Beginning a construction project can seem daunting. Whether you’re part of the construction process or overseeing and managing the project, there are many things to consider when beginning one. If you take the extra time to consider aspects such as time and cost management at the start, this will make the process much easier throughout. With appropriate planning and the use of construction management software, you’ll increase the productivity of the whole team whilst maximising the success of the project. Overall, this will help you in the long run and whatever part of the process you’re a part of, your professional reputation will be strengthened. So, here are the things you should consider when starting a construction project.
Who Will Manage The Project?
Choosing your project manager is a pivotal part of starting a construction project. Why? Your project manager is responsible for overseeing all project activity including budget spend, time management and ensuring the safety of everyone involved. They also delegate all tasks to the appropriate employees and contractors. You need to make sure the project manager you select has relevant experience for the construction project they’re going to be put on and communicates in a way that you’re happy with. On top of managing the staff on-site, they’re also responsible for providing regular updates to the client and sector management. They’re a very important part of the process, so be sure not to skimp on time when choosing your project management!
Time Management
Next on our list is time management. Time management is incredibly important as many construction projects will be providing places for people to live and work. So with mortgages and business successes relying on the completion of the project, it’s imperative that the timeline is managed correctly. If you’re struggling to manage the timeline of your project effectively, using construction management software can help you with this. Time management doesn’t just mean making sure you complete the project within the deadline. It includes making sure each stage doesn’t run over its allotted hours as some staff will be paid hourly, so to stick to your budget you’ll need to manage the time spent on each part. This leads us to our next aspect to consider.
Budget Allocation & Management
Budget allocation will be one of the first things you do when embarking on a construction project. Being realistic is imperative, allowing for extra spending is necessary as you never know what will happen. Your client will be more forgiving if you explain at the beginning where the funds will be put and why you need them rather than if you keep asking for more money along the way. Using construction management software can help with this as brings all workflows into one place to reduce risk. Having a single platform will aid you to see all of these aspects as one cohesive unit, and will allow you to mitigate any negative effects one can have on another.
Risk Management
Risk management is not limited to physical risks on the construction site. It also regards safeguarding the businesses and investments involved overall. Risk management ensures there are no negative effects in general, financially, physically, environmentally or business-wise. Risk management overall minimises the uncertainty on projects and encourages more strategic decision-making. You can increase your effectiveness when managing risk by being highly critical of each aspect including budget, design and maintenance. On a more basic level, there are many dangers associated with construction and these risks need to be mitigated for your insurance to make sure everyone is covered if an accident occurs.
A construction project has many things to consider before you start to make sure it runs smoothly. Most construction projects will have large amounts of money invested and to maximise the return on investment, there are variables that simply must be controlled. On top of this, construction has societal and environmental effects on the surrounding area that must be overseen to make sure there isn’t a negative impact. Using tools like construction management software can help with things such as budget and time management. It can also make all parties involved aware of the timeline and spending. Construction projects can also have health risks that you must think about before embarking on your build. Making sure you have all bases covered is the best piece of advice we can give you!
Infographic provided by Rock Solid Stabilization & Reclamation, Inc., a soil modification company
