Last Updated on November 10, 2022
Construction projects can be complex, especially as they involve different supply lines, contractors, and other similar elements. This is why proper management is essential to ensure any construction project’s successful completion.
Project management in the construction space may be complicated, but the good news is different tools can improve your chances of finishing your plans effectively and efficiently.
One of the most reliable ways to fulfill construction projects is to use project management and estimating software. Not familiar with these programs? Here’s what you need to know.
What is Construction Management?
Before we talk about the tools that help in construction project management, the best way to start is to understand what exactly construction management is.
When talking about the completion of a project, construction management is a service offered by professionals that handles the project’s budget, cost, scope, safety, schedule, and other factors. Managers are given control of the project and they have the responsibility to see it to completion.
Construction management can be an overwhelming task that requires planning, communication, and organization skills. It deals with outlining goals, delegating tasks, and monitoring the project’s progress.
What is Construction Estimating?
Budgeting and costing are important aspects of construction management. After all, the project would not be able to push through without funds and the proper management of it.
In relation to this, construction estimating is an essential part of a construction company’s job because it allows them to provide a quotation to clients.
When estimating the cost of a construction project, some of the aspects contractors consider include the materials, labor, and professional fees for engineers, architects, and other similar experts.
The resulting amount after considering all these factors is quoted to clients, and if they agree with the cost, the agreement is reflected in the contract. Both parties need to sign the contract before starting the project.
Construction Estimating and Management Software: How it Works
Given the processes that make up construction management and estimating, you might be wondering how such a program adds value to the industry, especially to contractors and managers.
For estimations, contractors need to consult different departments or professionals, so they provide a more accurate approximation of the cost. Estimation programs automate the process by looking at databases and performing calculations.
The most important thing to realize about management and estimation is that tools meant to aid in these processes already exist. However, they exist separately.
To understand this, just think about spreadsheets, clocking programs, and other management tools. You can definitely use a combination of these to complete your construction project, but you would need to refer to different platforms to monitor everything completely.
What management and estimation programs do is take all the tools needed to complete a construction project and place them on a single platform. This way, managers do not have to go from one tool to another just to keep track of the progress.
With the right software, managers and their teams can better collaborate, share files, communicate and make decisions, and ultimately complete the project.
The key is choosing a program that works for the company. A great option integrates different tools for task creation and delegation, progress monitoring, report generation, issues addressing, scheduling, communication, file sharing, and more.
The Advantages of Construction Estimating and Management Software
Given the existence of construction estimating and management programs, you should wonder if you should use these tools when managing a project. Such software offers different benefits that can make project management much more efficient and effective. Check them out below.
Proper Outlining of Tasks
There are different ways to outline tasks, which can be effective for personal project management, but not for big undertakings like construction. This is because there are so many moving parts involved in completing a construction project.
As a manager, you want to make sure that every team member is updated about the goals and is aware of the tasks assigned to them.
The best thing about these programs is that these programs are collaborative, allowing team members to see whether there are changes to assignments, goals, and schedules.
Streamlining Project Processes
Another advantage offered by project management and estimation software is that they help make sure that every process involved in the project passes through a single platform.
Managers and their teams do not have to look at different platforms because most of the information they need is located in one place.
Setting Workable and Realistic Expectations
When undertaking projects, one of the most vital responsibilities of a manager is to set expectations and goals. You want to make sure that your objectives are realistic and have well-defined routes to completion.
Construction management and estimation programs can help not only lay out the things needed done, but also provide a clear way to do them. This plan can include calendars, budget allotment, and resource provision.
Realistic expectations also play an important role in construction estimation, especially as contractors need to provide realistic and accurate approximations. This way, they can avoid giving quotations that would later turn out to be insufficient or over the top.
Efficient Progress Monitoring
The work of a manager does not end with helping plan the project, delegating tasks, and scheduling jobs. They also need to stay on top of things, especially as they need to make sure that each item is completed successfully while staying within the budget.
This is why progress monitoring is an essential aspect of a construction manager’s job. The good news is that project management tools can help them keep track of every change in the plan, including completions, delays, and reports.
Having access to updated information about the project can help managers make adjustments to schedules and budgets, accordingly.
Effective Issues Addressing
Lastly, a project manager should keep in mind that anything that could go wrong can go the negative route, which means that they should always be on their toes in case issues arise.
Team members should be able to report any problems they encounter, so they can notify their supervisors right away. This is why programs with a reporting and ticketing system should be preferred.
With the in-depth features of management and estimation software, they can track the roots of the issue, assign accountabilities, plan to rectify any mistakes and make a decision.
The Bottom Line
Now that you know what construction management and estimation are, as well as the functions of programs designed to deal with these processes, you might want to go with a contractor that utilizes effective management and estimation software. This way, you can rest assured that your project is will be completed successfully with time- and cost-efficiency.
