This book breaks new ground by creating a framework to understand clients’ actions and needs. Most construction management books focus on improving the construction process; this one focuses on a better engagement with the client. It challenges conceptions of both the construction industry and clients’ businesses so that a more effective process and greater client satisfaction can be achieved. The book suggests that ‘buildings are not about building but about changing and developing the client’. The technical, organisational and psychological aspects of this are described and analysed in detail so that current experience can be explained and better practice determined. The book offers well-researched information about clients in a number of sectors - developers, supermarkets, NHS, government, airports and housing associations - which will help you understand what these client’s business or service needs are and how construction fits into this. It demonstrates how to develop an appreciation of the client’s perspective with a toolkit for ensuring successful client engagement. This makes Understanding the Construction Client a user-friendly and practical guide, as well as significant text for academia.

The Client Role in Successful Construction Projects is a practical guide for clients on how to initiate, procure and manage construction projects and developments. This book is written from the perspective of the client initiating a construction project as part of a business venture and differs from most available construction literature which can externalise the client as a risk to be managed by the design team. The book provides a practical framework for new and novice clients undertaking construction, giving them a voice and enabling them to: Understand the challenges that they and the project are likely to face. Communicate and interact effectively with key stakeholders and professionals within the industry. Understand in straightforward terms where they can have a positive impact on the project. Put in place a client-side due diligence process. Reduce their institutional risk and the risk of project failure. Discover how their standard models are able to co-exist and even transfer to a common client-side procedure for managing a construction project. Written by clients, for clients, this book is highly recommended not only for clients, but for construction industry professionals who want to develop their own skills and enhance their working relationship with their clients. A supporting website for the book will be available, which will give practical examples of the points illustrated in the book and practical advice from specialists in the field.

Clients have been identified as critical for building delivery but have been under-researched with only a few studies about them. This book seeks to address this gap. A deeper look into the nature of construction clients and their relation to building users exposes more fundamental questions related to the activity of building and the activity in the building. These fundamental questions include 'How do clients get what they want?', 'How do clients cope with the building process?', and 'How are clients being shaped by building(s)?'. This book on clients and users is structured around three main themes: Agency is concerned with the classical agency/structure dichotomy on actions, roles and responsibilities or, put differently, whether actors can act freely or are bound by structural constraints. Governance is related to the interplay between clients and the supply system: clients govern the supply system but are at the same time governed by the supply system through different processes and mechanisms. Innovation deals with construction innovation and what part clients and users play in this struggle between change and stability. The book includes theoretical and conceptual frameworks on what constitutes clients and users as well as case studies on R&D themes of relevance to practice.

Clients have been identified as critical for building delivery but have been under-researched with only a few studies about them. This book seeks to address this gap. A deeper look into the nature of construction clients and their relation to building users exposes more fundamental questions related to the activity of building and the activity in the building. These fundamental questions include 'How do clients get what they want?', 'How do clients cope with the building process?', and 'How are clients being shaped by building(s)?'. This book on clients and users is structured around three main themes: Agency is concerned with the classical agency/structure dichotomy on actions, roles and responsibilities or, put differently, whether actors can act freely or are bound by structural constraints. Governance is related to the interplay between clients and the supply system: clients govern the supply system but are at the same time governed by the supply system through different processes and mechanisms. Innovation deals with construction innovation and what part clients and users play in this struggle between change and stability. The book includes theoretical and conceptual frameworks on what constitutes clients and users as well as case studies on R&D themes of relevance to practice.

Residential Construction Management will provide construction managers a concise and practical guide to managing residential construction projects. One of the fundamental reasons residential contractors fail to prosper is that they are poor managers. By presenting project management tools in their appropriate context of the project lifecycle—initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing, readers will more clearly understand the iterative nature of construction management, which is a key to successfully managing a construction project. You can't afford to be without this indispensible working tool and its step-by-step instructions, project management templates, and real-world case studies. Residential Construction Management provides construction managers a concise and practical guide to managing residential construction projects. One of the fundamental reasons residential contractors fail to prosper is that they are poor managers. By presenting project management tools in their appropriate context of the project lifecycle — initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closing — you will more clearly understand the true nature of construction management, which is a key to successfully managing a construction project. You can't afford to be without this indispensible working tool and its step-by-step instructions, project management templates, and real world case studies.Key Features ¦ Walks you through the entire project management lifecycle resulting in a better understanding of the iterative processes of construction management ¦ Offers the information and real world tools needed to successfully apply to a planned or current project ¦ Shows how various knowledge areas and project management tools interact when doing a project providing you with the knowledge to create your own project plan ¦ Offers a downloadable building specification form, change order authorization form, construction schedule, sample budget, construction flowchart, a guide to working with bankers for spec home loans, and much more — available from the Web Added Value™ Download Resource Center at www.jrosspub.com

This innovative book provides a thorough and comprehensive guide to construction law by blending together black letter law and socio-legal approaches. This mixed methodology makes an ideal introduction to the subject for those studying to enter the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry in a professional capacity. Designed to equip the student with all they need to know about construction law, the topics covered include: The fundamentals of law and the English legal system Contract, business, tort and property law Procurement, subcontracting and partnering Building Information Modelling and best practice Dispute resolution including mediation, arbitration, litigation and adjudication The books suitability for study is enhanced by its logical structure, chapter summaries and further reading lists whilst the role of law in achieving a more collaborative and less confrontational AEC industry is examined in detail. Construction Law: From Beginner to Practitioner takes the reader on a journey from basic legal concepts through to a more detailed appreciation of what the AEC needs as a specialist client for legal services. This book is useful not only for understanding the basics, but also as a reference that practitioners will use time and again.

Social Network Analysis in Construction Increasingly demanding and knowledgeable clients in construction require an approach to project management that recognises both the important role played by the client in the definition of a project and the lack of certainty that large and/or complex projects present. Having identified the importance of managing relationships, both analysts and practitioners today need a sophisticated framework and methodology for observing systems and managing the complex relationships in major construction project coalitions. Social Network Analysis in Construction shows how social network analysis (SNA) can be used to observe, monitor and analyse systems and relationships. Although this has been an established analytical technique in the US for some time, it is only now being developed in the UK. Stephen Pryke spent nearly two decades investigating major project relationships using SNA and brings together here mathematical and sociological methods, and major project relationships in a manner that will inspire both academic interest and a desire to apply these concepts and techniques to live construction projects. Case studies include projects from two of the UK’s largest property developers – the UK Ministry of Defence, and a County Council. SNA is innovative – but potentially inaccessible to project management analysts and practitioners. The author provides clear and relevant explanation and illustration of the possibilities of using SNA in a major project environment. In addition to offering the potential for sophisticated retrospective analysis of a wide range of systems associated with construction and engineering project coalitions, he also looks at how we might apply the network analysis findings to the design and management of project and supply chain networks. Postgraduate students and academic researchers in Project Management and Construction Management, as well as practitioners from professional consultancies and project management companies will find here an excellent exposition of an often inaccessible subject.

This book will provide emerging construction professionals with insights and information helpful for a successful career in the Australian construction industry. This work fills a critical gap and is written by two authors with decades of experience immersed in current issues. It provides a starting point for the next generation of Australian construction contractors. Beginning with an overview of the industry, the chapters explore winning work, project operations, financial management, people skills and selling a successful business. The authors use case studies to enrich the content and include reviews and commentaries on some of the legendary management books. In addition, readers of the book will find answers to essential industry questions: Why is construction one of the best industries in Australia? What is its most significant conflict? Which are the three most consistently profitable sectors? What are the essential ten questions to answer for standardising practices? Is work acquisition more art or science? Is it a good idea to fire a client? Why? How to identify and address the office - field conflict? What is the job cost format for unifying project stakeholder information? What are the best key performance indicators for a construction contracting firm? What alignments are needed in general hiring and personnel management processes? What is the process in identifying and implementing a best practice? How do you value the market price for a construction firm? This book should be read by anyone entering the built environment sector in Australia. Universities, Colleges and TAFEs can use this book in various construction business and operations management courses. Supporting materials are available through a website.

Organizing and administering a construction site so that the right resources get to the right place in a timely fashion demands strong leadership and a rigorous process. Good logistical operations are essential to profitability, and this book is the essential, muddy boots guide to efficient site management. Written by experienced educator-practitioners from the world-leading Building Construction Management program at Purdue University, this volume is the ultimate guide to the knowledge, skills, and abilities that need to be mastered by project superintendents. Observations about leadership imperatives and techniques are included. Organizationally, the book follows site-related activities from bidding to project closeout. Beyond outlining broad project managerial practices, the authors drill into operational issues such as temporary soils and drainage structures, common equipment, and logistics. The content is primarily geared for the manager of a domestic or small commercial building construction project, but includes some reference to public and international work, where techniques, practices, and decision making can be substantially different. The book is structured into five sections and fifteen chapters. This facilitates ready adaptation either to industry training seminars or to university courses: Section I. The Project and Site Pre-Planning: The Construction Project and Site Environment (Randy R. Rapp); Due Diligence (Robert Cox); Site Organization and Layout (James O'Connor). Section II. The Site and Field Engineering Issues: Building Layout (Douglas Keith); Soil and Drainage Issues (Yi Jiang and Randy R. Rapp). Section III. Site Logistics: Site Logistical Procedures and Administration (Daphene Koch); Earthmoving (Douglas Keith); Material Handling Equipment (Bryan Hubbard). Section IV. Leadership and Control: Leadership and Communication (Bradley L. Benhart); Health, Safety, Environment (HSE), and Security (Jeffrey Lew); Project Scheduling (James Jenkins); Project Site Controls (Joseph Orczyk); Inspection and QA/QC (James Jenkins). Section V. Planning for Completion: Site-Related Contract Claims (Joseph Orczyk); Project Closeout (Randy R. Rapp).