Construction management: define responsibilities, decisions and site coordination
Several contractors, ongoing decisions and interdependent tasks need clear organisation. Construction management can support procurement, coordinate execution and provide agreed checks through completion. The tasks actually covered and the point of entry determine a suitable quotation.
Define the project stages to be managed
Explain whether contractor quotations need preparing, work is already underway or completion needs support. Temporary cover is a different commission from managing the entire construction stage.
An existing architect does not prevent a separate construction management commission. Clarify which tasks are already covered and where support is needed. The commission does not automatically mean that the same organisation supplies every design and construction service.
| Commission | Scope to define |
|---|---|
| Tendering and procurement | Specifications, quote comparison and decision preparation. |
| Execution coordination | Covered work, site appointments and checks. |
| Combined support | Start, end and transition between stages. |
| Temporary cover | Period, handover of information and outstanding decisions. |
| Completion support | Acceptance, documentation and agreed follow-up. |
Agree responsibilities and authorisations
Identify the client, designers, specialists and contractors. Management needs the right contacts and current information. Decisions about construction, changes and costs require an agreed approval process.
Define the instructions the manager may issue and the commitments they may make on your behalf. Meeting records help track decisions, tasks and deadlines. A general enquiry for support does not itself confer unrestricted authority.
Coordination does not replace contractors’ technical responsibilities or necessary specialist design. Clarify interfaces so that tasks are neither left unassigned nor commissioned twice.
Bring together design information and existing orders
Current drawings, specifications, quotations, orders and known dates matter at the start. Distinguish released information from changes still under discussion. Official conditions and unresolved investigations need addressing with the relevant specialists.
When taking over an ongoing site, provide previous records, outstanding items and earlier decisions. Agree which completed work will be reviewed and the limits of that review. Joining later does not automatically include a complete retrospective check.
Describe the affected areas and work together. Their interfaces matter: connections after an alteration, the sequence of trades or a stage to finish while premises remain in use.
Coordinate sequence, attendance and continued use
Agree the site visits, meetings and updates required. Regular checks are different from permanent attendance or inspection of every operation. Important transitions and work subsequently concealed need timely coordination.
For occupied premises or a business staying open, consider access times, closures, protection of retained areas and necessary interruptions. Deliveries, storage and shared site facilities need planning with the contractors.
Safety arrangements and coordination belong in the project organisation. Contractors remain responsible for protecting their own employees. Have professionals clarify roles and shared facilities; management does not automatically assume every safety responsibility.
Document changes and completion
Changes should show their effects on scope, costs and timing. Clarify who checks and approves additional work and how it enters cost and programme reports. An undocumented verbal change makes later comparisons harder.
Acceptance can involve checking agreed work and recording outstanding items. Define attendance, records and follow-up. An appointment guarantees neither discovery of every concealed defect nor a particular legal effect.
Handover may include construction records, operating instructions and introduction to installations. Invoice checks, final accounts and later follow-up inspections need agreeing; they are not automatically included in every commission.
Compare fees by tasks and duration
Procurement support, individual checks and extended execution management differ in scope. Fees depend partly on complexity, duration, contractors involved and agreed attendance. A general percentage of construction expenditure does not adequately explain those differences.
Compare included outputs, appointments and time charges, fixed fees or agreed ceilings. Define how extensions, extra visits and scope changes affect the fee. You should be able to authorise additional work before it is undertaken.
Construction expenditure, contractor services and further investigations are separate from the management fee. Travel time, expenses, third-party services and VAT belong in the comparison. Without an equivalent commission, an isolated price cannot establish a reliable Swiss average.
| Comparison point | Clarify in the quote |
|---|---|
| Tasks | Tendering, checks, cost monitoring and completion. |
| Attendance | Visits, meetings and availability. |
| Duration | Start, end and treatment of construction delays. |
| Outputs | Records, summaries and handover information. |
| Additional services | Approval of changes and extra appointments. |
| Total | Travel, expenses, third-party services and VAT. |
Focus your enquiry on the actual need
A short overview shows where management should start and whom it will work with.
- Project. Describe work, affected areas and current stage.
- Participants. Identify existing designers, appointed firms and contacts.
- Commission. Define tasks and stages to be covered.
- Organisation. Clarify use, access, dates and approval routes.
- Fee. Compare attendance, outputs, additional work and expenses.
Start coordinated project support
The process depends on the entry point. Clear information is as important for a takeover as for a new commission.
- Describe the need. Summarise the stage and tasks required.
- Clarify interfaces. Review information, responsibilities and outstanding decisions.
- Compare quotations. Compare matching tasks, attendance and fee terms.
- Begin collaboration. Agree communication, checks and approvals.
- Complete handover. Record open items, documents and remaining responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
Can I commission management when an architect is already involved?
Yes, the responsibilities can be separated. Clarify existing tasks and interfaces with design. Design, specialist engineering, construction management and client advisory should remain identifiable in their respective commissions.
Is management useful for a smaller alteration?
That depends on the contractors, interfaces and support required. Identify the actual tasks. A limited coordination or checking commission differs from managing the whole execution stage.
Can someone take over an ongoing site?
A takeover or temporary cover can be agreed. Current status, orders, records and outstanding decisions need handing over. Any review of completed work must be defined expressly.
Will the manager be on site all the time?
Not automatically. Agree visits, checks, meetings and availability. Even regular attendance does not mean continuous observation of all work.
What does construction management cost?
Compare responsibilities, duration, complexity, attendance and outputs. Clarify time charges or fixed fees, extra work, travel, expenses, third-party services and VAT. Construction expenditure itself is a separate cost.
Are acceptance and later inspections always included?
Only within the agreed scope. Define attendance, records, documentation of outstanding items and follow-up. Support does not guarantee discovery of every concealed defect.
