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I chose this picture of a house being built because one day I want to build houses

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I chose MWH because they are one of the top construction management companies in the industry.

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Sustainable Construction Management - Building Confidence Based on a Foundation of Trust

MWH, now part of Stantec, an environmental engineering and construction services company, offers a full range of high-value, "start-to-finish" preconstruction, construction and construction management services. We provide engineering, design, construction, commissioning, and start up for projects ranging from water treatment and conveyance to environmental remediation and renewable energy. We have the necessary capabilities, professional talent, universal reach and capital to offer our clients fully-integrated project delivery services that set new standards in quality, value, timeliness and cost efficiency.

We consistently rank among the top contractors and construction management service providers in project excellence and construction safety, as demonstrated by the numerous awards we win every year from the most prestigious organizations in the world. On every project, we use cost-effective, sustainable construction methods and innovative thinking to meet our clients' needs while preserving and protecting resources and causing less pollution and waste for future generations.

On the Austin WTP4 Project, for example, we are grinding the cleared trees into mulch we can use for dust control on the 92-acre site. And, prior to clearing the trees, we had two native plant relocation days where the public was invited to the site to remove and transplant as many plants and trees as they wished. This process saved money, eliminated waste and reused materials already on the site.

MWH is a proven leader in developing comprehensive, cost-effective and adaptive solutions for projects and programs ranging in size from $500,000 to more than $3.3 billion. Examples include:

An $873 million utility and facility expansion project in Florida.

$11 billion of environmental restoration and construction for the United States Air Force around the world.

A $3.3 billion water and wastewater capital asset improvement program serving 20 percent of England's population.

Drawing from our global presence, our construction management experts share the best of our international experience, innovative technology and repeatable solutions. For our clients, this means:

A single point of responsibility to consolidate liability and avoid engineering/contractor conflicts.

Proven budgeting, scheduling and cost-control systems to effectively manage complex design and construction programs or large construction management-at-risk programs

Integrated project management control systems to help our clients consistently meet regulatory deadlines and strict budgetary requirements on PM/CM programs.

Cost savings through streamlined procurement processes and national or global purchasing agreements.

Local and regional expertise to tackle permitting requirements, regulatory concerns and challenging local political and economic issues.

Proactive community outreach measures to build trust and provide jobs to local firms, leaving a lasting, positive legacy long after the project is complete.

We offer a full range of alternative delivery methods and pricing options tailored to fit client and project needs, including construction management-at-risk, design-build, design/construction management-at-risk, construction management-as-agent and flexible pricing approaches. We tailor the specific delivery system, project approach and pricing structure to fit client and project needs, for successful project solutions and outcomes.

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Construction Management Services | MWH Global

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MWH, now part of Stantec, an environmental engineering and construction services company, offers a full range of high-value, "start-to-finish" preconstruction, construction and construction management services. We provide engineering, design, construction, commissioning, and start up for projects ranging from water treatment and conveyance to environmental remediation and renewable energy.

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I chose Greyhawk because they are a well established award winning company with offices in Binghamton.

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Greyhawk - Construction & Project Management and Consulting firm - About Us

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GREYHAWK is an award-winning construction management and consulting firm that provides comprehensive construction consulting services

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I chose Lechase because this company has offices in Binghamton where I am from.

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I chose turner because it is a very well established company and has working in over 60 countries.

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Turner International | Turner Construction Company

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Turner is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer - minorities/females/veterans/individuals with disabilities/sexual orientation/gender identity. VEVRAA Federal Contractor

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I chose Suffolk cm because they are a huge company in the u.s. and one of the best companys.

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I bring a passion for my local community to work with me every day as a Suffolk Safety Manager. I love my job because of the relationships I'm able to cultivate on our project sites.

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I chose Korte cm because they are a huge company that has worked on a number of huge projects.

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Construction Management | The Korte Company

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From coast to coast, we've developed the partners and relationships to form an all-star project team, hand-selected specifically for every job. Each team member will have significant experience applicable to the specific challenges of your project. Our people are what set us apart at The Korte Company, and your construction management project is in good hands with us.

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I chose the vortex company based out mass. because I visit mass. all the time and I have hear of this company

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Spread the Word: The Vertex Companies Is No. 2429 on the Inc. 5000 This Year!

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The Vertex Companies: Provides forensic consulting, design engineering, construction, and environmental services to a wide range of clients.

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I chose Turner and Townsend because they are one of the top cm companies in the us.

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C2
I chose the company BH Decker because they are right here in delhi.

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Commercial General Contractor in Delaware County, New York "Building Relationships with Professional Service & Quality Craftsmanship" BH Decker Inc specializes in commercial millwork, casework, and industrial materials.

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This article will tell you everything you need to know about construction management. This is a really helpful article.

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What Is Construction Project Management (CPM)?

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), project management is "the art of directing and coordinating human and material resources throughout the life of a project by using modern management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, cost, time, quality, and participating objectives." You can extend PMI's definition to construction project management, wherein a construction project manager uses the same model to achieve the same goal, only in a construction context.

At its most fundamental level, construction project management handles the planning, coordination, and execution of a construction project, whether it's agricultural, residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, heavy civil, or environmental.

Construction project management typically includes complicated tasks that can shift wildly, depending on the work at hand, and it requires strong skills in communication, deep knowledge of the building process, and the ability to problem-solve. Construction project management is a complex field, requiring knowledge in many different areas like finance, mediation, law, business, and more.

History of Construction Management, from the Pyramids to Today

As long as there have been complex building projects, there have been project managers. For centuries, however, the person overseeing the construction of a complex building was often the architect, which is thought to be the case in ancient structures like the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the aqueducts of Rome.

Into the Renaissance, individual architects began to be known for their designs, like Sir Christopher Wren of England. Wren designed and built buildings in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, including the masterpiece St. Paul's Cathedral, that help give London its rich countenance. Wren had a breadth of knowledge that would foreshadow the types of skills needed on a complicated construction project, with expertise in advanced mathematics and physics, as well as in design. He was on his building sites every day overseeing every phase of the works.

The rules of project management began to take shape across corporate America around the time of World War II, and by the 1950s, they were guiding civil construction projects. This meant that the phases and tenets of managing a construction engineering project were now being applied to a variety of corporate projects.

More and more details of managing a construction project can be done digitally (see software section below), and that trend is expected to grow. Mobile-friendly technology and software are set to play a major role in the field, as a younger workforce is more comfortable with the technology, and it will allow the work to be managed and tracked from anywhere.

The Role of a Project Manager in Construction Management

Construction project managers shoulder the responsibility of keeping the project moving according to plan. The goal is to manage the project so that it finishes on schedule and within budget, while still meeting building codes, plans, and specs. A construction project manager may also be charged with setting the parameters, finances, and calendar; vetting and hiring subcontractors and on-site workers; developing a strategy for potential conflict resolution; and more.

The Construction Management Association of America, a U.S. construction management certification and advocacy body, says the 120 common responsibilities of a construction manager fall into these seven categories:

Project management planning

Cost management

Time management

Quality management

Contract administration

Safety management

Construction management professional practices (manage the team working on the project, define each person's role and responsibilities, etc.)

The Role of a Contractor in Construction Management

First up in any construction project is the design phase, and when that's finished, the construction project manager opens the bidding process to interested contractors. To qualify for consideration, contractors must be able to show they can handle public safety; decision-making, engineering, drafting, human resources, and time, cost, and quality management. The contractors who meet these guidelines are then chosen through low-bid selection, best-value selection, or qualifications-based selection - all common measures.

Construction Project Management Basics: How to Win the Project

When a project owner is ready to get started, the owner will share project information to a large group of contractors, general contractors, or subcontractors to solicit bids. The process starts with a cost estimate from blueprints and material take-offs, telling the owner how much money he or she should expect to pay for the contractor to complete the project.

A contractor can expect two kinds of bids:

Open Bid: Open bids apply to public projects and are usually advertised. With an open bid, any contractor can put in an offer.

Closed Bid: The process for a private project starts with a closed bid, wherein the owner invites a select group of contractors to send in their bids.

Whether the owner chooses an open or a closed bid process for the project, the bids will then come in, and the selection of a contractor can commence based on a number of criteria:

Low-Bid Selection: The bottom line - aka the price - is the main focus for the project owner. The winning contractor is the one who submits the lowest price for the project.

Qualifications-Based Selection: In this process, the project owner asks contractors to submit with their bid a request for qualifications (RFQ), which summarizes the contractor's experience, plans for management, organizational flow, and success in staying on budget and on schedule. The project owner then chooses the contractor with the best qualifications.

Best-Value Selection: In this approach, the project owner considers both the bid price and the contractor's qualifications to find the best combination of cost and skill set.

The next and final step after an owner chooses a contractor is to negotiate a payment agreement. Both parties typically select from four payment models:

Lump Sum: A lump-sum contract is the most prevalent choice. The project owner and the contractor come together on the overall cost for the work, and the owner must pay that amount, regardless of the project's success or if the final bill surpasses the initial quoted price.

Cost-Plus-Fee: As the name suggests, cost-plus-fee includes the total cost of the project as well as a fixed fee percentage of the overall cost to the contractor, all of which the owner must pay. This is the most contractor-friendly arrangement, since it covers all additional costs.

Guaranteed Maximum Price: With a guaranteed maximum price contract, the owner and contractor agree on a set price that the total cost and fee cannot exceed.

Unit Price: If the two parties can't agree on the cost ahead of time, they opt for a unit-price model, in which the owner pays out a specific unit price throughout each phase of the project.

The Construction Management At-Risk Delivery Method

"CM at-risk" is a delivery method growing in popularity in the United Kingdom and around the world, and it refers to the business relationship between a construction contractor, owner, and architect (or designer). With this plan, the construction manager commits to completing the project for a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) and plays two roles: He or she is a consultant to the owner through development and design (pre-construction services), then shifts to general contractor responsibilities during construction. Thus, the fundamental character of the professional relationship is changed.

In addition to acting in the owner's interest, the construction manager must control construction costs to stay within the GMP. Because the arrangement guarantees a maximum payment, low bids are typically not considered. Instead, the construction manager will work toward fulfilling the financial goal through other avenues.

The advantage of a CM at-risk arrangement is budget management. Before a project's design is completed (six to 18 months of coordination between designer and owner), the construction manager is involved with estimating the cost of constructing a project based on the goals of the designer and owner (design concept) and the project's scope, all while achieving optimal quality. The construction manager will have to be ready for potential changes to balance the costs, schedule, quality, and scope of the project while still meeting the financial goals.

For example, instead of a redesign, the construction manager may suggest modifications instead. Or if the owner decides to expand the project, the team will have to make adjustments before pricing. To keep a handle on the budget before design is complete and construction crews are called up, the construction manager conducts site visits and purchases major items ahead of demand.

Advantages: In this arrangement, the construction manager assumes the risk, so he or she has an incentive to act in the owner's interest and to efficiently manage costs, considering GMP overruns would be the responsibility of the manager's company.

Drawbacks: A cost overrun could cost the construction manager a great deal of money. The CM is allowed some mistake-related contingency, so there is a possibility that they will compensate by reducing the scope of the work to fit the GMP. Also, since the GMP is decided before design begins, it is difficult for owners to know whether they received the best possible bid.

Bottom Line: An at-risk delivery method is best for large projects - both complete construction and renovation - that are not easy to define, have a possibility of changing in scope, or must meet strict schedule deadlines. It can also be an efficient method in projects containing technical complexity, multitrade coordination, or multiple phases.

Accelerated Construction Techniques: Starting with its Accelerated Bridge Program in the late 2000s, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation began employing accelerated construction techniques, in which it signs contracts with incentives for early completion and penalties for late completion, and uses intense construction during longer periods of complete closure to shorten the overall project duration and reduce cost. The federal and California Departments of Transportation also employed this technique after the Northridge earthquake in 1994 to speed up repair of freeways in the Los Angeles area.

Business Models for Construction Projects

The bidding process is usually consistent no matter the type of construction project, but you can expect two business models in the construction industry:

Design-Bid-Build Contracts: Both popular and prevalent, design-bid-build contracts allow the owner to choose a contractor after an architect or engineer completes the design phase.

Design-Build Contracts: The opposite of design-bid-build, in a design-build contract, the design and construction phases are handled by the same party (referred to as the design-builder or the design-build contractor). This approach speeds up the project's completion since the design and construction phases can happen simultaneously.

As noted in the two above models, the bidding process begins with the design phase. The design stage itself can be broken down into different approaches.

Conceptual/Programming and Feasibility: This model uses the final vision of the building as the starting point to determine needs, goals, and objectives. Considerations include the building size, the number of rooms, how the space will be used, and even who will be using the space. This information is generally captured in a spreadsheet listing each room, the critical information about those spaces, and the approximate square footage of each area.

Schematic Design: Schematic designs are drawings or sketches used to identify spaces, shapes, and patterns. Not every part of a construction project can be sketched, of course, but those that can be are in this type of design. The drawings note materials, colors, and textures. These sketches can also capture floorplans, where structures like elevators will be placed, and so on.

Project Management Principles and Process

After the bidding process is finished, the construction phase can then start. Although the stages of a construction project are different than that of traditional project management, they follow a similar pattern.

If they don't already know them, all construction project managers should familiarize themselves with the five phases of project management, as developed by the Project Management Institute.
1. Initiation
Before the project starts, a project manager must develop and evaluate the business case to determine if the project is feasible and worth undertaking. Stakeholders may be asked to do their due diligence and to conduct feasibility testing, if needed. When all parties agree to proceed with the project, the project manager writes a project charter or project initiation document (PID), which includes both the business needs and the business case.
2. Planning
Next, the project team develops a road map for all involved. This includes the project management plan (PMP), a formal, approved document created by the project manager to guide execution and control, as well as set baselines for scope, cost, and schedule. You can also expect to see these documents in the planning phase:

Scope statement and scope documentation: This defines the project's business need, benefits, objectives, deliverables, and key milestones.

Work breakdown structure (WBS): This document breaks down the scope of the project into visual, manageable chunks.

Communication plan: This outlines all aspects of communication, from goals and objectives to roles to tools and methods. The communication plan creates a common framework that everyone can work from to avoid misunderstandings or conflict.

Risk management plan: This helps project managers identify risks beforehand, including time and cost estimates that may not be met, potential budget cuts, shifting requirements, and a shortage of committed resources.

3. Execution
Now the work begins. Typically, all parties hold a kickoff meeting, then the project team begins the crucial work of assigning resources, implementing project management plans, setting up tracking systems, completing tasks, updating the project schedule, and if necessary, modifying the project plan.
4. Performance and Monitoring
The monitoring phase often happens concurrently with the execution phase. This phase is necessary to measure progress and performance and to ensure that items are in line with the overall project management plan.
5. Closure
This final phase marks the project's completion. To mark the conclusion, project managers may hold a post-mortem meeting to discuss what parts of the project did and didn't meet objectives. The project team then creates a punch list of any lingering tasks, performs a final budget, and issues a project report.

Learn more about the phases of project management.

New to Construction? Advice from the Experts

We asked six construction project management experts about their No. 1 piece of advice for people entering the field.

Here's what they had to say:

"My biggest piece of advice: Never stop learning. That was actually one of the major reasons why we created Construction Junkie. The construction industry may still do some of the same things we've done for decades, but there's always room for improvement and things should always be improving. Just look at the advances being made in concrete right now. Concrete has been used for centuries, but now scientists are figuring out ways for it to heal its own cracks and others are engineering ways to make permeable concrete strong enough for heavy concrete. If we stop learning, progress stops with it."

- Shane Hedmond, editor in chief of ConstructionJunkie.com

Top Construction Management Books for Beginners

Here are some top construction management books for beginners, either students or those just entering the field:
Informative Articles on Construction Project Management
Even more valuable resources on construction project management can be found on the internet in the form of articles and reports. Here are two such documents that flesh out the role of the construction project manager in the building process.

The Risk in CM "At-Risk," by Warner Strang

This PDF explains the pros and cons of the CM at-risk model from the owner's and construction manager's point of view, along with pointers on how to get the most out of the arrangement.

"What Is Construction Project Management?" by Gerardo Viera

This article breaks down the overlap between project management and construction management, outlining how knowledge of one can feed into the other.

The Stages of Construction Project Management

The construction management life cycle begins at the same time as the bidding process, but once the contract has been finalized, the meat of the project can star.

Here are the stages in a construction project:
1. Design
This is the first stage of a construction project, and once it is completed, it signals the beginning of the bidding process. In design-bid-build contracts, the owner chooses a contractor based on completed designs.

In this stage, an architect or engineer first assesses the feasibility of the design based on regulations and codes of the building, as well as the number of rooms, the size of the building, and the amount of space. Then he or she creates schematic designs or sketches, researching the type of equipment and materials needed and their cost.
2. Pre-Construction
The bidding process is over and the owner has chosen a contractor. The contractor is then paired with the project team, including a contract administrator, project manager, field engineer, and superintendent. Then the team gets the site ready for construction. They conduct a site examination, test soil, and identify any possible unexpected situations, like environmental challenges.
3. Procurement
The project team purchases the required equipment, materials, and labor. In other words, the procurement stage is when the team buys everything it needs to complete the project. The complexity of this stage depends on the size of the project and the company. Large national construction companies usually have procurement departments that hire labor and purchase materials for hundreds of projects at once. On the other hand, for smaller projects, the superintendent may buy limited quantities of materials from local building supplies or hire a local laborer.
4. Construction
To kick off the construction phase, the superintendent will arrange a meeting with the subcontractors and material vendors to set the ground rules for working together. Then the team must get ready to start construction, completing activities like setting up temporary storage facilities, securing the site, developing a materials and handling plan, establishing safety programs, and more. After that, the team begins construction.
5. Commissioning
Once construction is completed, the commissioning stage begins. There are two parts to the commissioning process. First, the project team must test the systems and equipment to make sure everything is working correctly before turning over the building to the owner. Then the team must train the owner's personnel in the operation and maintenance of the systems in the new building.
6. Owner Occupancy
When the owner moves into the new building, the warranty period starts. This ensures that all the materials, equipment, and building quality meet the expectations outlined in the contract. There are two types of warranties: express warranties (written and included in the contract) and implied warranties (established or required by law).
7. Project Closeout
This final phase ties up any loose ends. The team formally completes any remaining contractual obligations to finish the project. They may create a project punch list of any tasks that didn't get accomplished and may conduct a post-project review, document lessons learned, archive project documents, or prepare a project completion report.

Cost, Budget, and Finance in Construction Management

Project managers must always think about money. From estimating budgets before the project even starts to hiring and paying contractors, financial management is one of the most important parts of a successful project.

Here's what you need to know about money matters in construction:
1. Construction Pricing and Contracting
There are a number of options when paying contractors and outlining price in contracts. In the competitive bidding process, contractors submit their bid to work on the project. These bids are either submitted on a lump-sum or unit-price basis, whichever the owner specifies. A lump-sum bid refers to the total price of work by the contractor. Unit-price bidding is used in projects where the amount of labor and materials are uncertain.

Instead of inviting competitive bidding, some private owners choose to award contracts to one or more selected contractors with negotiated contracts, which provides more flexibility in pricing. Negotiated contracts usually require reimbursement of direct project costs plus the contractor's fee determined by one of these methods: cost plus fixed percentage, cost plus fixed fee, cost plus variable fee, target estimate, or guaranteed maximum price or cost.
2. Cost Estimation and Budgeting
A cost estimation is prepared in order to submit a bid for a construction project and is used to establish a budget for the project once it is won. The process includes determining the cost estimates from building, unit prices and lump-sum estimates, job sites and general overhead, bidding procedures, and labor costs. Cost estimates are sometimes prepared by a professional, such as a building estimator or a chief estimator. Even though the project manager may not be the sole person responsible for cost estimation, it is still necessary that he or she become familiar with the process to understand the scope of the project.
3. Cost-Control Monitoring
As the project begins, project managers need to quickly create a process to monitor project costs. The sooner the cost-control monitoring phase begins, the faster that project managers will be able to identify trouble spots. For example, if an item is significantly more expensive than the estimate, the project manager should identify the reason for the difference and see if that cost increase affects anything else in the budget.
4. Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
A Capital Improvement Plan (or Program) is a four- to 10-year plan that identifies capital projects and equipment purchases, provides schedule, and identifies options for financing the plan. The plan links a government entity, a strategic plan, and the entity's annual budget. A CIP includes a list of all projects or equipment to be purchased, the projects ranked in order of preference, the plan for financing the projects, schedules for the construction phase of the project, justification of the project, and explanation of the expenses.
5. Project Accounting
The project manager and/or the agency's accounting department will have to develop the project budget for the fiscal year, record and report expenditures, review and pay contractor invoices, and manage cash flow. From materials to labor, there are many costs in construction projects. Costs are either direct (labor, material, subcontracting, and land) or indirect (indirect labor, supervision, tools, equipment, supplies, insurance, and support costs).

The project team and the accounting department may need to work closely together to manage contractor invoices. The project team reviews invoices to make sure the work has been properly completed, then the accounting department ensures that the invoices are contractually eligible and the prices are consistent with the contract.

Organizing and Scheduling a Construction Project

With RFPs, contracts, invoices, blueprints, and more, it can be hard to keep track of all the necessary documents in a construction project. Because construction projects are so large and involve complex information, organization is key to staying on schedule.

Organization Strategies

There are several streams of information that need organization and management in any construction project. These are the most business-critical:

Records Management: Record management controls the distribution, storage, and retrieval of project records, both hard copies and electronic, in a safe, secure manner. Project managers must make sure that all incoming and outgoing documents are transmitted through the records management specialist, who uses software to track the records (this method will also create a central library of all project documents and information).

Contract Management: It is important to clearly define the roles and responsibilities for the project team members who are managing the project and the project staff responsible for managing contracts and documents. The contract management plan is designed to set expectations and procedures around this by addressing who has the authority to direct and approve the contractors to work, how the contractor's work is monitored and reported, how they are paid and approved, how contracts are modified, which financial audits are necessary, etc.

Contract Procurement Planning: Project managers also have to ensure that procurement activities fit with the project plan. Some of the tasks they have to manage include:

Setting expected contract price

Creating the scope of work (SOW) for each contract

Standardizing procurement documents and any other necessary documents

Adding completion dates to contracts that align with the project schedule

Commissioning Plan and List: The commissioning plan and list should be started early in the design phase and continually updated as the project progresses. The commissioning plan is designed to provide direction for the commissioning process during construction; to resolve issues related to scheduling, roles, and responsibilities; and to aid in the reporting, approvals, and coordination. It is a systematic process to ensure that buildings perform according to the design and to the owner's operational requirements.

Project Control Process: The project control process tracks and manages the scope, cost, and schedule of a construction project. The goals of this process are to establish a baseline, track performance against the baseline, forecast performance at completion and compare to the baseline, and identify changes and monitor the effects to the baseline.

Project Requirement Definition: Also known as the statement of work, this document details the project deliverables. In the project requirement definition (PRD), the project manager explains the scope of work and what the project will accomplish. It helps stakeholders, team members, and external parties all understand the goal of the project and acts as a record of initial expectations.

As-Built Drawings: Also known as record drawings, these are edited drawings submitted by a contractor at the end of a project. They reflect all the changes made in the working drawings during the construction process and show the dimensions, geometry, and location of all elements included in the contract. As-built drawings provide a quick visual into the existing design and capture deviations from the original documents.

Daily Documentation: Keeping diaries, logs, and daily reports of project activities acts as a reference guide after the work is completed and can mitigate any damages. This kind of documentation can show how questions were answered, how problems were solved, and tracks any unusual conditions on a certain day. By keeping these daily logs, you are leaving a paper trail throughout the whole project in case anything goes awry later on.

And finally, the working drawings are created. These are the project's final specifications and illustrations that builders use for construction and that contractors add to their bid.

Scheduling Strategies

Organizing your documents helps you categorize and prioritize important project information, and once you have everything stored in a central location, you can build out your project schedule.

A well-defined schedule provides a structured approach to planning, identifies problems before they arise, forecasts cash flows, and assesses resource requirements.

Here are the fundamental and advanced scheduling techniques:

Gantt Charts: A Gantt chart is the easiest way to create a construction schedule. It lets you visualize your project timeline by transforming task names, dates, durations, and end dates into cascading horizontal bar charts. Learn more about creating and using Gantt charts in Smartsheet.

Critical Path Scheduling: The most widely used scheduling technique is the critical path method. This method calculates the minimum project completion time and the start and end dates for all project tasks. It identifies the critical tasks that, if delayed, will delay your entire project. The critical path method helps you reduce timelines, manage resources, and compare planned with actual. To learn more, read our Ultimate Guide to the Critical Path Method.

Line of Balance: This scheduling technique is best suited for repetitive work and is often employed in road construction. It is a management control process for collecting, measuring, and presenting facts relating to time, all measured against a specific plan. With a Line of Balance schedule, you must allocate resources for each step, so you can make sure the next step is not delayed.

Q Scheduling: This form of construction scheduling addresses the sequence of activities, relationships between tasks, and the total cost of finishing the project. It includes the overall construction site and prevents two competing activities from happening at the same time at the same location. While this technique is the closest to reality, it requires special software and can take more effort from the project manager to evaluate cost analyses for the different schedule alternatives generated.

Problems, Issues, and Legal Matters in a Construction Project

Construction projects are always changing, and the constant level of uncertainty can often bring conflict to project teams. Construction project managers are often tasked with resolving disputes, identifying and mitigating risks, and understanding legal ramifications.

Here's what construction project managers should know:

How to Resolve Disputes

Conflicts will inevitably arise in any project. It's the project manager's job to resolve the disputes, so the team can stay productive and work well together. Possible conflicts in a project could include poor communication, lack of clarity, conflicts of interest, limited resources, or power struggles. While every conflict is different, there are several resolution strategies that you may employ:

Mediation: A third-party mediator will be hired to resolve the disputes between the two parties. This strategy is the cheapest and least time-consuming.

Mini-Trial: A mini-trial is held in an informal setting with an advisor or an attorney who must be paid. The agreement is nonbinding and can be broken. A mini-trial takes more time and more money than mediation.

Arbitration: Arbitration is the most expensive and time-consuming way to resolve a conflict. Each party is represented by an attorney while witnesses and evidence are presented. Then, the arbitrator makes a ruling and his final decision is a binding agreement.

How to Create a Risk Management Plan

By focusing on prevention, project managers can spend less time dealing with spontaneous problems and more time on reducing their impact. A risk management plan is used to manage all project risks, defines the roles of project staff in risk management, and identifies potential risks and categorizes them in terms of probability and impact.

Understand Legal Principles

When project managers have to negotiate contracts, deal with jurisdictions' licensing requirements, purchase insurance, and manage job site safety, an understanding of legal principles can save time and money. There are several areas of liability in construction management. There could be a claim for failure to detect defective work if a bid exceeds estimates, if there is extended overhead, or if the project is delayed. Most professional liability policies don't cover any aspect of faulty workmanship (like fabrication or installation) or economic risks, so project managers have to make sure they have the appropriate coverage and are doing everything they can to avoid liabilities and claims.

How to Prepare a Quality Control Plan

A quality control plan ensures that the building has reached a specific standard. Quality control is the last step a project goes through before it's delivered to the owner, and it consists of a series of systems and procedures to make sure it meets the highest standards. Project managers will have to evaluate how to test quality, create a step-by-step process for auditing the project, and revise and review the plan to find new problem areas. They will also have to be knowledgeable in safety management and codes, building codes, and compliance codes, then include these aspects in the plan.

How to Anticipate and Address Environmental and Neighborhood Impacts of Construction

Construction project managers and their teams can plan for licensing, permits, and all measures of local regulations, but sometimes nature plays a part in the building process. These are a few ways flora and fauna, the land and the sea can affect your project plan - and how to deal with them.

Dust and Mud: Excessively dusty conditions can result from construction vehicles simply driving on a site, much less moving earth from spot to spot. Because the increased particulate matter can disrupt nearby businesses and homes, construction project owners would do well to control the dust count. One easy way to do so is to drive a water truck through the site and spray down the area. However, this creates mud, which can spread out to surrounding areas via construction vehicles. To counter this development, the project owners should get a street sweeper to clean the roads.

Storm Water Pollution: Construction projects can introduce foreign elements to the land. Should a storm hit, the runoff can carry those potential pollutants to nearby streams, rivers, lakes, aquifers, wetlands, or coastal waters.

Endangered Species: If an endangered species is found on the construction site, the site must cease operations for as long as it takes for authorities to assess the situation. Once a decision comes down, the contractor implements the proper course of action to not disturb the species.

Vegetation: Animals aren't the only protected entities; trees and vegetation on a construction site could be subject to environmental safeguards too. The construction project manager could be faced with designating a safe zone for the growth, perhaps with a fence or security tape.

Wetlands: Wetlands are some of the most heavily protected areas in the United States. Contractors and builders must be especially vigilant in preventing contaminants or unregulated material from entering these restricted zones.

Historical or Cultural Artifacts: This classification can cover arrowheads, pottery shards, early tools, bones, and more. If any artifacts are found on the construction site, all work must halt until the the pieces can be studied and removed.
Learn More About Smartsheet for Construction

Construction Project Management Software

There are many versatile web, cloud, and mobile apps to streamline communication, simplify document management, and improve efficiency in construction management.

Here are some of top construction management tools:

Smartsheet

Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-inspired work management tool with robust collaboration and communication features. With pre-built construction templates, it's easy to create a timeline, track progress, manage documents, and organize the details. Gantt charts are automatically created and auto-adjust every time a change is made, so you can share the most up-to-date timeline with team members or stakeholders. You can upload files from your computer, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, Evernote, or add a web URL, creating a central repository for all project documentation and contracts. Team members can have discussions directly in the sheet and set reminders and alerts, so everyone is on the same page. And lastly, Smartsheet integrates with other apps like DocuSign (to streamline the contract process by collecting e-signatures), Harvest (to automatically create invoices), and Google Apps (to sync your calendar and add or edit information directly from Gmail). Get a free 30-day trial of Smartsheet.

Buildertrend

BuilderTREND is a cloud-based construction project management tool for home builders and remodelers. It helps builders communicate with subcontractors about tasks and allows clients to see real-time status about their home and the costs. BuilderTrend lets you create proposals, simplify the bidding process, send documents, create schedules, and manage customer relationships.

Co-Construct

Co-construct is a web-based solution for custom builders and remodelers. It helps businesses coordinate their selections, schedules, and photos while improving relationships with interactive communication. Users can track change orders, create a project budget, update schedules, share files, and more.

Procore

Procore helps firms increase efficiency and accountability with streamlined communication and documentation. The cloud-based tool provides ways to collaborate on projects and view documents, with real-time editing capabilities. Other features include project dashboards, scheduling, reporting, document management, email training, bidding and more.

BuildTools

BuildTools is designed for residential construction firms and offers project management, scheduling, service management, document storage, budgeting, and customer management capabilities. You can manage all the communication for your crew and subcontractors, easily sharing emails, site photos, project schedules, budgets, and timesheets.

Aconex

Aconex offers one solution to manage information and processes across engineering and construction project to improve efficiency and reduce risk. Features include document management, workflow automation, bid management, issue management, and more. As a web-based solution, Aconex allows users to create and review documents from any location.

PlanGrid

PlanGrid is a construction productivity platform that enables collaboration via mobile device in the field or wherever your project team is working. It allows the latest versions of blueprints, RFPs, schedules, and more to be synced to every employee in real time.

Education Opportunities for Construction Project Management

The study of construction project management is a specialty field where you learn about management, planning, and organization in order to successfully complete projects in the construction industry.

Traditionally, people in this field were promoted to construction project manager positions from trade jobs like carpenter or plumber. Then, by the end of the 20th century, construction had grown so complex and intricate that companies started to look for education over experience.

From four-year plans to certificates to Ph.D. programs, there are many educational possibilities in construction management.

Education and Training Opportunities: What to Study and Where to Apply

Today's construction project manager typically has a bachelor's degree in engineering or construction, with some pursuing master's degrees and certificates as well. And with the rise of online classes, it is much easier to hold a full-time or part-time job and take classes in your off-hours (online certification programs are especially popular).

Here are the education options for those wanting to pursue construction management:

Bachelor of Science in Construction Project Management

A B.S. in construction project management is a four-year program where you learn how to analyze structural systems, implement cost estimating and scheduling techniques, assess conflict and identify resolution strategies, apply the principles of project management to construction, and more. It prepares you for careers like construction executive, project manager, project engineer, field engineer, cost engineer, or facilities engineer.

Classes can include Financial Accounting, Technical Writing/Communication, Structural Analysis, Engineering Economics, or Conflict Resolution. There is also a growing availability for construction of LEED-certified buildings, green construction, and more. Depending on the university, the classes can skew heavily toward mathematics and engineering.

Some of the top universities for construction management include:

Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, which has a 90 percent job placement rate for graduating students.

University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, boasting an entire Construction Management Department.

Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, notably its School of Business Construction.

University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, the first to become accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE).

Cal Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, with courses in Construction Management in its College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Pratt Institute, the renowned art and design school with campuses in New York City, Brooklyn, and Utica, New York, has close ties to New York construction resources, with faculty that's overseen such projects as the World Financial Center.

Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia, provides scholarships to qualifying construction management students, and its advisory board actively engages in hiring the school's students and graduate

Master of Science in Construction Management

You may also decide to pursue a Master of Science in Construction Management or an MBA with a concentration in construction management. If you pursue a graduate degree, you can choose to focus in more specialty areas, like construction, real estate, or construction management.

A master's program introduces advanced concepts like financial, legal, ethical issues, and leadership strategies, and ends with a thesis project. Before you begin a graduate program in construction management, you must have a bachelor's degree; some programs require that you also have professional experience.

Courses may include Advanced Construction Scheduling, Lean Construction, Project Delivery, Risk Management, Schedule Impact Analysis, or Construction Estimating.

Some of the top universities for a master's in construction project management include:

Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, Arizona, offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies of construction management. It also offers an accelerated master's program called "4+1," allowing undergraduates to begin a master's program as seniors. Its school of construction is the largest in the state and produces 21 percent of all construction management degrees in Arizona. ASU also offers an online master's program in construction management, designed to meet the growing need for professionals with advanced technical, management, and applied research skills in the construction industry.

Stanford University in Stanford, California, has a graduate and doctoral program in three construction course tracks: construction engineering and management, design-construction integration, and sustainable design and construction.

University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, includes certificates, undergraduate, and graduate degrees in construction management. The department also has strong ties for local construction agencies, leading to many student internships.

Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, has received high marks for its construction management master's program from both the National Center for Construction Education and Research, and the Associated General Contractors of America.

Construction Project Management Certificates

Many universities, including the University of Washington, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Houston, offer construction management certificates. These certificates require less credits than a degree, so you can complete the courses faster and gain further knowledge to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

In addition to university certificates, a number of associations and institutions also offer certification programs. Here are a few:
Certified Construction Manager from the Construction Management Association for America (CMAA)
According to the CMAA, North America's only organization dedicated to the interests of professional construction and program management, "a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) is someone who has voluntarily met the prescribed criteria of the CCM program with regard to formal education, field experience, and demonstrated capability and understanding of the CM body of knowledge."

To become certified, you must have 48 months of experience as a construction manager in a number of qualifying areas and meet a number of other criteria ( click here for the full list). If you meet the qualifications, you must pay an application fee of $325 for CMAA members or $425 for non-members, and take a certification exam.

The exam costs $275 initially, and if you have to retake it, the fee drops to $125. It is a five-hour exam, with questions about project management, cost management, time management, contract administration, quality management, professional practice, and safety and risk management.
For more information about becoming a CCM, click here. Construction Manager in Training (CMIT) from the Construction Management Association for America (CMAA)
The Construction Manager in Training (CMIT) program is designed for soon-to-be and recent graduates, working graduate degree candidates, or experienced professionals looking to become a construction manager. The program focuses on professional development and learning about key construction management practices early on in your career.

The program has two phases: a capstone assessment that requires a passing grade of 80 percent and a mentor-protege relationship. It requires CMAA membership status in addition to program fees, which range from $60 to $195, depending on whether you are a student or young professional.
Visit the CMAA's website here for more information about the CMIT program. Associate Constructor Certification from the American Institute of Constructors
The American Institute of Constructors promotes individual professionalism and excellence throughout the related fields of construction. It offers an Associate Constructor certification for recent graduates of four-year construction programs. The certification represents a high level of skill and knowledge in managing the construction process.

To become certified, you must pass a 300-question multiple choice exam given during two four-hour sessions on a single day. The exam includes questions about communication skills, engineering concepts, management concepts, materials concepts, and more. It costs $165 for the first time you take the exam, then $110 if you want to retake it.
Visit the American Institute of Constructors' site for more information.

Getting a Job as a Construction Project Manager

Do you like building and design, but think architecture involves too much drawing? Or that civil engineering involves too much math and carpentry involves too much manual labor? Then construction project management is for you.

While the job market was hit hard in the mid-2000s, hiring is now on the rise. Employment is expected to grow 5 percent from 2014 to 2024, which is as fast as the average for all occupations, but construction activity is expected to increase in the next decade. Candidates with a bachelor's degree in construction science, construction management, or civil engineering and who have construction experience will enjoy the best job prospects, as well as a median salary for a construction project manager of $89,300, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Once hired, a construction manager will likely work out of a main office, but he or she can expect to spend a lot of time on construction sites to view the project's progress and to answer questions and make decisions on equipment, staffing, and many more topics. Additionally, construction managers are often expected to be on call all day and can easily work more than 40 hours per week.

Here's a list of the necessary skills and possible job titles in construction management:
Skills and Abilities
Successful construction project managers should have a wide range of skills and abilities to help them manage diverse teams and projects. A solid education is a great place to start and certainly prepares you for the construction industry. However, there is no substitute for real-life, hands-on work experience. Those interested in a career in construction project management should expect to be well-versed in these skills:

Understanding of the building process

Problem solving

Leadership

Strong communication skills and the ability to work with different groups of people, from project owners to tradesmen

Teamwork

Time management

Document management

Experience with finances and budget management

The ability to coordinate and oversee a project from start to finish

Computer skills and knowledge of construction scheduling software

Construction Management Job Titles and Definitions

There are many different roles in construction project management, with some requiring a more technical background. Here are some of the job titles and their definitions:

Field Engineer/Surveyor: A field engineer or surveyor supervises a crew of workers known as the survey party. This party is responsible for staking out reference points and markers that will guide the construction process. Before any other work begins, the survey party must define the legal boundaries of the land where the work will be done.

Project Engineer: A project engineer acts as the liaison between the project manager and the technical aspects of a project. He or she is usually the primary technical point person for the consumer and is in charge of scheduling, planning, and resource forecasting for engineering activities. In some cases, the project engineer is the same as the project manager, but the majority of the time, both roles share joint responsibility for leading a project.

District Construction Engineer: The district construction engineer manages the activities of the technical services department, including engineering, contracting, inspection, and more. He or she also coordinates with other departments and outside agencies. This position is also similar to a project manager; however, it usually requires a background in civil engineering.

Project Coordinator: The project coordinator assists the project manager in all day-to-day activities. He or she may act as the liaison between customers, subcontractors, architects, owners, and general contracts on active projects; maintain and monitor records; track budgets; and perform other general duties.

Project Manager: The construction project manager supervises projects from beginning to end, making sure they finish on time and on budget. He or she plans all aspects of the construction process, including hiring contractors, negotiating contracts, setting budgets, complying with building and safety codes, and dealing with conflict.

Construction Manager: Also known as a site manager, a construction manager is responsible for running and managing the construction site. He or she works closely with architects to go over blueprints, makes project timetables, determines material and labor costs, gathers permits, and schedules work on site.

Operations Manager: An operations manager works in a large construction company that oversees many projects at once. He or she develops construction strategies and works with the project manager to manage resource allocation. He or she also works with civil engineers to create the quality checks that a project must go through before it is delivered to the owner.

Construction project management offers many more technical roles and jobs behind the scenes, including design engineer, planning engineer, and project architect, to name a few. But so-called soft skills are just as important in completing a project, which is why design managers, project document controllers, schedulers/scheduling engineers, project planners, project finance managers, insurance representatives, and engineered materials representatives are in demand as well.

Managing Sustainable Building Projects

Green construction, focused on making structures more energy efficient and eco-friendly, is a huge area of growth in the construction industry. "Green building" refers to the effort to ensure that both the actual structure and building process are environmentally responsible.

Project managers overseeing a sustainable building project must understand how the project affects the environment, ensure that waste is properly disposed, find greener materials, and use efficient building methods. He or she must also understand environmental issues and environmental compliance in the area they are building. Many green project managers are required to have a working knowledge of documentation requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Terminology and Acronym List

A&E: architectural and engineering
BOT: build operate transfer
BOO: build own operate
CA: contract administrator
CIP: capital improvement plan
CM: construction manager
CPI: cost performance index
CPM: critical path method
CREM: corporate real estate management
D/B: design/build
D/B/B: design/bid/build
DBOT: design build operate transfer
EA: environmental assessment
EIS: environmental impact statement
EPC: engineering, procurement, and construction
FBOT: finance build operate transfer
FEIS: final environmental impact statement
FONSI: finding of no significant impact
GC: general contract
GEC: general engineering consultant
GM: general manager
GMP: guaranteed maximum price
JV: joint venture
LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
MC: management contracting (mostly UK)
MPC: multiple prime contracts
MPO: metropolitan planning organization
OFE: owner furnished equipment
OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
O&M: operations and maintenance
OR: owner representative
PC: project control
PD: project director
PFI: private finance initiative
PL: project leader
PM: project manager
PMC: project management consultant
PMO: project management oversight
PMP: project management plan
PRD: project requirements definition
ProgM: program management
RE: resident engineer
REM: real estate management
RFC: request for change
RFI: request for information
RFP: request for proposal
SOW: scope of work
SPI: schedule performance index
VE: value engineering
WBS: work breakdown structure

More Construction Resources

With many stakeholders, hundreds of details, and dozens of documents, construction projects can be complex and difficult to manage. However, the key to being successful is to never stop learning, to stay organized, and to communicate frequently and clearly.

To help you become an effective construction project manager, we've put together the must-have construction management templates. You can download a construction budget template, a construction estimator, construction timeline, and more.

In addition to pre-built construction templates, Smartsheet can improve your organization, planning, and document management in your next construction project. With automatic Gantt charts and critical path, super-simple file attachments, and alerts and reminders, you can build a central repository where anyone can access project details in real time. The product also provides an extensive range of smart views: Gantt view, Card view, Calendar view and Dashboards (below image). Whether you are a field engineer or an operations manager, Smartsheet works the way you want.

See how easy it can be to manage your construction project with Smartsheet.
Try Smartsheet Free for 30 Days

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Construction project management requires the skills and expertise of a traditional project manager but applied to the construction industry.

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This article show the importance of having a good contract between the owner and the cm. this is a great article for someone who wants to become a cm.

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Contracts, which are intended to eliminate problems, can be the open doorway to disputes and claims. Contracts that are one-sided promote dispute resolution through litigation. Bias in contract language and interpretation leads to increased costs for all parties. The following article suggests ways in which owners and contractors can work toward equitable contracting.
Disruptions or Disputes Are Expensive to Both Owners and Contractors
Construction contracts are drafted to allocate responsibilities, risks, and remedies between the separate parties. This allocation is based upon the simple fact that someone must be responsible and someone must pay for all elements of the project under that contract.

In theory, when changes or unforeseen difficulties arise on a construction project, the allocation of risks established by the construction contract will clearly identify the party who is to pay. Thus, in the case of an owner's directive to add to the scope of work, most contracts clearly provide for adjustment of the contract price to compensate the contractor for the cost of the additional work.

How, then, do disputes arise? When the contract is ambiguous, inherently unfair, or provides no remedy, changes very easily escalate into disputes. Owners or designers who draft contracts that shift risks that were traditionally theirs to the contractors, may do this in the belief that they are avoiding those risks. But contractors, who generally have little or no bargaining power when they enter such contracts, cannot accept those risks and survive. Thus, almost universally, contractors will seek recovery of costs that were not of their making, regardless of contract language. They are encouraged to do so by an American legal system that has been slanted against the drafters of unfair contracts.

Disputes also arise because of the people who administer contracts, in spite of contract language. Conflict of interest is commonplace as owners typically establish themselves, or their representatives, as the day-to-day interpreters of contracts. Bias may easily result when interpretations affect time and money. Yet such bias is as misplaced as biased contract language. If contractors are denied compensation to which they believe they are entitled to under the contract, a dispute is virtually inevitable, and unless the contractor has misread the contract, the courts may be expected to side with the contractor.

Disruptions or disputes on a construction project are expensive to both the owner and the contractor. The owner, in addition to construction cost overruns, has costs of invested capital and other resources that will not produce the anticipated return until the facilities are functioning in a useful manner. The contractor, in addition to incurring costs of equipment, personnel, financing, and bonding that are tied to a project, loses the opportunity to utilize these resources on other potentially profitable work.

In construction contracts, the interests of all are best served when the contracting parties cooperate. This collaboration is also an economically sound practice to avoid the added cost and disruption generated by disputes.
Bias in Contract Language
Writing tightfisted contracts in the belief that they will control costs is unrealistic and unproductive. Standardized construction contract forms have been drafted and promoted by the architectural and engineering professions and by contractor and subcontractor organizations. Public and private owners have developed their own forms. At least one intent of these standardized forms is minimizing the risks of the drafting party at the expense of the other parties.

In recent years, contract agreements and specifications that are heavily biased against contractors and subcontractors have emerged. Exculpatory clauses are inserted to prevent a contractor from receiving compensation for unforeseen costs in numerous situations over which the contractor has little, if any, control. Thus no-damages-for-delay clauses and provisions making the contractor fully responsible for differing and unforeseen conditions are commonplace.

The inclusion of exculpatory language rarely has the effect owners anticipate. In fact, such language is not likely to reduce project costs. It will more probably increase costs through protracted disruption to the project and added legal expenses. The American Society of Civil Engineers addresses the impacts upon project cost and administration of unforeseen site conditions because of language in contracts "Managing Unforeseen Site Conditions," Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, June 1987 by Halligan, Hester & Thomas. This analysis was based upon information from several unpublished studies, the majority of which were sponsored by the federal government. The conclusions include the following points:

Contractors make claims for unforeseen site conditions because overriding economic pressures prevent them from including such costs in their bids.

The proportion of costs for unforeseen site conditions borne by the owner is largely unaffected by contract language.

Management techniques that encourage early resolution tend to reduce the costs of changes and claims.

Contracts that place all of the responsibility for site conditions on the contractor do not prevent claims, but they do prevent the situation from being managed, since the field and lower management are rarely in a position to disregard a contract clause.

Contracts that permit extra payment for unexpected site conditions do not lead to an increase in the cost to the owner, but they do permit early resolution of disputes and management of the situation.

The United States suffers from a litigation explosion that has generally been blamed on tort lawsuits by individuals. However, our experience tells us that the construction industry is responsible for a significant share of this excessive litigation.

Exculpatory language in contracts does not prevent lawsuits, nor does it reduce costs.
Bias in Contract Administration
If the construction manager is also the designer of the project, a high possibility exists for a conflict of interest. The construction manager's objectivity is placed in question when changes in the work become necessary. He or she may be reluctant to authorize additional time or compensation for work that might be viewed by the owner as a design deficiency. If professional liability is questioned, the conflict is compounded.
Recommendations to Owners
Owners frequently obtain assistance from specialists in areas such as architecture, engineering, construction management, law, insurance, real estate, and contracting. These services should provide the owner with insight and expertise that not only enhance the project, but also minimize problems.

Prior to selecting professional services, an owner should review and establish the rights, responsibilities, and conditions under which the providers of various services are expected to perform and their relationships with each other. Cooperation and mutual respect are required between all parties if disputes are to be minimized.

When selecting an architect, engineer, construction manager, or contractor, owners should require references from projects over the past few years. Owners need to contact these references and seek information from all parties about past experience with changes, change order management, disputes, and litigation. It may not be possible to sort out responsibility for each dispute. Indeed, few situations have only one culpable party. Nonetheless, owners should scrutinize any professional with a pattern of involvement in disputes.
Cooperation and Respect Are Required between All Parties
For "fixed" price projects, design work should be completed to the fullest extent possible prior to issuing the bid documents. Even then, all parties should recognize that modifications are likely to be required. Project funding must include a reasonable contingency for changes and extras, and contract language should allow changes and unforeseen events to be handled quickly and in an equitable manner.

A poorly planned or mismanaged project will invariably result in added cost and delay. An owner should not ignore the project or leave administration entirely in the hands of others. Instead, an owner should monitor the work, review correspondence, periodically meet with key firms involved in the project, and generally stay well informed about the project status.
Recommendations to Contractors
Contractors should read, analyze, and understand the contract before bidding and evaluate the risks. If a contract has onerous language that is not negotiable, and an appropriate cost cannot be included in the bid estimate to cover this exposure, contractors should seriously consider not bidding on the work. Also, contractors must maintain complete and accurate records.

Contractors should investigate the contracting history of the owner, designer, and construction manager. If a past pattern of disputes exists, the contractor should

Try to negotiate contract terms that will protect the contractor

Increase the bid price to cover contingencies, or

Consider not bidding

If a construction manager is appointed as an intermediary without clear and explicit authority to act as the owner's agent, ensure that the owner is kept informed of any changes at all times, particularly when the construction manager issues an instruction that will result in extra time or cost.

During the course of the project, the contractor should

Perform work in a professional manner

Meet the deadlines established in the contract for submittals and for the construction

Keep complete and accurate records, and

Price changes carefully and realistically, with detailed support

A Call to Reason
The principal participants in the claims process-the owners, designers, and contractors-are directly impacted by the current state of claims resolution in the construction industry. Certainly the American contracting system is in need of fundamental change. Our multiparty, adversarial system, operating in the shadow of litigation, is not as productive or innovative as it should be to compete effectively in a global marketplace. No one party can change this; however, each of us can help by moving toward fair and reasonable contracting in which each party performs professionally to construct quality products.

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construction experts and claims consultants articles

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Contracts, which are intended to eliminate problems, can be the open doorway to disputes and claims. Contracts that are one-sided promote dispute resolution through litigation. Bias in contract language and interpretation leads to increased costs for all parties. The following article suggests ways in which owners and contractors can work toward equitable contracting.

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I chose this company because it looks like a great company to work for national and internationally based.

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This article is very interesting, it discuses how gps grade control is save time and money. I chose this article because this information will be helpful to a cm when choosing a company to do grading work.

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Scott Hagemann, Caterpillar application specialist for machine control and guidance, believes contractors should no more use excavators without GPS grade control on a site where dozers or graders are getting computer guidance than live in a house where one of the bathrooms doesn't have running water.

Even if you don't agree that excavators need a computerized grade reference as much as bathrooms need plumbing, now's a good time to check out grade-control options for excavators as an increasing number of contractors are bidding work using digital grading aids.

Caterpillar demonstrated that its grade-indicate technology can improve a competent excavator operator's productivity as much as 35%, and Komatsu claims its PC210 intelligent excavator - with grade-control technology that actually automates parts of the digging process to prevent over-excavating - reduces construction time as much as 63%.

Last week, Caterpillar introduced its own automation option - Grade with Assist, initially available on the 323F excavator -that should deliver productivity advantages similar to Komatsu's PC210LCi-10. The earthmover manufacturers are motivated by early adopting contractors' appetite for digital grade-control assistance, and their technologies are motivating other contractors to deploy these technologies. The dynamic creates a short-lived opportunity to get ahead of the technology shift before your competitors do.
Race to Ecavator Automation
Why is excavator GPS use increasing now? Hagemann cites two reasons. "First, if you're using excavators on jobs where your tractors and motor graders use GPS grade control, you're wasting a lot of time and money pounding grade stakes just for the excavators," he says.

"Second, we are starting to develop our systems specifically for excavator functionality to give customers more bang for their buck," he notes. "Before, we used to put a generic grade-control system on the excavator; it had all the functionality of the motor grader and tractor systems designed into it, and we made it work for excavators. Now we're actually designing software with functionality specifically for excavators."

For example, a dozer/motor grader system allows the operator to build a single-point design right in the cab. Place the machine's blade on a desired grade, hit a button, and the system guides you to grade flat in all directions from that point. It's decent functionality for excavators that dig a lot of basements and footings, but you don't need a $60,000 grade control system to get help digging a flat plane with an excavator. A $200 laser receiver magnetically mounted to the stick can do that job.

Caterpillar has been refining excavator-specific functionality in its Accugrade Dual GNSS system. The three-dimensional grade technology relies on GPS signals to fix the excavator's latitude, longitude and elevation on site and combines input from an inertial measurement unit on the excavator and position sensors in the boom, stick and bucket cylinders to locate the bucket cutting edge to within a few millimeters.

"The excavator operator can put his bucket tooth in three or four different locations to measure and mirror a slope and actually design a canal or ditch or trench right there on the monitor in his machine," says Hagemann.

Until 2015, excavator grade-control adoption lagged tractor and grader use because the 3D systems cost as much as tractor automation, but excavator systems only indicated where the bucket cutting edge was relative to the desired grade. As the bucket cutting edge approaches the designed depth of the excavation, the indicate system alerts the operator with lights on the monitor in the cab and sounds that change as the machine gets closer to target.

Caterpillar estimates its indicate-only Accugrade Dual GNSS system can help an excavator operator hit grade targets 22% faster than machines without digital help. But excavations are only as accurate as the operator's ability to follow the guidance.

Excavating Becomes Automatic

"Contractors are looking for not just qualified help, but people who are willing to learn - to get qualified," says Jack Louvar, operator trainer and technology specialist at Caterpillar dealer, Altorfer Cat. "Grade technology helps bridge that gap."

Caterpillar estimates that excavator operators of all experience levels will be able to reach target grade up to 45% faster than unaided excavation using the new semi-automated Grade with Assist option on excavators with Accugrade. Cat claims the indicate-only Accugrade system speeds grading time up to 30%.

Assist technology helps the operator when the cutting edge gets within 4 in. of target depth by locking onto grade and automatically adjusting the boom up and down and bucket in and out to stay within three-quarters of an inch of the grade target. The operator simply controls stick speed using a single joystick.

Assist can also automate bucket movements to maintain a constant bucket angle, which the operator can adjust for optimum cutting approach in the digging conditions. Operator inputs on the joystick override automatic control, but the preset bucket angle can be automatically recalled after each dump cycle.

Grade Protect is a feature that prevents the cutting edge from penetrating below a preset grade, eliminating overcutting and rework. Ceiling and Floor Protect prevent any part of the boom, stick or bucket from going above or below a set elevation. The machine can excavate more safely in areas with low ceiling heights, such as indoors and under overpasses, and near overhead or underground utilities.

Intimidated by the Cost

Past pricing suggests Accugrade Dual GNSS adds about $60,000 to the cost of an excavator; Grade with Assist might up the ante another $8,000 to $10,000 (note: final pricing is up to the dealers).

These are big numbers, but reaching grade 22% faster (by adding an indicate-only system) or 45% faster (with automated Assist) should give you an idea of the technologies' potential ROI.

Reduce the fuel and labor costs by the percentage appropriate to the technology you're considering. Reduce the number of machine hours for those jobs by the same percentage. Eliminate the cost for grade stakes, grade checkers, and rework. Reduce the volume of bedding or other imported material by the amount these systems improve grade accuracy.

According to Hagemann, many contractors recoup their outlay for Accugrade systems in the duration of one big job. Many more earn back their initial investment in the first year.

Contractors concerned that their volume of grade-sensitive excavating won't generate return quickly enough can choose a lower-cost, indicate-only option that does some of what Accugrade does. Two-dimensional Cat Depth and Slope costs in the $14,000 to $18,000 range, depending on size of machine, and works with a rotating laser to provide much the same grade indication as Accugrade: audible and visual alerts on the standard excavator monitor as the bucket cutting edge approaches the design depth.

Depth and Slope adds a laser receiver and position sensors to the boom, stick and bucket cylinders. The sensors allow the excavator's electronics to calculate the exact position of the bucket cutting edge relative to the excavator tracks and show it on the standard excavator display.

Using Depth and Slope requires a hub or stake with known elevation. The operator starts by touching the bucket to this benchmark, which calibrates the elevation of the laser reference. Now the operator can move the machine around the site, working with the laser beam as the fixed reference. The operator enters on the monitor the desired excavation depth, and the system indicates how close the bucket cutting edge is to grade as the excavator digs.

While Depth and Slope won't allow the operator to design sloped work from the cab, it can be configured to dig single slopes parallel to the boom and stick. Altorfer's Louvar has seen it change contractors' cost expectations.

"I have one customer that got Depth and Slope built into a 329," he says. "I told them it was going to free up time, and they were just really going to see a benefit. So they took me up on it and put a new operator on that machine. He had just 30 to 40 hours of experience operating equipment."

Louvar trained the operator in less than two hours, and the next day the contractor turned the new guy loose digging about 300 ft. of pipe runs.

"He dug all that trench by himself with perfect slope (they came back afterward and confirmed the grades with a GPS rover)," Louvar says.

The job would have taken twice as many personnel hours without the technology. "You would need somebody in the trench checking grade, or the operator would have to check the trench. And when you start getting in and out of the machine, now you run the risk of falling," Louvar says. "Plus, the excavator's idling, burning fuel.

"The foreman told me that the system not only made the operator more productive, but it made him - the foreman - more productive because he didn't have to babysit anyone," Louvar adds.

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New Cat Automated Grade Controls Usher in More Efficient Excavators

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Scott Hagemann, Caterpillar application specialist for machine control and guidance, believes contractors should no more use excavators without GPS grade control on a site where dozers or graders are getting computer guidance than live in a house where one of the bathrooms doesn't have running water.

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This article discuses why the proper communication is necessary on a job site for efficiency and safety. I chose this article because I know how important communication is on job site.

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On many construction sites the day starts off with a tailgate talk, where issues related to the job are discussed before the work begins. Safety-related topics are often the focal point of these discussions.

While it's easy to assume that such talks are effective at conveying information, how certain are you that the information is actually being received? Are workers actively engaged in listening, or are you or whoever else may be leading the discussion being met with glazed eyes, robotic nods and blank stares?

We've all been in the workers' shoes, where you sit through a meeting or presentation and come away with little memory of what was said. The difference is, when this happens on a jobsite, it can result in costly mistakes, delays and even accidents.

There are a variety of reasons why such "communications failures" can occur. Here are just a few possibilities:

The crew is anxious to get the "real work" started to avoid missing a deadline, and simply rushes away without fully absorbing the information.

The information is confusing, incomplete or hard to follow. Language barriers may impede comprehension for some workers.

The conversation is cut short before anyone has a chance to ask questions or get clarification, or they are too intimidated to acknowledge they don't understand what's being discussed.

The speaker is hard to hear, difficult to understand or otherwise hard to follow.

Trust issues or other animosities cause workers to tune the speaker out.

The discussion takes a negative tone, which puts workers on the defensive and causes them to stop listening.

Workers don't feel empowered to speak up with their ideas or to bring up concerns about problems on the site.

These and other circumstances can impede workers' ability or willingness to absorb or relate critical information that affects the job being performed and the safety of the work environment. The results may range from unnecessary delays and added costs, to OSHA violations, preventable accidents and other risks.

Of course, not all organizations have outright communications failures, but most have areas that can stand improvement. Start by identifying where those areas are and their underlying cause(s). In addition to face-to-face conversations, consider conducting an anonymous survey of your workforce to obtain their "honest" feedback. Prioritize your findings in terms of their impact on project performance and safety, then take steps to correct the most pressing deficiencies.

Most communications problems/failures can be resolved pretty easily once they're recognized. But in some cases, it may require outside assistance (e.g., specific safety training). More extreme cases may call for a neutral third party to help you delve into and resolve deeper issues.

A simple first step to improve communications is to ask pointed questions about the topic after each tailgate talk, safety meeting, etc. This will help you determine if the topic was understood, as well as help promote further discussion.

For more information to improve jobsite safety, turn to the Construction Zone Safety and IPAF Elevating Safety supplements.

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Don't Risk Communications Failures on Your Jobsites

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On many construction sites the day starts off with a tailgate talk, where issues related to the job are discussed before the work begins. Safety-related topics are often the focal point of these discussions. While it's easy to assume that such talks are effective at conveying information, how certain are you that the information is actually being received?

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This article discusses how an asphalt contractor is using new technology in the industry to help him be more efficient. I found this to be interesting because time is money.

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Founded in 1949, Barriere Construction is a fourth generation, family-owned industrial, highway and civil construction, asphalt and concrete paving company. Headquartered near New Orleans and with facilities in St. Charles Parish, Washington Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish, Barriere is a leading asphalt producer in Louisiana and employs more than 500 people.

It's no wonder that information needs on day-to-day activity at this company is a high priority.

"We strive every day to ensure our employees have the best information possible so they can make the decisions that will insure the safety of our projects, as well as maintain high quality and profitability," says Brian Cooney, recently retired EVP - finance and administration with Barrier. "Having the ability to provide our field managers with timely accurate and consistent data gives them the information they need to make the best informed decisions on every project every day. The data is also critical for the safety and performance of our asphalt plants, equipment fleet and other areas.

Mobile tech helps deliver information faster

Barriere has always focused on using information to make accurate decisions; mobile technology has merely sped up and improved accuracy of the collection and feedback of the data.

"With the improvements in mobile technology and integration with software, we see the next generation of mobile technology giving us the opportunity to eliminate all paper forms and manual checklists that will help us to maintain compliance with our programs," says Cooney.

Starting as far back as 1990, Barriere collected daily information from the field that could be readily turned in, entered, and generated useful reports that matched the plan to the estimate. This information continues today by assisting the field in their planning of all of the project resources.

"Plant, trucking, and equipment information has been a priority throughout Barriere's history, and we have used many sources of information -- from CFMA, AGC and trade media -- to be on the cutting edge," says Cooney. "In addition we have always focused on partnering with software companies that understand construction, specifically unit-based construction, asphalt manufacturing, materials, trucking and equipment.

"These business partners also understood that they had to integrate with our total platform -- be it estimating, safety, equipment tracking, maintenance, costing, asphalt manufacturing, etc.," he continues.

Where to start

Barriere did not have a dedicated team to implement mobile technology into its processes, but it did have a part-time programmer who has been with the company for over 25 years. "This person is a great asset to our company," says Cooney. "He has helped set our technical vision, which is crucial."

In recent years, Barriere has added resources for information technology and now has an active field technology committee, chaired by CFO Heath Wahden. The company has focused on field, trucking and plants information that will improve its safety and quality and increase throughput both at the plant and on the job site.

Before beginning any kind of mobile technology program, Cooney suggests ensuring your information system has good infrastructure as its backbone. "Your primary consideration at the beginning is making sure your estimating, manufacturing, and operational system can readily share information," he says. "This is critical to the success of any mobile program."

In addition to a good backbone, highly skilled IT resources that can coordinate the flow of the information is a must. "If you're going to make information a priority, setting an expectation of zero downtime for your system is critical," he says.

Actual devices used to collect and report information at Barriere include smart phones, iPads, lap tops and GPS devices. And the types of data being collected follow the construction cycle and run the gamut from estimating, scheduling/dispatch, safety, payroll, equipment telematics and more. (See box on page ?? for the full list.)

Today, all foremen, survey/GPS staff, field engineers, quality control/assurance, superintendents, plant managers, logistics/trucking and equipment staff, and project managers use mobile devices to share and supply information on all the moving pieces that make up Barriere's day-to-day operations.

"We are also testing collection of project data -- safety, equipment inspections, toolbox talks - by operators and other field employees," says Cooney. "Information is strategic. The use, collection and access should be available to those same individuals supplying the information as well as all compliance and information needed to make improvements."

Sound advice

There may be many questions in your head if you're getting ready to introduce or expand your company's use of mobile tech. Cooney has some simple questions for you to get started.

Is there a budget? Is there support for this type of program from owners and top management?

What is your vision? Create a five-year picture of where you want to be.

How will the data be used - and by whom?

How will you communicate the results of the analyzed data?

What are the benefits? Lower costs? Improved throughput? Will the information generated be useful to your overall vision?

Do you have a technology leader?

Who will implement the programs and conduct the training?

What is the return on investment? How will you measure it?

It's also imperative to find software and technology partners who share your vision and are focused on the information generated, not just its collection.

"Make sure your partners understand your business and will help you achieve all of your goals," says Cooney. "We have very strong partners focused on continuously improving their product. We also have a shared vision for working together to generate not only ease of use but actionable information for our asphalt and heavy equipment teams."

Barriere's goal and focus right now is integration and coordination of planning and scheduling of all its asphalt resources with seamless information flowing to each crew tied to their paving plan.

"We have the ability, tools and business analytics to share data and information across all 'silos' - from estimating, daily collection of project information, plant data, field and trucking information along with equipment telematics - and only a few data points need to be analyzed," he says. "Partnering with providers that share our vision and back it up with technology has the potential for greater rewards."

Barriere's future goals include integrating all components of the construction cycle in real time.

"We see reporting on a real-time basis - be it location and load information of asphalt delivery trucks, plan versus actual information, open work orders on equipment by project on a map, or alerts requested by field management - as the next step," says Cooney. "Paper will be eliminated; all forms and information collected will be online. Data collected will be validated, and compliance measured and graded on a real-time basis. We will be able to plan - and determine the success of those plans - more effectively."

Cooney says the integration of mobile technology into your asphalt business is definitely worth the effort, but he notes, it's not a one-step procedure.

"It's not easy," he says. "Plan on a journey - a long, continuous journey."

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An Asphalt Contractor's Tips for Getting Maximum Profit from Mobile Technology

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Founded in 1949, Barriere Construction is a fourth generation, family-owned industrial, highway and civil construction, asphalt and concrete paving company. Headquartered near New Orleans and with facilities in St. Charles Parish, Washington Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish, Barriere is a leading asphalt producer in Louisiana and employs more than 500 people.

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In this article it discuses how UAVs are being used more and more on job sites. I found this article to be very interesting.

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We've been working with a new piece of equipment on construction and quarry sites around the world. It doesn't dig, push, load or haul. But it does fly - at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour - taking pictures and capturing data that can be used to improve safety, efficiency and profitability. Some call it a "drone." At Caterpillar we call it a "UAV" (which stands for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). No matter what you call the technology, now is a great time to learn more about it.

UAV Basics

A UAV is defined as an aircraft with no pilot on board. It can be remote-controlled from the ground or it can fly autonomously, guided by a pre-programmed flight plan. UAVs can be used for recreational or commercial purposes.

Recreational users in the United States are required to register with the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) at a cost of $5.

Commercial use in the US is only legal if the user has obtained what's called a Section 333 exemption from the FAA. It grants permission to make an income flying a certified, licensed UAV in the presence of a licensed pilot. Caterpillar has a Section 333 exemption.

In our business, contractors and aggregates producers are sending camera-equipped UAVs into the air to take dozens - if not hundreds or thousands - of images. The pictures, which are linked to GPS data, can be stitched together with special software, transforming them into a 2D or 3D site model.

UAVs in Action

Caterpillar has a small team of UAV experts whose focus is determining how the technology can be used to improve site safety, efficiency and profitability. Recently, we tested a fixed wing UAV in a U.S. quarry that produces between 800,000 and 1 million tons of aggregate per year. Our pilot flew three 25-minute missions over the 350-acre site, capturing thousands of images that were converted into a 3D model within 24 hours. Had the owner gathered the information manually, the process could have taken an extra week or more. Costs and safety risks would have been higher and the data would have been less accurate.

The company has used the data in a variety of ways.

Calculating stockpile volume - quickly, safely and accurately - to ensure they're paying the right amount of taxes and to help determine/measure production levels from the plant.

Identified the next area of the site to be mined - are now planning where to put the haul road; its length, width and elevation; and how much material will be required to build it.

Calculated how much overburden to be removed - at the next site and can now determine when to start stripping, what size fleet they'll need and whether they should do the work themselves or hire a third party.

Monitoring site activity near a creek on the property, giving them easy access to information they need to meet environmental regulations.

Plus, they've got a new aerial image of the site hanging in the office and interesting graphics for marketing communications.

This owner - like others we've worked with - started the process with a general plan for using the data, but ended up finding many more ways to leverage the technology and analytics.

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Take Efficiency to New Heights with UAV Technology

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We've been working with a new piece of equipment on construction and quarry sites around the world. It doesn't dig, push, load or haul. But it does fly - at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour - taking pictures and capturing data that can be used to improve safety, efficiency and profitability.

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This article provides 5 rules of construction management that will help any cm in his career. I chose this article because it could help guild me one day.

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This article is about weather to chose design bid build or design build. I chose this article because this is very important step before your project even begins.

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Over the past 20 years, the design-build process has gained popularity throughout the engineering and construction industries. The Design-Build Institute of America estimates that by 2010, approximately 50% of all construction projects in America will use design-build. Regardless of whether these projections prove to be accurate, it is impossible to ignore that more projects are employing this alternative project delivery method. As shown in the table below, some projects lend themselves readily to the design-build process, while others continue to be constructed using the traditional design-bid-build process.
Design-Bid Build

Project Requires Heavy Owner Involvement

Unique/Complex Facilities

Residential

High-End Commercial (Custom Features)

Heavy/ Specializes Industrial Facilities

Design-Build

Less Owner Involvement Required

Gas Stations, Fast Food Restaurants

Highways/Utilities/Light Industrial

Public Schools

What is Design-Build?
Design-build is a construction methodology in which the owner contracts with a single entity to perform the design and construction for a project. The design-build process implements the same general procedures as the long-established design-bid-build construction process; however, it creates a closer working relationship between the engineering/design and construction phases by combining the construction and engineering resources into one team.

On traditional construction projects, the owner enters into a contract agreement with an architect/engineer to perform the preliminary conceptual design, project specifications, and subsequent detailed engineering. After the engineer has completed or nearly completed the detailed design drawings, the owner puts the project out for bid, and a separate construction contractor is awarded the work. Only at this time is the owner is able to "lock in" a price for the actual construction and completion of the project.

On design-build projects, the preliminary design and bid selection processes overlap and the design and construction phases of the work are combined into a single contract. This integration of activities reduces the overall project duration. The design-build concept is very similar, and well suited, to a fast-track construction process, as illustrated in the following graphic.

In design-build, the owner outlines general conceptual and/or performance requirements before entering into a contractual arrangement with the design-builder to perform the work. The design-builder expands on the owner's general requirements, incorporates these ideas into a design, and subsequently constructs the facility. The design-build process necessitates that the construction team become actively involved in the engineering phase and requires the architect/engineering team to work closely with the construction contractor to provide information and answer questions during the construction phase. This complementary relationship between the engineer and contractor differs from a traditional design-bid-build project where the architect/engineer and construction contractor often have different ideas regarding what constitutes a successful project.
Will Design-Build be Successful for Your Project?
The design-build process offers pros and cons for both owners and design-build contractors. Owners benefit from the potential cost savings and from having single-point responsibility with the design-build contractor, which reduces risk. The owner may also realize cost savings based on a shorter overall project schedule, which provides for earlier income generation as well as optimum engineering and construction techniques/methods from the design-build team.

On design-build projects, the owner relinquishes control of the project design to the design-build team. The owner must be aware that on a traditional design-bid-build project, the architect, in most cases, acts as the owner's representative. On design-build projects, however, the architect/engineer is working with the construction contractor and is no longer the owner's representative; therefore, there is a potential loss of checks and balances. The owner should provide either in-house quality control or employ an outside consultant to protect the owner's interests and ensure a successful project.

For the design-build contractor, design-build provides more continuity and teamwork between the engineering and construction teams, which can lead to faster project completions with higher profit potential. In addition, many design-build contracts provide monetary incentives to the design-build team for completing the project on time and within budget. On the other hand, the design-build entity assumes additional risk for providing the conceptual design, detailed engineering, and construction of the facilities. This means the construction contractor assumes risk/responsibility for the project's design aspects and the designer assumes risk/responsibility for the quality and timeliness of construction.
Conclusion
The design-build process is not the best strategy for all projects and trying to make it fit for every project may lead to significant problems. However, as it is refined and more owners and contractors become familiar with the process, design-build will continue to gain popularity and become an increasingly effective project delivery method.

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construction experts and claims consultants articles

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Over the past 20 years, the design-build process has gained popularity throughout the engineering and construction industries. The Design-Build Institute of America estimates that by 2010, approximately 50% of all construction projects in America will use design-build. Regardless of whether these projections prove to be accurate, it is impossible to ignore that more projects are employing this alternative project delivery method.

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This article is about the rising cost of materials and possible ways to deal with them. I chose this article because it was interesting to here some of the solutions.

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This year, exceptionally high price increases of construction materials have caused serious problems for the construction industry. A major factor is the current economic and construction boom occurring in China. China is experiencing rapid growth and, with it, tremendous construction activity which is creating shortages in the US and throughout the world.
Background
Basic economics tell us that, in an open marketplace, prices will rise when demand increases or when supply decreases. Demand is increasing exponentially in China due in part to a construction boom resulting from the country's economic revolution, preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games, construction of the Three Gorges Dam, and the construction of thousands of highways throughout the country. Demand is also significantly higher in the US due to a rise in construction activity, related in part to new home construction. Some of the highest price increases have occurred with steel, lumber and plywood, while cement has been in short supply. The following graph shows the extent of construction material price inflation over the past twelve months:
Steel
The construction industry has seen the demand for steel increase and the supply decrease simultaneously. All types of steel have increased in price over the past twelve months. Reinforcing bar has risen by 45.2%, while structural steel has risen by 25.7%.

China is currently consuming about 25% of the world's steel supply. Since China is a major player in the steel production market, it can redirect previously exported steel to fill its own domestic demand for the material, reducing the material's availability on the open market. A similar situation is occurring in India, where some suppliers have halted exports in order to meet domestic material demands.

While demand for steel has risen greatly, the shortage of coke, used in steel manufacturing, has reduced US steel production. Other factors such as high energy costs, high transportation costs resulting from increased fuel costs, the weak value of the US dollar, and the consolidation of steel manufacturers are all contributing to the increased steel prices. Delivery delays have resulted from international shipping lanes being stretched to capacity.
Lumber and Plywood
The prices for lumber and plywood have also risen dramatically over the past twelve months, mainly due to increased residential construction activity in the US. Low interest rates have spurred much of this new residential construction. Lumber has risen an average of 25.8% while plywood has risen an average of 21.5%. Since the start of this year's hurricane season, repair and reconstruction work necessitated by hurricane and flood damage has further driven up lumber prices. These high prices will likely be sustained over the short term while the massive reconstruction efforts are progressing.
Cement
While cement prices have not risen as significantly as other materials' prices, the shortage of cement has been a problem, particularly this past summer. Concrete mixing companies could not produce concrete fast enough to keep up with demand. The shortage led to countless project delays and disruptions.

In 2003, 20% of the US demand for cement was fulfilled by imports. The US has anti-dumping laws and very high tariffs against Mexico, making imports from that country cost prohibitive. The length of time to import materials from overseas, as opposed to receiving materials from Mexico, is much greater, as it takes weeks rather than days to receive a shipment. The resulting delays can be hard on contractors who need to adhere to a tight schedule. In addition, because of high activity in Asian markets, particularly in China, freightliners are making the majority of shipments to that part of the world rather than to the US.

China is currently consuming approximately 40% of the world's cement supply. The country's exceptionally high demand for concrete has allowed it to outbid US buyers on the world market, further reducing availability to the US.
Challenging Times for Contractors
Many of today's construction contracts are lump sum or unit price contracts, which can take a year or more to complete. Because these contracts are typically based on material prices estimated at the beginning of the project, the contractor can be adversely affected when material prices surge unexpectedly.

The contractor must often absorb the increased cost of construction materials. Considering the increased cost of materials and the fact that numerous projects today have slim profit margins, many contractors either make no profit or stand to lose money on a given project.

While steel prices have leveled out recently, albeit at a high level, there is always the possibility they could increase again. Even though China's government has instituted measures to slow the dangerously rapid growth of their economy, the overall demand for construction materials is still very high.

In addition to rising prices, another major problem is the delayed delivery of materials to contractors due to material shortages. Material delivery delays are generally beyond the control of the contractors, and they can delay the entire project. Such delays can put contractors at risk of liquidated damages due to missed project deadlines.
Possible Solutions
The following list highlights possible solutions to the increased material prices and material shortages dilemma:

Incorporate price protection clauses into contracts (apply bid qualifications).

Lock in on material prices.

Buy materials early in the project to ensure availability.

Delay the project until prices decrease.

Work together with other builders and contractors to obtain group discounts on material purchases.

Employ value engineering to help reduce costs.

Renegotiate contracts to accommodate price increases and/or industry shortages.

Purchase materials in bulk to receive discounts.

Consider renovating an existing building as opposed to building a new structure.

Maintain a good relationship with material suppliers.

Looking to the Near Future
Increased material costs may eventually cause a decrease in residential construction and are already increasing the price of new homes. This, in turn, could negatively impact new home sales, as home buyers are priced out of the market.

The market may, however, experience some relief in the near future. The following factors may alleviate the current situation:

Rising interest rates may slow construction enough for cement and steel production to catch up, thus stabilizing prices and supplies.

Construction rates will decrease as winter approaches.

The measures being taken by the Chinese government may slow down its economic growth and in turn reduce some of the material price increases being experienced throughout the world.

Conclusion
Contractors must be careful to protect their own interests in a market that is shifting an increased amount of risk onto contractors. Protection from material price increases is just one of the considerations contractors must keep in mind. Owners must also be aware that current material shortages can delay projects and increase their costs.

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construction experts and claims consultants articles

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The Cost of Doing Business - Is Your Company Suffering from Increasing Material Prices?

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This year, exceptionally high price increases of construction materials have caused serious problems for the construction industry. A major factor is the current economic and construction boom occurring in China. China is experiencing rapid growth and, with it, tremendous construction activity which is creating shortages in the US and throughout the world.

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Heres an article about scheduling and managing change orders.I chose this article because these 2 things are very important.

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The goal of any contractor is to build a project on time and within budget. To be an effective and productive contractor, one must have a complete understanding of the construction process, which includes not only building the project, but, more importantly, effective scheduling and management of the project. The contractor is ultimately responsible for managing its activities as well as the activities of the construction parties under its supervision.

Successfully managing a construction project is a four-step process. It requires that the parties establish a project plan, develop a project schedule, monitor the project schedule, and manage change events. Each step requires dedication and commitment from each team member, and each step in the process is essential to a successful project outcome.
Step 1: Establishing a Project Plan
The first step in successfully managing a construction project is establishing a game plan for executing the work. Planning should be thought of as completing a puzzle. All of the pieces must be identified, as they are all necessary to complete the puzzle. Furthermore, this process involves establishing the time and cost for each piece, ultimately leading to the total time and cost of the project.

The owner, architect or engineer, and contractor (if involved) will develop the plans and specifications for the project, as well as the overall sequence of construction activities. Each construction activity is then identified and assigned to a construction party, who identifies what is included in its scope of work and what related activities are not included. This identification process is critical for the contractor to know what activities have not been assigned and could "slip through the cracks."

During the project planning phase, the project price is established using several methodologies, such as competitively bidding, utilizing a not-to-exceed value, or paying for the cost of the work plus a fixed fee. Once the project price is established, the contract documents are reviewed, approved, and executed. During project pricing, product suppliers and manufacturers are also assigned.

Also during this phase, the construction parties must educate themselves regarding the procedures, problems, and pitfalls of obtaining labor in the project location. They must assess availability of equipment, and of suppliers and manufacturers of construction components. Finally, all construction projects must meet the requirements of a regulatory governmental body, and the contractor is generally charged with obtaining all necessary permits.

Though every piece of the puzzle may not be known at the time of planning, an effort must be made to establish the full scope of work including the construction tasks. Once all of the "puzzle pieces" have been identified, assigned durations, sequenced, assigned to parties, and priced by parties, the project schedule can be developed.
Step 2: Developing a Project Schedule
Following planning,the second step in successfully managing a construction project is developing the schedule. Proper scheduling of the work tasks is the most critical aspect of the construction management process. The project schedule not only divides the work by activities, but it allows other parties to know what activities need to be performed and when. All construction parties need to be involved in planning the schedule and "buy into" the project sequence before construction begins.

A schedule can be as simple as a bar chart or as sophisticated as a computer model, but it must be developed and utilized. In a bar chart, each bar represents an activity and the length of the bar represents the activity duration. The bars can be stacked and placed so that as one activity is completed, the next activity in the sequence begins. The following is a sample bar chart schedule:

Typically, construction schedules are computerized. There are multiple software programs that produce reliable schedules, with most utilizing the critical path methodology (CPM) technique. Of all techniques available, CPM has proven to be the most useful and effective means of developing and displaying project progress.

Utilizing the CPM technique, each work activity is assigned a duration, start date, and end date, and is sequenced to follow and precede another activity. This sequence of events becomes a construction path. Generally, there are multiple paths created and many can occur simultaneously with and independently of one another. But there is only one continuous path that occurs from the beginning of the project to the end; that path is considered the "critical path." Delays in non-critical work activity paths will generally not delay the overall project; however, delays to the critical path will. Planning and scheduling project activities with CPM software creates a logic diagram or network that can be displayed graphically.

In a successful construction project, the schedule becomes the project roadmap that all parties can review to determine when their respective work is sequenced. This allows parties to plan accordingly and ensure that they have the required materials, labor, and equipment available to perform their respective work. The schedule also informs construction parties what work precedes, follows, and occurs simultaneously with their work. This will allow each party to plan its work at the project site so that it will not interfere with other parties' work. Further, the schedule allows the owner, architect, engineer, and contractor to plan decisions or approvals on certain project items or deliverables.
Step 3: Monitoring the Project Schedule
The third step in successfully managing a construction project is monitoring progress. Before construction begins, the schedule is a plan, also known (later on in the project) as the "baseline" schedule. However, once construction begins, the schedule becomes a dynamic tool that can, and often will, change depending on progress. The contractor is responsible for ensuring the schedule is actively updated, which includes recording activity dates and durations once they have occurred. This is known as an "updated" schedule.

Once the frequency of schedule updates is determined, the contractor will instruct the construction parties relative to updating their own work tasks. Normally, a schedule is updated monthly in order to keep pace with monthly payment applications. This should be a minimum frequency for all project schedule updates, no matter what the project.

Based on the new information, all schedule activities that should have started during the updated period are identified. All activities that were underway during the updated period are tracked and assigned progress. Finally, all activities that should have been completed during the updated period are identified. By performing these updates, any activity that is not on schedule will be recognized and can then be evaluated.

There could be a number of reasons why an activity is not on schedule, including a design change or work that was added or subtracted. Whatever the reason, the schedule must be updated and re-issued to the involved parties. Additionally, it is important to analyze all of the scheduled and executed activities to determine whether the updates will affect the project completion date. If a delayed activity was not on the critical path, it may not affect the timely completion of the project. However, if a delayed activity was on the critical path, the entire project will be delayed. If this occurs, the contractor's obligation is to investigate the involved work activities and mitigate any delay.
Step 4: Managing Change Events
The fourth step in successfully managing a construction project is managing change events, as changes will inevitably occur. Managing the schedule to account for changes is different than monitoring progress and reflecting that progress in an updated schedule.

Whereas an "updated" schedule reflects progress of the ongoing work and the data date changes as appropriate, a "revised" schedule includes modifications to future baseline schedule work components or activities. These modifications could include work activities broken down into more refined tasks to more precisely describe the sequence of events. An example of such a refinement could be breaking the foundation work into several activities such as surveying for footing locations, drilling the footings, assembling reinforcement steel cages, casting concrete for the footings, and setting foundation anchor bolts. A change to a specific activity such as this describes future work in more detail and is considered a revision to the schedule.

Once the construction has begun, it may be necessary to re-sequence certain activities to more accurately reflect project construction. In doing this, the activities that were originally scheduled to commence before and after the re-sequenced activity must be re-sequenced and re-scheduled as well.

Other changes to planned activities could include modifying durations. After a project begins, it may be determined that a certain activity planned to take two weeks to complete should actually take three. For this change not to affect the final project completion date, the schedule has to be adjusted to absorb the additional week duration. Or, if no other activity timeline can be compressed, the change must remain and additional manpower or manhours must be scheduled to compensate.

Other changes that occur on a construction project involve uncommon and common events. Uncommon events can include unusual weather, labor disturbances, and/or outside events that neither the owner nor contractor can control. Of these uncommon events, unusual weather is the most often occurring with the greatest impact on the schedule. Contractors include expected weather delays into their initial scheduling, but unusual weather, such as a hurricane, can affect overall project progress. Common change events include design changes, owner-added change orders, incomplete designs that have since become complete, or different conditions that occur on a project that were not anticipated.

Any changes that affect the future project schedule must be documented. Furthermore, these changes must be evaluated to determine the most appropriate revision to the planned schedule. All parties involved in the project must "buy into" the change or, if not, the revised construction activity must be modified to accommodate the involved parties.

If a contractor or its subcontractors delay their own work based on their own actions or inactions, the schedule should reflect the extended duration, and the cause of that extension should be documented. The contractor must assess the cause of the delay and pursue a solution. If there is insufficient labor, materials, or equipment to properly execute the work, the contractor must determine if additional resources can be utilized. If a contractor's subcontractor is delayed, the contractor must assist in resolving the reasons for the delay. Furthermore, if the subcontractor is under contract with the contractor, the contractor is ultimately responsible, and it is its duty to rectify the delay and provide the necessary resources to put the project back on track.

Any revisions or routine updates to the construction schedule must be republished, distributed, and communicated to all parties involved in the construction process. It should be noted that the planned completion date should not be affected by publishing a revised schedule. If the planned completion date has been changed, the contractor must evaluate the project sequencing and determine how to avoid a different completion date than originally planned, unless a schedule extension is granted.
Conclusion
In conclusion, scheduling and managing a construction project is composed of four steps, including planning, scheduling work activities, monitoring construction progress, and finally, managing changes to the project plan. Without a proper and complete construction schedule including adequate updates and revisions, construction parties cannot be informed of and ultimately held accountable for the timing and duration of their planned activities. Further, it will keep parties informed of the status of others' activities that may precede or follow their work. Finally, it is the contractor's duty and the owner's right to be continuously informed of construction progress. Adhering to these best practices will ensure a successful relationship between the owner, contractor, and subcontractors and thus, a successful completed project.

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construction experts and claims consultants articles

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Every Step Counts in Successful Project Management

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The goal of any contractor is to build a project on time and within budget. To be an effective and productive contractor, one must have a complete understanding of the construction process, which includes not only building the project, but, more importantly, effective scheduling and management of the project.

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Heres a picture of some road work being done. I chose this because I have always been interested in road work.

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Heres a picture of a dozer using gps on the blade. I chose this because its interesting to see how technology is changing construction.

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P8
Heres a picture of a building being demolished. Ive always loved watching demolition and hope to one day get involved in it

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Here is a picture of a drown being used on a job site. I chose this to show the new wave of technology being used in the industry.

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In this picture a house is being built. I chose this picture because I have always been interested in residential construction.

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This is a picture of a bridge being built. I chose this picture because I have some interest in heavy civil

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A picture of a job site. I chose this because there's nothing better than being on a job site compared to a office.

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This picture shows a group of people some possible cms and contractors. I chose this because I will be doing this as a cm one day.

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P2
This picture shows plans being turned into a house. I chose this because it shows multiple phases of construction.

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P1
This is a picture of concrete getting poured shows the team work that goes into construction.

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This video describes what it takes to be a cm, everything from being a good communicator, well educated, and being organized. Also a quick run down of daily opperations.

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A Day in the Life: Construction Project Management

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I found this video to be pretty interesting, in this video a cm goes to a job site to do a on site bid.

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Giving a landscaping or Lawn care estimate On the Spot can be both Good and Bad. I use it as a tool to weed out unrealistic customers. We talk about construction management and Estimating techniques. The Landscape Business Pro Podcast- The Voice of the Landscaping and Construction Industry.

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This construction manager describes what he does on the job site, in the office, and how he balances all of this in a daily basis.

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How to Become a Construction Project Manager

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This video describes construction managers controlling a project and how it is critical to unify architects, general contractors, engineers, and facility managers.

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Construction Management Association of America (CMAA)

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What is a Certified Construction Manager?

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Uploaded by Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) on 2015-04-06.

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V6
This video describes the different jobs that are available in the construction management field, the courses you will need to take to become a construction manager, and the career opportunities.

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Construction Management Degrees   Career Options and Salaries

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Constructionmanagementdegree.com has put together information on job options, salary levels, and necessary training for successful construction managers. The field is getting more competitive and more dependent on technology, and getting a construction management degree is a requirement for some of the best jobs in the field.

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V5
This video is a time lapse of the new world trade center getting built in NYC from 2004-2013. Its pretty cool to see something that took 9 years to build put into a 2 minute video.

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Official One World Trade Center Time-Lapse 2004-2013

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V4
In this video is Bruce Stephan, who has worked in the construction industry or 30 years, he describes some of his experiences in managing projects as well as the need for a great workforce.

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Kimmel School Construction Management Video

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Bruce Stephan, 30-year veteran of the construction industry, discusses his experience managing public works projects in a variety of operating environments. Bruce talks about the quality, productivity, safety, and social benefits of prevailing wage construction and the importance of a highly trained and skilled workforce for public works.

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V3
Gordon, a construction manager, describes how he got to become a cm, describes his day to day responsibilities, and as well as his career goals.

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A day in the life of a Construction Manager

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V2
This video describes the many phases of a construction manager. it shows how the construction manager is involved in the project from the very beginning. everything from planning, development, building and managing the project through its completion.

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V1
This is a great video that shows a quick overview of a construction managers career and what the day to day tasks would look like. This video also goes thru a list of responsibilities a construction manager will have.

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http://www.citytowninfo.com/employment/construction-managers Interested in a becoming a construction manager? Watch this video to learn what a career in construction management is really like. Provides an overview of day to day working life of a construction manager.