Construction Management - JumpStart

The 2004 CSI MasterFormat is broken down into how many divisions?

48 divisions

What is the name of the tool used to keep track of and manage the completion of all of the loose ends, minor repairs, adjustments, and missing items at the end of the project?

A punch list

Name a tool used to reduce the number of bidders on a public project and increase the quality of the contractor pool.

Requirement for a pre qualification statement

Under a guaranteed maximum price contract, what happens if the actual cost is less than the guaranteed maximum contract price?

The owner benefits from 100 percent of the savings unless there is an arrangement to split the savings with the contractor

What is value engineering, and what is its purpose?

The process of analyzing the design, products, and materials associated with the project to determine whether the proposed application, installation, or execution is the best approach or solution. Its purpose is to optimize resources to achieve the greatest value for the money being spent.

What are general conditions?

The same thing as indirect costs and represent the expenses incurred in order to deliver and manage the materials, equipment, labor, and subcontracts employed on any given job. (i.e. supervision, cleanup, temporary utilities, and security fencing...)

What is a look-ahead schedule, and how is it used?

They are developed by superintendents and trade foreman to coordinate the work and activities over a relatively short period of time (2-4 week intervals). They are often hand-drawn and are distributed to the specific trades involved.

What are the fourth and fifth dimensions of BIM?

Time (4D) scheduling Cost (5D) estimating

What is the name of the official document that the owner uses to notify the contractor to start construction?

"Notice to proceed"

Name the two techniques used to create a network diagram.

1. Activity-on-arrow method 2. Activity-on-node method

Name the four primary sections of a project manual.

1. Bidding documents 2. General conditions 3. Supplemental conditions 4. Technical specifications

Identify at least four characteristics exhibited in a quality estimate.

1. Correct quantities 2. Accurate labor hours 3. Correct pricing 4. Accurate calculation 5. Completeness 6. Clear paper trail 7. Proper overhead 8. Proper profit

Name at least three common ways that contractors use BIM.

1. Design visualization 2. Design assistance and constructibility review 3. Site planning and utilization 4. 4D scheduling 5. 5D estimating 6. Integration of subcontractor and supplier data 7. Systems coordination 8. Layout and fieldwork 9. Prefabrication 10. Operations and maintenance

Identify the three primary project delivery methods and discuss how they differ contractually.

1. Design-bid-build : separate contracts with designer and contractor 2. Design-build : one contract between the owner and the design-build entity 3. Construction Management : owner holds three contracts - with construction manager, designer, and contractor

What are the seven fundamental steps included in the project control cycle?

1. Develop the project plan 2. Establish the project benchmarks 3. Monitor the project performance 4. Identify performance deviations 5. Evaluate corrective options 6. Make adjustments as needed 7. Document, report, and evaluate results

Identify the eight functions of construction management.

1. Estimating the project 2. Contract administration 3. Managing job site and construction operations 4. Planning and scheduling the project 5. Controlling project performance 6. Managing project quality 7. Managing project safety 8. Managing project risks

What are the three scheduling calculations that you must perform in order to determine the project duration and the critical path?

1. Forward Pass 2. Backward Pass 3. Total Float

What are the two most common types of schedules used in construction?

1. Gantt chart (bar chart) 2. Network diagram

Name the three basic ways in which a design-build entity may be configured.

1. Have the contractor and the designer create an informal partnership for a project 2. Have a full-service design-build firm in which the designers and the contractors work for the same company 3. Establish a legal joint venture between designer and contractor for a single project

What are two essentials of an effective project control system?

1. Information 2. Good reporting system

List at least three factors that are commonly considered before deciding to bid on a construction job.

1. Location of the project 2. Size of the job 3. Who the architect or owner is 4. The technical complexity of the project

Name the three selection methods used to buy construction services, and identify the solicitation instrument used for each one.

1. Low-Bid Selection : invitation (advertisement) for bids 2. Best-Value Selection : request for proposals 3. Qualifications-Based Selection : request for qualification

Name the four basic types of construction contracts.

1. Lump-sum contract 2. Cost-plus-fee contract 3. Guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contract 4. Unit-price contract

Name three sources where you might gather field information needed to develop your project controls.

1. Material invoices 2. Time cards 3. Subcontractor billing statements

Name the four primary categories of costs in the construction estimate.

1. Materials 2. Labor 3. Equipment 4. Subcontracts

What are the three stages of network diagram involvement?

1. Planning stage 2. Sequencing stage 3. Scheduling stage

Name the four fundamental stages of the construction management process after the design stage.

1. Pre-construction 2. Procurement 3. Construction 4. Post-construction

Name the two primary selection criteria categories considered when using the best-value method.

1. Price (quantitative factors) 2. Qualification factors (i.e. design, mangement, or past performance)

Name the three different types of activities that are included in the typical schedule, and give an example of each.

1. Production activities (installing siding) 2. Procurement activities (ordering windows) 3. Administrative activities (obtaining building permit)

What are the four distinct stages of the design process?

1. Programming and feasibility 2. Schematic or conceptual design 3. Design development 4. Contract documents

Identify the four preparation steps taken to start the estimating process.

1. Review the plans and specs 2. Develop a query list 3. Attend the prebid meeting 4. Visit the site

What are the two procurement instruments used to buy out the construction job?

1. Subcontracts - used to buy labor 2. Purchase orders - used to buy materials and equipment

Name at least three positions that make up the members of the on-site construction management team.

1. Superintendent 2. Assistant superintendent 3. Field engineer

Name at least three factors that can impact project performance.

1. Weather 2. Quality of the workforce 3. Inadequate tools and equipment 4. Defective materials 5. Overcrowded job sites

What is the difference between 3D CAD modeling and BIM?

A BIM model is attached to a database that holds all pertinent information about the objects that make up the project. A 3D CAD model is not linked to any database.

What is the difference between a design-intent model and a construction model?

A design-intent model focuses on communicating design information through a 3D model. A construction model contains construction-specific information such as cost data and scheduling durations and sequences.

What is the difference between a plan view and a section view in a set of drawings?

A plan view represents a horizontal cut through the structure, and a section view represents a vertical cut through the structure

What is a cost code, and how is it used project controls?

A reference number assigned to each work activity identified in the project estimate and schedule. It is often based on a CSI division number and another number identifying type of cost. They are used to track all items of work contributing to the overall project costs including materials, labor, equipment, subcontracts, and overhead. All job information regarding cost are tracked via these cost codes.

What is an escalation clause, and how is it used in the construction contract?

A special clause, usually negotiated into the construction contract earn there is suspicion that some pricing component of the estimate is in a high state of flux. The clause allows for adjustments to be made to the estimate based upon current pricing of the suspected component.

Identify the notice document that informs the public of upcoming construction projects funded with taxpayer dollars.

An advertisement for bids. These ads are typically posted electronically through construction project lead services but may be published in newspapers and trade magazines as well.

Why is open bidding required on public projects?

Because taxpayer dollars are at stake, and an open bid allows any contractor to submit, reducing the risk of fraud, favoritism, and undue influence and reassuring taxpayers that their tax dollars are being spent properly

What does CAD stand for?

Computer-aided design

Which procurement method is the most commonly used today, and what is the selection criteria used to determine the winner?

Design-bid-build. Selection criteria used to determine winner is low price.

Explain how agency CM is different from at-risk CM

Difference is in regard to who is responsible for performing the actual work of the contract. Under agency CM, the construction manager has no liability for the construction and acts only as an agent or advisor to the owner. With at-risk CM, the construction manager acts as an advisor to the owner during the design phase and is liable for the construction.

When did architects first begin to use drawings to communicate their design intent?

During the Renaissance when architects first started to use drawings instead of models to communicate design intent.

Identify at least three characteristics that make the construction project unique from other industry sector projects.

Each construction project is built as a one-of-a-kind structure or facility. Every construction project is built on a different and unique building site. The building process takes place outside. Much of the work is performed by the human hand. The labor force is by and large made up of transient workers moving from job to job.

What is the riskiest element of project planning and project control?

Estimating productivity

What is meant by the term "fast tracking?"

Fast tracking is a technique used to speed up the completion of a construction project by overlapping the design and construction processes.

It is important to receive accurate and complete information from the construction job site. Name two specific construction management functions where this information is used.

Field information is used to detect variances between the actual and planned performance of a project regarding cost, time, and productivity. It is also used to develop the historical estimating databases and productivity factors used when creating the project estimate and schedule.

Why is scope definition so important in the construction process?

It describes the extent of the work that is to be performed by the contractor.

What is a scope sheet?

It identifies all of the items of work to be performed under a specific trade heading or work category such as masonry or siding.

What is the purpose of labor and materials payment bond?

It is a guarantee, backed by a surety, that payment for the contractor's labor and materials used on the project will be made

What is float, or slack, in the schedule?

It is the amount of time that an activity's start can be delayed before it impacts the project's planned completion.

How are construction estimates typically organized?

Organized according to either the 1995 CSI MasterFormat, which utilizes 16 divisions, or the expanded 2004 version, which consists of 48 divisions.

What type of estimate would we probably do if we were meeting with a client for the first time and they wanted to get a rough idea about their project cost?

Rough order of magnitude (ROM) estimate

After you complete a forward and backward pass, how do you know which activities are on the critical path?

The activities that have no total float will be the activities on the critical path.

Why is it important to have a clear distinction between the project punch out and the warranty period?

The completion of the punch out denotes substantial completion of the project. If work items continue to get added to the punch list, it will be very difficult clearly mark the end of the project.

How does the quality of the design drawings impact the quality of the construction?

The construction contract calls for the contractor to build the project in accordance with the plans and specs. If the plans, specs, or overall design is flawed or something is missing, then the contractor is obligated to perform as instructed or to bring the flaw or defect to the attention of the architect by processing a change order. Either way, the owner is left with paying the price for the error.

Distinguish between construction management as a function and construction management as a project delivery method.

The construction management function entails various tasks performed by the contractor such as estimating, scheduling, cost control, and contact administration in order to monitor, manage, and control the work of the contract for which the contractor is obligated. Construction management as a project delivery method is a contractual agreement whereby the construction manager is hired by the owner to provide services to the owner, such as design review, overall scheduling, cost control, value engineering, constructibility reviews, and construction coordination. Under CM project delivery, the construction manager may or may not be financially obligated to carry out the construction work itself.

What two major components make up the contract documents?

The two major components that make up the contract documents are the drawings and the project manual.

Name the four primary project values to be managed, monitored, and controlled.

Time, cost, quality and safety

What does it mean to crash the schedule?

To compress the overall schedule by accelerating certain activities within it so that they finish sooner, thereby shortening the overall schedule.

Regarding project controls, what does it mean to forecast in construction management?

To predict the final cost and schedule outcomes on a project while the work is still in progress. Construction managers forecast finals cost and completion dates on a regular basis throughout the construction process.

What unit of measure is typically employed for pricing general conditions?

Unit of time (i.e. hour, day, week, or month)

Describe how the weighted criteria evaluation process works.

Weighted criteria is a form of best-value selection in which maximum point values are reestablished for qualitative and price components and award is based upon high total points earned by the proposers for both components.

What occurrence marks the official end of the project?

When the architect releases a certificate of substantial completion

When will you know the true accuracy of your estimate?

When the project is complete and all the costs and expenses have been added up.

What is the difference between the central repository approach and the distributed repository approach to implementing BIM?

With the central repository approach, all project information can be loaded into one database to create a single BIM model. With the distribute repository approach, the BIM model consists of a collection of separate databases maintained within distinct programs.

What is stereoscopic projection?

a 3D video display of a computer-generated virtual reality environment

What is a BIM model?

a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a building displayed as a 3D model

What is clash detention?

a process for effectively identifying unintended material or system interferences in a 3D project model.

What is a construction estimate?

a summary of probable quantities and costs of materials, labor, equipment, and subcontracts to complete a project, including taxes, overhead, and profit, based on the best available information at the time.

There is a particular way in which the drawings are organized in a set of drawings. Identify the order of drawings in a typical set of plans.

a typical set of drawings is ordered with the civil drawings first, then the architectural, then the structural, then the mechanical, and finally the electrical drawings

What is the critical path, and why is it important from a project management standpoint?

it is the continuous chain of activities with the longest (combined) overall duration in the network diagram. it is important because it determines the project duration and any delay in any activity along it results in a delay in the overall project.

What is another name for the activity-on-node (AON) network diagram?

precedence diagram

What foes the term "interoperability" mean?

the capability of a system to interact with other systems without access or implementation limitation or restrictions

What is meant by the term "project delivery?"

the overall structural or organizational framework used to put all the aspects of designing and building a construction project together.

What is meant by the term "virtual construction?"

the process by which a builder stimulates, analyzes, and plans a building project in a computerized environment before and during the actual construction process in order to avert problems and accurately predict very detailed costs, schedules, and physical outcomes.

What is meant by the term "due diligence?"

the process of identifying any problems associated with the project early on so that those problems can be factored into the decision making that occurs during pre-construction.

Under which CSI division would you find building insulation?

under Division 07, Thermal and Moisture Protection