Construction Project Management Fundamentals
Lifecycle and delivery methods
Construction projects move through distinct phases: feasibility and front-end planning, design (concept, detailed, construction documents), procurement and award, mobilization, construction, commissioning, substantial completion, closeout, and the warranty period. Know what gate each phase and which deliverables must exist before proceeding.
Delivery method questions test consequences, not definitions. Design-bid-build separates design from construction and awards to the low responsive bidder; the owner keeps design control but absorbs change orders when documents are incomplete. Design-build gives a single point of responsibility and compresses schedule but shifts design risk to the design-builder. CM-at-risk gives constructability input during design and converts to a fixed price at a guaranteed maximum price. Integrated project delivery shares risk through multiparty agreements.
Integration and baselines
The construction management plan integrates the scope baseline (WBS), cost baseline, schedule baseline, quality plan, safety plan, and communication plan. Constructability reviews and BIM clash detection belong in design, not after mobilization. Change control is formal: request, impact analysis (cost, schedule, risk), approval, and revision of the affected baselines.
Traps candidates fall for
- Confusing substantial completion with final completion. Substantial completion triggers owner use, partial retention release, and the warranty start; the punch list remains.
- Assuming lowest price equals best value; best-value and negotiated procurement weigh technical merit.
- Treating safety and quality as separate from project management rather than as integrated plans with leading indicators.
Rule of thumb
For any potential change, run the three-part test: does it alter a WBS deliverable, the contract price or time, or a design document? If yes, it requires a formal change order.