A construction project is a huge task that involves the design, pre-construction, procurement, construction, commissioning, and project handover. Moreover, these departments contain subdivided tasks involving hundreds of people, including supervisors, engineers, workers, and more.
Hence, it’s natural that so many things can go wrong in a particular construction project, delaying the project for an indefinite time.
If you don’t ponder the reasons behind such delays, your project cost will beat the budget, sometimes by 60-70%.
However, if your desire is to accelerate and finish your projects in time by reducing delays, follow these seven effective tips below.
7 Top Construction Tips to Evade Project Delays
Since a construction project includes a range of tasks and people within a stipulated budget, you must handle it with utmost efficiency. If you happen to be the construction manager (CM), it’s your goal to handle the project appropriately, from the construction design to the project handover.
On the other hand, the client will ensure that you aptly handle the project while incorporating the design, Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), construction specifications, etc.
You, as a construction manager, must go through the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) procedure. It’s an official written commitment of the construction manager to end the project with top-notch quality and standards.
But signing a procedure isn’t enough. You must take care of the other things to successfully complete a project for your client. The following seven tips will help you understand what it needs to run, complete, and hand over a project without any delay.
1. Review Design with Contractors
There’s no construction without design. That’s why it’s crucial to lay brick by brick on a project until it ends up successfully.
Remember, a slight change in the design ideas can delay the project if not reviewed and approved pre-construction. Contractors who are involved in the project will be overwhelmed by finding changes that might not have been there before the construction work started.
So, the best way to avoid mishaps is to arrange a meeting between the designers or architects well before the construction commences. Let them work out the possible modifications so it’s adjusted with the project timeline.
2. Confirm the Project Budget Accurately
Finalizing a project budget is an arduous task. An accurate budget ensures the right funding and without it, many tasks will be hanging around your neck.
If you’re the construction manager, you must execute the project according to the budget. If there’s a shortage in funding, you’ll end up delaying the project.
On the other hand, a contractor won’t be able to continue their job without the funds flowing smoothly.
3. Ensure Effective Communication
Using telecommunications and apps to maintain effective communication throughout the channel can reduce the delay in projects.
You must send and receive necessary project updates and requirements through apps, so everyone involved in the project can work on them accordingly.
A sound communication channel can increase work speed and efficiency significantly. Build a communication structure, so you don’t have to act only when necessary, but rather based on an organized schedule.
4. Be Assured of the Project Scope
From a contractor’s or a construction manager’s perspective, it’s tough to deal with any random changes in the project scope.
It’s understandable that the project owner might require a last moment expansion in the project area. This will definitely disturb the allocation of materials, manpower, and job timeline.
Since it’s practically impossible to completely evade such interference, it’s better to review the project scope multiple times before the final go.
5. Assign the Best Project Manager
To properly utilize resources, you must designate your best workers. A skillful and experienced project manager is a hard find these days. That’s why many construction projects lag behind schedule.
Assigning an honest and dutiful project manager will allocate responsibilities along with the required materials to the right supervisor, laborers, field engineer, machine or equipment operator, etc.
A skilled project manager always keeps up with the stipulated project schedule, constantly checking progress. Hence, you can expect timely project accomplishment and handover.
6. Cut on the Admin Tasks
If you’re too attached to the office administrative workload including meetings, briefings, reports, phone calls, emails, etc. your on-site construction will be hindered.
If you’re going to take over the construction site as a project manager, reduce your admin workload by reassigning your tasks to eligible subordinates. You’ll be able to focus on the ongoing project and deliver it to the owner with optimum quality and on time.
7. Mobilize the Approval Process
A construction project requires approval from the corresponding authorities, including government officials, banks, the design team, the owner, and a few more.
These approvals are significant in getting the project off the ground as well as ensuring timely progress. But the problem occurs when these approvals are held back, delaying the job in multiple stages.
So, as a project manager, you have to make sure that approval deadlines are set and communicated so the authorities sign the approvals in time.
Final Thoughts
You may be mesmerized by the cool architectural wonders of the world oblivious to the level of effort it takes to erect such structures or any structure for that matter.
Construction is a challenging and enormous job considering its stakeholders, investments, materials, and timeline. You might already realize that finishing a project in time can add more success to your profile while giving you more work opportunities.
So, follow the tips above to plan, organize, and run your construction projects with the utmost expertise.
No matter if you’re a project owner, manager, engineer, or contractor, your visionary plan and method can up the game for your construction projects by significant margins.
