I am a student studying construction management. Your videos keep my spirits high during the interview processes of internships! keep up the great work!
Really appreciate the shout out here! 10min videos take on average 20-30HRs each to film/edit, so there may be some weeks without content but trying to keep this train moving to better average a video a week! I've got about 2+ years of planned content right now 😅😎
Absolutely agree! I work for a large GC in a marketing role, making a lot of videos/content about our projects, and I can't imagine pumping out the amount of content you do, on top of being a PM. Keep up the great work! @@planandspec
Great video, excellently encapsulated the day in the life of a project manager. I’ve been a PM in Los Angeles for over 15 years currently doing a 50 story high-rise. Great channel, keep up the good work.
Hey, so great to hear from another PM with some years behind the wheel. I've never done a high-rise, and working in LA has got to have it's own set of challenges. Props to you - keep up the solid work
I just started as a APM for a commercial mechanical/ plumbing company currently working on several government jobs mainly renovations and 1 IPD job for a new women’s and children’s hospital. I will definitely be following your channel to get a better understanding in the project management world. Keep up the content!
Looking into getting into construction management by the end of the year and hopefully that helps propel my aspirations to finish my architecture degree
Owners rep here, doing multiple projects at once, generally start on the design team during late fall into the winter. Then once finalized bid the project, personal record is a 8 minute bid opening (bus stop so...). Then submittal process. Followed by actual construction, provide daily inspections ( multiple projects, bridges, roads, waste water plants, etc.). Then project closeout and acceptance. A big project is a multi year monstrosity. At any given moment I am responsible for 10 to 30 million dollars in work.
i'm new in the commercial subcontractor industry (flooring and tile) and your videos have helped me level up a ton especially since i work in the office. thank you!!
Awesome to hear and thanks for dropping me a comment! It’s been my goal since day one of starting this channel to give back as much information as I can to help whomever I can. Cheers!
Hey, thanks for watching! Check out my videos on my channel, I have one called “is a CM degree worth it” which covers career progression and average salary of a PM. If you are curious about intro salaries, they’ll change based on location but just search project engineer salary on any hiring website/app! Cheers!
I commenced my construction engineering and management degree in the United States and am back home in Saudi Arabia. I am starting a podcast in Suadi about the industry and would love to have you in one of my episodes. I like what you have and your videos. Regards and best wishes in advance.
I can talk about healthcare projects in future videos (compared to other types of projects such as higher education, industrial, etc), but is there something more specific you’re interested about healthcare projects in particular you want to know?
@@planandspecYeah I’m interested to learn more about how they differ. I know healthcare is a lot more meticulous when it comes things like inspections and it would also be helpful to learn more about the different documents healthcare projects use such as ACD’s and NMA’s. Thanks for the effort you put into these videos btw!
Hey, I’m 20 years old in the heavy equipment field and I’m currently interested in going to school for construction management. I see many programs of 12 months all the way to couple years. What different types of construction management “certs” is there.
Any Accredited University would be good. Have you considered the superintendent route? You likely wouldn't need any certs but just working your way into that role through experience. If you get a cert, it will reflect well but you'll still likely start out as a PE. Where a faster track position based on your experience (superintendent) would ultamitely pay more. Just something to think about
Does Project Management - Directors, Executives, Managers ever travel nationally for projects? What would you say is the office to site ratio as a whole for PM? How long is the career advancement from APM->PM-> Project Executive->Director? If you guys absolutely nail a project, how are the bonuses if that’s a valid question? Thanks
Travel is typically dependent on the market sector each different company pursues for their business. Some companies don't chase any work outside a 100mile radius, while other companies might exclusively focus on travel work. If there is remote work, a superintendent is likely placed remotely full time. The PM could work remote full time, or fly in and out depending on the size and duration of the project. Typically directors and executives would only travel for client interface, the start and end of the project, or any major milestones. It's all dependent on alot of factors. Office to site ratio of a PM is approximately 70% office and 30% site. If I'm sitting on the jobsite full time, I don't consider that "site" time because majority of my work is still in the trailer, whether that's meetings, phone calls, emails, coordination, etc. I consider site time where I am actually walking the project (just to clarify), but that's why the superintendent is 70% site and 30% office to get that balance. Career advancement is 100% based on effort and being able to manage certain responsibilities, less so related to timelines. If you have opportunities to take on more responsibility and are able to prove that you're capable of managing larger budgets and risk, you'll advance faster. Try to avoid getting trapped in repeat project types that don't give you variety - you want to be as well rounded as possible. When you're new, you have little say on project placement but id still express interest in your personal growth (find a mentor within your company). I see alot of people that want to be PMs a couple years after school but just want the title and are not fully prepared for the role, which typically leads to stress and failure. So I recommend people don't look at years, because its based on individual effort and willingness to push themselves. But to give you an answer : PE 2-3 years, APM 2-4 years, PM 3-6years, Senior PM 3-6 years, PX and Director can be 6-10 year runs depends - where most people will settle in for their late careers (these roles are limited in positions in comparison to your PE/PM roles). Some people enjoy project management and stay at the senior PM level. Finally, bonus & pay out structure is all dependent on the company. Some don't offer any. Some offer a percentage at a project level (if the project is profitable). Some offer based on company wide profit, which means you may have a great project while other projects lose money - meaning your bonus might not come based on performance of other. Project bonuses always come with disclaimers and are usually very slow to be paid out, so focus first on salary > bonus. Hope this helps!
@gisselpadilla3150 I most certainly will, but it will likely be a series. I'm going to start with a high level overview before getting into more detail in later videos 😎
This is a great question, however - it highly depends on where you live, what type of company you want to setup, and what type of work you intend to complete. Since this is an involved question - I’ll add it to the list of videos I’ll release. To get you started, the simplest way is to do a google search and start with general contractor license requirements in your area.
Definitely - software in construction is ever changing and you have to understand a handful of programs from different developers. I’ll make a video on all the software I use and for what purposes in a future video. Great ask!
Are these project managers and superintendents really working 50-60 hrs per week? I'm assuming straight salary. Is there annual bonus/profit share? I have my bachelors but not construction. Looking at construction certificate. Great videos.
Hours are always dependent on a variety of factors such as the project, the team, etc. Superintendent is oftentimes 6AM or 7AM start time with 2:30PM - 3:30PM end of day. Most larger companies do offer end of year bonuses / profit sharing (often depending on the yearly success of the company, not just your project - keep in mind). If you’ve got any other questions feel free to reach out
Hey out of curiosity I currently have a associates in safety health and environmental, I was wondering if a bachelors in Industrial management could open the door to becoming a PM or associates PM?
Have you considered looking for a safety role within construction? It's a good career path and you'd seem to already be aligned with the starting needs for the role. If you're set on construction PM, id focus on a construction specific degree as I'm not familiar with what industrial management covers from an education standpoint. Most important, is just keep applying for an entry level position in construction which will give you the fastest hands on experience. For the most part, once you're in - you're in, difficulty is just getting the foot in the door.
You can open after 1 year and fail, you can wait 20 years and still fail. It's all about your business plan and understanding risk. Construction requires a lot of cash to float throughout the months. You need to understand all aspects of both construction and the office side to be successful, which I'd say is fairly complex if you're looking to run big projects. I'd say before you consider everything, plan it all out and actually understand everything that goes into it.
Have you worked prior in construction? Mostly you'll pick up experience from landing a job, you can always reach out to me on my website if you've got more questions
Why do you have to be at the project all day we’re earning salary I believe overworking is killing it , im sure there are some real good project managers who only work 3 days a week on the field and office and 2 days from home .. am I wrong ..
I've worked for companies that I was able to split time (jobsite and home), I've worked for companies where all my time was split between the jobsite and office. One early job I worked 100% remote but it wasn't fulfilling as a long term career. It depends on the company and the project needs - things you can negotiate during your hiring process
In the video, that was done with Google Calendar. While at work, I keep track of things using Microsoft Outlook calendar. I have both synced on my phone to see everything 😀
Great question! It all depends on the company you work, what you negotiated for, and how long you’ve been working there. A lot of companies start with ~25 days (which includes holidays). Might be less if you’re brand new. Some companies have set holidays while others let the project teams decide if the project will be open on certain holidays or not.
Hey recently started school to get my associates in building and construction management wondering if that’s a good route? & also do construction managers approve bids from sub contractors?
If you're looking to be in construction, that's a good route. Yes - construction managers solicit bids, compile self perform bids and review/approve bids from subcontractors.
@@planandspecthank you so much for replying I really appreciate it & another question with an associates degree would I get hired right away?of course not expecting a high level position And if so which role can I except. I have some construction experience as a plaster but that’s about it
I'd like to say your chances would be good, but nothing is guaranteed. When I graduated it was an EXTREMELY tough job market, it look 6 months to get a job. Right now (Nov. 23') you could walk in the door and most GCs / CMs would hire you on the spot. You would enter as a PE (Project Engineer) at larger companies or an APM at smaller companies - naming isn't consistent at all companies but you'd be looking for "Project Engineer" job titles. Hope this helps - if you've got any more questions feel free to send me an email! 😎
When I was in school for CM ~ some of the Guys in the Trailer were telling me ( to just keep my bags On ) ~ Your a Union Carpenter ~ and its really hard to Advance in the Office..... Thats about the time I started school for Building Inspection ~ they just go Look at stuff & tell you if its Wrong.....
Building inspection sounds like a great career path! Surround yourself with smart people, learn from those who actually know (not just say they know) and youll go far. Good luck!
Hey @EP_1990, the sleep schedule is 10PM-6AM which gets me 8 hours (not 6), it's just split up at the start & end of the day on the calendar schedule I showed. The "flex time" includes working out - which I would suggest to everyone if they have the time. I used to go to the gym 6-7 days a week (for almost 8 years of my life), I've scaled that back but still make time. We home cook just about every single day - I also prep my lunches on Sunday's and Wednesday's for work. I like your comment because it seems like you have a great focus on health and wellness though - which is awesome & crucial in this busy industry!
This would be highly dependent on what the undergraduate degree is. I would only suggest an MBA if it were free or paid for by a company. MBAs are broad educations, whereas you'd learn more in a few years at an actual construction company while getting paid then extending a formal education while taking on debt. But, if someone is set on getting an MBA or looking to leverage their MBA, then there could be an argument made that it could be used to support a career in business development. Also, if you ever want to become an educator such as a professor - alot of colleges and universities REQUIRE this as a pre-requisite for those roles. The only time I'd personally consider an MBA if I were considering transitioning into formal academia.
There are a good amount of women in project management, however - it's still heavily outweighed by men. I have seen a lot more women join the industry over the last 4 years though, so it does seem to be shifting.
W channel this is great for me because I’m currently going to school for Construction Management!
how’s that going
I am a student studying construction management. Your videos keep my spirits high during the interview processes of internships! keep up the great work!
You got this! You’re going to build the future!
Where you study?
Insane to imagine editing/uploading UA-cam videos after a day on the job😅
Much respect 🫡
Really appreciate the shout out here! 10min videos take on average 20-30HRs each to film/edit, so there may be some weeks without content but trying to keep this train moving to better average a video a week! I've got about 2+ years of planned content right now 😅😎
Absolutely agree! I work for a large GC in a marketing role, making a lot of videos/content about our projects, and I can't imagine pumping out the amount of content you do, on top of being a PM. Keep up the great work! @@planandspec
@@planandspec Because of course you have a giant backlog of planned work.
Great video, excellently encapsulated the day in the life of a project manager. I’ve been a PM in Los Angeles for over 15 years currently doing a 50 story high-rise. Great channel, keep up the good work.
Hey, so great to hear from another PM with some years behind the wheel. I've never done a high-rise, and working in LA has got to have it's own set of challenges. Props to you - keep up the solid work
I just started as a APM for a commercial mechanical/ plumbing company currently working on several government jobs mainly renovations and 1 IPD job for a new women’s and children’s hospital. I will definitely be following your channel to get a better understanding in the project management world. Keep up the content!
I just wanna say thank you so much for taking the time in making these videos! All the information is much appreciated 😊
You are so very welcome. Glad you were able to find the channel! Cheers 😎
I'm fairly young in the industry
👏👏👍👍 Best of luck Jake
@@planandspec Thanks, we came in low 💪
Looking into getting into construction management by the end of the year and hopefully that helps propel my aspirations to finish my architecture degree
Owners rep here, doing multiple projects at once, generally start on the design team during late fall into the winter. Then once finalized bid the project, personal record is a 8 minute bid opening (bus stop so...). Then submittal process. Followed by actual construction, provide daily inspections ( multiple projects, bridges, roads, waste water plants, etc.). Then project closeout and acceptance. A big project is a multi year monstrosity. At any given moment I am responsible for 10 to 30 million dollars in work.
Also, start getting calls from contractors around 5 am, with calls and texts ending by 7 pm with consultants.
Thanks for the insight!
i'm new in the commercial subcontractor industry (flooring and tile) and your videos have helped me level up a ton especially since i work in the office.
thank you!!
Awesome to hear and thanks for dropping me a comment! It’s been my goal since day one of starting this channel to give back as much information as I can to help whomever I can. Cheers!
Great channel and excellent explanation of topic
Most appreciated for the comment
Really appreciate your videos. 🙏🙏
Really appreciate you watching and dropping a comment!
Thank you man
Thank you for watching!
Also could you make a video on career/salary progression!
Hey, thanks for watching! Check out my videos on my channel, I have one called “is a CM degree worth it” which covers career progression and average salary of a PM. If you are curious about intro salaries, they’ll change based on location but just search project engineer salary on any hiring website/app! Cheers!
What software do you use as calendar planner in your video? Love the layout 😊
Its through Google Calendar, I color code activities which is why they show up differently as an easy visual
@@planandspec thanks 👍
I commenced my construction engineering and management degree in the United States and am back home in Saudi Arabia. I am starting a podcast in Suadi about the industry and would love to have you in one of my episodes. I like what you have and your videos. Regards and best wishes in advance.
Send me an email at planandspecinc@gmail.com to collaborate!
Just got my degree in Architecture and Engineering technology. Not sure if I want to use it to pursue Architecture or Construction Management
is it normally hourly rate with overtime pay or straight monthly salary? sounds like lots of extra time in the evening..
Salary at that point - it can be alot of hours, it can be a manageable amount if hours, all depends on your project and team
Thanks
Could you make a vid about OSHPD? Like the management of healthcare construction?
I can talk about healthcare projects in future videos (compared to other types of projects such as higher education, industrial, etc), but is there something more specific you’re interested about healthcare projects in particular you want to know?
@@planandspecYeah I’m interested to learn more about how they differ. I know healthcare is a lot more meticulous when it comes things like inspections and it would also be helpful to learn more about the different documents healthcare projects use such as ACD’s and NMA’s. Thanks for the effort you put into these videos btw!
Hey, I’m 20 years old in the heavy equipment field and I’m currently interested in going to school for construction management. I see many programs of 12 months all the way to couple years. What different types of construction management “certs” is there.
Any Accredited University would be good. Have you considered the superintendent route? You likely wouldn't need any certs but just working your way into that role through experience. If you get a cert, it will reflect well but you'll still likely start out as a PE. Where a faster track position based on your experience (superintendent) would ultamitely pay more. Just something to think about
Does Project Management - Directors, Executives, Managers ever travel nationally for projects?
What would you say is the office to site ratio as a whole for PM?
How long is the career advancement from APM->PM-> Project Executive->Director?
If you guys absolutely nail a project, how are the bonuses if that’s a valid question?
Thanks
Travel is typically dependent on the market sector each different company pursues for their business. Some companies don't chase any work outside a 100mile radius, while other companies might exclusively focus on travel work. If there is remote work, a superintendent is likely placed remotely full time. The PM could work remote full time, or fly in and out depending on the size and duration of the project. Typically directors and executives would only travel for client interface, the start and end of the project, or any major milestones. It's all dependent on alot of factors.
Office to site ratio of a PM is approximately 70% office and 30% site. If I'm sitting on the jobsite full time, I don't consider that "site" time because majority of my work is still in the trailer, whether that's meetings, phone calls, emails, coordination, etc. I consider site time where I am actually walking the project (just to clarify), but that's why the superintendent is 70% site and 30% office to get that balance.
Career advancement is 100% based on effort and being able to manage certain responsibilities, less so related to timelines. If you have opportunities to take on more responsibility and are able to prove that you're capable of managing larger budgets and risk, you'll advance faster. Try to avoid getting trapped in repeat project types that don't give you variety - you want to be as well rounded as possible. When you're new, you have little say on project placement but id still express interest in your personal growth (find a mentor within your company).
I see alot of people that want to be PMs a couple years after school but just want the title and are not fully prepared for the role, which typically leads to stress and failure. So I recommend people don't look at years, because its based on individual effort and willingness to push themselves.
But to give you an answer : PE 2-3 years, APM 2-4 years, PM 3-6years, Senior PM 3-6 years, PX and Director can be 6-10 year runs depends - where most people will settle in for their late careers (these roles are limited in positions in comparison to your PE/PM roles). Some people enjoy project management and stay at the senior PM level.
Finally, bonus & pay out structure is all dependent on the company. Some don't offer any. Some offer a percentage at a project level (if the project is profitable). Some offer based on company wide profit, which means you may have a great project while other projects lose money - meaning your bonus might not come based on performance of other. Project bonuses always come with disclaimers and are usually very slow to be paid out, so focus first on salary > bonus.
Hope this helps!
@@planandspecu r dedicated,grateful to u
@@planandspec Can confirm. All of that.
Can you do a video on project scheduling ?
@gisselpadilla3150 I most certainly will, but it will likely be a series. I'm going to start with a high level overview before getting into more detail in later videos 😎
How can we start own construction company? What qualifications required
This is a great question, however - it highly depends on where you live, what type of company you want to setup, and what type of work you intend to complete. Since this is an involved question - I’ll add it to the list of videos I’ll release. To get you started, the simplest way is to do a google search and start with general contractor license requirements in your area.
Anyway you can discuss more about the software you use for project managing?
Definitely - software in construction is ever changing and you have to understand a handful of programs from different developers. I’ll make a video on all the software I use and for what purposes in a future video. Great ask!
Are these project managers and superintendents really working 50-60 hrs per week? I'm assuming straight salary. Is there annual bonus/profit share? I have my bachelors but not construction. Looking at construction certificate. Great videos.
Hours are always dependent on a variety of factors such as the project, the team, etc. Superintendent is oftentimes 6AM or 7AM start time with 2:30PM - 3:30PM end of day. Most larger companies do offer end of year bonuses / profit sharing (often depending on the yearly success of the company, not just your project - keep in mind). If you’ve got any other questions feel free to reach out
Some weeks can be 70, others barely 30. It ebbs and flows
Hey out of curiosity I currently have a associates in safety health and environmental, I was wondering if a bachelors in Industrial management could open the door to becoming a PM or associates PM?
Have you considered looking for a safety role within construction? It's a good career path and you'd seem to already be aligned with the starting needs for the role. If you're set on construction PM, id focus on a construction specific degree as I'm not familiar with what industrial management covers from an education standpoint. Most important, is just keep applying for an entry level position in construction which will give you the fastest hands on experience. For the most part, once you're in - you're in, difficulty is just getting the foot in the door.
In how many years of doing job in project management one can open his own construction company and it is worth to open ?
You can open after 1 year and fail, you can wait 20 years and still fail. It's all about your business plan and understanding risk. Construction requires a lot of cash to float throughout the months. You need to understand all aspects of both construction and the office side to be successful, which I'd say is fairly complex if you're looking to run big projects. I'd say before you consider everything, plan it all out and actually understand everything that goes into it.
I’m in Los Angeles, how do I shadow someone?
Have you worked prior in construction? Mostly you'll pick up experience from landing a job, you can always reach out to me on my website if you've got more questions
Thank you
Why do you have to be at the project all day we’re earning salary I believe overworking is killing it , im sure there are some real good project managers who only work 3 days a week on the field and office and 2 days from home .. am I wrong ..
I've worked for companies that I was able to split time (jobsite and home), I've worked for companies where all my time was split between the jobsite and office. One early job I worked 100% remote but it wasn't fulfilling as a long term career. It depends on the company and the project needs - things you can negotiate during your hiring process
Which software do you use to make your daily schedule?
In the video, that was done with Google Calendar. While at work, I keep track of things using Microsoft Outlook calendar. I have both synced on my phone to see everything 😀
How many vacation/pto days can you typically expect to get each year?
Great question! It all depends on the company you work, what you negotiated for, and how long you’ve been working there. A lot of companies start with ~25 days (which includes holidays). Might be less if you’re brand new. Some companies have set holidays while others let the project teams decide if the project will be open on certain holidays or not.
@@planandspec 👍 thanks
👍
Hey recently started school to get my associates in building and construction management wondering if that’s a good route? & also do construction managers approve bids from sub contractors?
If you're looking to be in construction, that's a good route. Yes - construction managers solicit bids, compile self perform bids and review/approve bids from subcontractors.
@@planandspecthank you so much for replying I really appreciate it & another question with an associates degree would I get hired right away?of course not expecting a high level position And if so which role can I except. I have some construction experience as a plaster but that’s about it
I'd like to say your chances would be good, but nothing is guaranteed. When I graduated it was an EXTREMELY tough job market, it look 6 months to get a job. Right now (Nov. 23') you could walk in the door and most GCs / CMs would hire you on the spot. You would enter as a PE (Project Engineer) at larger companies or an APM at smaller companies - naming isn't consistent at all companies but you'd be looking for "Project Engineer" job titles. Hope this helps - if you've got any more questions feel free to send me an email! 😎
@@planandspecthank you man where can I find your email
Planandspecinc@gmail.com
When I was in school for CM ~ some of the Guys in the Trailer were telling me ( to just keep my bags On ) ~ Your a Union Carpenter ~ and its really hard to Advance in the Office.....
Thats about the time I started school for Building Inspection ~ they just go Look at stuff & tell you if its Wrong.....
Building inspection sounds like a great career path! Surround yourself with smart people, learn from those who actually know (not just say they know) and youll go far. Good luck!
Looks like a rough schedule. 6 hours of sleep and not going to gym to get an exercise or cooking your meals isn't really healthy.
Hey @EP_1990, the sleep schedule is 10PM-6AM which gets me 8 hours (not 6), it's just split up at the start & end of the day on the calendar schedule I showed. The "flex time" includes working out - which I would suggest to everyone if they have the time. I used to go to the gym 6-7 days a week (for almost 8 years of my life), I've scaled that back but still make time. We home cook just about every single day - I also prep my lunches on Sunday's and Wednesday's for work. I like your comment because it seems like you have a great focus on health and wellness though - which is awesome & crucial in this busy industry!
How can an MBA fit into construction
This would be highly dependent on what the undergraduate degree is. I would only suggest an MBA if it were free or paid for by a company. MBAs are broad educations, whereas you'd learn more in a few years at an actual construction company while getting paid then extending a formal education while taking on debt.
But, if someone is set on getting an MBA or looking to leverage their MBA, then there could be an argument made that it could be used to support a career in business development. Also, if you ever want to become an educator such as a professor - alot of colleges and universities REQUIRE this as a pre-requisite for those roles.
The only time I'd personally consider an MBA if I were considering transitioning into formal academia.
Are there lots of women who are project managers in construction?
There are a good amount of women in project management, however - it's still heavily outweighed by men. I have seen a lot more women join the industry over the last 4 years though, so it does seem to be shifting.
@kaylapers02 let's become PMs in construction sis!!
Do you have an email for contact?
Check out my "about" section