What should a student of construction learn first: construction materials and methods, project cost estimating, project planning and scheduling, or how to run a job in the field?

After spending decades in the construction industry—and still learning every day—I’ve come to realize that we are all lifelong students of construction. No matter how long you’ve been in this field, there’s always more to learn. Even now, there are countless areas of work I haven’t mastered, and that’s what makes it so engaging, and it is important to have the right foundation. So, what comes first?

Learning about construction materials and methods comes first. Here’s why:

• Knowledge of construction materials and methods forms the foundation for everything else.
  Cost estimating depends on knowing what materials go into a project, how much labor each task requires, and what equipment is needed. Without that understanding, even the most detailed estimate is built on guesswork.
• Construction methods used to incorporate the materials into the project shape how we plan.
  Project planning and scheduling are only as realistic as the methods they’re based on. To plan effectively, you have to understand how something is built—the sequence of operations, the constraints, the resources, and the risks. Good planners know that methods drive both productivity and feasibility.
• Field performance depends on knowledge of construction methods and the behavior of the construction materials.
  Most field mistakes can be traced back to a lack of understanding of materials or methods. You can’t build quality work—or even recognize when it’s being done right—without grasping how materials behave and how methods influence outcomes.

Here’s the hard truth: everything in construction comes down to means and methods—the way we build. Master the materials and methods first, and you’ll have the foundation to do everything else with confidence—whether it’s estimating, scheduling, or running the job in the field.

Explore our interactive webbook units, including a student edition. The earthwork unit covers topics such as reading geotechnical reports, soil classifications, understanding and interpreting mass diagrams (also called mass haul), calculators for construction equipment production rates, and many other topics we classify under general aspects of earthwork. Additionally, some items of work explored in depth within the earthwork unit include the following:

Clear and Grub	Geogrid Reinforced Soil Slopes or Embankment
Removal of Structures and Obstructions	Cofferdam
Erosion and Sediment Control	Excavation Support and Retention Systems
Topsoil Stripping, Stockpiling, and Placing	Shoring and Underpinning for Safeguarding Structures
Large Site Mass Excavation – Cut and Fill	Soil Stabilization for Subgrade
Roadway and Drainage Excavation	Fabric for Ground Stabilization
Rock Excavation	Rock Slope Stabilization and Reinforcement
Wetland Restoration	Slope and Channel Protection
Small Site Excavation – Cut and Fill	Concrete Slope and Channel Protection
Structural Excavation and Backfill	Tied Concrete Block Mat Slope Protection
Pipe and Appurtenance Structure Trench Excavation, Backfilling, and Compaction	Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM)
Expanded Polystyrene Geofoam Backfill	Bored Tunnel Construction
	Construction Dewatering