What Does a Project Manager Do in Roll Out Construction?

In the building industry, a project manager is another name for a construction manager - and it’s a role with incredible responsibility. Most construction project managers are independent contractors - and are typically hired by clients seeking particular industry expertise and experience. Usually these are project managers with bachelor degrees in related industries. Industry-specific experience can be everything from residential projects, to much larger projects from office buildings to schools to retail to medical. But more to the point, what does a project manager do in roll out construction? Roll out construction is unique in that it applies to branding in construction (whether it’s retail stores or offices or hospitality). It typically starts with a company’s flagship location which is freshly renovated to reflect new corporate branding. This branding can affect everything from interior paint colors to signage to displays to seating and shelving. At this point, the new corporate look and feel is “rolled out” to the additional locations via construction. A construction project manager is the lead and monitor for many construction projects from beginning to end. Project managers manage costs, scheduling, and make sure all parties in the construction project are working on their own aspect of the project daily. Project managers also monitor and maintain the project relationships and even safety aspects of the construction site. Project managers also need to do contract management or administration, to make sure all elements of the contracts are in order, being fulfilled, and that all parties are satisfied and staying on board with the stages and stipulations. This applies not only to contract legal stipulations, but to monetary requirements as well. Project managers need to keep on top of construction costs and other party expectations in case the construction requirements and costs have changes. Project managers oversee quality management by ensuring that all construction parties are working within quality requirements and not taking shortcuts which can hurt the overall project. Project managers also typically find and fix safety hazards for the construction workers and site. They also need to be able to read and understand the blueprints for various projects. For these reasons, multi-tasking for a project manager is crucial. And of course project overall communication is critical for project managers to stay on top. There are many parties in a construction project who need to stay in the loop each stage along the way - including designers, architects, engineers, contractors and subcontractors, trade workers, and the client. The project manager keeps them apprised of the situations as well as handling any issues that come up. Project managers should also be savvy to construction trends and even building codes. They should understand all the attributes of their job - including how to use construction software. In their education, project managers would have studied topics from construction planning, scheduling, design and even cost estimates. There are also certifications which are important. These certifications are compiled of overall knowledge of construction management, to education and hands-on experience. Certifications can come from associations such as the Construction Management Association of America, the American Institute of Constructors or other. Want more? Read about Buildrite’s roll-out construction services.