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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
Basic Jobsite Safety Tips For Project Managers In Construction
Construction Management

Basic Jobsite Safety For Project Managers In Construction: Top 10 Topics

As project managers in construction, we have one foot in the office and the other on the job site. We are essentially the bridge between the two, which means we’re responsible for a large portion of both ‘worlds’. While project managers spend most of their time on managerial tasks and administrative work, we do need to spend time understanding safe work practices as well as contribute to the onsite safety requirements of our projects. In this article, we’ll be discussing some basic jobsite safety topics for project managers to know. Let’s begin!

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Pat Finnegan October 9, 2019
How To Estimate Construction Costs - A Step-By-Step Guide
Construction Management

How To Estimate Construction Costs: Our Comprehensive Guide

When discussing a construction project, one of the first things everyone wonders is how much money the project will ultimately cost. Whether it be a residential home project, a large office building or a bridge, the dollar-value of a project is important for obvious reasons. When we hear about an office building costing $50,000,000 to construct, it’s easy to be in awe of that much money. Not all of this is profit of course. In fact, the total profit kept by the companies involved may be as little as 10-15% of that, and that’s if all goes well! So how do contacting companies calculate the cost of the project? In this article, we’ll be discussing how to estimate construction costs – step by step.

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Pat Finnegan October 9, 2019
How Do You Read Blueprints? Here's A Step By Step Guide
Construction Documents & Templates

How To Read Blueprints: Follow This Complete Step-By-Step Guide

They say a picture’s worth 1,000 words. If that’s true, then blueprints are worth volumes. On a construction site, in a manufacturing plant or any number of jobs that require blueprints, drawings are the vision of the project on paper, combined with as much detail as possible. To understand how the project must come together, both on a large- and small-scale, reading the drawings and plans is a must. While the process of reading and understanding blueprints is pretty simple, a lot of people struggle with reading blueprints in the beginning. Not to fear, though, because it just takes a little practice and guidance to understand them. So how do you read blueprints? Follow this step-by-step guide!

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Pat Finnegan October 1, 2019
What Is A Construction Purchase Order?
Construction Documents & Templates

What Is A Construction Purchase Order? 13 Things To Include In A PO

When we buy groceries, it’s a fairly straightforward process. We pick what we want, pay for them and leave. No paperwork or conditions required. When buying materials, building components or renting equipment, things are a bit more complicated. It makes sense – there’s not much risk in buying a dozen eggs and a gallon of milk. What’s the worst that can happen? In construction, we must consider schedule, timeframes, payments, scope of work and performance specifications – and that’s just the basics. What is the seller can’t or won’t uphold their end of the deal? What if there’s improper workmanship, poor quality, accidents like fires and floods? Damage during transportation? With so many factors to consider, simply buying materials and riding off into the sunset isn’t an option. This is the purpose of a Purchase Order (P.O.) in construction. What is a construction Purchase Order, exactly? Here are 13 things to always include in a P.O., plus a sample Purchase Order to reference!

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Pat Finnegan September 24, 2019
How Do You Manage Subcontractors
Construction Management

How Do You Manage Subcontractors? 7 Essential Tips

Projects come in all shapes and sizes, as do contractors. For a contractor to take on a project, they must essentially be willing and able to bring a client’s idea into reality. Sometimes, a contractor possesses all of the knowledge, skill and supplies necessary to complete an entire project on their own. In many other cases, though, the outcome a client is looking for has many parts to it. While a contractor might be willing and able to perform a large portion of the work, the client may be asking for things the contractor just can’t do. The contractor doesn’t walk away at this stage – they hire another contractor to do the work they’re not able to do themselves. This additional contractor is now a subcontractor on the project. Before hiring a subcontractor in a real-world scenario for the first time, we must know the ins and outs of working with a subcontractor. In this article, we’ll be answering the question of: How do you manage subcontractors?

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Pat Finnegan September 17, 2019
Construction Project Team Roles & Responsibilities
Construction Management

Construction Project Team: Roles And Responsibilities Of 9 Key Positions

Construction projects require a lot of resources. Not only does construction need materials, equipment and workers to build it, but they require planning, contracts, scheduling, documentation, payments (receiving and issuing) and countless other management-related tasks. Contractors in charge of a large project need a team of people to manage all phases of the project, from inception to completion. Today, we’ll explore the typical construction project team roles and responsibilities that are found on successful projects, as well as the required experience level.

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Pat Finnegan September 12, 2019
How Does Progress Billing Work In Construction?
Construction Management

How Does Progress Billing In Construction Work? The 8 Essential Steps

In the business of construction, it’s all about money. Not just profit and bonus checks, either. I’m talking about cash flow (via Accounting Tools). If a building or infrastructure project is going to be built, someone is paying for it, and someone else is being paid for it. This is how a construction project gets built on the most basic, fundamental level. As you can imagine, there’s a lot more to it than that. For the vast majority of projects out there, projects are paid for as they go. This is done through a process call progress billing. How does progress billing work in construction? In this article, we’re breaking it down into each fundamental step.

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Pat Finnegan September 9, 2019
Time & Material Contract: Advantages And Disadvantages
Construction Management

Time & Material Contracts In Construction: Advantages & Disadvantages

In construction, time and material refers to a contractual arrangement where the client pays the contractor for their exact costs of construction, plus a fixed overhead and profit margin. The costs the client pays are the exact costs of the contractor, including labor, equipment, materials and other subcontractors. Overhead and profit margins are typically billed on a percentage of the costs. There are many differences between a lump sum contract and a time and material contract. Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of time and material contracts, plus some tips!

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Pat Finnegan July 23, 2019

About This Topic

Articles about what contractors do, things they should know and how to work with them.

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