Construction Project Management: A Practical Guide to Managing Commercial Buildings Paperback – January 25, 2024

Construction Project Management is a professional level handbook for the project manager in commercial construction. The content goes well beyond a general introduction, focusing on the practical knowledge and skills that are essential in the workplace.The discussion begins with an overview of how contractors are organized, how new projects are picked up, why contractors self-perform work, and the role of unions. The coverage continues with clear guidance through each step of the construction process:Construction Contracts Several types of agreements are used for commercial work. These chapters walk through the differences and draw attention to key areas…like the common reasons for confusion over the start date.Preconstruction Services The contractor is often involved well before breaking ground on negotiated projects. This section details how budgets are created, what mistakes to avoid in scheduling, why design input is important, and how the value engineering process works.Final Estimate This will become the roadmap for all project spending. In eleven chapters, the estimating process is laid out in detail, starting with the decision of when to put the project out for sub bids, setting up the estimate, soliciting bids, analyzing bids, pricing project overhead, pricing self-performed work, and assembling the list of qualifications and exclusions.Buyout Writing subcontracts for each trade means looking for ways to save money, avoiding “scope holes” and not doing business with someone that won’t perform. All this is covered in detail.Payment Applications Several chapters walk through the payment process, how front-end loading works, how risk is evaluated for materials stored offsite, and why the owner may require cost substantiations.Change Proposals Getting paid for extra work is essential. These chapters explain what qualifies as changes and how to organize a system to distribute, price, and track added costs. A step by step procedure is then outlined for assembling change proposals and change orders.Subcontractor Management When a subcontractor goes out of business, finding a replacement and cleaning up their unpaid bills is the project manager’s responsibility. This chapter discusses how these situations unfold and how risk is managed.Authored by Tim Fenton, this book is supported by thirty-five years of direct industry experience with commercial projects. Tim knows the business from the side of the contractor, the owner, and an institutional investor. His project involvement has been in multiple states, has included a diverse mix of building types, and covers projects with values in the tens of millions and beyond.Special Note: There’s a new edition of this book that covers all the first edition content and much more. The second edition explains the construction market, the players, the codes, the permits and trade organizations. New content is also added and expanded in the areas of bid packages, jobsite safety, green certifications, insurance, scheduling, and new technologies. A link to this newer edition is found on the Amazon detail page. Read more