Construction Project Manager

Startup Costs: $2,000 - $10,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Part Time: Can be operated part-time.
Franchises Available? Yes
Online Operation? Yes

THE BRIEF

Construction company owners, working as construction managers, “plan, coordinate, budget and supervise construction projects from start to finish,” reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This might mean a plumbing job one day, a roofing project the next and a big masonry job after that. Different companies work on different-size projects. But whatever size the construction company is, the manager does much of his or her work in the field, monitoring the company’s workers and making on-the-spot decisions. Because of the need to observe deadlines and deal with emergencies, the manager’s job can often entail long hours.

ASK THE PROS

What kind of money can you make at this job?

According to the BLS, the median pay for construction managers in 2018 was $93,370. “You can make as little as 10 percent, 15 percent profit. It depends on how many jobs you can get. You could make millions” -- Giash Uddin, president, City Construction New York, Inc., Brooklyn, NY

What are the startup costs for this job?

“You have to get insurance: workers comp, general liability insurance and a home improvement license from the state. It is better to have your own van to transport people and equipment. Tools -- jackhammers and things like that” -- Giash Uddin

What kind of experience do you need to have?

A bachelor’s degree and management techniques learned through on the job training are preferred, according to the BLS. Larger companies generally require a degree in a construction-related field like engineering. “I myself am a quality assurance engineer. I went to a six-year college. I started the business with my brothers in 1998. You have to know how to read a blueprint and know material costs and labor costs; there is a school for construction management but it is better to have hands-on job experience” -- Giash Uddin

What’s the most important thing to know about this business?

“You must know about safety management. You should know about the 30-hour OSHA course: they teach us rules and regulations, what you should wear when you are cutting something, materials” -- Giash Uddin