{"id":66043,"date":"2023-04-12T14:00:59","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T19:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/?p=66043"},"modified":"2026-04-28T14:47:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:47:33","slug":"what-is-construction-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/what-is-construction-administration","title":{"rendered":"What Is Construction Administration? Why It\u2019s Important and Key Responsibilities"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a lot of work that goes into construction long before any ground is broken. For one thing, there\u2019s the contractual agreement between the owner and the construction general contractor that has to be adhered to throughout the project. Overseeing that process is called construction administration.<\/p>\n

Construction administration is not construction management and we\u2019ll explain why. The two construction disciplines work together to ensure that the construction project is completed properly. Let’s explore what both construction administration and construction management do. Plus, we\u2019ll outline the responsibilities of a construction administrator.<\/p>\n

What Is Construction Administration?<\/h2>\n

Construction administration deals with overseeing that the construction contract is being adhered to throughout preconstruction and execution. Construction administration is present at all phases of a construction project to ensure that the agreement defined in the contract between the owner and the general contractor is being met.<\/p>\n

Therefore, construction administration focuses on the completion of the contract, which provides what must be done for that contract to be fulfilled. Note that construction administration isn’t typically present in competitive bidding<\/a> and it starts with preconstruction, once the contract has been agreed upon and signed. From there, it moves into the construction and inspection phase. It\u2019s less visible, if at all, during asset management.<\/p>\n

Construction administration is thorough and complicated, and using construction project management software helps execute those duties. ProjectManager<\/a> is an award-winning construction project management that provides the visibility and collaborative tools necessary to efficiently track and manage construction documents and drawings. Our software has unlimited file storage and global search functionality, which makes it easy to pull up any document or drawing from anywhere. Task lists show the percentage completed for work and give the construction administrator transparency into the work on the construction site regardless of whether they\u2019re on the job site, in the office or at home. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.<\/p>\n

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You can look at construction administration as a series of actions that are required by the contract, the State Construction Administrator and other state agency employees conducted by the architect or an official governing body. A construction administrator is then responsible for the timely and correct performance of all construction project management phases. They’ll need to work with contractors, suppliers and anyone else responsible for construction project work. This includes guarantees and warranties of the project.<\/p>\n

Construction Administration vs. Construction Management<\/h2>\n

Construction administration and construction management<\/a> work together to complete a construction project. In that way, they’re complementary disciplines, but they look at the work of the construction project from different points of view. It\u2019s important to understand how they differ and how they work together.<\/p>\n

For one, construction administration is usually managed by the architect while construction management is the purvey of the general contractor. The architect who designed the project is often employed by the construction owner. The owner and architect are the ones who contract with the general contractor after the winning bid is picked. This means that the architect or a construction administrator in larger commercial construction projects is responsible for making sure the signed contract agreement is being fulfilled.<\/p>\n

Related:<\/strong> Free Construction Project Management Templates for Excel<\/a><\/p>\n

In construction administration, architects review submittals<\/a> and shop drawings from the general contractor and ensure that these meet the requirements of the construction design. However, a construction manager isn’t always a general contractor but oversees the general contractor on large commercial projects. They help save the client money by making sure that the construction project is running smoothly, is on schedule, within budget and delivers on quality expectations.<\/p>\n

Construction administration isn\u2019t always the architect, though, they can be a lead engineer, construction project manager, construction contract administrator or architectural engineer. We\u2019ll go into their responsibilities below, but generally, they review submittals and inspection reports, keep track of materials and costs and act as a liaison between the owner and contractor. Anything that results in executing the contract and staying within budget.<\/p>\n

There’s some overlap depending on the project and the companies involved. For example, a construction project manager is usually tasked with managing the project, but could also be responsible for construction administration duties. However, the difference between construction administration and construction management boils down to their goals. The latter manages the construction of the project from start to finish, while the former ensures the project moves toward what the owner wants throughout the process of sending out a request for proposal (RFP)<\/a> to receive bids from contractors, signing contracts and ensuring contract compliance.<\/p>\n

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