What is Construction Management?
Date Posted: December 7, 2021
Posted In: Discussion, News,
From Big Rentz: Construction management is a vocation that involves the oversight of a building project’s schedule, cost, quality and safety. Construction managers hold a highly respected position within the construction industry, and the role requires a broad range of skills, from planning and budgeting to communicating with the project owner and stakeholders.
Construction Manager Position Overview
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in construction management, these are the key functions of the role, including education and experience requirements:
- Key Responsibilities: Overseeing project budget, schedule, function and safety
- Necessary Skills: Communication, decision-making, administrative skills, problem-solving, budgeting, time management
- Education Requirements: B.S. in construction management, construction science, architecture or a related field
- Experience Needed: Experience working in construction; depends on education level
- Average Pay in the U.S.: $115,447
- Optional Certifications: Certified Construction Manager (CMM), Associate Constructor (AC), Certified Professional Constructor (CPC)
Why Is This Role Important?
The construction manager (CM) plays an integral role in ensuring that the build is successful and stays within the budget. They work closely with the project manager and owner throughout the construction process and collaborate with subcontractors to create accurate timeframes and cost estimates during preconstruction. This helps reduce expensive change orders during construction and ensures that everyone stays on the same page, making the project run as smoothly as possible.
Construction Manager vs. Project Manager vs. General Contractor
Construction management, project management (PM) and general contracting share many similarities, but they each play a distinct role in the building process.
While the CM is responsible for managing the construction portion of a building project, the PM oversees all aspects of the project, including site selection during the planning phase and the move into the facility once construction is complete. The PM typically supervises the CM, and the two work together to ensure that the project stays on schedule and within budget.
Like the CM, the general contractor is also responsible for overseeing the building project to ensure that it stays on track. However, they are generally not involved in the preconstruction process and have a unique set of responsibilities. These include receiving subcontractor proposals, coordinating subcontractors during the project and submitting a proposal that is as low as possible to the project owner.