With many construction projects sprouting in every city, the demand for project managers has shot up drastically. The real estate industry is among the fastest-growing globally. As a project manager, you might have several projects that you supervise, all running simultaneously. However, to effectively manage your work across the projects, you need to know and apply efficient construction project progress tracking strategies.
Even though you might be doing your best to do site visits regularly, it might be impossible to visit your site every day. As a result, you may have to be creative to incorporate remote management strategies into your site visits. In that light, if you’re interested in knowing strategies that you can employ for effective tracking of your construction projects, here are proven tips for you:
1. Leverage Documentation
Documentation may take many forms. From the time you do the groundbreaking of your project to the time you hand it over to your client, you have to keep adequate documentation. One way to document the progress of your project is by taking photos of every stage of the project. Pictures can speak more than a thousand words, especially when your client demands information concerning the work. Therefore, invest in a modern camera for taking professional-grade photos of construction projects.
You can store your photos for reference in the future. Moreover, you can use your photos in marketing to show potential clients some of your completed work and the quality you offer.
Apart from pictorial documentation, you need proper documentation of your finances, workforce, and material acquisition. Such information is essential in streamlining your project management skills and improving the cost-effectiveness of your projects.
2. Use A Construction Project Management Tool
A construction project management tool is vital for coordinating work in every stage of your construction project. Reliable software can help project managers and their team plan, track and manage their construction projects aligning their goals. In addition, a professional tool is essential in keeping your project on schedule to ensure that it’s delivered within the projected time. Functional management software and tools help track the progress of the project and ensure that all construction activities are completed on time. Construction timesheet software also allows construction workers to submit their construction hours online, which makes it easy for managers to track employee productivity. In addition, construction timesheet software can help to create construction schedules and budget estimates. As a result, construction timesheet software is a valuable tool for any construction project.
Furthermore, you can use a construction project management tool for real-time communication and collaboration. If you have someone supervising your project on your behalf, you can receive real-time information through the software. Some critical embedded capabilities of the software include a team dashboard, a task prioritization option, and a shared calendar.
3. Try Remote Supervision
With the help of relevant technology, supervision and tracking of your projects can be a simple task. One of the ways to implement remote surveillance is by using site cameras. With that said, identify specific points where you can set up your cameras. Then, you can network them so that they’re accessible remotely from your smartphone. To accomplish this, you can hire a networking company to do the work for you.
The networking engineers can install software on your mobile device from where you can see what is happening on the site. In addition, they can help you decide who else has access and control rights to your cameras.
Moreover, to enhance your remote supervision efforts, you can consider using a drone fitted with a camera for taking aerial pictures and videos. Like cameras, you can also use a drone remotely for your convenience.
Remote construction project progress tracking can be a time saver and a game-changer for managers with multiple projects going on simultaneously.
4. Set Goals And Milestones
Planning always comes before the launch of any construction project. It’s a critical stage that you can’t overlook. At this point, you and your team should establish attainable and realistic milestones and goals. Determine how many workers you’ll need to keep the project running at the desired pace. In addition, assign every work to the right people with the appropriate qualifications.
Moreover, segment your project into milestones, probably depending on the nature of the work. For instance, there is the part of laying a foundation in construction and a segment of building walls and slabs. There are other kinds of work like plumbing, wiring, and plastering of the building.
Knowing the different milestones in your project allows you to determine the time needed to complete every milestone. It helps you keep your project on schedule. In addition, assign team leaders to every group of professionals that’ll be accountable to you for daily reporting.
Finally, ensure that you strictly follow the timelines set for your milestones and look forward to achieving your goals. It’ll avoid delays and inconveniences in the course of your project.
Final Thoughts
To be successful in tracking the progress of your construction projects, you need to be aware of the essential tricks and tools to use. For instance, set realistic and attainable goals for your project and document every process. Moreover, supervise your project remotely and try implementing a construction project management tool. All of these can help you track and manage your construction projects efficiently.