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The Difference Between Shop Drawings And Construction Drawings
Construction Documents & Templates

Shop Drawings vs Construction Drawings: 5 Key Differences

One of the first things a person thinks of when “construction” is discussed is a large, full-sized set of construction drawings. People outside the industry see construction drawings as an infallible guide for building the project from beginning to end. While they’re technically correct, this assumption does not account for the sheer volume of drawings that a construction project actually requires. Not only that, but there are in fact MANY types of drawings for any given construction project! There is such a thing as ‘construction drawings’, but there are also drawings that are developed as the project is underway, known as shop drawings. In this article, we’re discussing the difference between construction drawings and shop drawings!

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Pat Finnegan November 12, 2019
Does Construction Management Require Math? The 5 Ways You'll Need It
Construction Management

Does Construction Management Require Math? The 5 Ways You’ll Need It

The business of Construction Management consists of professionals from a variety of disciplines. Whether they’re life-long tradesmen, engineers, architects, PMP-certified project managers or business professionals, construction managers are ultimately responsible for the same end result. Because of this, they must have a diverse skillset with a variety of abilities. The prospect of relying on one skill in particular makes a lot of people nervous – math. Does construction management require math? In this article, we’re discussing the five ways that math is needed in C.M.!

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Pat Finnegan November 5, 2019
The Difference Between Construction Managers And General Contractors
Construction Management

The Difference Between Construction Managers And General Contractors

The terms Construction Manager and General Contractor are often interchanged in conversation. While both parties are involved in the general management of a construction project, they’re actually very different from one another in regards to responsibilities, liabilities and costs – even the employees’ focuses and priorities will be different. Today, we’ll explore the difference between Construction Managers and General Contractors, along with the reasons that developers choose one over the other.

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Pat Finnegan October 30, 2019
Construction Management

Being A Construction Manager: Here’s An Hourly Breakdown Of A Day In The Life

Much of what you find online related to project management is theoretical. Examples feel like they’re straight out of a laboratory, lacking real-world context and reliability. Our website isn’t exempt – many of our articles related to project management and construction management are academic in presentation. While we try to provide as much context and as many examples as we can, we feel the need to create something a bit more relatable for our readers. Construction is a field that everyone can relate to in some way. Perhaps they had a new home built at some point, or were fascinated watching a huge mega-project in full-swing, cranes and all. Those of us pursuing engineering, business or a design field like architecture begin to wonder: What is it like being a construction manager? In this article, we’re focusing on a day in the life of a theoretical project manager in construction.

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Pat Finnegan October 28, 2019
Why Are Lessons Learned Important In Project Management?
Construction Process

Why Are Lessons Learned Important In Project Management? Here’s Why

When a project is finally complete, most people want to enjoy the result and then move on, even when the project goes well. Although the idea of new projects becomes alluring at this point, it’s the perfect time to reflect back on the finished project with 20/20 vision. Even on successful projects, there are things that could’ve gone smoother. There are also portions of it that go much better than expected. So why are lessons learned important in project management? Here are a few benefits of this.

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Pat Finnegan October 23, 2019
Construction Documents & Templates

Change Order Best Practices: What Contractors & Clients Need To Know

Let’s start this off with a picture of two boats: one is a large, expensive boat and the other an inflatable dingy the owner uses to ferry out to the big boat from land. The small dingy is named “original contract” while the large, luxurious boat is named “change order”. I first saw this picture in college and laughed, but didn’t quite understand. After working for many years on a variety of commercial projects, it makes a lot more sense. While this picture is funny but obviously way off scale, the point is clear. Regardless of what the original contract consists of, projects can be made or broken by change orders – that goes for clients AND contractors! In this article, we’ll be discussing a variety of change order best practices that will benefit both owners and contractors alike.

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Pat Finnegan October 21, 2019
How Do You Manage Multiple Projects Effectively
Construction Process

How Do You Manage Multiple Projects Effectively? Our Top 10 Techniques

In a perfect world, a Project Manager would be given exactly one project at a time. We could put all of our attention and energy into getting the project completely finished before we even think about the next one. As you and I both already know, though, this world is far from perfect. People leave or get fired. New project opportunities pop up out of nowhere. Projects get delayed well beyond their original timeframe. Companies stretch resources. Busy times call for juggling. Some projects are just too small to require a full-time P.M. If you work in project management long

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Pat Finnegan October 15, 2019
Importance Of Negotiation In Project Management
Construction Process

Importance Of Negotiation In Project Management, With Examples

Life is full of negotiations. If we look closely enough, we can find strands of negotiating in nearly every situation we find ourselves in. Whether it be choosing a restaurant, debating opinions with friends or convincing a kid to eat their vegetables, we can find ourselves in a negotiation without even realizing it. In the world of project management, contracts and big-picture discussions come to mind when the word “negotiate” arises. This is not where a project manager’s negotiation skills end, though. I guarantee that every project manager is involved with at least one negotiation per day, even if it isn’t seen as one. So why is it such a necessary skill for PMs? In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of negotiation in project management!

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Pat Finnegan October 14, 2019
What Is A Project Safety Plan - Free Site Specific Safety Plan Template Download!
Construction Documents & Templates

What Is A Project Safety Plan? Free Construction Safety Plan Template!

Make no mistake about it – construction sites are dangerous. Hazards exist everywhere, even while taking precautions. Things like sharp tools, airborne debris and tripping hazards, all the way up to falls, collapses and struck-by accidents are just a few of the many safety hazards you can find on most construction sites. While accidents certainly aren’t planned, the prevention of accidents is ALWAYS planned. Not only do workers in the industry need to be educated on safe work practices, but they need to know the specific hazards that each job site presents. While basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required on all sites, we need something more for our projects to make sure we’re creating as safe of a work environment as possible. We need a Project Safety Plan. So what is a Project Safety Plan, exactly? In this article, we’ll answer this question via a free project-specific site safety plan template!

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Pat Finnegan October 14, 2019
AVOID CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT BURNOUT WITH THESE 5 PRACTICES
Construction Management

Avoid Construction Management Burnout With These 5 Practices

Working in construction management is no picnic. Looming deadlines, uphill battles, surprises, dealing with mistakes and pushing the pace are just a few ways in which construction managers get hit with stress. There is always going to be pressure to push the pace and get things done. When the hours stay long and the recovery short, we begin burning out our fuel tanks in turbo mode. Hitting the wall is inevitable – we experience burnout. If you feel tired – both physically and mentally – by just thinking about work, you may be experiencing it. It’s important to recognize burnout as quickly as possible to begin fixing it. In this articles, we’ll discuss five best practices for avoiding construction management burnout!

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Pat Finnegan October 12, 2019

About This Topic

Construction projects of all types rely on certain processes and strategies in order to be successful. Planning is of utmost importance in the construction industry, but executing that plan is even more important. That said, even a perfect plan can get swept off the table in an instant when a surprise occurs. Therefore, it’s essential that construction Project Managers know how to plan a project, execute that plan and navigate through the unexpected when it comes. That’s why we have an entire section of our blog dedicated to the construction process! Browse articles related to project coordination, key roles and staff, vendors, subcontractors, delays, disputes, skillsets, types of contractors and management firms and other common experiences P.M.s have throughout the construction process!

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