8 Great Resources For Construction Managers

What sets the best construction managers apart from the rest? It’s a lot more than simply ‘knowing your stuff’. A fundamental part of being an effective construction manager is being able to find the right resources to assist in doing the job. The technology is out there, but it’s all too easy for a construction manager to think that they don’t need it. Harnessing the technology is particularly important in an age when the construction manager role can be so varied.

The Construction Manager’s Project Life Cycle

However quasi or conventional your role may be, it’s important to understand the construction management life cycle. Below are the key aspects of it. 

1). Methods of construction

Simply googling this won’t cut it. You can save a lot of time by looking at comprehensive resources such as https://www.e-builder.net/ and constructionknowledge.net. Nowadays there are also a multitude of apps available to assist with things like carpentry and mixing concrete. You can also search the eSUB Blog for a wealth of information and best practices. 

2).  projects and clients

You’d be amazed at how effective a picture of a completed project on Instagram and Pinterest can be, so it is wise to fully embrace the world of social media. Even in this day and age, it’s still worth listing yourself in the yellow pages and other such directories, because they are rated highly by google’s search algorithms. But a surefire way to find new business is to score highly on google itself. Fully understanding Google AdWords and having a strategy in place to maximize organic visibility of your website (SEO) is vital in the quest for new business. 

3). Bid management

Like with many things in the process, there’s an app for it. Check out how eSUB can simplify, organize, and streamline your project bidding. 

4). The law of the land

Building regulations can vary from locality to locality, so there is no magic wand towards being compliant other than solid co-operation with the relevant authorities from the very beginning.

Construction regulations, however, are national. The OSHA regulations provide exhaustive guidance as well as sample forms and publications. For the UK, the HSE guidelines can be found here.

5). The hire of workers

The sheer volume of job sites out there can make this quite a difficult part of the process… what if your dream candidate was tucked away on a site you knew nothing about? There is always the chance of this happening unfortunately. All you can do is increase your odds of finding good candidates by keeping up with the biggest sites. Monster.com and Zip Recruiter are generally accepted as the most popular for construction workers, but it’s also worth checking out BuiltWorlds Job Board,  Hire A Man and SnagAJob.

6). Project management & collaboration

Modern-day software has made collaboration an integral part of the project management mix. Now customers expect to be able to track the progress of ongoing projects, and subcontractors expect to be updated with new deliverables in real time, without the need for endless meetings. See eSUB’s project management app as an example of what is now possible.

7). Accounting

Any construction manager should be aware of the impartial advice that is out there. The NAHB has some basic info about construction finance here, and there is an extensive eBook from the CMFA relating to construction industry-specific accounting.

8). Industry trends

Construction journals are still worth a read, even in the internet age. An extensive list can be found here. Don’t forget also the RSS news feeds from these journals that can give you the latest news in real time.

Don’t forget

Sometimes the best advice is closer to home – do not underestimate the power of your own network. There is no substitute for speaking to someone who has been there, seen it and done it, so however useful the above resources may be, make sure you don’t lose sight of how people learned before the internet came along!