What is Commercial Construction Management?
Commercial construction management refers to the tasks related to planning, designing, and executing any building or establishment meant to generate profit. This is often done for office buildings, malls and retail stores, warehouses, factories, and the like. Some common responsibilities include ensuring compliance with safety regulations, managing project and financial plans, and more.
Importance
Commercial construction management is the backbone of all commercial projects, making it essential to the construction industry and process. It is only with proper commercial construction management, a detailed plan, and a dedicated Construction Manager (CM) that a construction project can succeed and operate safely during and after project completion.
Some aspects of overall construction management that having a CM and an efficient commercial construction management plan can improve are:
- Risk and safety management
- Finances and budgeting
- Quality management
- Time management
- Compliance with laws and regulations
Difference Between Residential and Commercial Construction Management
Residential construction projects and commercial construction projects are similar in how they are carried out. However, when it comes to specific steps, responsibilities, tasks, and requirements, they are very different.
By definition, a residential construction project refers to the creation of houses, apartments, flats, condominiums, and other places where people live. On the other hand, commercial spaces are those used for generating income. As commercial spaces are often larger structures than residential establishments, they are more complex and require more materials and management. The standards that a commercial construction project needs to comply with are different as well, since commercial establishments will have more users.
Additionally, compared to residential construction projects, the amount of people involved in commercial construction is twice or thrice the size, including but not limited to stakeholders, employees, customers, and more. This makes commercial projects more expensive both in production and in management, thus the need for a stable and thorough commercial construction management, plan, and manager.
Responsibilities of a Commerical Construction Management Team
Common tasks a commercial construction management team does for a project include the following:
- Analyze the feasibility of a certain project
- Identify points for improvement and how to do so
- Address issues in labor, supply chain disruptions, procurement, and documentation
- Creating and managing timelines and deadlines
- Allocating resources and finances to the right teams as needed
A digital solution can help greatly with managing a commercial construction project. Watch this video to learn more how it works:
