Construction management

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The construction management has the function of overall management and organization of a construction project.

overview

The aim is to plan and implement a construction project in such a way that the agreed deadlines and costs are adhered to and the quality of the building guarantees optimal use, taking full account of the aesthetic , energetic and ecological requirements of the client and the legislature.

Construction management differs significantly from building owner consultants. The client consultant only represents the client's or client's concerns within the framework of his assignment. One of the main tasks of construction management is to ensure the smooth implementation of a construction project, in close cooperation with the architect, the specialist planners and the entrepreneurs. The core of a higher-level construction management is the project control , which is used by a client to realize the qualities, costs and deadlines.

The overriding area of ​​activity of construction management is construction project management ; it can encompass the entire life cycle of a construction project, i.e. H. from the project idea, planning, actual construction, management ( facility management ) and dismantling.

conditions

In-depth specialist knowledge of all aspects of project and construction implementation as well as extensive experience in project management are required . This requires a solid basic education and many years of experience, preferably in the planning and execution of demanding construction and real estate projects. In addition to specialist knowledge, personal skills such as leadership, motivation and a feel for the strengths and weaknesses of individual team members are also of great importance.

tasks

Construction management is the intermediary between the client and the contractors. On the one hand there is the client, possibly represented by his advisor, on the other hand there is, for example, a general planning team and, of course, the entrepreneurs who carry out the planned construction project as a service contract. Construction management includes the control of all activities during the planning and implementation of a construction project. In contrast to industrial production, building is usually about the manufacture of a unique item . There are no fixed manufacturing processes that can be used again and again. Construction management must ensure that a construction project is carried out as efficiently as possible.

Construction management can also be understood as something else, namely anticipating future needs. Provided that the construction management is involved from the beginning, it can not only bring in ideas that have a positive effect on the construction process, but also those that lead to greater scope for action, should individual wishes and needs of the client only become apparent at a later point in time reveal. Good teamwork is required here, during which each team member restricts himself to his or her core competence. The architect is and remains responsible for the layout and design of the building. For the technical implementation, the specialist planners are needed and for the organizational aspects, the construction management, who can inspire and lead the team, who issues orders and monitors their fulfillment.

Different types of contracts

A wide variety of order forms have a significant influence on the tasks and responsibilities of construction management. In principle, the following types of execution or contract forms are possible for the planning, management and execution of a construction project:

Individual
contracts A separate contract is concluded with each planner. The services and fees are based on the fee schedule ( HOAI , SIA, etc.) of the architects , civil engineers and specialist engineers in building services , building physics , statics, etc. Each planner is individually liable to the client within the framework of applicable law, the concluded contract and the corresponding Fee schedule.

General
planning contract The client commissions a general planner who is responsible for all planning services. There is only one contractual relationship to which all planners involved are obliged. Instead of individual liability, there is global liability for all planners, which significantly improves the client's situation and not only in the event of a conflict.

General or general contractor work contract
As a rule, the general contractor guarantees the customer that the construction project will be carried out on time and in a cost-binding manner on the basis of a specification sheet and corresponding planning documents. The general contractor demands an additional fee for this so-called “guaranteed service” or the associated additional risk coverage. There are different forms of such general contractor work contracts. If a general contractor offers all planning services in addition to the construction work, one speaks of a general contractor .

Construction project organization

So that everyone involved in the construction now knows where their seat is and what melody to play and what beat to keep, a suitable building project organization is required. Building these up and keeping them going is the primary duty of construction management. If the situation on the client's side is unclear, the construction management team must ensure that the client is also appropriately organized. When organizing the planning team, it is important that construction management correctly assesses the roles of the individual planners and ensures that they participate in the appropriate role.

Quality in construction

The construction quality depends on numerous factors and can be influenced in many ways. And quality management systems are used here, such as the internationally recognized quality management standard DIN EN ISO 9000/9001 or different special systems such as the certificate planners in the construction of the TÜV Rheinland or quality in the construction of DEKRA . This avoids damage - and those that happened anyway can often be repaired during the construction phase. It is therefore of the utmost importance that construction management regards quality management as an integral part of its mandate. The following measures are possible:

  • Establishment of a well-functioning project organization and creation of a project manual that provides information on all quality assurance measures that are necessary to ensure a trouble-free and breakdown-free project flow. Establishing a mutual information policy and a well-functioning meeting system facilitates cooperation.
  • Detailed determination of market-compliant costs based on company and supplier offers as well as a thorough risk assessment. For the unforeseen, it is advisable to use an appropriate amount.
  • Exact definition of the goals and tasks as well as the responsibilities and competencies of the contractual partners. A good contract also takes into account that the framework conditions can change. The contract is only concluded after a detailed contract discussion, but then immediately. The creditworthiness of the contractual partner is clarified in advance. Each contract includes complete planning documentation.
  • Careful adjustment of the building specifications, the detailed studies, the provisional implementation plans, the supporting structures, the installation concepts and the schedules, which is followed by a targeted invitation to tender. When awarding jobs, the focus is on the fairness of the offer and the quality of the company concerned, rather than good relationships or the prospect of a counter-deal.
  • Control of the final implementation plans. The costs, the deadlines and the quality of execution are constantly monitored. In the event of defects, action is taken quickly. The rectification of defects takes place - whenever possible - before the work is handed over to the client. A clear acceptance report is drawn up when each work is completed. The entrepreneur or supplier delivers complete documentation with the revision plans and the final invoice without delay. This also names the warranty expiration dates.

Education

Construction management can be studied in Germany at the following colleges and universities:

literature

  • Ahrens, Hannsjörg / Bastian, Klemens / Muchowski, Lucian (eds.): Handbook Project Control - Construction Management , Fraunhofer IRB Verlag Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-8167-8168-4
  • Menz, Sacha (Ed.): Three books about the building process , Zurich: vdf Hochschulverlag AG at the ETH Zurich, 2008, ISBN 978-3-7281-3213-0
  • Prem, Friedrich: Strong builders. Manage complex construction projects efficiently and successfully . Frankfurt am Main: Frankfurter Allgemeine Buch , ISBN 978-3-89981-291-6