The construction or building works industry is a thriving industry as a result of the ever increasing demand for construction. Often managing construction projects is a difficult process with a range of skills required to execute. With the inadequacy or total lack of such skills, the possible failure to mismanage a building work becomes a reality and the results can be disastrous. A mishandled project is synonymous with disagreements, increased costs, interruptions and of course frustrations. Succinctly, the work of a project manager is crucial in ensuring that everything goes to plan.
In the case you are not able to manage your building works; the other option is for you to employ the services of a professional building contractor. The two broad and major keys or skills for properly managing a building work are having a good plan and communication with your construction team. The planning part is habitually the hardest part as it is the first stage of any project whereby the building works concept is put in a project management plan. Below are some other top tips for project managing your building works apart from the aforementioned two.
1. Proper documentation
There are always documents involved in building works including receipts, quotations, contacts, contracts, certificate and plans. Usually complications can arise at the start or at any other stage of construction, and having proper documentation will help in mitigating the possible adverse effects to the project.
2. Contracts
Usually building works involve a lot of builders/constructors specialized in specific areas. Having sound plans, contracts and specifications will go a long way in greatly improving your communication. With a detailed and proper contract, it would be possible to implement the plans and specifications as every builder/constructor would have been furnished with how and which tasks to handle.
3. Anticipation of possible stumbling block
It is only human that sometimes things do not go as planned. A good project manager should be able to anticipate such a situation and plan accordingly. In some rare cases even with anticipation, there are times when the unexpected just happens. In such a circumstance, you must be able to provide a fast and clear way forward or simply improvise as soldiers like to say.
4. Motivate and keep your building works team happy
Motivation can be as simple as paying reasonably for services rendered and not looking at every possible opportunity to squeeze cost at the expense of builders. Screwing your workers or builders is a sure guarantee to a project fail which would in the long run be costly to you. Also through regular communication any possible misunderstandings can be cleared which may have affected the project’s health.
5. Time management
Within various business cycles it is often said time is money. This simply shows how crucial time is. Let us be frank, managing time is always a challenge to many of us. And what really can you accomplish without proper time management? I guarantee you chaos after chaos. Come up with a programme that would help you manage time. You can employ the use of Ganttchart, possible to list every activity to be carried out and the time or period allocated for such.
6. Mitigate risks of accidents
Building works are always susceptible to accidents. Keeping the site tidy and providing necessary construction apparel and equipment.
In conclusion, as has been rightly been observed, there are quite a number of top tips for project managing your building works. And I must admit our list is not that exhaustive. A greater participation with the professional team will go a long way in exhausting what is needed for a proper project management.