Project manager's report for building design and construction
A fundamental aspect of the project management role is regular reporting of the current status of the project to the client.
The project manager needs to ensure an adequate reporting structure and calendar is in place with the consultants and contractors. Frequency and dates of project meetings need to be co-ordinated with the reporting structure.
Reporting is required for a number of reasons:
- To keep client informed of project status.
- To confirm that the necessary management controls are being operated by the project team.
- To provide a discipline and structure for the team.
- As a communication mechanism for keeping whole team up to date.
- To provide an auditable trail of actions and decisions.
Progress reporting should record the status of the project at a particular date against what the position should have been; it should cover all aspects of the project, identify problems and decisions taken or required, and predict the outcome of the project.
The project manager needs to receive individual reports from the consultants and contractor and summarise them in a report to the client. The detailed reports should be appended as a record.
Typical contents of a project manager's report would be:
- Executive summary.
- Legal agreements.
- Design status.
- Planning / building regulations status.
- Procurement status.
- Construction status.
- Statutory consents and approvals.
- Project programme and progress.
- Project financial report.
- Variation register update.
- Risk register update.
- Major decisions & approvals required
Illustrating trends visually is an excellent way of conveying information to clients and senior management.
This text in based on an extract from PROJECT MANAGEMENT, by Eric Stokes and Saleem Akram. The original manual was published in 2008. It was developed within the scope of the LdV program, project number: 2009-1-PL1-LEO05-05016 entitled “Common Learning Outcomes for European Managers in Construction”. It is reproduced here in a slightly modified form with the kind permission of the Chartered Institute of Building.
--CIOB
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.