In additional to publishing free articles, we aim to provide useful tools and references as well. Browse our list of Project Management resources & Construction Management templates, calculators & tools!
Our portfolio of Project Management resources includes a wide variety of free templates! While we’ve mostly released Construction Management templates to date, our catalog of templates is ever-growing.
Not only are thousands and thousands of documents involved in a large construction project, but they’re always changing hands. Project staff members review these documents, then make comments, ask questions and request additional information. This back-and-forth can include several revisions for even one single document before it’s approved to proceed. This is why every successful project must have a submittal log. This is a ledger that tracks every document on the project: who put it together, when they sent it, who reviewed/responded to it, when they responded, and so on. Ideally, everything down to the nut and bolt is recorded in this process.
That’s where the submittal log comes into play.
If you’ve ever worked on a construction project, you’ve certainly experienced this: whether you’re attempting to understand a drawing, trying to coordinate parts of the work or see an issue in the design, you run into something you don’t fully understand – you need to ask a question! But how? It’s not always enough to just call up an Architect or Engineer and ask them – in fact, it’s not a good idea to do this. It’s probably not even allowed. These questions must be formalized in writing, as do the answers to these questions. The way this is done is by sending a Request For Information, otherwise known as an RFI.
Let’s go through the details of what an RFI is, what should be included in an RFI and some best practices. Also, be sure and download our free construction RFI Excel template.
Make no mistake about it – construction sites are dangerous. Hazards exist everywhere, even while taking precautions. 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.
Every construction project has a schedule to keep. Even in the early stages of a construction project, Clients and Contractors alike must create a master schedule to determine a feasible, realistic completion date along with the steps it will take to get there. While master completion schedules are important, they don’t really provide enough data to determine the fine details of what’s happening today vs. tomorrow. Ironically, Contractors must get the short-term, “this week”-type of tasks nailed down solidly in order to ever actually keep up with the master schedule! That’s where the look ahead schedule comes into play.
Also, download our free three-week look ahead template for Excel, too.
The execution of a construction project heavily relies on making purchases. While it’s no mystery that budgeting and cost control are vital aspects of construction management, the actual act of making purchases is important in and of itself. Whether we’re purchasing material and equipment or contracting out a portion of our work, there’s an art and a science behind the procurement process of a project. Within this process are some common acronyms, specifically RFP and RFQ. What do RFP and RFQ mean in construction? That’s what we’re exploring in this article.
Also, be sure to download our free RFP and RFQ Excel templates by clicking below.
In addition to templates, we also create Project Management & Construction Management calculators. Be sure to check back to this page in the future as we continue to create more Project Management resources for budgeting, estimating, cost analysis and more.
While a project is underway, it can be difficult to know exactly how the project is going financially. Workers and staff members are paid. Purchases are made. Revenue comes in, payments flow out. The depletion of a project’s budget can be like quicksand – no one really notices until they’re already in a bit of trouble. Projects that are in full-swing require so much attention that the budget takes the backseat. In some ways this is logical – time spent monitoring the project is time not spent pushing it forward. Unfortunately though, project monitoring and control is an essential ingredient of a successful project.
This article will be focused on performing a Cost-To-Complete (CTC) forecast. We’ve also created a free Cost-to-Complete Excel calculator that you can download here.
We’ve used all sorts of construction estimating softwares and templates over the years. In this process, we’ve realized exactly what a great estimating program should be like – and what it shouldn’t include as well! That’s why we’ve created, in our humble opinion, the best *free* automated construction estimating Excel software on the internet! Does it allow you to customize units of measurement, labor rates and profit margins? YES. Does it provide a clean, easy-to-use interface for estimating individual work items? YES. Does it break each work item into sections like labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors and more? YES. Does it look good doing it? YES!
Click here to preview the features of our estimating template and download yours for free.
Our archive of Project Management resources includes product reviews and recommendations, as well. Browse gift ideas for Project Managers, product reviews, gear suggestions & more.
If You Work In Construction, You Know The Importance Of A Solid, High-Quality Pair Of Work Boots. Spending Eight Or More Hours Per Day In A Pair Of Crappy Boots Or Inappropriate Footwear Is No Fun. Between Ergonomics, Necessary Features & Safety, It Only Makes Sense That People Working In Construction Wear The Best Work Boots They Can.
Not All Job Sites Are Created Equal – The Conditions & Environment You’ll Be Working In Require A Pair Of Work Boots That Are Made For The Task At Hand.
In This Article, We’re Reviewing The Best Work Boots Of 2021, By Category. Our Choices Are Based On Value, Customer Reviews & Brand Reputation. Let’s Get Started!
In the world of construction, the job site is where all the action is. Construction sites are fully exposed to the heat, the cold, the rain and every other kind of element during the ever-crazy construction process. For those supervising construction onsite, you understand the need for tools and construction gadgets to handle what the day throws at you.
Onsite conditions must be monitored, material requirements must be tracked & cool stuff needs to be looked at closer. The point is, there are many tools & devices that the job site requires on the regular basis. If you’re a tool & gadget fan, you may be interested in acquiring a few new additions to your job site repertoire.
“Safety First”. A Quote We’ve All Heard A Million Times. While It’s Completely Cliche, This Expression Applies In The World Of Construction More Than Almost Any Other Industry. We Must Make Sure That We Practice What We Preach & Follow The “Safety First” Rule At All Times On The Job Site. To Do This, We Largely Rely On Construction Personal Protective Equipment, Otherwise Known As P.P.E.
A Lot Of Safety Gear Is Cheaply Made, Ill-Fitting & Looks Awful. When Construction P.P.E. Doesn’t Fit Right Or Is Poorly Made, People Are Less Likely To Want To Use It. On The Flip Side, People Working In Construction Will Actually Want To Wear Their P.P.E. When It Works Well & Looks Good. Browse Our List Of Top-Rated P.P.E. That Also Looks Good.
Are you in need of gift ideas for the project manager in your life? Perhaps that project manager is you. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. Not only have we compiled a comprehensive guide of the best gifts to get a project manager, But we’re also here to tell you that shopping for a project manager is easy. Between a hectic work schedule, on-the-go lifestyle, reliance on technology and variety of ‘hats’ project managers wear at work, there are a ton of gifts that project managers will love . while we can’t include them all, we’ll do our best.
This list of the best gifts to get a project manager is also great for engineers, architects, construction managers or any other busy, modern professional. We only link to products that have a 4-star rating or above.
The world of Project Management is many things, but here’s one word that all Project Managers can describe it as: Intimidating!
Even with college degrees, internships, online resources and mentors, working as a Project Manager for the first time is nerve-wracking.
We know what it’s like to be a new Project Manager. That’s why we’ve created “Project Management For Beginners 2020“. Our guide serves as an index of all our Project Management articles by category & theme, so you can jump around to get quick answers for any questions you have today or in the future. Browse popular topics, download templates & gain insight into the P.M. world.
If you’re looking for find the definition of a common Project Management term, check out our A to Z glossary of terminology, phrases and jargon.
We keep this list updated regularly, so feel free to bookmark it for future reference!
Not all Project Management resources need to be serious. Get a laugh or some entertainment, too!
Who doesn’t love a good meme? In project management, we either get to laugh or cry – we choose laugh, at least whenever possible! If you’re looking for project management memes, feel free to download or share the memes in our gallery.