Construction Supervision

This book covers all supervisory situations one is likely to encounter on a commercial, industrial, or institutional construction project. The book is based upon a very successful Electrical Project Supervision (EPS) training program developed by Rounds and Segner for the National Electrical Contractor?s Association and licensed to several organizations representing other construction sectors. This program has been delivered for over a decade and continues to be delivered to thousands of construction supervisors each year. The program content has consistently received outstanding reviews and evaluations in numerous different venues.

Preface xix

The Role of the Supervisor xix

Intended Audience xx

The Book’s Structure and Organization xxi

Making the Most of the Book xxii

Acknowledgements xxiii

Section I: Setting the Stage 1

Chapter 1: Overview of the Construction Industry 3

Introduction 3

Construction Volume and Impact on Society 4

Profit, Profitability, and the Supervisor’s Impact 5

Competition, Risk, and Construction Company Failure 6

Definitions and Roles of Construction Team Members 8

Becoming an Effective Supervisor 12

Summary 12

Chapter 2: Supervision and the Supervisor 15

Introduction 15

Definition of Supervisor 15

The Supervisor’s Functional Role in a Construction Company 16

The Supervisor as Manager 17

Transition to Management 18

Attributes of Successful Supervisors 21

Levels of Supervision—Career Paths 23

Summary 24

Section II: Soft Skills 27

Chapter 3: Oral Communication 29

Introduction 29

Defining Communication 29

Characteristics of Communication in Construction 30

Improving One-on-One Oral Communication Skills 31

Techniques for Improving the Effectiveness of Oral Communication 35

Active Listening 37

Customer Relations 40

Who Is the Customer? 40

Respecting the Customer 41

The Art of Negotiation 41

Summary 44

Chapter 4: Written Communication and Documentation 47

Introduction 47

Why Write the Message? 48

The Functions of Job Site Documentation 48

Improving Written Communication and Documentation 49

Job Site Communication and Documentation 50

Company Office Communication and Documentation 58

Communications and Documentation Developed Outside the Company 70

Organizing Construction Documents 71

Obtaining Information and Documentation 71

Summary 73

Chapter 5: Team Building and Maintenance 75

Introduction 75

The Critical Need for Effective Construction Teams 76

The Construction Team 78

Team Characteristics 79

Team Formation 82

Maintaining Team Effectiveness 83

Practical Team Building 85

Summary 87

Chapter 6: Maintaining the Relationship Between The Employee and the Employer 89

Introduction 89

Evaluating Performance 90

Diversity and Discrimination 101

Harassment 105

Summary 108

Chapter 7: Managing the Human Resource 111

Introduction 111

The Supervisor as a Leader 112

Styles of Leadership 114

Elements of Motivation 120

Manager, Learn to Better Understand Yourself as Well as Those around You 132

Summary 135

Chapter 8: Risk Management and Problem Solving 137

Introduction 137

Identifying and Dealing with Risk 137

Managing Risk 141

Problem Solving 142

Summary 151

Section III: Technical Skills 153

Chapter 9: Safety 155

Introduction 155

Accidents, Incidents, and Safety Risk 156

The Importance of a Construction Safety Program 156

The Supervisor’s Safety Responsibilities and Activities 158

Creating a Safe Work Environment by Removing Job Hazards 159

Developing a Mentality of Safety 163

Effectively Dealing with Safety Events 166

Summary 167

Chapter 10: The Contract as a Management Tool 169

Introduction 169

A Practical Understanding of the Contract 170

Required Elements for an Enforceable Contract 172

Components of the Construction Contract 173

Contract Couplets 174

Reading the Contract 176

Using the Contract 178

Summary 181

Chapter 11: Managing Physical Resources 185

Introduction 185

Managing Manpower 185

Managing Materials 189

Managing Tools and Equipment 194

Managing the Construction Site 195

Cash as a Resource 197

Managing Time on a Construction Project 199

Summary 199

Chapter 12: Managing Costs: Understanding the Estimate 201

Introduction 201

The Estimate 201

Types of Estimates 202

Truisms Regarding the Estimate 203

Preparing the Estimate 204

The Detailed Estimate 205

Preparing the Detailed Estimate 206

Finalizing and Submitting the Estimate 217

Summary 218

Chapter 13: Managing Costs Control 221

Elements of Cost

Introduction 221

The System Is a Cycle 221

The Project Budget and the Project Labor Budget 225

Labor Cost Reports 228

The Cycle Continues 233

Project Review 234

Summary 235

Chapter 14: Managing Time on a Construction Project 237

Introduction 237

Scheduling Defined 238

The Schedule as a Planning Tool 239

Importance of the Schedule 239

Types of Schedules 240

The Critical Path Method (CPM) 252

Development of a Network Schedule and the Critical Path 256

Basic Truisms with Regard to the Critical Path 274

Network Schedule Updates 274

Short-Interval Schedules 275

Summary 277

Chapter 15: Managing Production 279

Introduction 279

Understanding Production and Productivity 280

Improving Production 281

Improving Production in an Ongoing Activity 282

Designing a More Efficient Task 289

Improving Construction Operations 292

Summary 299

Section IV: Project Supervision 301

Chapter 16: Project Organization 303

Introduction 303

Types of Projects 303

Other Classifications—Types of Contractors 304

Project Delivery Methods 305

Types of Construction Contracts 314

Forms of Construction Contract Award 316

Other Forms of Contracts 327

Project Organization and Relationships 327

Subcontractor’s Project Organization 331

Summary 331

Chapter 17: Mobilization 335

Introduction 335

Handoff from Preconstruction to Construction—Handoff Meetings 335

Preconstruction Conference 336

Setting Up the Site 338

Setting Up the Field Office 339

Establishing Field Procedures 341

Project Objectives 341

Summary 343

Chapter 18: Ongoing Operations 345

Introduction 345

Documenting 346

Reporting 349

Retainage 360

Meetings 360

Changes in the Work 362

Quality, Quality Assurance, and Quality Control 363

Summary 367

Chapter 19: Closeout of Field Operations 369

Introduction 369

Project Cleanup 370

The Commissioning Process 370

Developing Final Documentation 373

Closing Out Subcontractors and Suppliers 376

Final Request for Payment 377

The Certificate of Occupancy 377

Certificate of Substantial Completion 378

Project Review 379

Summary 380

Chapter 20: the Supervisor’s Continuing Development 383

Introduction 383

Change in the Construction Industry 383

Recruiting and Preparing Construction Supervisors 389

Staying Ahead of the Curve 390

Summary 394

Appendix 1: Consensusdocs 750: Standard Form Of Agreement Between Contractor And Subcontractor 397

Appendix 2: Simple Filing System 431

Index 433

Jerald L. Rounds, PhD, PE, is Associated General Contractors Endowed Chair in Construction Management and Construction Engineering at the University of New Mexico. As a certified Class "A" construction superintendent in Denver, he served as project manager on a number of commercial building projects prior to more than thirty years as a construction educator. Concurrently, he has developed numerous training programs in project management and supervision for the construction industry. Most recently, he codeveloped the NECA Electrical Project Supervision training program with Robert Segner, with whom he has conducted "train the trainer" sessions for the past decade.

Robert O. Segner Jr. is a professor of construction science in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University. He followed years of construction practice with four decades in construction higher education. He has served as president of the American Council for Construction Education. Segner codeveloped the NECA Electrical Project Supervision training program with Jerald Rounds and has conducted "train the trainer" sessions for the past decade. He has developed and taught numerous other continuing education programs.

Construction/Construction Management

Must-have management strategies for construction supervisors working in the field

Construction Supervision inspires supervisory excellence with proven tactics and techniques applied by thousands of construction supervisors over the past decade. Recognizing the unique and critical role the supervisor plays in project success, the book's leadership guidelines carve out a practical blueprint for motivating work performance and increasing productivity through effective communication. Key lessons emphasize adaptable strategies for managing risk and unexpected workflow challenges. Beginning with the definition and importance of supervision and ending with the increasingly important role construction supervisors will hold in the future, this book covers a wide range of topics, such as best practices for accomplishing project objectives, managing physical resources, schedules and costs, team building, and much more.

Construction Supervision features:

• A unique focus on field supervision and crew management

• Coverage of supervision from the foreman to the superintendent level

• An overview of technical skills whose mastery will build confidence and success for the supervisor

• A detailed view of "soft" management and communication skills

From planning and executing in the field to juggling responsibilities on the fly, Construction Supervision fosters preparedness with a broad range of supervisory situations one is likely to encounter on a commercial, residential, industrial, or institutional construction project, and offers sound advice for solving the most complex management issues.