When managing construction, about 50% to 70% of the construction costs usually go to your materials, resources, and inventory. On top of that, every year, the industry has to deal with big problems like insufficient materials, issues with quality control, and inadequate logistics. This shows how important it is for project managers to plan and keep track of all their materials and tools ahead of time, buy them at a reasonable price, and ensure they are ready to use when required. Suppose you do not plan to track all your materials and handle these potential issues. In that case, you will likely be stressing over low productivity and delayed timelines.
As a result, having sound construction materials management is essential for finishing projects because it ensures that materials are available, of good quality, and fit within the budget without compromising quality. In this section, let us look at construction materials management, its benefits, and tips and tricks on handling your materials efficiently and effectively.
Defining Construction Material Management
Construction material management is a system that shows you how to get, store, and track them throughout the project lifecycle. It should have a plan to determine what materials are needed, find and shortlist suppliers, keep track of inventory, and organize storage and transportation. It is about finding suitable materials reasonably priced and ensuring they are available at the right time and place to meet project standards and deadlines.
However, this is easier said than done. In the construction industry, each project involves a million moving parts, and keeping track of materials can be tricky. Most people usually think of construction material management as buying and delivering things, but it includes much more. It includes planning and purchasing materials, storing them properly, managing inventory, disposing of trash, etc.
How well you handle your construction materials can make or break a project’s budget. If you manage your materials well, you could avoid considerable costs in the long run. Losing track of your materials, however small, can make your workers unproductive, and you might miss critical project deadlines and milestones. A suitable material management plan can save money and make a project run smoothly. Not doing it right can cause significant delays, safety concerns, and less profit.
The Importance of Effective Construction Material Management
In a nutshell, managing your construction materials well is essential to getting more done, accurately forecasting productivity and budget, communicating and collaborating better, and fighting inflation. Recently, the demand for construction services has been steadily increasing. With it comes supply chain issues and the rising prices of construction materials. However, you can manage these risks in a way that helps your profitability. Effective planning and management can help cut down on wait times and make tracking your inventory levels easier. In this section, let us look at the benefits you can realize with a suitable material management system.
Boost Productivity
A sound construction management system helps project managers track and organize what their workers need to do the job. Construction inventory management software can help you efficiently keep track of inventory levels and make detailed reports, ensuring no materials are wasted. This way, you will know your inventory level at any given time and see if it is due to place an order. Your workers will always have the materials whenever needed to reduce the risk of work stoppage.
Accurate Forecasting of Materials
A construction project involves a lot of workers doing different kinds of activities. As a project manager, you cannot monitor how each worker uses up material or how they handle tools and equipment. With a material management system in place, you can better track your stock and ensure you always have the right amount of goods on hand when you need them.
Communicate and Collaborate Closely
You can keep everyone on the same page by giving your workers access to real-time updates. It is easier to provide information about the status of materials, project measurements, and inventory changes since you will track each material’s status and whereabouts. Using construction technology can help streamline the process and cut down on mistakes.
Beat Inflation
Construction material management is also essential for fighting inflation because it accurately explains how much inventory you still need and how much it costs. With this valuable data, project managers can make intelligent choices about what to buy and ensure they spend only a little. The budget can then be changed based on this knowledge, which will help keep inflation under control.
Minimize Double Handling of Materials
Handling the many materials in and out of the warehouse can take most of your team’s time. The best way to plan material deliveries is to make sure that the right people are there to receive and check them. The materials for the project should be moved into a free storage space or as close to the place where they will be used as possible. This keeps things from having to be handled twice, which can save time and lower the risk of damage during the move.
Keep Your Materials Safe From Theft Or Damage
With an efficient and effective material management system, you can accurately schedule and forecast the correct quantity of materials needed at a given period. This reduces the time they are left unused and in storage, which could be prone to theft or damage.
Reduce Material Wastes
As mentioned earlier, a sound material management system ensures that materials are in the right place at the right time. This way, you can purchase the right amount of materials every time. Buying the wrong amount of construction materials can lead to many issues, including storage problems, minor delays, or safety hazards. You will be able to strategize how to order supplies, whether ordering in smaller quantities or looking for substitute materials that meet project requirements without compromising quality.
Hit Project Milestones and Deadlines
Now that you have seen how poorly implemented construction material management can impact your daily site activities, keeping track of your materials to ensure everything will go according to schedule and hit the required milestones is critical. Your workers need specific materials, tools, or equipment to keep activities going.
Simple Strategies on How You Can Handle Your Construction Materials Well
Now that we have discussed the benefits of an effective construction material management system let us look at how you can handle your materials and resources well. Using the right strategies for managing building materials can help your company finish projects quickly and cheaply without compromising their quality. In this section, let us look for ways how you can make the most out of your material management.
Plan Every Detail Of Your Project
Meticulous planning can make or break your project’s success. Planning a project carefully to find out the exact amount and kinds of materials needed will help you avoid ordering too much or too little. Work with your team to ensure every project scope is considered to reduce waste and costs.
Take a Look at Past Projects
Try to look at past projects to review any problems and see if you have a similar case to your current one. For example, are you thinking of getting a particular supplier? Check if you had issues with them in a previous project or if they could deliver. This way, you can weigh the pros and cons of working with them.
Centralize The Procurement Process
Creating a centralized procurement process will make it easier to find materials. Get a list of approved suppliers and arrange long-term deals to ensure you always have good-quality materials. This way, you can save money in the long run while ensuring that you are using the best materials possible.
Use a Construction Inventory Management System
Using construction technology like inventory management software can help keep track of and keep an eye on your material stock, which can help you avoid having too much or too little of it. You will update the inventory, check stock, and set reorder points via automation, allowing you to focus more on the essential parts of the project management.
Maximize and Organize Your Storage Space
Keeping up with material inventory can be easier if you maximize your store space. With this plan, you will be able to sort and name things so they are easy to find and ensure they are handled correctly so they are not damaged or worn out. Having a good storage space can also ensure that your materials are correctly stored and reduce the risk of damage due to improper handling.
Build Relationships with Your Suppliers
Building trust and dependability with suppliers will come from good relationships. Constant communication and collaboration with them allow you to regularly discuss project needs, deadlines, and quality standards to ensure you get the best value possible.
Take Advantage of Technology
Construction management tools like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Building Information Modeling can help you manage materials more efficiently. You can accurately forecast the amount of resources you need and budget accordingly. Digital software can help you keep track of your goods, buy things, and plan projects with just a few simple clicks. This allows your business to be more accurate and run more smoothly.
