Delivering construction projects planning on time and a budget can be quite a challenge since they involve a huge number of stakeholders and tasks.
To understand the perplexity of construction projects, think of all the parties involved with their specific tasks, responsibilities, and time frames. All of the agents included have to be on the same page and work together toward a mutual goal.
This chain of tasks and obligations that are interconnected is what makes construction projects quickly disrupted, leading to delays and budget overruns.
With the right plan and dedication, construction managers can keep their projects on schedule.
Proper time management
If you manage your time efficiently, your chances of achieving your goals are much higher. One of the crucial steps is to have an explicit time frame that will guide you and help you adjust your schedule accordingly.
Also, include precise timelines in the contracts.
According to studies, large building projects take 20 percent longer to finish on average, with up to 80 percent budget overruns!
With staggering estimates that the construction industry will reach $10 trillion this year, it is evident why delivering construction projects within an agreed timeframe is vital.
Create a master schedule to guide your project through
To deliver your project on schedule, you need to create a master schedule and manage your project by breaking it down into phases. Then break down the phases into tasks and tasks into individual activities.
Also, every party involved in the construction should have distinct responsibilities, a plan, and a timeline. This will ensure everybody understands what they are responsible for, and the tasks won’t get mixed and left undone.
To complete the project efficiently assign estimated start and finish dates for every task. You will need to determine how much time is required to complete each task.
Reviewing your schedules regularly while staying in touch with contractors and subcontractors will help you create a smooth workflow among different trades.
Hire a construction project manager
To ensure your construction deadlines are met, opt for project management services. Especially when there are too many tasks and potential risks that could set back the project, hiring people skilled in planning, coordinating, and communicating within the building industry is invaluable.
If you want your construction project to be delivered on time and within the budget, the safest bet is to employ a project manager that will track every step along the way to make sure everything is in check.
With the right manager, your building project will be coordinated properly, with the least amount of hassle.
Develop a solid risk management strategy
In such complex projects with so many different people involved, many things can go wrong. With a well-elaborated risk management plan in place, you’ll be able to protect your project and your team if any type of crisis occurs.
Carefully think and try to come up with all possible negative scenarios where things don’t go as planned and identify potential risks that could delay your project. Think through with your team and develop functional solutions to these situations.
Contingency plans are the first line of resistance to any potential disaster. If you craft them well, they can help you resolve issues promptly, before things get out of hand.
For instance, weather delays can be tackled by bringing special equipment or more workers to keep the project running.
Nurture communication & collaboration
As with any other business, good communication is the key to success. When there is a continuous flow of information and reports between the office and the construction site, the room for error will be significantly reduced.
To ensure smooth and undisrupted communication, you need to establish open collaboration between all of the participants.
Open and honest communication between everyone involved with the project will keep the construction process in order and moving forward.
Utilizing digital technology can be a game-changer. If every member of your project reports the progress of their tasks in real-time, from the site manager to the construction workers, you will be able to get a better grip on the project’s progress.
Keep track of progress
Closely monitoring and documenting the progress on site is necessary from start to finish. Detailed daily reports will help you stick to the schedule. Also, pay attention to whether your completion of tasks fits the timeline of the master schedule.
This will help you spot if you are falling behind the timeframe and prevent costly delays. Again, digital solutions can help you quickly identify whether the project is progressing as agreed, especially if you are handling multiple projects.
Staying on track and hitting deadlines is vital to keep your business afloat. Just a day or two of setback can be worth thousands of dollars, so managing your commercial construction projects properly and finishing on time is imperative.
