Construction Project Management.

There are two primary types of PM in construction. New build, whether start with nothing or add on to existing and

refurbishment.  I design new builds etc, but I predominately design and manage refurbs and refit's, to that end I have studied National Heritage Building Conservation as well as my Architectural Technology Degree plus RICS Quantity Surveying because everything needs appraising and costing, to the nth degree.

 Project Managers in construction are best deployed on-site, you can't take conditions at play into account if you are sat in an office somewhere. A missed delivery to site can have ramifications months down the line and needs dealing with, then!

How do WE go about it?   For a start, in this case it isn't WE, its the PM, this isn't about corporate strategy as Corporate Real Estate is, this is about MANAGING ON THE RUN. The clock is ticking and the client wants it done. As a Professional retailer of almost 20 years, money is a commodity in low supply, I ran a million pound a week department and profit is low. therefore, the PM is accountable. Most refurbs are CAT A or CAT B. 

CAT A. For general consumption. is : 

     a fit out for commercial property owners, creating a blank slate that a tenant can exercise control over what goes in to it. You wouldn't take over a shop in a mall that is fitted out for shoe sales if you want to open a coffee shop. the landlord fits in walls , electricals and plumbing, but either let's the tenant do the rest.  A large European supermarket chain has landlords build or refit the shell and car park which they sign a lease for upon handover, they then have their own crew fit the interior out.

CAT B: 

   The Landlord creates a fully fitted, ready to move into office, shop or theme that the new tenant can walk right into. It entails more design elements, and cost,  than a shell fit does.

Refurbishments are more sustainable than new builds, but entail more activity and environmental concerns. You are sometimes taking out decades old fittings, wiring and structural finishes and coming across a potential time bomb in unregistered Asbestos. 

Your Project Manager needs to be more on the ball, construction history, contracts, design, procurement and elements wise than the traditional office based role.  Builders will take liberties, construction is very fluid and sometimes human nature takes over, you need to spot the occasional exaggeration and be more observant in meetings.

You have site managers to build things, although Site and Construction are frequently separate, they are the experts, as are the contractors - never tell a bricklayer the work is shoddy if you dont have a specification nailed down in writing AND you actually know what it means.  English cross bond and Flemish bond brickwork are similar, but the architect will be very unhappy if you haven't spotted the change. A brick layer takes 180 in college weeks plus site experience to be on your site,  My Bsc  Hons  in Architecture cost me only a few more, at 208 weeks. There is not much between a NVQ3 and a Professional degree.  

"Your PM has to know of what they say and do"

Primarily, the PM deals with contract, procurement and HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS.

more on the latter minefield later.

You cant build anything without a plan - i am  assuming that is already done and have a few words on planning later. - and MATERIALS.

Sounding like a book yet?

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