Cost of Operating a Field Construction Office

Construction field offices of both the contractor and the owner (or his representative) can be organized, operated, and administered with the objectives of assuring the successful and profitable prosecution of the work by the builder and of providing a high-quality facility for the user. Costs of field office operation are dependent upon the delegation of authority and responsibility to the project manager, the functions to be performed, the remoteness of the work site, and the size and complexity of the job. Significant savings may be achieved by limiting expenditures for personnel, equipment, and communications, as well as by subcontracting certain administrative operations. However, the management technique of cost-control should be applied to facilitate, rather than impede, the timely and economical completion of work on the part of the contractor, and to insure that the owner receives a satisfactory facility that may be utilized with minimum maintenance for the duration of its useful life.