Do you have your own business in construction and would like to find out more about looking at the best construction management software? Every software will have features that would undoubtedly help you in keeping you organized with your tasks, provides important information and solutions helpful to improving your company.
This article will focus more on what construction management software can do for you in each step in construction management, starting from the designing process until the project closeout.
Concept and Design
The first step in construction is making the concept and design. The architect is the initial designer of the project or building. Architects are in charge of the specifications of the project such as what materials to use and other features. They work hand in hand with the engineers to ensure that the structure of the building is correct. They consider the electrical, mechanical, lighting and even the plumbing design of the building. In the planning process they should make sure they adhere to the regulations of the building.
They first start with the preliminary design which focuses on the architectural, civil and mechanical designs. Mechanical designs ensure that water systems (plumbing) is incorporated property in the building. Architectural designs are solutions for any issues a building might have while in the construction process. These include economic constraints, architectural space, environment of the area and human factors. Structural designs are made to ensure that the building is stable and will withstand the elements of nature. Each of these designs is explained in detail with drawings. It should have a breakdown of the materials and equipments used. An outline of the estimated operating costs and the construction timeframe should be included in the concept.
After the preliminary design, we now have the final design. Construction project management software should be able to help you in making sure that before continuing to the final design. All operational costs and the designs are achievable and specific enough to continue. If this is not the case, revisions have to be made. Additionally, when you use building construction management software, it will lessen the errors of the project once you start.
Value engineering or cost reevaluation is part of the design process that is not necessary, especially for those that only use residential construction management software or for those that only have small projects. This is done if you have any financial difficulties in estimating the costs. They will re-evaluate all your possible options and recommend the best solutions possible to your project. The best thing about value engineering is that you don’t need a lot of time and is not expensive.
The last part of the design period is bid specifications and creating of construction documents. You can add options such as following:
- Bid assistance. This helps when constructing the facility. A requirement to have bid assistance is to acquire bids from your selected contractor. An engineer should be able to help you out.
- Construction services. This is useful when you have limited supply in construction services. If you are time-bound and you think you are unable to meet the deadline, use construction services. They can help in preparing materials, provide equipment and construction decisions.
- Technical assistance. Use of technical assistance may be from outside the company. They can help in preparations in the manual or engineering section such as hydraulic systems and give information about any mechanical systems, how it works and their maintenance schedules. They can also provide training and provision supplies.
Check out the construction management software reviews of CrowdReviews to find out the best software that has the fastest process in creating bid specification and construction documents.
Pre-construction
Pre-construction is how the team plans in getting ready for the construction. They get together and inspect the construction site, determining what to do. The team usually consists of a contractor, an engineer, an architect, a contract administrator, a field manager, a superintendent and the project manager.
In the field, the team does a series of tests. They carry out a site examination. They conduct a soil test and test out the slab design. They also identify any possible outcomes after construction. At this time, a part of the deposit has been paid and a formal quote has been provided.
Procurement
Procurement can be confused with purchasing. They are similar but there are differences. Procurement is the process of purchasing, which deals with negotiations, strategic selections and sourcing of materials. Basically, procurement is the way you purchase the goods and services needed in construction.
The best construction management software should have a strategic process in procuring the goods and service for your construction needs. They should find out the best vendors to purchase materials that provide the finest quality with the lowest rates. Not only that, they should make sure that all supplies are provided within the given timeframe. Other tasks that they should be are to keep an inventory of the items, approve payments, and resolve any issues that may arise when purchasing.
An effective procurement method would help in budget costs and will make the workflow easier and efficient. This is a significant part in the business financial strategy.
Construction
Before construction, the building superintendent will have a pre-construction meeting with the team. Ground rules should be covered. They should be able to secure their site and set up a temporary work area to store their materials. Everyone must ensure that they follow safety programs and stick to their plans.
Construction starts with the foundation. The foundation would normally depend on the building size and where it’s located. The strongest type of material in a foundation is concrete blocks.
The next thing to do is to construct in the exterior. Start with the floor. Keep in mind the four things to consider when choosing the floor which are:
- The consistency of the area. Is it smooth or slippery?
- The level of abrasion resistance.
- If it’s chemically neutral.
- The climate surrounding it.
Focus on the walls next. They could be load bearing, where it supports the building and is part of the structure, or non-load bearing where it is a partition to separate rooms or areas in the building.
Add a temporary roof and make sure that it has a moisture barrier to protect it from the elements. Then, install the exterior part of the building. These includes windows and doors . Make sure that is has metal flashing to prevent any water leakage. Once this is done, you can now add the final roof.
After the exterior has been completed, you can now begin with the interior parts of the building. You can now install the following:
- Ceilings
- Pipes for clean water
- Drain vents and waste drains
- Ductwork, HVAC (Heat Ventilation and Air Conditioning), refrigerant piping and air handlers
- Electrical sockets and outlets
- Insulation
- Floorings
- Wall board or wall panels
- Cabinets
- Bathroom fixtures
- Appliances
- Other plumbing fixtures
Many software for construction management can provide you a step-by-step process in construction and reminds you of anything that you may have missed.
Commissioning
After the construction, you are now ready to test your work. This is called commissioning. This is a two step process. The first is quality control. This is the trial and error method where you test everything to make sure they are working correctly.
The second part of the process is explaining and making sure that the owner knows how to operate the parts of the construction. They also should have knowledge on maintenance and its costs.
Commissioning activities can be:
- Documentation
- Scheduling
- Planning
- Verifying
- Component testing
- Training
- Adjusting
- Work testing
- Pre-commissioning analysis
- Post commissioning verifications
- Providing reports
- Product demonstrations and trainings
- Maintenance
- Getting insurance and statutory approvals
All in all, the commissioning process should meet the requirements set by the owner at the start of the planning process. This is to make sure that the construction has been tested and approved by quality standards.
Owner Occupancy
Congratulations! The building is now complete. But this doesn’t stop there. Once the project is finished, the owner can now move in to it. Once this happens, a warranty period starts. Warranties can be an express warrantee or an implied warranty. This would include the equipment, material and the quality of the building as a whole. Under this warranty period, the owner will have the option to either get their money back or have the project redone. We don’t want that, as we want to provide excellent quality to our construction services. Find good project management software for construction to lessen the chance of this happening to you.
Project Closeout
This is the last step in construction management but also one of the most critical. Project closeouts are done to ensure all issues are resolved. They complete all reviews, evaluations and reports done in the project. They review all data, verify all deliverables are complete and resolve any discrepancies still pending.
A final report must be done that describes the overall completion of the project, the techniques, goals and strategies used that can be useful in the future. Everything should be well documented. Once this is all done, why not celebrate your success with everyone that was involved in the project? More information about construction management can be found in SmartSheet’s and UnderstandConstruction’s article.
Construction management software can cater small and large construction businesses. They can help you organize your business strategy, keeps you on track with the tasks on hand and give you solutions if needed. There are different software packages that may suit your business needs. Each as its own features but share the same common goal which is to improve the efficiency of your company.
If you have a construction business and would like to know more about construction management, it is recommended to have a software to help you accomplish your business goals. Why not check out more by reading CrowdReviews’ reviews of construction management software reviews here?
Trevor Price
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