A Construction Manager? What does that mean?
We hear this question quite often, and it is one with a broad answer that covers many areas and issues related to development and construction.
CMAA defines the Construction Manager (CM) role as follows:
“A professional Construction Manager (CM) acts as an extension of staff to the Owner and manages the entire project with pre-planning, design, construction, engineering and management expertise that can assure the best possible project outcome no matter what type of project delivery method used. A CM is NOT a general contractor. Few owners maintain the staff resources necessary to pay close, continuing attention to every detail–yet these details can “make or break” a project. CM is often used interchangeably with Project Manager.”
Although the term CM is often interchanged with Project Manager (PM), these terms have quite different meanings. We think of it this way…a CM can act as a PM, but a PM does not usually act as the CM.
For example, the CM may be hired by the owners prior to the purchase of real estate for the project to produce preliminary site planning, estimated development budgets, and a preliminary schedule. The CM would handle each phase of the planning, including permitting due diligence, planning and zoning applications, and oversee the procurement of the design team (architect, engineers, geotech, etc.). Often this is referred to as “Project Management” and that would not necessarily be incorrect, as the CM is managing the project.
Usually, Project Management begins with the professionals who will actually construct the project.
(And by professionals, we mean not only the white collar PM but also the superintendents,
foremen, and other highly skilled trades men that actually put work in place).
The Project Manager manages the project from the contractor’s side, while the Construction Manager manages the project, the design team, provides information to the contractor, and manages changes throughout the construction phase from the owner’s side.
The Owner and CM define the scope of the project and track its progress throughout all phases of development and construction, and the PM manages the project as designed by the CM.
It may seem a bit backwards….the CM manages the Project and the PM manages the construction…but think of the ‘Construction’ part of the CM term to mean “everything involved in getting to construction” and the ‘Project’ part of the PM term to mean “the work of putting the project into place.”
In case we’ve lost you….try this. Maybe it will help.
Back to the original question…A Construction Manager? What does that mean?
A Construction Manager serves the owner in a variety of ways to ensure owner satisfaction and project completion.
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