OVERVIEW

If you've started your business and are busy bidding on work and executing your first project, you already know that the construction business is information-and paper-intensive. The moment you bid on that first project, you're bombarded with information that must be analyzed and processed. The moment you sign a construction contract, documents begin to flow and don't stop until the project is completed.

Every step in the construction process requires analysis, planning, monitoring, reporting, record keeping and decision making. This produces a considerable amount of information and documentation that must be organized and communicated effectively within your company and to the rest of the project team.

You also know by now that construction is a people-intensive business. To execute a project successfully, your team must work seamlessly together and collaborate with all parties involved, including the end user, customer, prime contractor, subcontractors, architect and engineers, suppliers, vendors, and consultants.

In Chapter 4, we set up the basis for effective communication by creating your "dream" organization and assigning roles and responsibilities for each job function. In this chapter, we'll focus on setting up a business operation with an integrated system of practices, procedures, communication, and record keeping. In Chapter 7, we'll review effective strategies and procedures that you can use to control the progress and outcome of your projects. By setting up and integrating office and field operations, you help your team to work smarter individually and collectively.

The more efficient your organization is, the easier it will be to...