What is Construction Project Management?

Just like any project, someone has to manage it. So what makes Construction Project Management so different to Project Management?

It comes down to the industry; Construction.

You can Project Manage any project from IT to Marketing, but it’s the industry that differentiates the tasks involved.

The general tasks of a project manager include ensuring that the project is occurring as planned, and is working to both time and budget. Therefore it is the duties of a Construction Project Manager to ensure that the project is being built within the intended timeframe, is continuously within the budget constraints and is being built as per the approved plans. In addition to this, it is also the responsibility of the project manager to ensure that the appropriate resources and staff are allocated to the project, as well as ensuring that benchmarks are set.

Prior to construction, the project manager may be responsible for the organisation and recommendation of tender. The Project Manager will have to prepare a document in order to see for offers (tenders) in regards to various services or supplies which are relevant to the project. Upon receiving these offers, the Project Manager is responsible for analysing all the submissions and recommending the most appropriate solution for the project.

Project Managers may also produce a construction program for the project. This program will identify the dates and duration allocated to each task as well as ensure that all tasks are prioritised and sequentially ordered. In order for a Construction Program to be effective, it must be used to help plan, as well as evaluate, activities.

One of the most important roles of a Construction Project Manager is Budget Tracking and Cost Reporting. Budget tracking consists of analysing various documents to ensure that the project is within the estimated budget at any given point in time, as well as questioning the builder should construction be over-budget. It is also important that a Project Manager produces a report consisting of the project’s costs; both estimated and actual, for comparison at various stages of the project.

While a Construction Project Manager’s workload generally consists of general “paperwork” duties such as checking emails, coordinating and managing staff, and preparing various reports throughout the course of the project, they are also required to undertake regular site inspections. These inspections are essential in monitoring the progress of construction, as it is not enough to simply rely on others’ notes.

There are a number of other roles which a Construction Project Manager will perform for there clients. If you would like to see a full list of Project Management services, click here or head over to our “Expertise” page.

QPC & C has extensive experience in Project Management of various types of projects throughout New South Wales. If you are interested in having QPC & C manage a construction project for you, click here or head over to out “Contact Us” page.