Designblendz Blog - Architecture & Real Estate Resources

Construction Administration Vs. Construction Management

Written by Designblendz Team | 11/19/19 1:07 PM



If you've heard of both construction administration and construction management, you may be wondering if they mean the same thing or if they refer to two completely different concepts. While the phrases sound similar, they refer to two different jobs within the construction industry.

Whether it's a new build or a renovation project, the construction administrator and construction manager are both vital members of your construction team. The two positions have very different responsibilities within the construction process.

Architects vs. Contractors

Construction administration and construction management are both handled by two different members of the project team. The architect takes care of construction administration and the contractor handles management.

Your architect and contractor have different duties to perform during the construction process.

These are some of the duties of the contractor:

  • Hiring and scheduling workers at the construction site
  • Ordering and keeping track of construction materials
  • Maintaining a record of costs, including labor, materials and more
  • Keeping track of the actual construction itself

The following are some of the duties the architect handles:

  • Understanding the construction site to determine the feasibility of the project
  • Planning the project before construction begins
  • Visiting the site after construction begins to ensure the quality of work and time management
  • Creating cost estimations for the client

Besides the different duties that these two members of the construction team complete, both the architect and contractor are involved at various times during the building process.

Day-to-Day Operations vs. General Management

In addition to their key duties, the contractor and architect are also involved in different parts of construction.

The contractor handles the day-to-day operations at the site itself, overseeing the physical construction and other events happening there. If any issues come up, it's the contractor's job to keep the project on budget and on time.

The architect does visit the construction site, but it is more for larger-scale updates. Duties include surveying the construction site to determine the size of the building, obtaining permits and creating renderings of how the end result may look.

Administration usually occurs at the pre-construction phase, while management begins once the construction itself begins.