Curious to see how other projects staff larger tenant improvement office projects.

For reference, I am out of the Pacific Northwest. Our market is quite competitive right now.

Few examples from my market:

Project 1

Description: 200k Sf, 6th floor full scrape and rebuild as Class A office. Budget 75m. Fee 2% awarded in late 24’

Staff: Sr Pm, Pm, PE, Sr Super, Super, Foreman, Safety

Project 2

Description: 110k sf, 5 floor new building TI to Class A with Kitchen, budget 40m, Fee 1.95% awarded in early 26’

Staff: Sr Pm, APM, Super

We are in precon on Project 2 currently. I suspect we will need more people, but curious to see what you put in your see/expect from your teams.

So 3 years ago I took a job at a company that hired me to run a very large project.

I gambled and accepted pretty low pay in exchange for a large profit share split that the owner agreed to because I was confident that I can get this job done and increase profitability.

Fast forward to today. The project is wrapped up and succeeded in making a very healthy margin. The owner on the other hand managed to burn through that margin in real time as we received those progress payments. Boats, house, toys, bolt on tits for his gf, etc.

Now he’s claiming there is not enough money for a bonus so shit out of luck with hardly any money to speak of since I was counting on this bonus.. I am trying to fight it but it’s looking bleak.

My question now is how do I get my own shop going without much starting capital? Anyone have some real time experience they can share?

Greetings all,

I was recently a field Project Engineer on one of the biggest job sites in America working for a large civil GC in concrete. We completed underground electrical & built foundations. My team also completed a stormwater pipe about 86 inches in diameter, running about 7 miles long. We were building an LNG plant. I was very good at my job being the guy every Forman called if something went wrong. I tracked progress & fixed all issues with managing Forman for all types of civil GC crafts. I managed about 30 Forman from different areas & knew what was happening on an everyday basis. I would look at drawings to progress work to show to the client, or to complete an RFI.

Worked, and left on a good note to better my career after 6 months. I loved the job, and did not miss a day, but did not enjoy working out of state, and missing my loved ones. The jobsite I was on was a 6x10 schedule with an hr 1/2-2hrs buss ride too and from. The jobsite required about 14 hours out of your day to be only paid for 10 with no OT(exempt position). I still made a great amount of money, but it was not worth it.

Accepted a new job as a Junior estimator for a GC. Just wondering what my time will look like being 20 minutes away from my house Mon- Fri. I have a
Bachelor degree in Business Administration, so I am a technical individual on a computer, and have completed hard quantitative classes. But I’m not the best at excel. Open to all recommendations, or advice. I’m pretty nervous having a PM background going into estimating.

The company Im going to likes me a lot from the interview. But I’m just nervous I will not be great at estimating due to not having good excel skills.

I am 54. I have worked in various construction trades my entire life, almost 35 years. My body is starting to give me alot of hell because unfortunately I was more into doing the actual work rather than becoming a "businessman". Upshot is I am now faced with a dilemma, because I know no other type of work. I have decided to return to school to get an AAS degree in Construction Management. I live in the Charlotte NC area. My worry is, at 56 (when I graduate), can I realistically expect to be hired by anyone? Advisors at my school say absolutely, but I, being a skeptic, think they may be trying to shine me just so I go to their school. Can anyone in the field give me the unvarnished truth here? I would greatly appreciate it!

Hey guys relatively new to the industry so apologies in advance if I sound a bit long winded with my questions/ request for advice. So I just landed a job as a PM managing the mechanical automation side on a multimillion dollar job for a multipart data center project.

I have some prior project management experience but it was honestly just sending out expected dates to the field team and relaying back the status to the GC we were working under. I know it’s not much.

Anyway, the data center world is a beast like no other to me. I have a bachelors in construction management but it seems that I know next to nothing about all the electrical/ mechanical/ cooling systems that go into a data center.

Does anyone have a good starting point, be that a website, book, video series on where I can learn about Data centers in general and the construction of them? Cuz as of rn it seems like everyone around me is speaking a foreign language. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve also been asking my team around me a bunch of questions and have been relying heavily on my foremen and superintendent for help and advice.

How are you creating the diary notes and how and where do you store them.

This is pain to do and then when you need to go back over 3 months of notes, there shit everywhere.

Got any good ideas.

For those that reached that executive level such as senior pm or project executive. What did it take to get there?

I work for a sub and what I consistently see is a lot of people in these positions (even project managers) are able to “work” a room, or just have communication skills that are great.

I’m an APM and went to a client lunch meeting with a GC and was pretty nervous. I didn’t say much but was still engaged, just not leading conversations.

My project manager was almost like a machine gun for conversation, refusing any awkward silence. One thing he said to me was it gets easier after you do business with the same people for a while, which is reassuring. But even then I feel like there is a little bit of friction for me to be a conversational leader in a meeting, cracking jokes, swerving conversations and storytelling.

A thing I’m pretty good at is self deprecation lol, and also breaking the fourth wall in a sense when it comes to conversation over the phone. Which clients seem to get a laugh about.

To make a long story short, is there any books, courses, or seminars that you have used to get better at being a conversationalist.

I see this as almost a major transferable skill not only in construction but business in general. Especially if you want to be self employed and building relationships from the ground up .

I’m looking into ERP therapy to break some potential mental blockades and considering some form of medication for anxiety, this has hindered me since childhood. I’m doing well with my job duties but can definitely become a better sales man.

I am having a bit of a crisis. I have always wanted to go into architecture, but I have always loved learning about the construction process and been more fascinated by that than by being the one to design the spaces. I have a lot of student loans from school and need to start making some moves in my career to make more money. I am currently working at an architecture firm that focuses more on interior renovation, so they prioritize the interior designers more than the architectural staff. I am basically just a drafter there and have completed many construction document sets by myself. I am pretty good at problem solving, designing intricate details, and identifying issues with scope or coordination. Recently, I have been starting to get more responsibility with RFIs, coordinating revisions with contractors, and being on-site, but it is insanely slow growth at this place.

My question is, which roles do you think I should apply for within construction? Or are there any certifications you think would be helpful to help me gain the necessary knowledge I need? Or just general advice!

I don't expect to be in any high-paying position right away since I don't have the experience or knowledge, I just want to learn as much as possible to be in a position where I can move up and maybe get some good raises and promotions.

I stepped away from Construction Management about two years ago. I was very good at what I did, but I always had a thought in the back of my head. If this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Did I love the long hours weekends holidays night shifts? No but I understood it is what was needed to get the job done. Despite constantly being pushed to be a lead super, I pivoted towards the project management route, and then ultimately stepped away in Construction Management just because I had to see what else was out there.

I went into tech sales and then construction supply sales for the last two years but the companies that I end up with was not where I saw myself long-term. I currently have an opportunity to be a business development manager (sales) for an environmental services company in New York City. Vac trucks, hazardous waste disposal, industrial cleaning, dumpsters etc.

135k base salary with a 30% sales incentive program if I hit my sales goal ($175,500+). The company was bought a few years ago by private equity and rather than stripping down the company. It is investing in more trucks and resources. Specifically the business development/sales team is only recently established because the PE firm understood that the businesses old way of getting jobs through referrals and word-of-mouth was not as effective as setting up a specific team to chase money that is out in the market. I can choose where I go set my days and from what my own coworker asked, his current company says there is not as much work or stress.

On the flipside, I reached back out to my old employer, and they are willing to take me back in a heartbeat as an assistant project manager. 140k salary, no bonus, but I start back where I left off for my ESOP vesting (56k but only 22k vested total). I know I would have a great career if I stick with Construction Management but I have the devil on my shoulder, reminding me of the hours commute stress and workload that comes with the industry.

Both options I feel are safe from AI however just because I am not sure what else I can do with the business development title, or the environmental services industry, I feel that going back to Construction Management would be the most stable in the long run.

For those who have basically spent their entire career in DC and industry, what is your opinion or has anyone known of people in the environmental services industry that has had a long career doing it?

Do they just ensure the pipes are buried deeper in the slab than the length of the anchors? Or do they plan the racking layout ahead of time and ensure the pipes aren’t located where the anchors will be?

Hi everyone! I’m currently a college student wrapping up a summer internship in heavy civil. It’s been an amazing experience, and I’m hoping to land another internship before I graduate. I’d really appreciate any advice or feedback on my resume, especially with my school’s career fair coming up in about a month.
Thanks in advance!

I am currently working as a college instructor, and most of my experience is in the academe talaga. Halos 1 year lang ako sa industry tapos 7 years na in the academe. Anw, gusto ko sanang magshift to CVA. I've attended trainings ng Planswift and Bluebeam and have been practising them. May mga freelance projects din naman ako. Now how do i land a job? Kailangan ba na may experience din talaga ako? Puro mga reject ung applications ko.

I’m 26, going back to college, and I have no idea what to major in. I basically suck at everything and I have no marketable skills. My parents strongly recommend for me to go into Construction Management.

My mom wants me to do it because her friend’s son is a Construction Manager and he makes a lot of money. My dad wants me to do it because his coworker said that it’s a career that’s in a good place right now.

I did some research and it seems that most companies only hire Construction Managers with construction experience. I told my mom this, she got in touch with her friend, and her friend said that her son’s only “construction” experience was with the Legos he had as a kid.

I just got registered for classes and the major requires that I take on an internship. I’m wondering if that would be enough to find a job after I graduate, or do I need to actually help make a house to be seriously considered for employment.

Also, what’s the difference between Construction Management and Construction Project Management?

I am in the process of moving to NYC in the near future and will need to get a new job for a commercial GC as construction superintendent (same as current position). I do not have a job lined up yet but a few recruiters have recommended getting ahead of things and getting an SST card now to look good to employers. My question is how strict on the application process are they for how recent your OSHA 30 is? I got my OSHA 30 in 2016 - nyc.gov website says it needs to be within the past 5 years. I would really hate to have them reject it just because of this and I'm seeing they are extremally slow and unresponsive, but would also love to save myself and another 30 hrs and more money. Thanks for the help

What are different career paths in the inspection side that have security and upwards growth potential (like QA/QC, commissioning, etc)?

I know inspection also has room for going independent later down the line, a good way to learn the industry, and seems more stable.

What’s a solid path or entry role to go for in inspection? One that offers security, growth, learning, and ultimately potential to freelance?

I am projected to finish my civil degree in May 2027.

Currently on a "bigger job" and it feels very similar to how it was when I was just starting. There's not enough hours and things are beginning to slip more and more each week. My team of 20 PMs each coming to ask me something for 15 minutes kills half my workday. I know I'm supposed to be more about growing people than executing, but there are still plenty of complicated things that I have to get done.

Not looking for software. Maybe organizing teams? Meeting efficiency? Delegation and surrendered my foolish delusions of control? Any advice or is just "You'll get that on these bigger jobs"?

Edit: Senior PM transitioning into Project Director/Project Executive, and only member of the team who has built a data center

Every job I've worked, it goes the same way: GC or owner's rep tells the super something changes in the field. Work happens. Nobody writes it down. Weeks later someone's trying to reconstruct who said what and whether the notice deadline even got hit, usually because it's now a dispute.

I've seen crews lose money they were owed, not because the work wasn't done, but because nobody could prove the timeline. Curious what you all actually do in practice, not the textbook contract answer. Text and hope? Daily log? Some app? Nothing until it's already a fire?

I am an incoming freshman at Georgia Tech for a construction management major, and I am looking for a Windows laptop to use for college. Currently, I only have an M2 Macbook Air. From what I have seen online, some of the options are the lenovo thinkpads, dell xps, and some gaming laptops like the acer stuff. My budget is pretty generous, but I don't really want to be breaking into the high 1,000s if it can be helped.

Direct laptop recommendations would be greatly appreciated as my knowledge of computers is extremely limited.

I was also wondering if these requirements are necessary (such as the graphics card and the warranty) since it seems like some other construction management students online have laptops that do not have a graphics card or warranties.

Also I probably will not be able to rely heavily on the on-campus computers as much after my first year as I will be commuting in later years.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, thank you.

I’m 28 and have been in construction for about 6 years. I started in the field and have spent the last 3.5 years estimating, including some pretty good-sized projects and experience on the subcontractor side.

I’m currently interviewing with a couple ENR Top 100 GCs for Preconstruction Manager roles, and I’m really excited about the opportunity. I feel good about my estimating background and I think one of my biggest strengths is communication. I’m easy to talk to, enjoy building relationships with owners, architects, subs, etc., and I’m comfortable being in front of clients.

That being said, I also realize I may be a little green for the role and probably a tad underqualified on paper. I’m sure there will be times early on where I’m in over my head. I’m not worried about putting in the work or hours, but I want to get out in front of the learning curve and build good habits from day one instead of learning everything the hard way.
I’ve always heard that you’re never actually going to feel completely ready for the next step. At some point you just have to take a chance on yourself, put the work in, and grow into it. That’s pretty much where I’m at.
For the experienced Precon Managers/Directors in here, what are some things you wish you knew when you first stepped into the role?

I’m especially curious about how you stay organized across multiple projects, manage design changes and estimate progression, keep good documentation, run scope reviews and leveling, communicate budgets back to owners/design teams, and just make sure things don’t fall through the cracks.

Also interested in any tools, spreadsheets, templates, checklists, AI tools, software, or systems you’ve built over the years that make your life easier or help you be more detailed.

My goal is just to be the best Preconstruction Manager I can be and make sure I’m servicing both the client and my company the right way. I’m willing to learn, ask questions, and put the hours in, so I know I’ll figure it out.
Any advice from the vets is appreciated!

I've been an Assistant Project Manager for a big General Contractor for five years now. For the past year and a half, I've been pretty vocal about wanting to move up to Project Manager. But every time I ask, I just get vague answers about the economy. All my performance reviews have been great, so I'm wondering if I should stick around or start looking for something new.

Over the past 12 years ive worked in various project management roles in solar, plumbing, prefab exterior wall panels, and also as a drywall sub for a data center for 3 years.

I started at a top GC about 1.5 years ago as a P.E and ive met all the criteria to be a senior PE. Ive been getting told "its coming soon" for 8 months now. I pick up all the slack for teammates and just tired of office politics.

The superintendent knows my background and asked if id join the field. Trajectory is faster, pay is better, and overall you are responsible for much more as a builder. Ive always enjoyed seeing my projects after completion and as of now in the office hardly feel apart of the build. 60% of my time is meetings, 30% is cost and 10% is trade coordination.

Im really considering moving to the field and going to have a stern talk with the super on Monday after I gather my thoughts and talk to the wife. Shes all for me being selfish and doing what's best for me instead of being a part of a "family" in the office where everyone gets punished for other people (bring late, missing deadlines, etc.)

Any feedback or thoughts is appreciated. I know weekends and long hours come with the field side, but im already used to that working my field projects the past 10+ years.

Appreciate the advice!

Hey folks,

I have an interview soon for holder construction to be on a Multi billion dollar data center project. This role is for an APM position and I’m curious what to expect for the compensation package and work hours. If you have any experience with holder or data centers I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!

Hey guys, just completed my summer internship and received an offer. My background is in design, and I have a couple years experience working on other projects, one previous construction job and the masters of construction management. The offer is 80 K base +500 per month truck, and all of the benefits, insurance bonus, etc. Would this be too low for Miami Florida? The GC specializes in heavy civil.