In the first of a series of posts about project management and build projects, we tackle the basics and outline the benefits of hiring a project manager.
RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) define project management as:
“the management of people, time and costs…to ensure the efficient commencement, progress and conclusion of a project.
Responsibilities include design, procurement, planning authorities, budget, contractors, clients, change, the lifecycle of the project, document management and other areas.
Project management in the construction industry also has to comply with sustainability, insurance, health and safety, and legal requirements.”
The main challenge is to achieve all of the project’s goals within any given constraints, e.g. timescales and budget.
Project management can start from Day 1. You can appoint a project manager to pull your design team together, obtain quotes from different professionals, work with them to develop the brief, and manage them through the design stages to ensure you reach a signed off design that meets your brief. Although for a small to medium-sized project, the client usually fulfils this role.
During the construction phase, there are numerous third parties that need to be managed: the design team, building inspector, construction professionals (such as surveyors, structural engineers, M&E engineers), groundwork contractor (if required), main contractor, sub-contractors and specialist trades, and numerous suppliers.
We often find that clients want to save money by managing their project themselves. It’s understandable but unfortunately almost always a false economy.
Most people have some experience of managing personal or work projects. However, the world of construction is very different – knowledge of construction terminology, building materials, the order in which jobs need to be done and when to schedule various third parties all add to the complexity. So, unless you have a background in the construction industry or have already managed a build project, it will be a steep learning curve and stressful!
When you’re about to spend a lot of money on your property, not only do you want to ensure you get the best value for your money, you want to protect the investment of time and money you’re putting into the process and avoid costly mistakes.
We look at who you can hire as your project manager.