Major Categories of Specialized Construction Management
Construction is a broad term meaning the science and art of assembling various systems, objects, or formations, and comes in two parts: from Latin adheres, to build, and from Old French constructeur and Old English harengen, to construct. To construct is also the verb: to build, and the word for it is construction: how a thing is constructed, its actual shape, its basic structure, etc. In the context of housing, construction means the arranging of materials into the various rooms or parts of a building in order for the occupants to live there safely and comfortably.
The term construction management refers to the management aspect of the construction project management. It involves planning, organizing, commanding, supervising, commanding, and controlling the construction project as a whole. The major elements involved in construction management are: planning (what resources are available and how they will be used? ), organizing (how materials are obtained and where they will be used? ), directing (who is in charge of what? ), controlling (who gives permits, gets permits, etc. ), and supervising (how must materials be moved, what must be done when? ).
Some of the professional disciplines in construction management include: mechanical engineering, structural engineering, civil engineering, carpentry, electrical, industrial design, or building analysis. As mentioned above, construction managers usually report directly to the project managers. Construction managers are also responsible for providing guidance and direction to all of the other construction managers as well as supervising their subordinates. This includes ordering, assessing, preparing, and controlling the progress of the project.
Concrete construction is a big field, which consists of many different disciplines such as concrete plant management, concrete engineering, precast or built-up foundation, bridge and tunnel management, road construction, bridge maintenance, drainage control, roofing, and earth-moving technology. These different disciplines are usually related to one another, but they do not have to be. A construction manager can also be a quality assurance manager, cost estimating manager, or a construction planner. There are many more job titles within the realm of construction management that are relevant to some of these disciplines. The bottom line, however, is that construction managers have to be very organized and detailed oriented.
Another major category of professionals in the field of construction management is specialized industrial construction, which includes plumbing, civil and structural engineers, structural surveyors, carpenters, painters, welders, concrete plant operators, steel fabricators, and other specialized trade workers. While most of these professionals are self-employed, there are some major types of commercial building construction companies, including general contracting, cabinet manufacturers, specialty metal fabricators, sheet metal works, steel fabricators, stone masonry contractors, and others. In addition, there are a number of subtopics within these broad areas of specialized construction management. These include capital budgeting, project management, project sequencing, budget development, scheduling, pricing, risk control, government agencies, financial analysis, environmental assessment, project coordination, and many other important subtopics.
For those who are considering a career in the world of construction, it might be helpful to learn about some of the major categories of professionals and subtopics within the field of construction management. This may help individuals to determine whether a degree in construction is what they want, as well as to understand some of the options available to them in the area of specialized industrial construction and commercial building construction. By knowing these major categories of specialists, as well as the subtopics, construction managers can ensure that their career is truly a fulfilling one.
