Construction management

[cnelk]

Peter principle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[schmalzy]

PM sent


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[hodgeman]

I've been a PM for almost 20 years. I started in the HVAC industry as a tech, worked up through foreman and superintendent positions. You have to decide if you want to manage specific types of projects or become a project management generalist.

A specialist is generally someone who manages specific industry projects that require specific knowledge. A generalist can manage any type of project through using specific techniques. PMP certification is more than a test, it also has an experience and educational requirement to meet.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like to discuss details.

 

[Billinsd]

I'm a registered civil engineer in California and work for a large water and sewer agency. I've been a CM for 20 years and a PM for 10. If you can, you want to get a civil engineering degree and get registered. It's way overkill and not required, but you'd be in far greater demand and make far more money. Getting a BS in Construction Management would make more sense and be more useful, however civils totally dominate the CM field, get paid more etc. Otherwise like some have said there are other ways to become a CM, but it's far more difficult.

 

[CApighunter]

Peter principle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Our operations manager got promoted to that position from fork lift operator... makes sense now.

 

[actionshooter]

We sound somewhat similar, but I am a few years ahead of you... I started as an apprentice carpenter when I was 18. Commercial, schools are our bread and butter, large market area.. Tacoma, Seattle.
I knew from the start I was going to run work. I was a foreman by 25 and a super by 28... ran large projects for the next 17 years and was offered a Estimator/PM position at 45. I have been there for 3 years now, all with the same company.

Here is my advice, push for advancement, but if you like the company you work for don't be to fast to leave. Let it be known what you want and your goals and give it time to happen. The grass isn't always greener, but you have to decide if it's possible to move up.

Here's the other thing, as you move up, time for hunting gets harder to come by!
I used to be able to take a month and disappear to Alaska, now.... not so much.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I don't even know what that means, but it sounds interesting. Could you share (PM is fine) a link to an example of what you are talking about? Thx

We basically design the jobs ahead of time by precisely measuring using GPS and other fine measurement tools. From shaping the ground itself to the buildings being placed, it’s all done digitally now.

We then can load those digital designs into the machines that cut the dirt and place material so their cutting edges are automatically controlled via the valves. This way the machines are always placing the right amount material in the right spot.

It’s not at all as complicated as it sounds, but really cool technology and fun to work on. I’ve been with the company for 17 years now and I’m looking forward to the next 20 or so until I retire.

 

[AK Shane]

I graduated with a BS in Construction Management in 04'. Became a project engineer, then PM, now I'm lead estimator and still doing a little pm work.

If you like your current company you need to sit down with them and tell them your goal to work into a pm/estimator position and give them a time-line. Over the next year, two years, you want to learn or take on xx duties towards your goal. This starts the clock. It tells them you want to move up in the company but also should put in the back of their mind that if they aren't willing to step up, you could walk. If they truly like you and want to keep you around they will begin making efforts to give you more training and responsibility.

Have you done any foreman work, lead crews, scheduled out any of your work? How are you at reading plans? How are your computer skills?

 

[Bubdog]

I would not recommend the superintendent route for a large GC, working for a smaller GC may allow you to have a life.

Working as a superintendent for a large GC will most likely lead to burnout. Being away from home 13+hours a day is common. You could probably end up working 15-20 Saturdays a year, many guys work more than that - a lot of partial Saturdays. Concrete pours require being at work all thru the night. Constant stress of subcontractors showing up to perform work on complex systems without proper supervision or training. Liquidated damage clauses for completion dates do not help out as when anyone makes a mistake - it generally boils down to the superintendent working more hours to make sure the job gets done on time. As a superintendent you have to learn the people skills that it requires to motivate people - some people like to be treated as part of a team, some have to be drug thru everything, some have to be yelled at, sometimes you have to embarrass people to make them do their job as they should. Many subcontractors take on work without adequate manpower and the superintendent for the GC pays the price. Many of the older superintendents that trained me are miserable - obese - divorced - bad relationships with their children and other family due to overwork, they are generally bitter people. The lifestyle required does not leave much time for hunting.

 

[CApighunter]

Have you done any foreman work, lead crews, scheduled out any of your work? How are you at reading plans? How are your computer skills?

No foreman work or any scheduling, havent had that opportunity. I read plans and prints daily and have decent computer skills. I practice bid a job last year for one of the PMs, just so I could get a better feel for it.

 

[KurtR]

I would not recommend the superintendent route for a large GC, working for a smaller GC may allow you to have a life.

Working as a superintendent for a large GC will most likely lead to burnout. Being away from home 13+hours a day is common. You could probably end up working 15-20 Saturdays a year, many guys work more than that - a lot of partial Saturdays. Concrete pours require being at work all thru the night. Constant stress of subcontractors showing up to perform work on complex systems without proper supervision or training. Liquidated damage clauses for completion dates do not help out as when anyone makes a mistake - it generally boils down to the superintendent working more hours to make sure the job gets done on time. As a superintendent you have to learn the people skills that it requires to motivate people - some people like to be treated as part of a team, some have to be drug thru everything, some have to be yelled at, sometimes you have to embarrass people to make them do their job as they should. Many subcontractors take on work without adequate manpower and the superintendent for the GC pays the price. Many of the older superintendents that trained me are miserable - obese - divorced - bad relationships with their children and other family due to overwork, they are generally bitter people. The lifestyle required does not leave much time for hunting.

That right there is about perfect other than most drink every thing they have away and work till they die pissed at the world. God subcontractors suck

 

[ShortMountain91]

As others have said above, the PMP certification should help you get some interviews. I've been doing project management for around 6 years now and am not PMP certified but my company is into it and wants me to get certified one day

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[cnelk]

God subcontractors suck

For sure. They work in 'dog years' - if they say 1 day, it really means 7 days, 1 week means 7 weeks....

 

[ODB]

We basically design the jobs ahead of time by precisely measuring using GPS and other fine measurement tools. From shaping the ground itself to the buildings being placed, it’s all done digitally now.

We then can load those digital designs into the machines that cut the dirt and place material so their cutting edges are automatically controlled via the valves. This way the machines are always placing the right amount material in the right spot.

It’s not at all as complicated as it sounds, but really cool technology and fun to work on. I’ve been with the company for 17 years now and I’m looking forward to the next 20 or so until I retire.

That’s very cool. It sounds like CnC work or maybe Solidworks for construction. Did not know it was done that way but with the accuracy of GPS now I can see the benefit.

 

[Ratbeetle]

I'm a PM and owner's rep for a large consulting firm. BS in CM. Been in the industry for 12ish years now. Started off working as an estimator/PM for a subcontractor then moved on to the GC side as project engineer, APM, PM. Now doing the consulting thing.

Feel free to shoot me a message.

 

[woods89]

For sure. They work in 'dog years' - if they say 1 day, it really means 7 days, 1 week means 7 weeks....

My work is on a much smaller scale than is being discussed here, but as someone who both hires subcontractors and is occasionally a subcontractor, I think this goes both ways. Seems like a lot of GC's struggle with holding up their end as well.

I do like the 'dog years' analogy, though. I have a plumber that makes me tear my hair out sometimes........

This is all residential so it's probably not that applicable to the discussion.

 

[Dos Perros]

Ever think of getting a P.M.P. certification?

You have to have PM experience to get a PMP cert.

 

[wind gypsy]

I graduated with a BS in Construction Management in 04'. Became a project engineer, then PM, now I'm lead estimator and still doing a little pm work.

If you like your current company you need to sit down with them and tell them your goal to work into a pm/estimator position and give them a time-line. Over the next year, two years, you want to learn or take on xx duties towards your goal. This starts the clock. It tells them you want to move up in the company but also should put in the back of their mind that if they aren't willing to step up, you could walk. If they truly like you and want to keep you around they will begin making efforts to give you more training and responsibility.

Have you done any foreman work, lead crews, scheduled out any of your work? How are you at reading plans? How are your computer skills?

Read this one again. This applies to most every job if looking for advancement but it is the truth. You need to make your goals and intentions clear in order for your superiors to allocate time/thoughts to helping you reach them.

It sucks having good employees leave who never made their goals/desires known.

 

[Superdoo]

I don't know what your personality is, but if you're even remotely outgoing look into sales. Lot's of opportunity for growth, flexible schedule and most places are hurting for knowledge.

 

[2ski]

This is basically my current strategy. I’m on a first name basis with the owner and all the PMs, I always stop and chat when I have time. I also sat with the owner and his family at his daughter’s college graduation. The issue seems to be that our operations manager can’t afford to lose me out of the shop so while he has no issue paying me more, he won’t promote me. I’ve been told by several people that the best way to get promoted here is to be bad at your job...

Then I think it sounds like you have a good enough repor to sit down with them and tell them where you're at. That you feel ready to make some advancement and want to transition to something more. Your goals. And I would imagine based on how it sounds you get along with them, they may be willing to help you do that.

Change often comes with growth as a byproduct. By them moving you out of the shop, it will be scary for them. But something awesome could happen. When I was promoted we didn't have any prospects to replace me. But we ended up finding someone with no management experience but wanted more and its been awesome to have her as a manager. And all that happens even though it was scary to not have the known(me) in that position, the unknown turned out awesome.