MODULE 1 – The Construction Process

A. INTRODUCTION TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

“Construction management (CM) entails the planning, scheduling, evaluation, and controlling of construction tasks or activities
to accomplish specific objectives by effectively allocating and utilizing appropriate labor, material, and time resources in a
manner that minimizes costs and maximizes customer/owner satisfaction.” (CharlesPatrick’s Construction Project Planning and
Scheduling)

Functions of construction management

1. estimating the project,

2. contract administration,

3. managing job site and construction operations,

4. planning and scheduling the project,

5. controlling project performance,

6. managing project quality,

7. managing project safety,

8. managing project risks.

TYPES OF PROJECTS

Projects can generally be classified into three sectors: buildings, infrastructure, and process.

1. BUILDING SECTORS

Building-sector projects include commercial buildings, schools, office buildings, and hospitals. For building-sector projects,
where the architect is the prime designer, the design follows three stages: schematic, design development, and contract
documents. The schematic design produces the basic appearance of the project, building elevations, layout of floors, room
arrangements within the building, and overall features of the project. Design development defines the functional use and
systems in the project in order to produce the contract documents, the plans and specifications for constructing the project.

2. INFRASTRUCTURE-SECTOR PROJECTS
include transportation systems, such as city streets, county roads, state and federal highways, airports, or navigational
waterways. The infrastructure sector also includes utility projects, such as water and sewer line systems, gas
distribution lines, and electrical transmission and distribution, telephone, and cable lines. For these types of projects the
owner may be a private company or an agency of the government. The prime designer is the engineer, who generally
prepares a complete design before construction contracts are created.

3. PROCESS SECTOR

Process-sector projects include chemical plants, oil refining, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, and electrical generating.
Engineers are the prime designers of process-sector projects. The stages of design include preliminary engineering, detailed
engineering, and development of the contract documents.

TYPES OF OWNERSHIP

Projects may also be classified as private-sector or public-sector projects.

The owner of a private sector project is typically a business that provides goods and services for a profit. Examples include
commercial retail stores, manufacturing facilities, industrial process plants, and entertainment facilities.
 The owner of public-sector projects is typically a government agency, such as city, county, state, or federal. Examples
include local school boards, state highway departments, or the federal department of energy or defense. For public-sector
projects the owner typically uses the competitive-hid method based on the lowest bid price for securing engineering and
construction services.

B. THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

STAGES

1. The Design Stage

Every project starts with a design, and the design process involves an intensive study and a lot of considerations.
Architects and engineers basically take ideas combined with certain requirements and develop the two into
comprehensible plans and specifications that are used to construct the new building or facility.
There are four steps to the design process:
a. Programming and feasibility
b. Schematic design
c. Design development
d. Contract documents

2. The Procurement Stage

To procure means to buy or obtain. The procurement stage of construction management is often referred to as “buying
out” the job or purchasing the labor, materials, and equipment needed to complete the project.

3. The Construction Stage - Once the work is ready to start, the superintendent will call for a pre-construction meeting
with all the subcontractors and major material vendors. This meeting essentially establishes the ground rules for
working together. The superintendent also uses this opportunity to go over issues such as work sequencing, work hours,
material storage, quality control, site access, and many other pertinent topics.

4. Post-Construction Stage.
The Project Closeout - The final step in the construction process is the project closeout. As previously stated, along
with project startup, this step often becomes the most difficult to manage. This is the stage where all the loose ends get
taken care of as the construction team readies the facility for occupancy by the end users. This is the time when the
contractor turns the building over to the owner. However, before the owner actually takes possession of the facility,
there are a number of sequential steps that must be performed by the contractor. The construction management team
must complete the following list of final standard procedures before they can celebrate the completion of a job well
done:
i. Project punchout
ii. Substantial completion
iii. Final inspection
iv. Certificate of occupancy
v. Commissioning
vi. Final documentation
vii. Final completion

C. OWNER’S SELECTION OF CONTRACTORS AND DESIGNERS

Architectural programming

The research and decision-making process, initiated by an owner, usually with the help of an architect or other programming
specialist, that identifies the basic needs of the client and the parameters of the project to be designed and ultimately built by a
construction professional.

Scope of work
The parameters defining the overall extent of work to be included in a construction contract. The project scope is commonly
communicated through construction plans and written specifications.

For building projects, at a minimum the architectural program typically includes information relating to the following:

1. The building site and any known constraints or challenges associated with it.

2. The building’s primary function and what is required in terms of square footage to meet the intended function.

3. The types of spaces that will be required, their adjacency to each other and how they will be used

4. Who will be using the spaces and what types of activities they will engage in

5. The mechanical and electrical needs of the facility

6. Aesthetics and architectural image

7. Any unique or special requirements associated with the project

D. PROJECT DELIVERY METHODS

Project delivery

is the process by which all the procedures and components of designing and building a facility are organized and put together in
an agreement that results in a completed project.

CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS

A. Design/Bid/Build contract
is commonly used for projects that have no unusual features and a well-defined scope. It is a three-party arrangement
involving the owner, designer, and contractor.
B. Design/Build contract
is often used to shorten the time required to complete a project or to provide flexibility for the owner to make changes
in the project during construction.

Multiple prime

A contracting methodology in which the owner bypasses the use of a general contractor and enters into multiple separate
contracts with trade or specialty contractors for the various sections of the work associated with the project, such as concrete,
framing, mechanical, and electrical work. Each of the specialty contractors involved becomes prime contractor on the project.

D. OWNER/AGENT ARRANGEMENT

is sometimes used for handling a project. Some owners perform part of the design with in-house personnel and contract the
balance of design to one or more outside design consultants.

Two general types of owners:

1. Single-builder owners are organizations that do not have a need for projects on a repetitive basis, normally have a limited
project staff, and contract all design and construction activities to outside organizations. They usually handle projects with a
design/bid/build or construction management contract.

2. Multiple-builder owners are generally large organizations that have a continual need for projects, and generally have a staff
assigned to project work. They typically will handle small-sized, short-duration projects by Design/Bid/Build. For a project in
which they desire extensive involvement, a design/build, construction management, or owner/agent contract arrangement is often
used.
Fast tracking

is a technique used to speed up the completion of a construction project by overlapping the design and construction processes.

MODULE 2 – Contract Administration

Contract administration has to do with the management of the details and information presented in the general and
supplemental conditions of the contract and at the pre-construction meeting.

1. INTRODUCTION AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

The need for a clear and accurate paper trail in construction is paramount, and the individuals charged with the contract
administration duties must be particularly dedicated to the chore if the job is to move along smoothly. Poor performance here can
be devastating.

2. CONTRACT COORDINATION

The amount of information that must be processed on a construction project is tremendous. It is probably one of the biggest and
most arduous challenges of the job and one of the primary contract administration functions.

A contract is signed between a contractor and the building owner under which the contractor agrees to construct a specific
building on a specified site and the owner agrees to pay for the materials and services provided.

A specification states what materials and equipment needs to be incorporated in the building.

A special type of specification, called the prescriptive specification details how a contractor should use and install materials to
produce a specific or all parts of the contracrt

A. Request for information (RFI) –

A written request for clarification regarding the details presented in the plans or specifications. The requests are usually
made by subcontractors through the general contractor to the architect.

B. Submittals
are similar to RFIs but are processed with a different purpose in mind. Submittals contain information concerning
products and equipment that are to be used in the building of the project. Submittals provide a means by which the
architect and owner can confirm the intent of the design.

Mock-Up
These are physical models or small samples constructed to allow the architect and owner to review the appearance and
function of materials, colors, textures, and other aesthetic features before incorporating them into the actual project.

Shop Drawings
Shop drawings include details, dimensions, and configurations of the item to be fabricated.

3. PAYMENT PROCESSING

One of the most important contract administration functions from the contractor’s perspective is getting paid on time. This
doesn’t just happen automatically.

The Payment Request Process

Requests for payment are made by the contractor to the owner via the architect on a monthly basis. The project manager or
contract administrator is usually responsible for compiling the request.

a. The Schedule of Values

The first step in the progress payment process is to complete a document called a schedule of values. This schedule
represents the project budget derived from the original project estimate.

b. The Pay Request Continuation Sheet

 This form is simply a continuation of the schedule of values, tracking previous payments and change orders as well as
identifying the current payment due.

c. Application for Payment

The application for payment is the final document needed to process a payment request. This form summarizes the
actual payment amounts and provides the official approvals required before the payment can be released.

d. The Final Payment

The job is not complete until all of the paperwork and final submittals have been delivered to the architect. Only then is
the final payment released.

The typical contract documentation needed to wrap up the job includes the following:
1. As-built drawings
2. Operation and maintenance manuals 3. Product and equipment warranties
4. Test reports
5. Surplus materials
6. Permits
7. Lien waivers

Retainage/Retention Money
A certain percentage of money owed to the contractor for work progress that is held back by the owner to encourage
completion of the project.

4. SCHEDULE ISSUES

a. Liquidated Damages

Liquidated damages are an amount of money that is assessed to the contractor for a failure to meet a specified contract
completion date.

b. Project Incentives

Project Incentives are one of the more common approaches is to reward contractors with a certain financial benefit if they
complete the job before the dedicated completion date.

5. CHANGES IN CONTRACT

The Change Order Process

As a rule, owners don’t like change orders very much; change orders often spawn many of the disputes that arise on a project.

Types of Change Orders

a. Changes in Scope

Scope changes are some of the easiest change orders to process because they are normally instigated by the owner.
Examples may range from upgrading the floor covering in the lobby to requesting more cabinets in the kitchen to adding
more square footage to the whole facility

b. Time Extensions
There are occasions when the contractor is compelled to request a time extension to the contract. Time extensions are
processed just like any other change order but are often more difficult to get approved. There are many reasons why a
time extension might be appropriate:
 1. Delays resulting from severe weather
2. Delays caused by slow responses to RFIs
3. Delays caused by slow processing of submittals or shop drawings
4. Delays caused by delinquent deliveries
5. Delays caused by labor strikes
6. Delays caused by slow permit processing
7. Delays caused by the architect (poor quality contract documents, work interference)
8. Delays caused by the owner (slow decision making, work interference)
9. Delays caused by outside protests (political groups, environmental groups, others)

6. ISSUES IN CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Claim
An issue that occurs during construction and remains unresolved after the job is complete.

Mediation
In mediation, an impartial third party (the mediator) facilitates the negotiation between the disputing parties.

Minitrial
Minitrials are one step up from mediation in terms of the amount of time and cost invested. A minitrial is conducted as
an informal private process that combines aspects of both mediation and litigation.

Arbitration
The use of binding arbitration in lieu of litigation is often stipulated in the general conditions of the contract for
construction.

MODULE 3 – Construction Project Organization and Manpower

PRIMARY PLAYERS
The three principal players in any construction project are the owner, the designers
(architects and engineers), and the contractor.
1. OWNERS
No construction would ever be accomplished without owners. They are the driving force
behind the construction industry. Their demands for housing, commercial facilities,
industrial products, and infrastructure are the chief motivation to build.
the owner is accountable for four primary duties:
a. Developing the program and outlining the needs and requirements of the end users
b. Determining the quantity, extent, and character of the project by defining the scope of
work
c. Creating the overall budget for the project, including land acquisition (if necessary),
development, design, and construction costs
d. Providing the funding for the project and making periodic payments to the designers
and the contractor.
TYPES OF OWNERS
 Public owners
 are typically government agencies such as the General Services Administration, the Army
Corps of Engineers, or the state departments of transportation.
 Private owners
make up the bulk of construction spending and may take the form of an individual
building a single home, a developer who builds speculatively, a small manufacturer
enlarging operations, or a national firm that owns numerous facilities. Funding comes
from private sources such as banks, investment brokers, and venture capitalists.
Program - A written statement that identifies and describes an owner or end
user’s needs and requirements for a facility. Every design starts with a program.

2. DESIGN PROFESSIONALS
Architects
Deal with the function, life safety issues, and aesthetics of the building, and engineers deal
with the systems. They typically work together to complete the design function with one or
the other taking the lead, depending on the type of facility being constructer
Construction Manager
works with both the architect and the engineer on a regular basis throughout the construction
process. The following are the primary responsibilities of the designers:
a. Assisting the owner in developing the facility program and determining end user needs
and requirements
b. Advising the owner regarding the image and character of the facility and establishing
broad design goals
c. Assisting the owner in selecting products to fit the program and the budget
d. Advising the owner on special and aesthetic issues and generating graphic solutions to
problems.

Architects
Architects are licensed professionals trained in the art and science of building design.
They transform the owner’s program into concepts and then develop the concepts into
building images and plans that can be constructed by others.
Design architects
Design architects are the creators of the aesthetic solution— they are the concept and idea
people. Although most design architects can only hope to achieve celebrity status, some
become quite famous.
Architectural technicians
Architectural technicians are typically the drafters of the building plans. They are the
ones who actually produce the drawings that are used for construction.
Specification writers
The specification writer is responsible for spelling out the specific products and methods
that are to be used on a project in order to ensure a particular level of performance and
quality.
Engineers
Engineers are usually the lead designers for heavy civil and industrial projects. Engineers
are regulated by professional licensing requirements that include a four- or five-year
college program, a specific number of years of experience, and the passing of a
professional licensing exam.
 Structural engineers
Structural engineers design the timber, concrete, or steel structural systems that
support a building and basically hold it up to withstand the forces of wind, gravity,
and seismic activity.

 Mechanical engineers
Mechanical engineers design the heating, cooling, ventilating, plumbing, and fire
suppression systems within a building. They coordinate their efforts with the
architectural design, the structural design, and the electrical design.

 Electrical engineers
Electrical engineers design and calculate electrical loads and determine the circuitry,
lighting, motors, transformers, and telecommunications needed for a building. They
typically work closely with the architect to ensure that the owner’s expectations are
met and often coordinate their efforts with the mechanical engineer.

 Civil engineers
Civil engineers design roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, site drainage, parking lots,
runways, and water supply and sewage systems. Civil engineering, considered one of
the oldest engineering disciplines, encompasses many specialties.

 Landscape Architects
Landscape architects deal with the building site and outside environmental issues
surrounding the structure
  Interior Designers
They deal with the building’s interior finishes or schemes and make decisions
regarding furniture selection and placement, paint colors and accessories, light
fixtures, window treatments, floor finishes, and ceiling treatments.

3. CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
The profession of constructor includes job titles such as, but not limited to, project
manager, general superintendent, project executive, operations manager, construction
manager, and chief executive officer. The constructor’s job is to do the following:
a. Interpret the plans and specifications and prepare cost estimates and time schedules to
meet the requirements of the owner.
b. Determine and implement the best construction practices, means, and methods to
satisfy the owner’s requirements for time, cost, and quality.
c. Oversee and manage all of the construction operations into a single, safe coordinated
effort.
 General Contractors
The general contractor, also known as the prime contractor, enters into a contract with the
owner to deliver the construction project in accordance with the plans and specifications
that have been prepared by the architects and engineers.
Self-Performed Work - Construction work that is performed with the general contractor’s own
forces or labor. This is work that is not subcontracted.
 Construction Managers
The primary responsibility of the construction manager is to organize the project team to
perform the construction management function.
 Specialty Contractors
Specialty contractors are often referred to as subcontractors because they perform their
work under a contract with another contractor (typically the general contractor) to do a
portion of the contractor’s work, as opposed to contracting directly with an owner. These
subcontractors, in turn, may engage other subcontractors. Thus, there can be several
levels of subcontracting to a general contractor

4. THE BUILDING TRADES

First-Level Players
 This level of influence includes subcontractors, material suppliers, and equipment
vendors. This layer directly influences the outcome of a job in a serious way.

Second-Level Players
This level of influence includes insurance companies, utility companies, bonding
companies, building code officials, zoning, labor unions, and manufacturers.

Third-Level Players
This layer of influence includes the courts and attorneys, local government, state and
federal government, trade associations, education and training, bankers, and others.

B. THE INDUSTRY IMAGE

Technology
As with most industries, advancements in technology have revolutionized the way that
we do business in construction. Software programs are available to assist with almost
every management function in construction.
Constructability Reviews - A design review process in which experienced contractors and
construction managers work with designers to ensure that the details of the design actually can
be built in an efficient and cost-effective manner
Globalization
Today anyone working in the construction industry should anticipate a future involving
an international experience. The world is getting smaller, and the demand for
infrastructure and building programs for roads, dams, power plants, water and sewer
facilities, mass transit, and even housing in emerging and third-world countries is
immense.
Sustainability
Today, a much greater emphasis is being placed on the environment and the relationship
between our buildings and the communities in which they are constructed.

Efficiency
Historically the design and construction industry has had the notorious reputation of
being one of the most wasteful and inefficient industries in the United States
Lean Principles - Stemming from the Toyota Production System, principles that focus on
creating more value for customers with less work and the elimination of waste. These principles
are now being applied to the construction industry

Diversity - There is no doubt that the construction industry in the United States is still a
white and male-dominated industry. However, the demand for construction managers is
so significant that the only way the need can be met is by opening the doors to attract the
best and the brightest to join in the effort to take on the building challenges around the
world.
Collaboration - The Web is no longer a passive place where people idly surf, read listen,
or watch without engaging. Today we use the Web to network together, participate in
dialogue, and collaborate. Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, LinkedIn and Twitter are just a
few of the networks people are using to interact socially and professionally.

MODULE 4 – Project Scheduling

Project planning
is the process of identifying all the activities necessary to successfully complete the project.
Project scheduling is the process of determining the sequential order of the planned activities,
assigning realistic durations to each activity, and determining the start and finish dates for each
activity

DESIRED RESULTS OF PLANNING

1. Finish the project on time
2. Continuous (uninterrupted) flow of work (no delays)
3. Reduced amount of rework (least amount of changes)
4. Minimize confusion and misunderstandings
5. Increased knowledge of status of project by everyone
6. Meaningful and timely reports to management
7. You run the project instead of the project running you
8. Knowledge of scheduled times of key parts of the project
9. Knowledge of distribution of costs of the project
10. Accountability of people, defined responsibility/authority
11. Clear understanding of who does what, when, and how much
12. Integration of all work to ensure a quality project for the owner

PRINCIPLES OF PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

There must be an explicit operational plan to guide the entire project. The plan must include and
link the three components of the project: scope, budget, and schedule.
1. Begin planning before starting work, rather than after starting work
2. Involve people who will actually do the work in the planning and scheduling process
3. Include all aspects of the project: scope, budget, schedule, and quality
4. Build flexibility into the plan: nnclude allowance for changes and time for reviews and
approvals
5. Remember the schedule is the plan for doing the work, and it will never be precisely correct
6. Keep the plan simple, eliminate irrelevant details that prevent the plan from being readable
7. Communicate the plan to all parties; any plan is worthless unless it is known

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARTIES
The owner establishes the project completion date, which governs the scheduling of work for
both the designer and contractor
The design organization must develop a design schedule that meets the owner's schedule.
The construction contractor must develop a schedule for all construction activities in accordance
with the contract documents.

TECHNIQUES FOR PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

The technique used for project scheduling will vary depending upon the project's size,
complexity, duration, personnel, and owner requirements.
Many project managers prefer the bar chart for scheduling engineering design work because of
its simplicity, ease of use, and because it does not require extensive interrelation-ships of
activities.

Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)

 is a project management planning tool to calculate the amount to time it will take to realistically
finish a project. PERT is a technique of planning and control of time. (Event Oriented and
Probabilistic)

Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)

is a project management planning tool to calculate the amount to time it will take to realistically
finish a project. PERT is a technique of planning and control of time. (Event Oriented and
Probabilistic)
TYPES OF WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)
Phase-Based Work Breakdown Structure
Using phases of the project life cycle as the second level of decomposition, with the product and
project deliverables inserted at the third level. The phase-based WBS displays the final
deliverable on top, with the WBS levels below showing the five phases of a project (initiation,
planning, execution, control and closeout).

Deliverable-Based Work Breakdown Structure

Using major deliverables as the second level of decomposition. In a deliverable-based WBS, the
project phases are divided into project deliverables and work packages.

The Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

method of scheduling uses three durations for each activity and the fundamental statistics to
determine the probability of a project finishing earlier or later than expected. Although the PERT
method is not used extensively in engineering and construction projects, it provides valuable
information for assessing the risks of a schedule slippage of a project

Activity - The performance of a task required to complete the project

Network - A diagram to represent the relationship of activities to complete the project.
Arrow Diagram –The relationship between the activities are represented by arrows.
Precedence Diagram – this method shows the activities as nodes

Free Float (FF) - The amount of time an activity may be delayed without delaying the early start
time of the immediately following activity. FF = ES - EF where the subscript / represents the
preceding activity and the subscript / represents the following activity.
Critical Path - series of interconnected activities through the network diagram, with each
activity having zero, free and total float time. The critical path determines the minimum time to
complete the project

Dummy Activity - An activity (represented by a dotted line on the arrow network diagram) that
indicates that any activity following the dummy cannot be started until the activity or activities
preceding the dummy are completed. The dummy does not require any time.
Duration (D) - The estimated time required to perform an activity. The time should include all
resources that are assigned to the activity.
Early Start (ES) - The earliest time an activity can be started
Early Finish (EF) - The earliest time an activity can be finished and is equal to the early start
plus the duration. EF = ES + D
Late Finish (LF) - The latest time an activity can be finished.
Late Start (LS) - The latest time an activity can be started without delaying the completion date
of the project. LS = LF - D
Total Float (TF) - The amount of time an activity may be delayed without delaying the
completion date of the project. TF = LF - EF = LS – ES.

The CPM network diagram defines the activities, and sequencing of activities, to he performed
to accomplish the project;