The main principles of construction project management

Everything starts with the project owner reaching out to contractors in order to ask for bids.
The managers of construction that are interested in carrying out the project will, then, offer a
bid to the owner. The bid will include details about the amount of money that the project
owner has to offer for the project to be completed. There are two types of bids:
1. Open bid: Open bids are inextricably connected to public projects. It’s an auction where any
contractor is welcome to make his offer. An open bid is normally openly promoted.
2. Closed bid: Private projects are based on closed bids. The project owner sends a bid
invitation to a specific number of contractors.

Project management processes

The bidding process is over and now it’s time for all the people involved in the project to make
it happen. This structure could be outlined in four basic stages:

1. Project initiation
During the first phase, the objective and the feasibility of the project are determined. This is a
crucial stage of the whole process since it can indicate whether this project is a good
opportunity or not. If necessary, a feasibility study is conducted and based on its results a
recommended solution/plan is issued.
Once everything is decided, a project initiation document (PID) is created. The project initiation
document provides the groundwork for the construction plan and is one of the most vital
artifacts in project management.

2. Planning phase
The project planning stage is where the team singles out all the work to be done. The main
priority, during the planning phase, is to plan time, costs and resources for the project. Based
on those requirements the team is developing the strategy that has to be followed. Another
important document that has to be prepared is a work breakdown structure (WBS), a checklist
that divides all the necessary work into smaller more functional categories, prepared in
software’s.
As soon as the budget, schedule, and work have been defined the project is almost ready to
begin. The next step of this really important process is risk management. At this point, the team
should examine all the potential threats for the project and come up with solid solutions.
Finally, a communication plan is, also, necessary as it will establish an efficient information flow
between the project stakeholders.
3. Execution phase
In the execution phase, the construction project management plan is put to work. As a rule, this
phase is divided into two main processes: the executing and the monitoring and controlling.
The project team makes sure that the required tasks are being performed. At the same time,
progress is monitored and changes are being made accordingly.
4. Closing phase
The final stage of the project represents its official completion. The project manager is
evaluating what went well and refers to any potential failures. In the end, the team conducts a
project report, calculates the final budget and offers information about any tasks that remain
unfinished.
5.Project scheduling
Reliable scheduling can eliminate many risks that may come up during a construction project.
The main goal of scheduling is to improve the allocation of materials and resources within a
project. In that way, any potential delays can be avoided and better communication between
all the different parties could be ensured. There is a certain number of different scheduling
techniques that a project manager could select:

Gantt Charts: It is, without doubt, one of the most practical systems that a project team
can have at its disposal. A Gantt chart can offer you an overview of a construction
project and let you know about tasks that are left behind or being completed on time.
Line of balance scheduling: The line of balance technique is an extremely useful method
for repeated tasks. It can provide remarkable help in meeting deadlines and assigning
resources effectively.
Critical path method: It’s one of the most popular scheduling tools and it helps a lot
towards the systematic distribution of resources and accurate calculation of timelines.
In a nutshell, a critical path method can contribute to the earlier or at least on-time
completion of your construction project.
Q-Scheduling: This construction scheduling method allows project managers to put
numerous, and sometimes conflicting tasks, in the right order.

The role of a construction project manager

A construction project manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, budgeting and
supervising projects from the beginning to the end. In short, a construction project
manager has to take care of the following:
Put together the budget and negotiate cost estimates

Arrange the work timetables

Choose the most efficient construction method and strategies
 Stay in touch with the clients for work or budget-related issues
Discuss technical and contract details with workers and other professional parties
Keep an eye on the personnel in construction onsite

Cooperate with building and construction specialists

Contractor: Role and duties
The construction project manager chooses the contractor of the project as soon as the design is
completed. In some cases, this can happen even when the project is still in development. The
selection is based on an auction process with various contractors. There are three prevailing
methods based on which a contractor is picked: low-bid selection, best-value selection, and
qualification-based selection.