The term construction management implies a greater professional duty than a contractor, although many construction management firms today were originally general contractors (Volume 2). The construction manager assists in the supervision of the entire construction process from start to finish (Handbook Online). Before a project even begins, the owner or client calls on the construction manager for preconstruction consulting (Volume 2). The construction manager provides the client with advice and council about different ways to go about the construction. This advice includes selecting important members of the construction team, such as the architect and engineer, assisting in the preparation of the project budget, planning and scheduling, estimating alternate designs, and all the other elements of the project. The construction manager may even assist the client in obtaining financing for the project (Volume 2).
Once construction starts, the construction manager has many important roles that he or she must fulfill and execute properly in order for the construction to go smoothly. One important role is scheduling. A large part of the construction manager's time is spent preparing and working with schedules. Scheduling is a principle function of construction management. Scheduling is simply planning in advance the events to be accomplished over time and putting them into a document (Volume 2). The schedule must be precise and detailed. While on the site, the construction manager must stay informed of progress being made and make sure that the schedule deadlines are being met (Handbook Online). When problems and delays occur, the construction manager must be able work things out and adjust the schedule to where the deadline can still be met (Volume 2). Without scheduling, the construction project is not likely to be completed on time.
Another important role of the construction manager is controlling the costs of a project.
