be in charge of what goes where and the order of what happens.
A good CM is valuable, as their skills can keep costs lower by avoiding common budget issues. They can also save time and make sure that everyone is safe, while managing many aspects of a project to ensure it all comes together. Even if a project isn’t massive, a CM can still provide many benefits and better enable everyone who makes up a construction team.