Project management and site supervision
They are two services that are often confused. Both make sure the construction goes well, but they look at different things: one at the technical side of what is built, the other at the whole project as an investment.
Site supervision
Site supervision (dirección de obra) is a technical role defined by the Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación. The site director oversees the construction in its technical, aesthetic, planning and environmental aspects, in accordance with the design and the permit. In practice:
- Checks that what is built is what was designed.
- Solves technical surprises and approves changes.
- Gives instructions to the builder through the site order book.
- Signs the completion certificate.
In a house or a renovation with a design, the site supervision team is made up of the site director (usually the architect) and the construction director (a building engineer).
Project management
Project management looks at the whole project as an investment that has to come in on time and on budget. It is not a regulated role like site supervision; it is a management service that represents the owner:
- Plans the full schedule: design, permits, hiring and construction.
- Controls the budget and the construction progress certificates.
- Coordinates all the parties: architects, engineers, builder, suppliers, authorities.
- Reports to the owner and prepares the decisions they need to make.
Who needs each one
| Situation | Site supervision | Project management |
|---|---|---|
| Renovation or house with a design | Yes, almost always | Optional |
| Owner who lives far away | Yes | Very useful |
| Several uses or several parties | Yes | Very useful |
| Works without a design (finishes) | Not always | Rarely |
When the site is far away
This is the case for many houses on the Costa Brava, in Girona or in Andorra: second homes or owners who live in another city. There, project management keeps decisions from getting stuck and the budget from slipping through lack of follow-up.
In our work
Project management and site supervision are two of the four lines along which the studio organises its work, together with new build and restoration. In TO39, a warehouse in Gràcia that houses workshops, a dance school and a home, there were many uses and many parties to coordinate. You can see all the projects in the index of work.
This article summarises public regulations for information purposes. Every case depends on its plot, its building and the current wording of the rules: check before deciding.
