Celebrating the Vital Role of Construction Administration
Happy National Construction Appreciation Week! September 15-19, 2025, is dedicated to recognizing the hard work and contributions of the men and women in the construction industry. This week aims to highlight the critical function of construction in the building and maintenance of the infrastructure in our communities and its importance to the economy.
Understanding Construction Administration
A construction administrator acts as the owner’s representative throughout the construction of a project. Their role is to ensure the project is built according to the design and contract specifications; this means they protect the owner’s interests while also assisting the contractor by answering questions and providing clarification when needed. They serve as a third-party overseer, making sure all parties are fulfilling their responsibilities.
Construction administrators and construction field representatives do not exert physical effort but ensure the project is constructed as planned — without shortcuts or missing information. Their duties include reviewing the contractor’s work to confirm compliance with design requirements, processing change orders, approving contractor payments, and holding all parties accountable. Ultimately, construction services team members provide the owner with confidence that their investment is being managed wisely, while maintaining clear communication between the designer, contractor, and owner.
Key Responsibilities That Keep Projects Moving
A typical day for a construction administrator involves extensive communication and coordination. Much of the day is spent answering emails or phone calls from field staff, contractors, and owners to ensure everyone has the information needed to keep the project moving forward. Because they often manage multiple projects simultaneously, construction administrators must be organized and productive.
While construction administrators frequently utilize phone and email to keep in contact with clients during construction, the construction field representative conducts more face to face field meetings with the owner and contractor. Construction field representatives spend a significant amount of time in the field documenting daily activities while communicating directly with the construction administrator, contractor, and owner. Construction field representatives are extremely knowledgeable regarding the technical plan, specifications, and contract documents.
The Construction Services Assistant serves as the hub for extensive amount of documentation that is incoming and processed during construction. During any construction project there must be proper coordination and adherence to standard operating procedure. The construction services assistant maintains records, submittal logs, and possesses the ability to verify, compute, and process complicated construction pay applications.
Why the Construction Services Team Is Essential to Project Success
Construction administration is critical to bridge gaps between design and construction. After a project is designed, bid, and awarded, the construction services team’s role is to help ensure the accuracy of the project being constructed to meet the design and contract expectations. A successful project is achieved by staying on schedule and within the budget and having the construction team members on a project will help achieve that through clear communication and providing quality control of the specifications.
McGill’s construction team members work to navigate the needs of all those involved in a project; this balance requires being fair to all parties of the contract, communicating effectively, and holding each party accountable. Construction team members must ensure the owner’s investment is protected, the engineer’s design is adhered to, and the contractor is given clarity. Team members must listen to all sides of an issue, when one arises, staying neutral and keeping the owner’s interest at the center.
The Lasting Value of Construction Administration in the Industry
National Construction Appreciation Week underscores the importance of every position that contributes to the success of our industry. Construction administration provides oversight and accountability that transform designs into well-executed projects. Their diligence in upholding standards, protecting investments, and facilitating clear communication ensures that projects are delivered with precision and integrity. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, the role of construction administration remains essential to building with confidence and excellence.
Join McGill’s Construction Services Team
McGill values our construction staff and celebrates each team member’s contribution to project success. If you are interested in joining the McGill team, view our careers page.
