What project management brings to a building project

Turn an intention into an agreed brief

Before asking for prices, write down what you want to build, who it is for and what resources are available. A main home and holiday accommodation may have the same floor area yet call for very different decisions. The first document should record priorities, constraints and unanswered questions, without pretending everything is settled.

Project management organises that process: what information is missing, who should provide it, who decides and which deliverable allows the next stage to begin. Its scope is agreed for each project; it does not replace the duties of the responsible technical professionals.

Compare on the same basis

Three quotes are not comparable if one includes work the others leave out. Before choosing, review quantities, specifications, exclusions and terms. The total only makes sense when you know what it buys.

At Madercon, the initial study is a paid commission with agreed scope and fees. It can help organise information and prepare target prices. Procurement and subsequent coordination are defined separately, according to the project and the collaborators required.

• Who approves each quote, and using what information?
• Which costs are excluded, and what contingency is allowed?
• How is a change approved before the work takes place?

Keep a record of decisions

During construction, a conversation can change one item, affect another and move a delivery. Recording the reason, cost and approval makes the decision understandable. A useful meeting ends with named responsibilities and next steps, rather than a wish list.

Management brings visibility to decisions. It does not remove uncertainty or guarantee a completion date: it helps distinguish a deviation, a pending decision and a scope change. To begin, bring the available documents and explain which part of the process you need to coordinate.