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Recently, I was part of a volunteer construction project. We were erecting a five thousand square foot building in just a matter of seven days. Hundreds of people were investing their time and resources in the project, and plenty of preliminary work had been done to the property and parking lot prior to the final push. 

To construct a building and be ready for final inspection in seven days is a remarkable feat in and of itself; if you also consider the fact that very few were construction professionals, it is amazing.

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The majority of the population is now working remotely, hence traditional business continuity plans might not be applicable in a world where social distancing and work-from-home is the new normal. The current market demands the use of remote Resource Management software.

“How does a cloud-based project management software help me in planning Business Continuity?”

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More and more project managers are getting involved with selecting project management software. This makes a lot of sense – after all, project managers are the people who will be using the product on a day-to-day basis so it’s good to involve them in the choice. They will also have strong views about what the software should do and how it can help them manage their projects.

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A root cause for a project management plan that is running behind could be the level of experience of the people on the project. There is absolutely something to be said for experience, especially on a project that is very complicated and technical in nature.

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Project Managers that are new to project management may look at some of their more senior counterparts with a sense of curiosity and respect. How did they end up in such a situation where they can handle any type of issue that is thrown their way?

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Despite having experience of successful drug launches in the past, pharmaceutical companies today face different challenges than what they did 5 years ago. Today’s hyper-competitive drug market has an entirely different set of needs and a varied set of consumers and stakeholders. Consumers are not just the patients taking the medication, but also the physicians.

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Get Solar Project Management Software for your Organization

The one question I ask during each meeting is this, "How are you currently managing your projects, work, and resources?"  Surprisingly most of the responses are, "We use excel or some tool to manage”

After talking with companies for only a few minutes, we eventually discuss what they call pain points of using excel, which is defined as "when excel fails to balance". The pain they describe includes hours spent manually updating, gathering, and compiling data that executives and managers can use to make informed business decisions. Not to mention, the pain caused when someone updates or reports status on outdated information.

Once we are done discussing "pain points of using excel" we turn our discussion to the world class project management software, which has been accelerated with all the technology advances and the ever-pressing need to be more efficient with company resources.

Solar Project Management Software

We will discuss best practices, methodologies, and products beyond the tools that help companies focus on managing solar projects, work, and resources at the optimal level with world-class efficiency.

5 Major Benefits of getting Solar Project Management Software

1. Centralized data in one location to manage and report on all your company's projects, work, and resources.

2. Huge productivity gains when the transition is made from manual processes that take hours to stream-lined processes that take seconds.

3. Real-time visibility into your projects and work that provide an accurate understanding of status and needs, enhancing accurate decision-making on complete information.

4. Maximized resources that occur when every person in your company is aligned and focused on the work that will accelerate the attainment of strategic and financial goals.

5. World-class efficiency that accelerates market penetration, making your company a competitive force and a leader in your industry.

These are just five of the many benefits I have witnessed companies experience when they make the transition from using only excel to the world class Solar Project Management Software.

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All about Photovoltaic System

tWhat is Photovoltaic?

PHOTOVOLTAIC is the direct method of converting sunlight into electricity. This direct conversion of sunlight into electricity is done through devices known as ‘Solar Cells’ which are packed (encapsulated) in a ‘Photovoltaic Module’ (also generally known as a ‘Solar Module’).

Photovoltaic’s is the ‘solar electric’ technology. The other type of solar technology is the ‘solar thermal’ technology, which maximizes the utilization of heat from sunlight. Examples of solar thermal equipment are solar water heaters and solar cookers.

What does a Solar Photovoltaic System Consist of?

A photovoltaic system can be physically divided into two parts:

Photovoltaic Array, which consists of arrays of photovoltaic modules placed on the rooftop or terrace to capture sunlight, and

Balance of system, which consists of electronics and other hardware such as inverters, meters, junction boxes, wiring, switches/MCBs, mountings, etc. which may be connected to the photovoltaic array and placed indoors very near to the conventional energy meter.

The electricity generated by the system will directly be injected into the electricity grid.

What are the components of a photovoltaic System?

Photovoltaic Modules, which directly convert sunlight into DC electricity. Many photovoltaic modules are connected in series and parallel combinations to achieve the desired capacity of the system in kilowatts.

Module Mounting Structures, which are used to mount the photovoltaic modules on the rooftops or terraces.

Inverter, which converts the DC electricity coming from the photovoltaic modules AC electricity.

Energy (Electricity) Meter, which is the same as a conventional electricity meter, to measure the solar energy (electricity) injected into the grid.

Wires, junction boxes, switches/MCBs, surge arrestors, etc., to make electrical connections, and ensure safety and protection.

How much area does a photovoltaic system require?

A typical 1 kilowatt photovoltaic system would require about 14 square meters (i.e. 150 square feet) of open space. Larger photovoltaic systems would require proportionally more space to absorb more sunlight. Hence, for example, a 5-kilowatt system would require 70 square meters or 750 Square Feet.

How much energy does a photovoltaic system generate?

A typical 1 kilowatt photovoltaic system would generate an average of 1600 units (i.e. kilowatt-hours, kWh) annually. Larger photovoltaic systems would generate proportionally more energy. Hence, for example, a 5-kilowatt system would generate around 8000 units per year.

What are the advantages of a photovoltaic system for generating electricity?

Photovoltaic systems offer one of the cleanest, most practical and scalable methods of generating clean energy.

The fuel, which is sunlight in this case, is free. Moreover, the earth receives enough sunlight in one hour to provide the world’s energy needs for an entire year.

Photovoltaic systems are very easy to install, operate and maintain; further they are very easy to understand. The main activity in maintenance of such systems involves cleaning of the photovoltaic modules with water.

Photovoltaic modules, which are the main cost of the photovoltaic system are very robust and, now come with a 25 (twenty-five) year warranty.

There are no moving parts in typical rooftop or terrace photovoltaic systems. This further makes the maintenance very easy and ensures a long life of the system.

Related Blog Posts : 

How to choose the best Project Management for Solar Projects?

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Construction Project Management Software

It might get complex attempting to keep track of the different matters that must be done during a construction job. Different contractors must be hired, workers have to be scheduled, and provisions must be bought. Making sure that everything is done the right way so that the project is completed on time takes the right type of skill and a bit of help.

That is why several companies will rely on construction project management software to help see it through to the end. It is designed with features that will assist you to pay the right invoices so that it is not late and to schedule the correct contractor without conflicting with another. With the proper brand, you will be able to finish on time and without a lot of problems.

When you are in search for the proper program to use you need to consider various things. One of the first things that we suggest you search for are the proper features. Consider carefully about why you are going to be using the program and how it can improve upon the job that you have.

Create a list of the features that a lot of the top brands use and cross out anything that you consider would prove futile to you. You should not spend more money on something that will not provide you with the most value for your money. If you are able to get a cheaper brand and implement your goals than you should do it.

When in doubt you have to try a demo of the brand that you want. The majority of manufacturers will set up a web site where you are able to download the demo for free and try it out for thirty days. This will allow you to see hands on to see if it is the proper management software. It will also save you time from having to uninstall it and return it if you don’t like it.

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Why Project Plans Need to have Project Managers

Certain task needs to have a direction. This is also true in making project plans. To be able to direct a project plan towards its end-goal, there must be someone who knows how to manage it. This is the role of project managers. Before listing down the important roles the project manager plays in project plan, what qualities must a project manager needs to have to be effective?

A project manager needs to have a sense of direction. He should have a vision of where to go and the capability to work out that vision. He must also be a good communicator since he deals with all the people in the team. He must let the team understand the goals, responsibilities, and expectations of the project plan.  Good leaders work for the group. He does not only command but he serves as the model of being a competent member of the team. His behaviors and values are utmost important because team member look up to him. A project manager must be enthusiastic. His energy must exceed more than anybody in his team. His enthusiasm serves as motivation of the team to move on and work effectively to reach a certain goal.

A project manager must have team-building and problem-solving skills. These skills are needed for the team to work collaboratively without conflicts. In project planning, ideas are shared and sometimes disagreement arises. The project manager must be able to resolve this for a better output. A project manager must be competent with what he does. He should have the technical skills and the intelligence to lead the team in achieving the goal of the project. Lastly, a project manager can work coolly under pressure. Making project plans would sometimes lead to pressure and stress. If the project manager is calm, he can think clearly and can make decisions easily without hurting the feeling of his colleagues.

Great qualities also require greater responsibilities. A project manager is the overall in charge in the accomplishment of the project plan. Because of this, he has these specific roles to play:

1. He must meet the task needs in the project plan such as attaining the objectives, planning the work, allocating resources, defining tasks, monitoring work progress, and checking performance.

2. He must meet his team needs such as appointing sub leaders, building team unity, setting standards, maintaining team supervision, developing work methods.

3. He must meet individual needs such as balancing the team needs and task needs, appreciating individual accomplishment, developing the individual performance, and helping team members solve problems.

To sum up everything, project manager is needed in every project plan because he has an important role to play right from the very start of the project until the end. A project manager must be able to lead the project towards a productive end. He must be committed, flexible, dependable, and experienced. Being a project manager is such a challenging role but if the project manager knows what his roles should be, he can deliver the project plan according to the desire of the users and customers.

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Project Management Tips: Stay Productive on the Road

Like many project management professionals, you probably fit business travel into an already busy schedule. How can you maintain peak efficiency through it all? The tips below will get you started.

Stay in touch

Forward your office line to your mobile, or have another team member transfer important calls to you. Get a laptop with built-in wireless access, use a cellular carrier’s wireless card, or sign up for the hotel’s in-room Wi-Fi access (be sure it’s secure or use a VPN). Check e-mail and voicemail regularly, and activate an out-of-office message if your schedule won’t allow for frequent logins.

Delegate

Focus on your trip’s objectives and your core responsibilities, and assign as much of the other stuff as you can to the rest of your team. If critical-path activities will occur while you’re away (visits by inspectors, the arrival of new equipment, etc.), bring a fellow team member up to speed before you leave and delegate the entire task to them. They’ll expand their skill set while you put your energy into other aspects of the project.

Seize downtime

In-transit time is perfect for tackling tasks such as reviewing and commenting on documents, responding to e-mail and voice messages, evaluating vendor proposals, watching or listening to educational material, drafting new project plans, and reviewing any presentations you’ll be giving during your trip. It’s also a prime opportunity to relax and recharge with a good book, or even an in-flight massage.

Pack light

Stick to carry-ons to avoid the hassle of lost/delayed bags and hanging out in baggage claim. You’ll be more flexible when hit by last-minute schedule changes and delays, and hopping into a cab in the rain is less of a chore, too. Consolidate your electronics (fewer power cords!), invest in multi-use clothing, and bring only what you need.

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How To be a Good Project Planner

To be a good project planner, it takes more than a desire to succeed at this complex part of business. It also takes knowledge and the right tools. This task requires so much that not every person can achieve the goals of planning a project to the needed details that are necessary alone.

One of the essential elements of being a successful project planner is to know what is expected and how to achieve this goal. This is far more complex of a task than saying here is a project, complete it on time and under budget. The entire scope of planning every move and detail of a project is immense, even for a small project.

To be a project planner, the individual must be a certain type of person. This is a self-motivated personality that has a knack for getting a job done no matter what obstacles are laid before their path. For many the most useful tool to help accomplish this is the construction project management programs that are currently available.

With a construction project management software program available, a person who is assigned to be in charge as the project planner will have access to them the most advanced set of tools existing now. These tools include templates to assist in the different tasks that will be necessary to complete for the project to run smoothly.

With templates for scheduling of all the necessary items that must be laid out, the project planner can see what the critical path of the project will be and ensure the risk and issues that might interfere with this path are correctly dealt with.

The quality control system is another responsibility of the project planner. This part of the project plan must guarantee that the deliverable is of the quality set out in the business plan that the stake holders approved of.

The complexity of being a good project planner is so vast that not every responsibility has been explained. One thing is for sure is that it takes a unique individual with the right tools at hand for the projects to be a success. This, in part requires a good project management software program to be used to its fullest potential to achieve. 

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Drive your project on track with using Project Management Systems

There are two sides to dealing with the project. The first is the side that everybody knows about. It is the piece of the part that incorporates viably overseeing individuals through a progression of projects and due dates. The second side is the thing that everybody fears. It is the sat idle managing innovation that does not work, records that are not good, and repository systems that neglect to stay up with the latest as a task nears accomplishments.

Whereas one side of overseeing projects is your activity, the other is an issue. That is the reason various organizations outsource the second part. By procuring an organization that exceeds expectations in making a space for your projects on the web, you can center totally around what makes a difference. Likewise, while including all the time that is spared, contracting an outside gathering to deal with your undertaking space can help pay for itself.

What exactly Project Management Systems means to your coming immediate project?

There are various reasons why individuals picked project management systems. The first is that the administration is intended to be secure. This implies even though your information is on the web, just you and your group approach it. Keeping your information secure means always refreshing on the web security, keeping your information far from prying eyes.

A management system for your project additionally implies having an outside capacity focus. This considers people both at the workplace and around the globe get to your data and add to the task. With fewer deferrals going someplace to associate, your project can remain on track.

An outer project management system additionally implies having a simple to utilize and explore systems. The product and framework you use particularly intended to be easy to understand and direct. The advantage is that your spare time training colleagues another framework, rather investing the energy in getting a head begin on the task.

Administrations Provided by a Project Management System

1. Correspondence

A powerful management framework for an undertaking will incorporate numerous routes for people to impart including emails like message programming, bug following, note making, and schedule management.

2. Capacity

All information concerning the project can be kept in a consolidated area, making it simple to discover all that you require.

3. Administration

From a dashboard posting current assignments to records of contacts and their present obligations, the management is made straightforward using project management systems

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Design limits of the packing stations

The major new driver for the European market is high-quality fruit. The initial requirement was for the development of 3, 000 hectares of clown plantations, divided into 15 farms, maintained a huge facilities. The opportunity of transferring high-quality bananas to the European market came into being scheduled to the high importance tariffs on bananas from Latin America imposed by europe (EU). The EUROPEAN UNION offered the best importance rates to many of the former colonies in Africa. It was therefore much more attractive for difficulties banana distributors to get started on up businesses in The african continent. The sub-tropical climate and favorable soil type of Northern Mozambique are preferably suited for growing the required bananas, and the opportunity for diseases, such as Black Sigatoka and Panama Disease (deadly to bananas, which afflicted many of Central American plantations) was not present. Price: The availability cost every carton should never exceed US$4. 50. A selling price of US$6. 50 was agreed after with the leading international distributor. Growing and maintaining of 10 hectares each week per farm. This limitation is due to the design limits of the packing stations and the maintenance of the planting, which is quite comprehensive. Full Global Gap and Rain Forest compliance before any export of the fruit to Europe. Routine: 750 hectares by the end of 20091, 750 hectares at the conclusion of 20103, 000 hectares by the end of 2011The job commenced in 2008 with securing the use of the land and obtaining all the required environmental permits. The construction of the dam also started, seeing that it was the most significant deliverable of the project. Mozambique gets a number of warm storms, commencing in January of every year and long lasting before the middle of April of the subsequent year, which only allows seven to eight a few months of uninterrupted construction work on the infrastructure. All of these elements were kept in mind when the task was planned. Soon after the project commenced, it started deviating from the initial schedule. This was generally due to the difficult logistical support, which was dependent on the provisions only by sea plus the remoteness of the location. Malaria was also rife, reducing efficiency substantially, as well as a workforce, which for two generations, hadn't known what it meant to be employed -- remembering that Mozambique was first included in a war of independence (1975) and after that in a civil conflict for the next over seventeen years. The local work force,, labor force had extremely few skills and a sizable amount of effort were required to go into training and skills. Compounding this was a lifetime of malnutrition, causing in low productivity rates. Communication was the major challenge. In order to plant a hectare, the following must occur: Property needs to be eliminated of vegetation. The land needed to be well prepared by ripping the concentrated soil and the advantages of gypsum. Trenching and installation of the water sources system. Planting of 2, 000 plants per acres. The installation of the cable ways only occurs later, but needs to be completed before farming commences. The construction of the dam, weirs, pump stations, electrical reticulation, having dams, packing stations, and warehouses occurs in similar. Obviously planting the clown plants cannot take place unless the irrigation system is commissioned for the precise hectare. Very little task management expertise existed within the project team, consisting of expatriate farmers and construction specialists from Mvuma, zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South The african continent. The international marketer, who was committed to deliver fruit to Europe by a specific date, was adamant that professional project management services be introduced into the project immediately. Quickly a Project Management Specialist (PMP)(R) certified project administrator was appointed as a consultant to assist with the project management activities on the farm. Following 8 weeks, the job manager needed to leave anticipated to personal reasons and the project continued under the leadership of the general manager. By central of 2009, only 191 hectares of a prepared 270 hectares were rooted. In order to retrieve the schedule, an fast planting plan was followed - plant whatever you can where irrigation is present, which triggered inconsistent sugar plantation per farm as exhibited in Exhibit 2. Anywhere the planting rate surpasses the 10 hectares, the maintenance of the acres for fertilising, pruning, and finally harvesting turns into a management nightmare. In some instances, it will have to be redirected to other packing areas. This is a quality issue. The infrastructure development was within the required tolerances, aside from the purchase of the cable ways. To ensure that it is not damaged during harvesting, the cable ways formed a critical success factor for the travel of the fruit from the plantation to the packing stations. Spending on the project also became a major concern, with almost one quarter of the budget expended, but only 12% of the project earned. The task steering committee, under the instruction of the worried investors, decided to have an outside consultancy to recover the troubled job. This is where we got involved.

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Constructive programming

Proper Planning  Prevents  Poor Performance The five P's  is a shortened version of the British Army’s training aid (The 7  P’s) - In today’s world one of the P’s (Prior) is redundant and the other one shouldn’t be used in mixed company. The five P’s should be the mantra of any good construction  project manager and is as true today as when first used. Virtually every  failure of any building project can be traced back to poor planning, which  makes this phase of the process perhaps the most important. It is completely inefficient to run any project  with ‘fly by the seat of your pants’  tactics…. Allowing contractors to dictate how and when they carry out their  works without any control leads to chaos, poor workmanship and then disputes. Work  that has to be rebuilt for following trades will always cost more and  create avoidable delays. Often people who think they are great at ‘multi-tasking’  are in truth not doing any one thing properly as for any building project to be a  success there has to be concentrated order and control. There is no  worse spectacle than  a building project  that has ground to a halt because of poor programming and the consequent  loss of control. The potential for cost/time overruns and financial losses is  enormous not to mention the stress placed on whoever is trying to manage the  thing…. Yet it’s all completely preventable. In the early 1900s, Henry  Gantt and his peers began applying scientific techniques to management of people  and processes. This has been refined to what is now known as  Project Management, which  is put simply, a method of arranging work in a logical and timely manner. Within the  construction industry, it has become essential to use effective programming, as  labour and material costs have risen to such an extent that any construction projects  would soon run into trouble, if pre Gantt methods of management were applied.The ‘Gantt Chart’  which  is Henry’s innovation is a graphic means of visualizing the programming process,  allowing the user to spot where conflicts might occur and where crucial  operations should take place. This forms what is known as the ‘Critical Path’  and whatever else happens on the project, this course needs to be maintained, or  adjusted quickly if it can’t be. Alas, any changes to the critical path  normally lead to additional costs and delays. It is therefore much better to  spend more time planning for all eventualities before the construction actually  begins.Producing a Gantt chart starts  with  listing  all the known processes and then setting them to a  timescale in the form of a bar graph. Information gathered from the budget calculations  regarding timing, should then enable the most effective  scheduling of sub contractors and  the provision of enough time for them to carry out their work. It also allows for  the pre-ordering of materials and services, so that they arrive in good time to  be utilized. In addition to all the known elements, buffer zones must be built in to the  program to allow for unexpected delays or poor productivity. It is also essential  to allow for weather fluctuations which can wreak havoc on the best laid plans.  It is therefore important to factor in the time of year. As a rule of thumb,  projects carried out during the summer months will be easier and consequently  cheaper to construct. So, if any delays in planning for instance push the  building works into the winter months, it would seem sensible to wait until the  spring to begin. Additionally the location of the building work is a major  factor to be considered. Building on a remote hillside will obviously take  longer than a flat site in a town. Sounds easy doesn’t it… alas no matter how good  the plan appears to be, ‘Murphy’s Law’ will be there waiting to derail it  unless absolutely everything has been accounted for.Create a Gantt chart for yourself,  because in helping self-builders visualize the  overall time spans involved, a Gantt chart can be invaluable. Take a view of  the whole project from its conception, including searching for plots and  planning and then list possible timescales. Creating and using a Gantt chart in  this way helps concentrate the mind onto matters of real importance and will  assist in keeping to those timescales and any critical dates. It soon becomes  obvious that any delays, in purchasing a site or planning issues for instance, will  have incidental negative effects on any future building program. Project management program abound and in experienced hands on the right type of  project, they can be useful. All project managers use some form of system,  whether on a computer or not, the principles used always remain the same. Most  of the program on the market are aimed at IT systems or operational projects  and are not helpful with construction. It is sadly not an unusual occurrence  that having spent time setting up a PM computer program purchased at great cost  to run a job, the self-builder finds themselves completely thwarted by  unforeseen circumstances. These can render the program out of step and the  inherent lack of flexibility makes it difficult to get it back on line. At that  stage the program normally gets ignored and the ‘flying by the seat of the  pants’ management method takes over. For the new self-builder this could easily  turn into a very expensive nightmare.  A great deal of patience is required for the programming process to be  successful and any personal tendencies towards haste or excitability should be  held firmly in check. A calm cool attitude towards problem solving is essential  if the process is to be of any use. This particular element of project management is one  of the most underrated and yet one of the most important. The success or  failure of any project often depends on how well this task is carried out. In  formulating any project program, the producer should utilize a policy of  check it, check it, and then check it all over again.Whatever target completion  date has been set for  the building work, it can only be achieved if the project is programmed and controlled  properly. Given the weather conditions we have in this country, any target  completion date can only ever be provisional. Issues of wanting to move in  before Christmas should be secondary to the quality and continuity of the  build. If the self-builder is renting a property to live in while the build is  in progress, they should allow for additional time. It is certainly not cost  effective or a boon to quality, to be moving in whilst the decorators are still  painting the walls or the utility systems have not been fully tested! Management Contracting would work  with you and your team to create a workable program and then to keep things  moving, so that you can get on with your normal life and yet be involved in all  of the pleasant and more rewarding aspects of the project. There would be a  constant watching brief to check on progress and to ensure that any likely hold-ups  are kept to a minimum. Problems, which would normally mean extra costs and  setbacks, would be addressed immediately. Constant reviews of the program  would also be carried out to ensure a continuous flow of productive work. The fees for this service are  difficult to establish as it crosses the line between the pre-construction and  operational phases. The cost of producing an initial basic program for a new build  is approximately 0.05% or 50 p for every £1000 net build cost. The cost for  continued management of the program for a new build is 1% of the net build  cost. Not a huge sum of money for cost saving efficiency and peace of mind.If you still really  want to do all of this yourself, then Management Contracting would create a bespoke package to work with you as a  mentor, helping to keep you focused .… Aiding in utilizing  the right paperwork and software and advising on all aspects of programming. Operating  in the background to make life easier we would always be there at the end of  the telephone if things get difficult, offering constructive programming advice  and assistance.The cost for this would be the  same as the above, as the level of input is actually greater, so no real  savings can be made. There is a great deal to learn though and if the intention  is to go on with further projects, this can be a great way of acquiring the knowledge.The self-builder must remember of course that along with the satisfaction of management comes  responsibility. management Contracting cannot accept full liability for any  programming problems on sites not fully managed by the firm.

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Unscrupulous Building Contractors

Unscrupulous Building Contractors? Last year an Architect I knew asked me to take over a job that was in trouble. He told me that he had tried tirelessly to get the building contractor to carry out the work as specified, but found himself watching over the build like a hawk, as the contractor didn’t seem to have a clue as to what was required of him.I visited the site with a trusty site supervisor I had used before and together we surveyed the work that had been carried out. Now I know that I harp on a bit about the dangers of using building contractors and the differences between them and that of construction management… but this was notably poor work. We made out a schedule of the items that we could find in one visit, which was sufficient to allow the client and Architect to finally get shot of the contractor.It was pretty obvious that the relationship had completely broken down so I assisted the client in the negotiations with the ‘builder’ and helped them both come to a resolution about how much was owed to whom. I was not party to the actual figure which passed hands, but I know that the quantified schedule that I’d produced managed to get the original claim figure down to a reasonable amount.One of the most difficult things, was that the whole project had been specified and drawn up for a building contractor scheme with all the technical control features included along with attendant specialists such as a Quantity Surveyor to deal with costings, A Structural Engineer on a full brief to deal with technical design features, A chimney designer and a lighting designer, as well as the Architect himself who oversaw the whole thing on a full watching and design brief. I was not privy to the total cost of all of this ‘professional’ assistance but I can only dream of fees such as theirs!The first thing that happened was a reappraisal of everyone’s role and as I normally deal with costing it seemed that the Quantity Surveyor was surplus to requirement. He was strangely happy to relinquish his role as was the Structural Engineer which gave me my first inkling of trouble ahead. I had to completely rework the ‘Generic’ Bill of Quantities that the QS and Architect had formulated, as none of it was set to the ‘Work Package’ system that Construction Management uses. During this I found that a huge amount of errors were made due to changes in specification with the usual  during the design phase, which I had thought was complete. It just goes to prove to me how unwieldy the professional systems are in the self build scenario!By the time I had been called in, the foundations had been laid, the walls were up and a start had been made to construct the roof. All this in a matter of two months! I won’t bore you with the technical details, save to say that we had trouble finding anything which was constructed to the drawings and as for levels, the previous ‘builder’ must have thought that they were completely unnecessary.We had to completely remove what roof had already been constructed and realign the steel support to match the out of line walls so that a roof could actually be erected that although difficult to achieve, could at least be uniform. Several of the walls were out of line due to the incorrect alignment of the foundations, which had been set on pilings due to the nature of the sub soil, so there was nothing we could do to correct those.We have just about finished the job now and in the final analysis I find myself out of pocket due to the additional time I spent dealing with these thorny problems. Please be assured that I am not wailing in my tea about this, as I feel that all events in life serve a purpose…in this case don’t take on a job after it has been screwed up by a useless ‘building contractor’ without making allowance for what may pop up out of the blue.I would have to say that this has been one of the most technically demanding and time consuming projects of my career…. I say one of, as there have been others and you know what… they were all rescue missions…. You’d have thought I’d have learned my lesson by now, but in those immortal words of Bruce Willis…” What’s a guy to do! So next time you think of taking on a building contractor to build your new home, think of this blog and then please… think again.

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Building Site Control

Everything is  in place The budget is ready, the men and materials are all set up and ready to go. Good old Kevin McCloud says “building a house is  akin to building a rocket ship in fourteenth century Albania”. It can seem like that at  times. But if all the planning has been carried out properly, there should be few surprises at this point. It should be known by now whether the site and design are feasible and any changes  that were required will have been made and all fully incorporated within the budget and program. It should also be known how long the project should take  and when each segment should occur. All the work package contractors should have been notified of the start date and all the suppliers should be aware that  the construction phase is about to begin. Whoever is  going to run the site on a daily basis should be set up in the site office with the phone and laptop all fired up and prepared for action.  

 The storage containers and the welfare facilities should be plumbed in and  wired up  and the first set of contractors should be on site ready to  begin. They will have been briefed on the Health & Safety regime and they will have been instructed with what they are doing and in what order for  that day. Who is going  to do this? Who is directing the day to day operations  and how? If the owner is doing it themselves, do they have the necessary technical experience? Do they have the required managerial skills and  programming know-how? Do they have the ability to act quickly and calmly when problems occur and panic abounds? That’s a lot of questions and they all need  answering if the project is to be a success. It’s  good being  prepared in advance, but to maintain a healthy project is going to require the use of all of the  above skills in the continuous reassessment of progress. The management  of a construction project needs  a set of skills not given to us at birth. The project manager will need to carry  out their duties properly and with enthusiasm. They must be able to motivate  and yet maintain discipline. They are going to need a variety of technical  skills to be able to solve any problems when they occur and to keep the whole thing  rolling forward. Program management is  essential to the smooth running of any project during the construction period.

 It  can be carried out remotely, as long as there is someone on site who can  provide all the required information. It is only with keeping a wary eye on everything though, that the build will continue to run smoothly. Liaising with  all parties calls for the ability to converse at all  levels and without losing the thread or causing offence. There is no place for a  huge ego in building management. The job requires a good set of negotiating skills in order to keep to the prime objective, which is to complete on time  and on budget. The project manager will need to work with anyone involved in the build. This will include building control officers, conservation officers and  any other environmental representatives. They will also need to interact  constantly with the design team to deal with any design issues or alterations  which may occur. Controlling  the site.  Through the  supervisor, the project manager should knit the contractors labour with the  flow of materials. This keeps the whole thing moving forward. The manager should  also be able to motivate the labour force and develop a team spirit to make  best use of everyone’s talents and expertise. The manager must also be able to mediate between the various personalities in the team to ensure that friction is kept  to a minimum. Managing a site is not about ordering people about and shouting, no matter how stressful the job may become. A cool calm head needs to be  maintained at all times. This however does not mean ignoring problems in the hope that  they will go away.

 Providing technical  aid to the contractors is required to assist the smooth  operation of their work. It also makes certain that work dovetails in with any subsequent  contractors. The initial period of the project is crucial and involves the setting out of works so surveying skills are essential as any mistakes made at  this point could prove very costly indeed. The manager should also provide advice to  the client on materials and processes as well as updates on operational  progress. This may require translation of technical language into layman’s  terms… and all without appearing conceited. A common problem  in construction is the architects drawings not containing enough information for the contractors to perform a given task. This could be due to a  complex design, or more likely because the architects brief didn’t include a request for detailed drawings. This will then need discussions and design  sketches by the project manager to enable the contractor to finish their task properly. In order to achieve this, a good deal of technical expertise and skill  in problem solving is required. A wrong decision at this point could mean poorly completed work and subsequent rebuilding. A trained and  impassive set of eyes is essential to inspect the work for  quality and to spot all and any departures from the specifications or design.  It is only with  expertise gained from experience will some of these  deviations be revealed. Sometimes what appears to be a small error at an early stage may be responsible for much larger problems later. The ability to project  forward and foresee likely troubles only comes with experience.