Difference between Construction management vs Project Management

Project management is broader

The fundamental difference between construction managers and project managers is the scope of the work. Project managers often hold positions of more power and responsibility within a company.

For example, A Construction manager works on the construction projects. A project manager is in charge of everything from selecting a site to land procurement, to hiring a construction manager.

The role of a project manager is to provide the construction manager and the rest of the team on the project with the resources and assistance they need in order to complete their tasks.

Common project manager activities include:

• Site analysis
• Land procurement
• Marketing and public relations
• Budget management
• Timeline and deadline management
• Staffing (including the construction manager)

Gartner outlines the following key responsibilities of project managers:

Defines the project charter



Defines the project charter, roles, responsibilities, milestones, budgets, and performance metrics, and then oversees their implementation from foundation to end.

Communicates needs to team

Represents the interests of the project sponsor to the rest of the team.

Improves Efficiency

Improves project management procedures and techniques in a planned and proactive manner.

Assigns responsibility



Encourages collaborative decision-making and ensures that each individual is assigned correct tasks.

Mitigate Risks

Recognizes and addresses project-specific risks at every stage of the delivery process.

Update status to sponsors

As the project manager, he or she communicates the project's status and health to the sponsors and manages risk and issues.

Encourages growth

Helps develop a "learning organization" by conducting post-project evaluations.

Key takeaway for your business

A lack of project management personnel might put you at danger of making important decisions in the early stages of the project, such as land procurement, which could delay the project and cost you money in the long run.

Construction managers are more involved in the details

In most cases, project managers are just involved in signing off on the work of construction workers, equipment, and supplies. It's up to the construction manager to assess their demands, make a proposal, and present it to the project manager for approval.
There may be a discussion about justification of expenditures between project manager and construction manager, but ultimately project manager relies on the construction manager to figure out how much each spend is worth in relation to the overall project budget.

Common construction manager activities include:

• Managing subcontractors
• Managing workers
• Supervising day-to-day construction operations
• Ensuring compliance with building codes and regulations
• Ordering materials
• Maintaining equipment
• Planning work schedules
• Preparing estimates

Key takeaway for your business

A project manager who is not involved in much of the regular construction management tasks may result in a chaotic workforce that does not adhere to appropriate work schedules, or the company may find itself in violation of building laws and regulations.

Project management involves more direct contact with the client

As the project manager is in charge of a significant part of the operation, they will have more frequent contact with the client, who would like to know how construction is progressing as well as other things like land procurement and site analysis, etc.
This means that the project manager has a better understanding of the client's requirements since they were first brought on board and worked closely with them.
Construction managers will undoubtedly have a great deal of contact with the customer, but project managers will have a greater degree of responsibility.

Key takeaway for your business

Construction managers are often more focused on getting the building done than keeping the client happy, so if you don’t have a project manager, you risk an out-of-the-loop client who is dissatisfied even if the project ends up going smoothly.
Construction managers are more concerned with the getting the construction complete than keeping the customer happy, so if you don't have a project manager, you run the danger of having a customer who is out of the loop and unsatisfied even if the project is completed successfully.

Project managers and construction managers are often the same person

Not every construction business is a massive enterprise employing thousands of people. There are instances when a company consists of only a few individuals, or even just a few. If this is the case, one person will be in charge of both the construction and the project management.
These two responsibilities may need to be divided out as the company expands to prevent overburdening the person and managing issues with larger construction projects when details are overlooked.

Key takeaway for your business

You need to take a step back and determine if 1) you have enough budget to hire two people to fill these roles and, 2) if the person currently filling both roles is handling it well or is starting to make mistakes. If you feel like you are dropping the ball on some of the fundamental activities listed above, that could be a sign that you need two people in these two positions.

Step back and see whether

1. You have the enough budget to recruit two persons for these positions
2. If the person presently filling both roles is doing a good job or beginning to make errors.

Some of the actions outlined above may indicate that you require more than one person in each of these two jobs.

What is the difference between Project management and construction management software?

Project manager and construction manager need quite distinct types of software, which is understandable given the differences in the jobs they do. In many circumstances, Construction management software and project management software are drastically different, despite the fact that there is some commonality.

When it comes to choose construction management software, conside Livefield - a construction management software that has all the advantages which construction management software should have.

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