Jamil Soucar packs his 30-plus years’ experience into this highly readable, useful and holistic guide to the field of construction management in “Real Life: Management Guide from A-Z.” Soucar demonstrates again and again the urgency of combining practical, life-learned experiences with the fundamentals of successful construction management. The author provides a step-by-step primer that takes the reader from inception to completion of any construction project. Never too dry or technical, this is a total and complete manual that is essential for anyone interested or involved in construction management. In short, this is a must-read reference guide essential to newcomers and experienced managers alike.
The author makes great use of a seemingly endless inclusion of illustrations, including graphs, tables and other work sheets throughout this primer. After a brief history lesson, and some basic hard-learned lessons, the author takes you chapter by chapter through the various aspects of construction management. Never forgetting the always present human factors (I.e.: personalities, politics, relationships), this compendium explains the variety of stages and possible obstacles that you may encounter and how to handle each of them. The chapters cover, in highly understandable language, everything from the start of planning a project, the design phase, construction and much more. He uses real examples from his own experiences to guide the reader, and includes very helpful “Real Life Gauges” and “Best Practices Tips.”
In one chapter, Soucar stresses the importance of teamwork among what he calls key players in the process: everyone from owners and architects to inspectors and subcontractors. As he writes, “A team is like a car engine. Each part does its role and only its role. The parts are connected so the car runs smoothly, which would not happen if any of the parts is dysfunctional.” Soucar repeatedly uses examples gleaned from his three decades of experience. And he is able to explain these concepts in direct, succinct and conversational writing. This makes for a huge difference in making these concepts understandable to beginners.
Soucar demonstrates throughout this extraordinary book how the primary responsibilities of a construction manager are to represent the property owner in every facet of management. He stresses how cost, control and quality are inevitably the three most important elements of any project. And he even covers how best to deal with claims and disputes that may arise along the way.
This guide covers every possible phase of construction management. This is a comprehensive, essential guide that is unique in its concentration on the human aspect, which can be vital to any successful construction project. This book is destined to become the definitive guide to the essentials of construction management. It is a perfect gift to anyone seeking more knowledge in this field of work.
