You would think that construction management just involves a construction contractor and the work that he/she has agreed to do, right? Well, that is true some of the time. The rest of the time construction management is actually handled by people who are more business managers than builders. To help you wrap your head around this concept as it applies to actual construction management services, here is a closer look at this job role. 

Think "Project Manager"

Construction managers are essentially project managers. They oversee every last detail of a construction project, from the bid process to the ribbon cutting and opening ceremony (if applicable). They do not typically get their hands dirty with the construction crew; they are mostly office and business types. A construction contractor may hire construction management services if he/she is not very good at handling the business aspects of a construction project, or if he/she would rather just focus on building instead of office tasks.

Property Location

First and foremost, a construction manager that is not head of a construction company will work with a client and a real estate agent to find a suitable property, if the client has not yet found something. If the client is trying to decide what property to buy, the construction manager provides some ideas on why buying one property over another is a good idea. Then the construction manager looks for contractors via a project bidding system, even if the project manager already has a contractor in mind.

Overseeing and Communicating Changes

Construction managers oversee a project as it develops. They report the development of the project and discuss construction issues with the client. They communicate changes with the project to the contractor. At times, they act as the go-between or arbitrator if and when the contractor and client disagree on how things should be done or there are other issues that prevent the project from moving forward. 

Interacting with the Public

Sometimes issues arise with the public. They are often completely separate from what the contractor and his/her crew are doing, but they cause a problem with the surrounding community. When this happens, it requires someone with business flair and people skills to handle the public. A construction manager steps in to find a reasonable solution between the contractor/construction company and the public. This leaves the contractor and his/her crew to continue working on the project uninterrupted so that they can meet their proposed deadlines.