Delays can be a nightmare for commercial construction projects, but there are steps you can take to prevent most of them.
Especially when it comes to scheduling, several types of delays can be avoided by having an experienced general contractor, setting realistic expectations, and developing a well thoughtout project plan.
To make your commercial construction project go smoothly, find out how to avoid some common preventable scheduling delays.
Types Of Construction Delays
Reports show that the average commercial construction project faces a 20-month delay and significant budget issues. To help you finish on time and under budget, let’s understand the different types of construction delays.
Critical delays are ones that affect the completion date of the whole project, or important milestones within it. If you are struck by a critical delay, you cannot undo the effects of it.
You can try to minimize harm by adapting your schedule, but the most important thing to do is to plan better to build in buffer time (also known as float) for inevitable delays.
Critical delays often mean that the team can’t make any further progress until the issue is resolved, like flooring not arriving on time.
Some delays are non-critical, which means they are inconvenient, but it’s possible to make up the time. It is frustrating, but you can continue to work on other areas so that the project doesn’t come to a standstill.
Some types of delays are unavoidable, and not the fault of the contractor. These are excusable delays. Examples include extreme weather events, hidden issues with the property, regional conflict, pandemics, and required changes in project scope.
Things like the weather cannot be controlled, but most preventable commercial construction delays happen because of poor planning, unrealistic expectations, and a lack of market knowledge.
How To Prevent 3 Commercial Construction Scheduling Delays
Let’s look at the best ways you can manage your commercial construction project to prevent common delays.
Keeping Realistic Expectations
The planning phase of any project is crucial, and setting realistic expectations is part of this process. You need to work together with your contractor to understand the scope of the project, the budget, and the timeline.
An example of this is making sure you understand the timeframe of the planning phase, particularly when getting your construction permit review. Different regions and municipalities have different procedures that must be followed and expected wait times.
To avoid a delay right at the start of your project, factor in time for the review process before you can start initiating the project. A good contractor will be able to work with you to ensure compliance and answer any pre-construction questions.
Getting regular updates from your contractor is essential in managing expectations and handling any delays or issues.
Planning For Long Lead Times
The lead time for commercial construction projects refers to the time between placing an order and the fulfillment of that order, often referring to ordering materials and supplies.
Lead times are heavily influenced by market conditions. For example, think of the impact of COVID-19 on construction projects. The pandemic caused the slowdown and shutdown of many factories, especially in China. Since so much of our manufacturing materials come from China, this had a major impact on US commercial construction lead times.
Besides current market conditions, certain items and materials also simply take longer for manufacturers to produce as they may have to wait for parts or materials from their suppliers. Therefore, the best solution is to plan for long lead times.
To get a better sense of current market conditions, trends, and standard lead times, work with a contractor who keeps up to date with the market.
By factoring in expected lead times and adding float, you can prevent delays because of sourcing and acquiring materials and equipment.
Stay On Top Of Drawings & Approvals
Communication is a key way to prevent delays, especially when it comes to managing the admin of a construction project.
With so many moving parts, you can easily lose track of things like the relevant drawings and approvals. You’ll need initial drawings of the project as well as shop plans done by subcontractors ensuring that they fully understand the project.
Flexibility is vital to prevent and avoid delays, and that means you will need to make changes and get approvals during the project. So, you need an efficient system for processing requests and approvals in order to avoid delays.
This is where your contractor comes in. They will know how much time to allocate for shop drawings and approvals to make sure your schedule is realistic, and keep track of what paperwork needs to be completed. They’ll keep you in the loop so you don’t have to monitor everything all the time.
Managing the admin side of your project is an ongoing process, and an essential step to prevent delays. A great contractor will leverage their experience to improve the efficiency of your commercial construction project.
Conclusion
When it comes to commercial construction, preventing and managing scheduling delays can feel like a full-time job. That’s why it is vital to choose the right contractor to help you avoid delays and reduce stress levels.
Contact Chad Fisher Construction today for expert help with your next commercial construction project.