Wollo university

Assignment on construction management

Civil engineering department

Name Endalkachew Esayas

Id 0094/08
Extension class

Year 2020

Functions of Construction Management

Construction and project managers play a huge role in the overall success and development of
any project, leading a project from start to finish. But what steps do they take to ensure a project
has been adequately completed? For those working in this field, there are six functions of 0 that
need to be taken care of to ensure the success and quality of a project. Without these six
functions of construction management, finishing a project would be extremely difficult.

Project Management Planning

Although it is only one of the six functions of construction management, planning out the entire
project is an essential task as it lays out the stepping stones for completing a project. Before a
project can even be started, the project manager must plan out each step of the project. 

Project managers must define workers’ tasks, and estimate the duration of each activity. This
information is necessary when planning out a project thoroughly. Without a great construction
plan, it is challenging to develop a budget and work schedule. 

Cost Management
Understanding the costs of a project is a necessary part of managing construction. The second in
the six functions of construction management is creating a budget. Project managers use the
budget to determine the total costs and returns expected from a particular project.

Understanding one’s budget can help build the payment table. Project managers use the budget
and plan to determine when steps are complete. Sometimes project managers request payment at
the completion of each step. This can keep projects more affordable since subcontractors aren’t
saddled with the entire cost at the start. Along with the budget comes a cost plan which will
outline all the costs of the construction and the costs of the entire project. The budget shows the
limit of expenses, while the cost plan shows where and when project managers can spend the
money, although they seem quite similar.

Time Management
Time is something you can never get back once you lose it, thus people make use of their time
wisely. In construction, the more time spent on a project equates to higher expenses. The ability
to use time wisely and efficiently is an important skill needed for someone in construction
management and is the reason that it is considered one of the key functions of construction
management.

A manager must have these skills: clear and effective communication, delegation, and
prioritization. It is even more critical in the field of construction because any single mistake due
to miscommunication or any form of time lag can build up the project expenses. Increasing
expenses burden subcontractors when they lack proper scheduling and documentation.
Quality Management
Project managers are also responsible for project quality, which is why it is one of the functions
of construction management. In order to ensure that quality is excellent, construction
management will need to analyze their work practices to see if they are up to par, determine if
the material used is standard quality, and ensure that the finished product is protected from any
potential harm or damage that may come to it. Without quality management it is harder to win
bids from other

Contract Administration
Contract administration usually begins when the other functions of construction management, such
as cost and time management, have already been taken care of. Contract administration is conducted
between the owner and the construction management team.  

All parties exchange information and make decisions for the overall success and completion of
the project. The management team completes the project to contract, and can ensure this by using
the original contract documents, and analyzing and observing the overall progress of the
construction project. This allows a final opportunity to correct any inaccuracies, doubts, or
deviations from the initial design. This final check between the owner and management is
crucial. It ensures that both parties are happy with the development of the project.

Safety Management
Construction is an industry where the smallest mistake could lead to injury or even worse, death.
This is why safety management is considered a huge part of the functions of construction
management. In order to safely start a project, a manager must first plan ahead and determine all
the potential safety hazards for each job. By implementing safety protocols such as personal
protective equipment and zoning, managers can prevent injury to both workers and bystanders.

One of the most overlooked safety issues in the construction workplace is exhaustion. Exhausted
workers are more likely to cut corners to finish a project faster, and often don’t follow the safety
protocol. In order to prevent exhaustion, management should make sure that workers are not
working too many overtime shifts.

Construction managers, also known as construction project managers, oversee and allocate
resources for various construction projects. A great construction project manager is skilled in
both the technical skills required for the job and in leading and directing their team. Construction
project manager responsibilities are what guide a project to success. Projects can vary from
residential, commercial, and industrial buildings to bridges and skyscrapers.

Construction project managers oversee all aspects of the building process, working closely with
engineers and architects to develop plans, establish timetables, and determine labor and material
costs. They are responsible for ensuring the project is completed on budget and within scope.
They also hire and manage subcontractors and employees, gather permits, and ensure all aspects
of the project are up to code. The main construction project manager responsibilities are overall
project planning, distributing resources, time management, risk management, creating
benchmarks, managing the budget, managing staff, and managing relationships with key
stakeholders.

Planning
The construction manager needs to ensure that all of the work is done on time and within the
projected budget. They also need to ensure that the construction project is compliant with current
building codes as well as any other legal or regulatory requirements. A construction project
manager must carefully plan out each stage of the project in order to ensure successful
completion. They develop detailed project plans and are able to use these as a benchmark to
track overall progress. 

Planning a construction project is one of the main duties of construction project managers. They
must develop a comprehensive project plan, track the progress of this plan, and effectively
communicate the plan with employees and clients. Without a detailed plan of action, the project
will not be completed efficiently and therefore could be subject to delays and budgetary issues.

In any job, creating and following a plan makes completing the project easier and reduces the
amount of time wasted. The better a construction manager is at planning a project, the smoother
the delivery of a construction project will go.

Creating Benchmarks
Creating benchmarks is an essential part of construction project manager duties and is very
similar to planning a construction project. Benchmarks are checkpoints during the construction
project used to evaluate and determine project health. Benchmarking is crucial for a construction
project manager to be aware of the status and progress of the project at all times.

Benchmarks are useful to measure project performance throughout the life of the project. They
are used to estimate a project’s timeline, budget, and the efficiency of its progress. Without
benchmarks, a construction project manager may find it difficult to accurately understand where
exactly in its timeline the project currently is and how the budget allocation is progressing.

Time Management
A successful construction project manager is also skilled at time management. In order for a
project to be delivered on time, the project manager must be able to set a realistic timeline and
consistently meet the benchmarks within it. 

A project manager must be able to estimate the duration of each step of the project in order to
prevent delays due to human error. They must develop, maintain, evaluate, and readjust a
schedule as necessary to ensure timely delivery of the final project. Using a time app can make
time management easier for construction project managers.

Risk Management
Another main role of construction project managers is to perform risk management. Risk
management includes identifying and responding to potential issues throughout the life of the
project to minimize potential negative impacts and help ensure the safety of the workers. Internal
risk management can include issues such as unrealistic scheduling commitments and poor
planning design, while external risk management often deals with unforeseen regulatory
requirements and natural disasters such as storms or earthquakes.

Many construction project managers create a contingency plan to have a proactive approach to
risk management rather than a reactive one. They also supervise their workers and providing
assistance when necessary, and are responsible for ensuring that the project is adhering to health
and safety standards and must report issues when they occur. A project manager who
incorporates risk management in their overall plan is often more effective and is able to deliver
the final project within its set specifications.

Distributing Resources
Every construction project requires the skill to effectively procure and allocate resources. One of
the construction project manager duties is to allocate these resources and ensure that there are no
shortages. A construction project manager must understand what materials are needed and make
sure that there are enough to finish the job.

Project managers must be able to manage any alterations made to the project scope and adjust the
overall plan to accommodate for these changes. These alterations often stem from unforeseen
circumstances and require the project manager to effectively redistribute the project resources.

A construction project manager who does not correctly ensure resource availability and
allocation can cause an overall delay of the project. While delays are sometimes unavoidable, a
delay due to a construction project managers poor decision making can hurt the budget and waste
company resources. Being able to effectively distribute resources helps construction project
managers avoid such problems and helps ensure the successful development of the project.

Managing the Budget

A construction project cannot begin without a proper budget. Another major construction project
manager duty is to manage the financial plan and consistently evaluate the project budget. To
avoid going over a project’s budget, a project manager must continuously keep track of spending
and forecast changes to the budget. They must inform their team about forecasts, keep tabs on
the budget, and be prepared for unplanned costs. The more prepared a construction project
manager is, the fewer problems they will have to worry about.
 Managing and Communicating with Staff
Hiring and managing staff is a crucial part of construction project manager responsibilities. They
cannot expect their workers to know what to do without clear and concise communication. A
successful construction project manager is able to delegate project tasks to employees based on
their individual skill sets and overall project goals. 

A project manager needs to consistently inform staff of project details and evaluate the
effectiveness of a project plan with employees. In order for a project to be completed on time and
within scope, there needs to be effective communication between the workers and the project
manager.

If a project manager is not able to effectively communicate with staff, the project may have
unclear objectives, inefficient allocation of resources, and a poor quality of deliverables. A good
project manager is able to motivate and direct their team to ensure the delivery of a successful
project.

Managing Relationships with Key Stakeholders

While internal communication between workers and the project manager is necessary, external
communication to key stakeholders is crucial as well. Construction project manager
responsibilities also involve communicating the progress and health of the project with key
stakeholders and clients.

 By coordinating internal resources with outside vendors, a project manager can help execute a
project more efficiently. They must also maintain relationships with third-party sources, such as
subcontractors, to ensure that they have the resources available to complete a project.

While construction project managers may fill several different roles within each specific project, their
responsibilities are key to success in a construction project. A construction project manager helps
employees effectively work together to create a great final product. The manager is the leader of the
project, but by no means is it a job that can be done alone. Through proper teamwork, communication,
budget management, resource management, and planning, a project can turn out more than successful.
It takes a great team mentality in the construction business to make something great, but it also takes a
great manager to direct everyone towards a successful project. Learn how to become a construction
project manager.