Resource Management in Construction Projects

Resource Management in Construction Projects

The successful delivery of the construction projects depends on the coordination of all the resources i.e. material, manpower, and machinery. Exceptional project management skills are required to make the right people and equipment work at the right time. The allocation of resources should be planned to achieve maximum resource efficiency. Here are some tips to manage the resources in construction projects and increase profits.

Develop a Resource Management Plan

A resource management plan is created in three steps:

1. Identify the Resources required to complete the Project

The first step is to identify the type of material (cement, reinforcement steel), type of manpower (pump operators, loader operators, skilled laborers), and type of equipment (concrete pump, transit mixers, other equipment)

2. Quantify the Resources

The quantities of the resources required are then evaluated based on the estimated quantities of the scope of work and the timeline of the project.

3. Generate a Resource Plan

The final step is to prepare a resource plan. The resources are linked with the planned activities, and the requirement of the resources at each stage of the project is evaluated. The figure below represents the resource mobilization plan.

The plan shows that at the week of 30^th August, we need one piling Rig, three cranes, and four steel fixers to complete the activities as per the planned schedule.

Evaluate Resource Requirements Periodically

It seems easy to evaluate the requirement of each resource but practically, things are not so straightforward. Mostly, the projects are not moving as per the CPM schedule, and the resource requirements keep on varying. Mostly the resources are shared between different activities and even several projects, so the delay in one activity may disrupt the successor activities that require the same resources. The resource plan is evaluated at every stage continuously, and if there are delays in the preceding activities then-new resources should be added timely.

Similarly, the requirement for the material resource should be evaluated at the start of the project. Usually, there is not enough space available at the project site to order all the material at the start, so the orders for long-lead materials like steel, timber, and coarse aggregates (for concrete) are placed considering the time required for delivery and the available storage space.

Evaluate Resource Efficiencies

The evaluation of resource efficiency is the key to the project’s success. The deployed resources have to be assessed on a weekly and monthly basis. For example, a drilling rig can drill 100m per day, but the actual output is coming to be 75m. That requires an in-depth analysis of why a resource is not being fully utilized and the remedial measures have to be taken quickly. Many factors are taken into consideration to enhance productivity. It may be related to the ability of the operator or the use of inappropriate tools. Regular evaluation has to be carried out for every equipment/resource deployed to keep the project within the budget.

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Manage Workload

A Project Manager needs to keep an eye on the team’s workload. The workload has to be distributed evenly amongst the project members to achieve higher efficiency. While allocating resources, the availability of the resources should always be kept in mind. Over-allocation of the resources will result in the delay of the Project.

Cost Saving of Hired Resources

Most of the resources (equipment) being used on a project are on a rental basis. The construction machinery rents form a considerable part of the total project expense. It should always be considered that a rental resource should be added at a time when its requirement is necessary. If a crane is hired for the steel structure erection works, but the footings have not been cast, this will cause the crane to remain idle, and the idleness cost will be a loss for the company. These rental costs can be reduced through efficient resource management.

Conclusion

Resource management is about producing more with less. It depends on optimization and efficiency. Projects are delivered on time with limited resources if resource management is effective. It helps in achieving the satisfaction of the clients and also increases the profit margins.

Contact Leopard Project Cocntrols today for your CPM scheduling Project.