Avoiding project delays and getting back on track

Construction projects involve a variety of people, materials and processes. With so many ways things can go wrong, it’s a wonder that any job gets completed on time and within budget. To the great credit of those in the industry, many do.

Nonetheless, “expecting the worst and hoping for the best” is a valid approach. By understanding why projects most often bog down, and recognizing some early warning signs, you’ll be in a better position to turn things around.

Unclear scope of work

Contract documents should clearly define the scope of work. Yet sometimes plans and specs are incomplete or ambiguous. In turn, you may submit a bid without fully understanding what will be expected of you.

When negotiating a contract, be sure the terms are well defined. If in the ongoing contract there are tasks in addition to the work on which you bid, make sure they’re incorporated into the schedule and that you’re fairly compensated for them.

Change order disputes

A properly conceived project design should require few change orders, but it’s hard to eliminate them. Some contract documents allow an owner or construction manager to direct contractors to proceed with additional work without an agreed-upon change order. But don’t assume this is the case; read your contract to know for sure in advance.

When the owner wants a change, clearly establish its effect on the timeline. The project shouldn’t be considered “behind schedule” if the extra time is agreed to at the outset. Also, you may want to come to an agreement with the owner on a point when no more intentional changes will be allowed.

Submittal stumbles

Another harbinger of potential project delays is difficulty in getting submittals approved. Pay close attention to the percentage of submittals approved early, and monitor the number of review cycles needed to get final approval.

According to construction industry researchers FMI, highly successful projects generally have at least 75% of submittals approved in the first review cycle. If less than half of submittals are approved on the first review, it’s a sign of distress. Here again, it’s worth pointing out to the customer how these issues might affect the overall schedule.

Corrective measures

When you find yourself enmeshed in a project gone bad, there are some initial steps you can take to minimize the damage and maintain healthy working relationships.

First, face the facts: Admit that the initially devised schedule can’t be met, and then identify the best, worst and most likely scenarios for how the project might play out. Try to avoid the blame game as much as possible. Prolonged conflicts will only delay the job — and eventual payment — even further.

Seek to find consensus with other team members on what the new definition of success will look like and how to get there. Set up new baselines so that your project team will have realistic goals to meet.

Inevitable, not unforeseeable

In the grand scheme of things, job delays may be inevitable. But they’re typically not unforeseeable. Train yourself and your project managers to spot risk factors and you’ll be able to remedy them much more readily. •