How to Manage a Construction Site

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You can manage a construction site without going crazy. It’s not easy, but it’s possible with the right skills, software, and personality. You just need to know what to do and what not to do. It’s challenging to manage a construction site because you have so many different people with different skillsets all trying to get something done at once. There are architects, engineers, builders and subcontractors, all of whom have their own roles and responsibilities within the framework of the project as a whole. That’s why you need to understand how to manage a construction site so that everyone works efficiently.

What is a Construction Site Manager’s Responsibilities?

If you’re managing a construction site, you’re in charge of keeping everything on track and on budget. You’ll be working closely with project owners, architects, engineers and contractors to make sure that everyone’s work is coordinated and that no one is stepping on each other’s toes. You’re also in charge of communicating with subcontractors and suppliers, as well as with clients. When managing a construction site, you’ll also be responsible for managing your team’s time. You’ll want to make sure that everyone is putting in the necessary hours and working productively during those hours. You don’t want anyone slacking off on the job, but you also don’t want anyone working themselves to death.

Plan and Manage the Timing of Tasks

Construction sites are complicated places, but they’re also very regimented. There are a lot of tasks that need to be done in a certain order to ensure that they get done correctly. If you don’t manage the timing of these tasks, you could find yourself having to redo work that’s already been done. To plan and manage the timing of tasks, you’ll want to use a construction management software like Bluebeam Revu. Revu is easy to use and it has all the tools you need to stay on top of all the different processes involved in your project. First, you’ll want to create a schedule for all of the tasks involved in your project. You should include all of the subtasks associated with each main task. This is the easiest way to make sure that everything is getting done when it needs to get done and that no one is stepping on anyone else’s toes.

Communicate Constantly

Construction is a noisy, messy business. You’re going to have workers digging, cutting and hammering away, and you’ll have other workers delivering materials, hauling away debris and so on. If you don’t communicate with everyone to let them know what they can and can’t do while the noise and disruption is happening, you’ll have a very unhappy and unproductive team. To communicate constantly, you’ll have to use a combination of face-to-face communication and written communication. You can’t just talk to your team members whenever they want to talk to you. You need to schedule specific times to talk to each person. You should also write down any instructions or guidelines you want to distribute. This will help you stay organized and efficient.

Don’t Micromanage

If you’re managing a construction site, you’ve hired competent people who know what they’re doing, so you don’t want to micromanage them. Don’t micromanage your team members by constantly checking in with them about minute details. Let them take care of their jobs. If you’re constantly interrupting someone who’s trying to do something, you’re going to drive them crazy and they won’t be able to work efficiently. You do want to check in with team members who are working on tasks that have consequences that extend beyond the project, however. For example, if you’re hiring an electrician to upgrade the wiring on the construction site, you should probably check in with them to make sure they know what they’re doing.

Don’t be Afraid to Walk Around and Check in with People

As the manager of a construction site, you need to walk around and check in with people. You don’t want to be a walk-around manager who walks around constantly, but you do need to take a walk around the site every once in a while to make sure that everything is going smoothly and to talk to people about what they’re doing. When you walk around, you’re not just walking around to be a nuisance and check in on people. You’re also walking around to observe the work that’s being done and the people who are doing it.

Don’t Overreact When Things Go Wrong

Construction is a messy business. You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to encounter issues that will slow down or derail your project. This is inevitable. What’s important is how you respond to these issues. If something goes wrong, don’t overreact. Take a minute to assess the situation and figure out the best way to respond to it. You don’t want to freak out or get angry and make the problem worse. You want to be level-headed and calm. You want to respond in a way that will get the problem fixed as quickly as possible.

Hold Daily Meetings

If you’re managing a construction site, you need to hold daily meetings with your team members. You may also have to hold meetings with your subcontractors and suppliers. The more people involved in the project, the more meetings you’re going to have to hold. You should hold daily meetings with your team members so that everyone is on the same page. You should also hold meetings with your team members and subcontractors and suppliers so that they all know what their responsibilities are, what the next steps are and what the overall project timeline looks like.

Don’t Over-Rely on Technology

As a construction manager, you’re going to be bombarded with requests for new technology such as computer-aided design software, cloud-based project management software and so on. You’re going to want to put all of this technology to work for you, but don’t over-rely on it. Construction dispatch software like Vizzn will help you get the right people and equipment to a job site when needed – saving you a ton of money! When you’re managing a construction site, you want to be able to see the progress your team members are making visually. You want to be able to see where the progress is being made and what the progress looks like. You don’t want to be staring at a computer screen all day. In fact, a lot of construction managers prefer pen and paper over computers.

Lead by example

You’re the manager on the construction site, so you need to set an example for your team members. They will be watching what you do, as well as listening to what you say. If you’re not working just as hard as they are, they won’t take you seriously. If you’re not doing the right thing, they won’t do the right thing, either. You have to work just as hard as everyone else on the site. You have to do everything that everyone else does, so that your team members know that you’re not putting yourself above them. If you don’t do these things, you won’t be an effective manager.

Summing up

The best way to manage a construction site is to know what to do and what not to do. That way, you can avoid making costly mistakes and you can get the project completed on time and on budget. There are so many different people with different skillsets who need to work together on a construction site. If you know how to manage a construction site, you can help these people work together effectively.