Irrespective of your role in construction, you’ve probably noticed that nearly all construction projects don’t end on time. In fact, a delayed project has become all too common, to the point where it almost feels like an inevitable part. Construction delays come in various forms and sizes. If left unmanaged, they can mount and ruin your project before you realize what hit you! Nevertheless, most construction project delays might be avoided if a thorough project analysis is carried out.
The timely completion of the project demonstrates the competence of all players participating in the project. Still, the construction process is subject to various variables and unforeseen events that arise from a number of sources. The following are the most common causes of construction project delays:
1) Budget Inaccuracies
Misrepresenting a project quote as a contractor can be extremely hazardous; some projects are shut down for weeks, months, or even dropped entirely. Estimating accurately guarantees that there is always adequate money for materials, wages, and other expenses. Using estimating software simplifies bids, estimates, and financial project planning, making the process more reliable. Furthermore, contractors require an easy way to enter the project into their construction management platform once estimates are completed, and they begin working.
Once the project is underway, real-time data is essential for determining how well the project progresses and how much it is costing. Sadly, most contractors continue to rely on non-integrated, on-premise software systems. This implies that data reporting between the field and the administration is often delayed. Those responsible for monitoring project performance are sometimes working from data that is days, weeks, or even months old. A cloud-based, integrated construction management solution addresses this issue by automating activities and providing comprehensive data and analysis options in real-time.
2) Insufficient Planning
The term “planning” is used in a variety of ways and contexts, but it may be defined as “planning the human and machine inputs in such a way that the maximum output is obtained.” To plan a project, you must first define the tasks or work activities that must be completed in order to achieve the intended goal in the least amount of time and money. This process begins the day the concept for a project is created.
There are many players involved in the construction process; therefore, a planner must ensure that every component of these is already integrated into the planning process to achieve the best outcomes. Planning entails estimating all of the plants, equipment types, materials, suppliers, human resources, time, and money required to accomplish the curtain phase of construction during the building phase. Some tasks take time to settle or to do the successor activity throughout the construction process.
3) Ineffective Communication
When the right hand does not communicate with the left hand, projects can be delayed and, in some situations, completed poorly. Whether it’s communication from an owner, a customer, in the field, or the office, everybody should be kept up to date when new updates, such as change orders or redesigns, or data, such as task progress or project expenses, become available.
Making sure that all parties use the same data set throughout the project decreases the likelihood of failures due to a lack of understanding. And, if a conflict does occur, collaboration and communication audit trails help greatly, providing the general contractor assurance that players have all of the reliable information they need at all times to address issues before they become a project crisis.
4) Labor Challenges
Currently, labor is a major challenge in the construction sector. The crisis that began more than a decade ago left its imprint on the sector, as many skilled workers laid off during the downturn went on to work in other industries. Few have returned, and newer generations of workers joining the labor market are less eager to pursue construction occupations. Technology is assisting in changing that dynamic and improving HR and labor management operations across the construction industry.
Assigning a work crew properly can make or break a project timeline. Rushing from one project to another is ineffective and risky. Technology is making this a simple fix by improving labor coordination and time collection in the field and assisting project managers in determining which teams are most suited for certain projects.
5) Adverse Weather
We can’t control the weather (though it would be fantastic if we could!). Acknowledging that adverse weather cannot be avoided allows you to be better prepared, which can make a significant difference. If the weather is hot and humid or cold and snowy, allow for a slower pace in the timeline, and adhere to safe working standards. When bad weather strikes, equipping a construction crew with waterproof gear and assigning appropriate tasks can help keep things going.
Another weather-related factor that you may influence is how your business will be affected in the case of a natural disaster. How successfully would you carry on operations if a tornado, hurricane, flood, fire, or earthquake occurred? In such an incident, on-premise software and in-house data storage or servers might be destroyed, along with all of your critical data. However, working in the cloud, with complete, secure data backups performed automatically, guarantees that your firm can continue to operate – even if the main office cannot.
6) Conclusion
To conclude, while time delays and cost overruns are typical in construction projects, they can be mitigated or eliminated by implementing a proper performance monitoring mechanism and control system integrated with all of the project’s essential components and operations. Better communication among all project participants, and a clear knowledge of the project success criteria, will result in the project being completed on time and budget while maintaining the highest quality.
It’s critical to set attainable expectations. What is subsequently referred to as a “delay” may be the result of inadequate preparation. When owners, project managers, or contractors schedule too aggressively, they risk causing a project delay from the start. Obviously, everyone wants to be known for completing projects quickly and within budget. But it’s also critical to be realistic.
