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Construction project management at a design/build construction company / by Raymond Vincent Zukauskas.

by Zukauskas, Raymond Vincent.

Architectural contracts

Construction contracts

Industrial project management

vi, 116 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Abstract -- Introduction - design/build construction -- Design/build concept -- Design/build marketing -- Project management - an overview -- Field management -- Construction safety -- Preconstruction operations -- Construction planning and scheduling -- Progress payments -- Quality control -- Project closeout -- Conclusions -- Appendix A) Standard form of design/build agreement and general conditions between owner and contractor B) Pre-qualification statement C) Contractor's financial statement D) Experience questionnaire E) Invitation to bid F) Standard design/build subcontract agreement with subcontractor providing design G) Standard design/build subcontract agreement with subcontractor not providing design H) Subcontractor's application for payment I) Change order J) Daily construction project log K) Certificate of substantial completion.

Construction project management is a group of management functions by which construction is authorized, purchased, supervised, inspected, and accomplished.

When a design/build contractor, herein referred to as D/B contractor, decided to pursue a potential project, a project manager arranges a meeting with the client to learn about its business and specific needs. From that meeting, strategies are set up on how to sell the project to the client; a design agreement, proposal, or a concept plus price bid. Concurrently, a set of proposal drawings and an outline specification are prepared.

Next, the proposal is presented to the client where it is discussed and reviewed for completeness in regard to the client’s needs. Once the client accepts the basic design concept and budget for the project, legal contracts are prepared and the client’s signature is sought.

Once the contract has been officially accepted and signed, the designers begin developing a complete set of working drawings and a specification for the project. The design takes into account any and all design changes that may have occurred during the project manager’s proposal review meeting with the client. Upon approval of the working drawings and specifications by the owner, the processes of bidding, awarding contracts, and building the project begin.

The actual construction process is identical for both a D/B and a general contractor. Both send letters to all subcontractors on their pre-qualified bidders list and publish the project in the local construction paper or journal informing the rest of the construction community of the upcoming project. Also, both either mail or ask the subcontractors to come in and pick-up a set of the working drawings and specifications from which they are to base their bid. Once both receive and review all the bids from the subcontractors, the D/B or general contractor inform their selected subcontractors on their award of a subcontract for the project.

Contracts are sent to all subcontractors that will be working on the project. These contracts must be signed and returned to either contractor prior to the subcontractor beginning any type of work for the project. Shop drawings must be prepared, submitted, approved, and sent back to the subcontractor before the fabrication of any materials may begin.

The one major item that works to the advantage of a D/B contractor is that if there are changes to the design once the project has started in the field, the project manager can in a much timelier fashion get that information to everyone involved. This is greatly due to having that design team in-house or under direct contract. With the design team under direct contract, the design firm has committed to a specified fee and time frame to produce all the required drawings, and the D/B contractor does not need to carry the overhead of the design staff during lean times.

Since the project manager of a D/B construction company can coordinate the team of architects, designers, engineers, and builders in a more efficient manner, the length of the construction process itself is cut down in total time to complete the project. This means greater savings to the client in construction costs, interim financing, and the additional revenue generated by having the project ready for use at an earlier date.

This paper will address the advantages that the design/build construction concept has over typical construction contracting methods and how these advantages help in the management of a construction project.

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