Why Project Management is So Important to Home Construction
Murphy’s Law tells us that if it can go wrong, it will.
In the construction industry, there’s one simple trick for keeping Murphy in his place: using disciplined project management so the “it” never has a chance to go wrong in the first place.
Sloppy project management is one of the root causes of the delays and busted budgets so many projects face. Today’s labor shortages and pinched supply chains make robust project management even more important.
Residential construction project management should have high standards
In commercial construction, where hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars are at stake, project management is held to a high standard. When a project manager on a high-rise construction project misses a decimal point, hundreds of workers may need to stay on the job for a month or even a year longer than originally planned.
In other words, commercial contractors can’t stay in business unless they take project management very seriously.
The home construction industry is a more mixed bag. Horror stories about long delays and cost overruns during home construction projects are too common. Most of the time, their roots can be traced to inadequate project management.
At Burge Corporation, we handle a mix of commercial and residential construction work. For us, there’s only one standard: the high bar for success in the high-stakes commercial construction industry. Our residential construction clients benefit from the rigorous project management process we have refined for over 40 years.
What makes the project manager so valuable?
Think of your project manager as the executive chef in an upscale restaurant. They oversee everything, from the menu and meal preparation to the customer’s experience at the table.
Like the executive chef, the project manager oversees every facet of the construction project. The initial planning, specs, execution, oversight, and closeout process. They are the main liaison between the construction staff, subcontractors, and clients, and they will make sure that tasks stay on track and within budget.
The initial planning phase is the most important time in a residential construction project. After all, this will be the client’s home: a source of pride, joy, and comfort for decades and even generations. It’s also a major personal asset. At the planning phase the project manager is concerned with these priorities:
Developing an accurate budget. Many contractors cut corners on budgets to impress their clients with how “cheap” a project will be, only to surprise them later with expensive change orders. A disciplined project management process strives to capture every contingency in the plan from the beginning, so cost shocks are avoided.
Scheduling. No one wants to plan to move in before Christmas only to be told they can’t move in until Easter. Experienced project managers are familiar with how long each step of a project really takes. Just as important, they can fit together the overlapping schedules of different processes, like plumbing, electrical, and insulation installation, to carefully compress timeframes without compromising the outcome.
Staffing. Having the right team on the job is vital for delivering the little details that turn a house into a home. The project manager ensures that if a specialist is required, they’ll be ready to roll when the time is right.
Communication and the art of project management
Construction takes a village. Homebuilding projects are full of players, making a project manager’s clear and efficient communication even more necessary. With their help, communication between all team members, clients, and outside help remains open and aligned.
Good communication is most important when Murphy’s Law strikes. Trying to hide issues only makes them worse. Quality project management includes knowing how to handle the bumps in the road: clear disclosure to the client about the problem, with a detailed roadmap for solving it. As simple as this sounds, it’s a practice that we find sets us apart from most of our competition.