Support Construction with Work Management Software
Construction projects involve thousands of tasks and subtasks. Generally speaking, these tasks are divided into three main phases: pre-construction, construction, and close out.
An integrated work management system can help construction companies streamline and manage all three phases of the construction project cycle regardless of industry and the complexity of the project.
Let’s examine how work management software supports each construction phase.
Pre-Construction (Planning)
The pre-construction phase is the period between project conceptualization and physical construction.
Since this phase lays out the entire process, it is critical to construction project success. Carefully planning during pre-construction can help avoid problems later in the project lifecycle.
This phase includes several essential steps, mainly managing bids, creating requests for proposals (RFPs), tracking approvals and contracts, and estimating costs.
Estimation is an integral part of pre-construction because it allows owners and developers to budget for the cost of each part of the project. Many factors can affect the cost, such as materials, labor, equipment, permits, and land costs. A comprehensive work management platform should provide teams with a tool to take all these factors into account and create an accurate budget and cost estimation for the project.
For instance, Exto simplifies the processes of issuing RFPs, reviewing proposals, negotiating contracts, and awarding the project to the selected contractor. You can use the RFP evaluation process to assess the qualifications of each contractor and choose the one that is best suited for the project.
Construction (Execution)
After permits are in place, the construction phase begins. During construction, it is vital to monitor the project and all subtasks to ensure it is proceeding as planned.
This phase includes several essential steps, including scheduling, planning, progress monitoring, safety management, billing, and most importantly, actual execution.
Scheduling, Work Planning, and Monitoring
Exto schedule drills down into the smallest activities and creates a schedule for construction management activities. It can be integrated with any system to automatically sync with other project details, like design and permits.
Contractors can develop and upload a detailed plan on how to complete the work specified in the contract. This plan includes a schedule of activities, a budget, and a list of required resources.
Exto progress monitoring can track the status of construction activities and identify potential problems. It also provides real-time visibility into project cost, schedule, and performance data, helping construction companies avoid cost overruns and delays.
Safety Management
Generally speaking, a work management solution should help construction companies improve project safety and provide tools for tracking and managing quality. Safety management is critical during construction because of the inherent risks involved in on-site work. Contractors should develop and implement safety plans that address these risks, which can be mitigated with a work management platform.
Billing
Project billing can be time consuming depending on how many contractors are involved. This article Fast payment cycles equals fast project completion, reviews additional work management platforms for billing.
Closeout (Completion)
After all equipment is in place, the project is complete, and the owner or developer takes possession of the property. This final phase is short but includes several necessary steps, such as issuing discharge certificates, commissioning, and final inspections.
Work management platforms can assist contractors with issuing discharge certificates to confirm that all work has been completed in accordance with the contract. These certificates are generated and published after all punch list items, also managed in work management software, have been addressed and final inspections are complete.
Construction project management is an elaborate process that requires extensive planning, strict resource control, and many checklist items. A work or project management system is indispensable to ensure seamless operations during construction. An integrated project management system offers a comprehensive and centralized view of construction projects, allowing companies to track project progress, identify risks and opportunities, and make informed decisions.
Exto work management manages the entire construction cycle on one platform,for projects of any size and complexity. Its agile system accommodates each organization’s unique needs and can be customized to fit any specific project management requirements. Exto is also scalable, growing as project management needs evolve.
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Project management can be overwhelming, but modern solutions like Exto make it efficient and manageable. Contact us today to discuss your next commissioning project.