For clients planning a build
What is Construction Project Management? A Detailed Guide
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 5 min read
The short answer
Construction project management is planning, coordinating and controlling a build, from the first brief to handover, so it finishes safely, on time, on budget and to the agreed quality.
- It covers scope, programme, cost, risk, quality, safety and communication.
- The client has legal duties too, under CDM 2015 and the Building Regulations.
- Most of the result is decided before work starts on site.
- One accountable team removes the gaps where time and money leak.
Projects rarely fail on one big day. They drift. A decision waits a week, a delivery slips, a change is approved without a price. By the time anyone adds it up, the finish date has moved and the budget has gone.
Construction project management is what stops the drift. This guide explains what it is and what a project manager actually does. It covers the stages, the legal duties UK clients carry and what good management looks like on real London projects. Planning a project? Book a site visit and we'll show you how we would run it.
What construction project management means
Construction project management is planning, coordinating and controlling a build from the first idea to handover. Its aim is simple: deliver the agreed quality, on time, on budget and safely.
It works on two levels:
- Planning and coordination before work starts: brief, design, programme, budget, approvals and contracts.
- Execution and oversight on site: progress, quality, safety, changes and reporting.
It isn't just watching a building site. Most of the outcome is decided before anyone picks up a tool. A project manager's job is to make those decisions early and well.
What a construction project manager does
A construction project manager acts as the client's advocate and the project's coordinator. These are the core responsibilities.
- Scope. Turn the brief into a defined list of work, and keep it defined.
- Programme. Set the sequence, the durations and the critical path.
- Cost. Build the budget, track spending and price every change before it's approved.
- Risk. List what could go wrong, how likely it is and who owns it.
- Procurement. Appoint designers, trades and suppliers and order long-lead items in time.
- Quality and safety. Set standards before work starts and inspect against them.
- Communication. Keep the client, consultants, contractors and neighbours informed.
The project manager runs the whole project. The site manager runs the day-to-day work on site. Both matter, but they are different jobs.
The six stages of construction project management
Most projects follow the same flow, whatever names a firm uses. In the UK, the stages are often mapped to the RIBA Plan of Work 2020.
| Stage | What happens | RIBA stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Initiation | Purpose, early cost and risk, is it viable? | 0 Strategic Definition, 1 Preparation and Briefing |
| 2. Planning | Design, consents, programme and budget | 2 Concept Design, 3 Spatial Coordination, 4 Technical Design |
| 3. Procurement | Contracts, trades and materials | Overlaps 4 and 5 |
| 4. Execution | The build on site | 5 Manufacturing and Construction |
| 5. Monitoring and control | Progress, cost, quality and safety checks | Runs through 5 |
| 6. Closeout | Testing, inspections, handover and aftercare | 6 Handover, 7 Use |
Our construction project planning guide goes deeper into each stage. It covers budgets, programmes and the UK deadlines that set your start date.
Great experience from start to finish. Communication was clear, the workmanship was excellent, and the whole project was managed professionally.
The legal duties a client cannot hand away
In the UK, the client has legal duties on every project. Good project management makes sure they are met.
- Managing the project. Under CDM 2015, a client must make suitable arrangements for managing a project. That includes allowing enough time and other resources.
- Appointing duty holders. Where there is more than one contractor, the client must appoint a principal designer and a principal contractor in writing. If not, the client carries those duties.
- Notifying HSE. A project is notifiable if work will last longer than 30 working days with more than 20 workers at once. It is also notifiable if it will exceed 500 person days.
- Building Regulations dutyholders. Since 1 October 2023, clients appoint dutyholders for Building Regulations purposes too. They must take reasonable steps to check those people are competent.
Our guide to CDM 2015 client duties on a fit-out explains what each one means in practice.
Construction project management in London
London adds pressure to every stage. Buildings are old, sites are tight and neighbours are close. Many projects run inside occupied buildings or next to businesses that keep trading.
That's true on commercial-to-residential conversions and on redevelopment and repurposing projects. The surprises are rarely exotic: hidden defects, late decisions, a landlord's consent that takes longer than expected.
Slingsby Place: planning the build before demolition
Slingsby Place in Covent Garden was strip-out and structural works behind retained façades. It was led by Martin Hickey, now our Preconstruction Director, as Project Director.
Before any demolition, the team completed a full pre-construction phase. It included surveys of the existing structure, a demolition sequence and a temporary works design. A logistics plan was agreed with the local authority. Deliveries were scheduled to permitted hours, so the site never stalled waiting for access.
What good project management looks like
Two of our office projects show the method in practice.
Beaumont House: a lease deadline met
At Beaumont House, the client had five weeks before their lease expired. They had more than 150 staff to move. Other contractors quoted at least 12 weeks.
We were on site two weeks after the first conversation. We refurbished the 750 m² office in three weeks with zero snags, and managed the move too. Building management was happy with our noise, waste and delivery control.
Portsoken House: other tenants kept working
At Portsoken House in Aldgate, the other floors were already let. Our project management team worked closely with suppliers so materials arrived fast. We rebuilt the reception only at night and at weekends. The 1,550 m² conversion took seven months and finished on time.
Client-side project manager or one design and build team
There are two common ways to manage a project.
- Client-side project management. You appoint a project manager to run the designers and contractors for you. It suits clients who want an independent adviser.
- Design and build. One team designs, prices and builds under one contract. The people who draw it are accountable for building it.
Design and build closes the gap between design and cost early. Medusa in Knightsbridge came to us at RIBA Stage 2 with a concept and a budget problem. Because design and construction sat in one team, we could see the cost of every design decision. The four-floor clinic was designed and built in 17 weeks.
How we manage construction projects
We started in 2016 as a carpentry and joinery company. Around 60% of our labour is still in-house. That gives us direct control over the programme and the quality.
Every project we have delivered has finished ahead of programme and on budget. The reason is simple: we plan, price and programme the work before we start on site. See our construction project management services for how we work with clients.
Have a project and a deadline? Book a site visit and we'll tell you what has to happen, and by when, to hit it.
