The commercial construction market is booming right now, so it’s no wonder more and more contracting businesses are offering specialized services to commercial clients. Of course, commercial construction comes with its own unique challenges, and many companies who jump at the chance of a big paycheck fail to lay the proper groundwork that leads to successful projects.
The companies that do succeed do so thanks to great construction management. The vast majority of clients will have an idea of what they want but little to no knowledge of how to achieve it, so they depend on you and your knowledge to estimate how long a project will take, how much it will cost and where and how to source labor and supplies. Without planning all of this out in advance you are asking your clients to trust someone barely more prepared than they are; a hard sell to say the least. Here are a few things to bear in mind when planning a successful construction project.
 Schedule
Setting a realistic and achievable schedule is the first essential step in laying the groundwork towards a successful construction project. A realistic timeline informs clients on what they should expect for their investment, keeps supply chains in good working order and generally gives the project its best chance of running smoothly.
Alan Botton, a project manager at 1Day2Write and Write My X, says “when planning a construction schedule, make sure you account for all construction stages from design through procurement and (pre)construction, all the way to commissioning and occupancy. Although you can’t predict everything that will affect production schedules, factor in the possibility of delays based on your previous experience and the advice of experts.”
Budget
Another crucial aspect of planning that deserves its own point is, of course, budgeting. When creating a budget, make sure to consult your engineering and architectural team so that your expenses are closely tied to the project design. Once the design has been developed you can begin to estimate material and labor expenses, and also plan for unforeseen challenges and unexpected expenses, similarly to give the client a realistic appraisal of how the project will run. This might be a change in material costs or weather damage that extends construction time.
However, bear in mind that how you budget may affect the clients you attract. Clients looking to stick to the bottom line will always take the lowest bid, regardless of whether that bid accounts for possible extra expenses, whereas qualifications-oriented clients will be willing to pay more if you have a track run of successful projects.
Document
The activity of the construction site is underpinned by a core pillar of documentation essential to keep production moving and account for expenses. That’s why filing and document organization is a very important part of construction projects, even if it isn’t always the most interesting.
Documentation covers a huge range of elements relating to construction projects, from safety protocols to employee contracts to expense forms. Gareth Thomas, a construction writer at Britstudent and NextCoursework, points out that “not keeping track of your documentation can have wide-ranging consequences from missed payments to workplace injuries. In fact, when it comes to safety protocols, poor documentation can directly result in workplace fatalities. For the safety of your workers and the success of your business, keep track of your documents!”
Connect
Construction is more than merging together bits of inanimate building material, it’s also a process in connecting people. Whether that’s an employer to employee, company to client or company to supplier, interpersonal relationships are often the backbone of a successful company, and thereby a successful project.
Connecting to your suppliers is particularly important considering a good supplier will stay with you across multiple projects. Getting to know the managers and delivery staff can also help you better organize schedules and budgets for future projects.
Self-Motivate
In construction, along with many other client-based industries, you are only propelled along the path to success by self-motivation. Proactivity underlines all aspects of a successful project. Making the effort to contact clients, meet with suppliers, train your staff, prepare for safety eventualities — none of these things will happen automatically. All of these steps depend on you and your company putting in the hard work to create a successful project. If you don’t the client can easily find another company that will.

Michael Dehoyos is a content marketer and editor at PhD Kingdom and Academic Brits. He assists companies in creating marketing strategy and has a keen interest in the construction sector. He also contributes to numerous sites and publications such as Essay Help service.