Site monitoring is at the heart of any construction project. It requires attention, rigor and organization. But how to manage the site monitoring? And above all, how to do it well? Find the main stages of a construction site and our best advice to optimize the monitoring of your construction sites.
What
is site monitoring?
Site monitoring is an ongoing process that serves to
control the proper execution of a project. It concerns the technical aspect as
well as the human, material, financial or even security aspects.
The site monitoring mission starts from the beginning
of the project and ends with the final delivery of the work.
A good follow-up of works aims to analyze and control
the evolution of the project in order to ensure that the project is progressing
correctly. It is divided into several stages.
Even if this task is generally the responsibility of
the project managers, the other parties are also involved: works supervisors,
site managers, craftsmen, subcontractors, etc.
Why
manage site monitoring well?
Good site monitoring is essential to guarantee the success of your project. It allows in particular:
- monitor progress in real time and optimize schedules;
- ensure compliance with safety, health and environmental standards;
- meet deadlines;
- anticipate contingencies;
- control costs;
- to ensure the quality of construction;
- promote collaboration between the various stakeholders.
By monitoring your sites in an optimal way, you will
have better quality projects, better controlled expenses but also more
satisfied customers!
The
6 steps of good site monitoring
Yes, but concretely, how to do it? Here are the steps
to follow for a successful site follow-up.
1.
Set up the site
First phase, you must obviously prepare the launch of
your project and this step is anticipated.
The site installation phase corresponds in particular
to the drafting of the Site Installation Plan (PIC). This document makes it
possible to prepare the organization of the site and to provide all the
necessary equipment and installations. Beyond the physical preparation of the
site, the PIC is also essential to obtain all the administrative
authorizations.
This step makes it possible to anticipate all the
elements of the construction site in order to be able to start the project on a
good and safe basis.
2.
Establish schedules
To ensure coordination of the work, the second step is
to plan the project. It is a time-consuming task but essential to the success
of your construction.
Site schedules concern both labor and equipment or
vehicles.
Depending on the scope of the work, the project is
broken down into lots and then into tasks, which will be prioritized and
organized over time, like a project management methodology. You can thus assign
managers, teams, subcontractors to each batch and task. The typical example is
to plan to have the necessary equipment delivered to a craftsman before he
intervenes on the site so that he can start working. Without these materials,
the site will be delayed.
The schedules also allow you to follow the progress of
the construction site and quickly identify delays and deadlines. Your site
schedules must be precise and legible in order to be usable by all
stakeholders.
3.
Organize the start-up meeting
The kick-off meeting kicks off the project. This is
when all the stakeholders meet. The project manager presents the project and
its main objectives. It also recalls the roles and missions of each.
It is important to communicate the date and time of
the meeting early enough to ensure that all participants can be present.
4.
Plan site visits
Other meetings and site visits take place throughout
the project. These moments of meetings are essential to control and follow the
progress of the construction site.
The site visits allow visual observation of the
elements mentioned during the preliminary meeting. This makes it easier to
identify faulty workmanship, defects and errors. It is also an opportunity to
check that all security measures are correctly implemented.
5.
Write a site report
After each meeting and site visit, you must write a
site report.
This informative document is essential for the
monitoring and progress of the construction site. It includes all the elements
mentioned during the site meeting and the visit that follows. The project
manager then communicates it to all stakeholders. Thus, all the actors of the
construction site are aware of the progress of the construction site, of the
possible delays or difficulties and of the plan. of shares.
6.
Deliver the work
The work is finished, the site is tidied up and
cleaned, here you are at the last stage of the project: the delivery of the
work to the client. This step is the subject of a final meeting during which
the client accepts the site.
The customer may make reservations which are then
recorded in a report of acceptance of the work with reservations. Once the
corrections have been made to the site, a new site delivery meeting takes place
and a report for the lifting of reservations is drawn up.
In the absence of reservations or once they have been
dealt with, the site is officially finished.
Who
is in charge of site supervision?
As we have mentioned, it is mainly the project manager
who is responsible for site monitoring. That said, all parties are involved and
must in particular participate in site meetings.
7
tips for successfully monitoring your construction sites
Following the steps of a construction site as
indicated above is one thing. But we share with you some additional advice so
that your site monitoring is effective.
1.
Determine all the necessary resources beforehand
During the preparatory phase of the construction site,
you must identify and define all the resources necessary for the construction
of the work. This is a task that requires your full attention.
Indeed, you must estimate the human, material and
financial resources you need to finalize the project. By being the most precise
and rigorous in your estimates, you avoid potentially significant waste of time
and money. So don't be afraid to spend some time determining resources, it will
pay off for the rest of the project.
2.
Establish precise schedules
Same advice here: the planning of the construction
site must be carried out conscientiously. Once the resources have been
identified, you must coordinate them optimally. It is a question of juggling
between the various constraints, while maximizing the exploitation of
resources.
Accurate and well-organized schedules can save you a
lot of time and money.
This is a time-consuming task but, if done well, it
saves you a lot of trouble later on. So for optimized construction sites, take
the time to prepare the schedules well!
3.
Encourage communication
A construction project is above all a collaborative
work. All stakeholders must work together to move the project forward.
To help them, your site must be a place conducive to
exchanges and communication. Site meetings are an opportunity to communicate.
But do not hesitate to be open to exchanges. This makes it possible to identify
difficulties earlier and therefore to manage them more quickly. The key: less
delays, better quality.
4.
Regularly visit the site
Site visits are important to have a clear, precise and
above all visual idea of the progress of the project at regular intervals. It is
through site visits that you can really identify delays and errors. So be sure
to visit the site periodically and involve stakeholders.
Small additional tip: you can take photos that you
include in site reports in order to keep a visual record accessible by all.
5.
Pay attention to safety standards
Compliance with safety and hygiene standards is
sometimes neglected when one is preoccupied with other tasks. However, it is
essential to be vigilant on all aspects relating to QHSE (quality, hygiene,
safety, health).
Not only are you obliged to meet certain obligations.
But also, neglecting these standards can lead to accidents, construction
defects and delays. It is therefore in your best interest to pay due attention
to it.
6.
Do not neglect administrative management
Administration not your forte? Do you see this as a
waste of time? And yet, a certain formalism can serve you on many levels.
By being well organized, the administrative management
must flow from source and be rather considered as an aid to the follow-up of
your construction sites. The best advice is not to wait until the last minute
to manage administrative tasks: administrative forms, preparing meetings,
writing minutes, etc.
Block slots in your calendar to make sure you can
manage administrative tasks properly by spending the required time.
7.
Use the right tools
Last tip: take advantage of the digitization of the
construction sector to finally equip yourself with IT tools. Many practical,
innovative and efficient solutions now exist to facilitate site monitoring.
Equipped with many automations, technical features or even tools
forcollaboration and communication, construction software is increasingly
popular.
What
tools should you use to monitor your construction sites?
To carry out good site monitoring, there is software
dedicated to site monitoring which not only makes it possible to manage the
administrative part, but also schedules, financial management or even quality
and safety control.
As far as schedules are concerned, you can get started
with a site schedule template. It is a free solution but still remains limited.
If you manage large projects, large teams or complex schedules, we recommend
site planning software to optimize your organization.
Are you a contractor? Look to specialized software for
contractors. Very complete, they allow you to centralize all the information
and all the management relating to your various projects.