Cost management in the construction industry is the process of planning, estimating, budgeting, and controlling costs to ensure a project is completed on budget. It’s important to keep costs under control because poor cost management can lead to delays, quality issues, and financial losses.
Here are some elements of construction cost management:
Budgeting
Cost control
Cost tracking
Cost baseline
Change order policy
Some other things to consider when managing construction costs include:
Planning
Communication
Cost estimating
Project scope
Pre – Contract
A process to ensure that a construction project’s costs remain within the client’s budget. It involves planning and controlling costs throughout the project’s duration. Some key aspects of pre-contract cost management include:
Budget development
Cost plans
Value management
Estimating methods
Procurement strategies
Key Highlights
Preparation of bill of quantities
To prepare a bill of quantities (BOQ) for a construction project, you can follow these steps:
Define the scope of work
Collect project documentation
Break down the project
Itemize and categorize
Quantify and cost
Quality control
Comply with standards
Continue using the BOQ
A BOQ helps the owner and bidding contractors: Understand the price of completing the construction work, Know which bids are competitive, and Estimate their profit margins.
Architects and engineers usually create the BOQ, but more companies are using BIM software.
Cost Plan
Cost plans in the construction industry are a key part of pre-contract cost control, which is a systematic process that ensures a construction project stays within budget.
Cost plans help to:
Project feasibility
Budget development
Cost control
Budget shortfalls
Project success
Some other cost control strategies include:
Procurement strategies
Selecting contractors
Estimating methods
Quantity surveyors
Post – Contract
Post-contract cost management in the construction industry involves a number of methods and techniques to ensure that projects are completed on budget and within scope:
Cost reporting
Provisional sums
Change control
Value engineering
Earned Value Analysis (EVA)
Traditional value analysis
Risk management
Key Highlights
Cost Monitoring
Cost monitoring and management are essential for the success of construction projects.
They involve:
Planning
Monitoring
Controlling
Reporting
Here are some other important aspects of cost management in construction:
Cost breakdown structure
Accurate cost estimation
Parametric estimating
Approval of Bills
Efficient invoice approval processes are crucial for construction projects to be completed on time and within budget. Streamlining invoice approval can lead to: improved cash flow, enhanced supplier relationships, and significant cost savings.
Here are some other cost management strategies for construction projects:
Create a bill of quantities
Budget during project preparation
Use cost control measures
Use real-time monitoring
Analyze past data
Variance Analysis
Variance analysis in construction is a technique that compares the actual costs, schedules, or resources of a construction project to what was planned or budgeted. It's a key tool for managing project costs and ensuring a project's financial health.
Variance analysis helps construction companies:
Identify issues
Take corrective action
Make informed decisions
Maintain profitability
A cost variance report is a key output of variance analysis. It provides a detailed comparison of the project’s actual expenses to the planned budget at different stages of the project. This helps project managers and stakeholders understand the project’s financial health and take action to minimize cost overruns.
Change Order
In construction, a change order is a document that modifies a project's contract to adjust the cost, schedule, or other terms. Change orders are a common part of construction projects, affecting around 35% of them.
Here are some things to know about change orders in construction: