How to Prevent Construction Project Delays

It is no easy task keeping a construction project on schedule, as costs can spiral, challenges can arise, and unpredictable problems can slow down tasks or grind them to a halt.

Unfortunately, task delays can have a domino effect on site, as one issue can lead to another, which may impact a project’s completion and the firm’s profitability.

The good news is that most delays can be reduced or avoided to ensure the business remains on track. Read on to learn how to prevent construction project delays.

Quickly Finance a Construction Project

Many new and established firms often reach out to hard money lenders for real estate projects, such as new construction.

The short-term loan can be accessed at a faster rate than traditional loans, preventing project delays and helping the business meet various deadlines with ease.

Also, you could use a new construction loan to cover approximately 90% of the overall costs, as the money could fund structure development, site work, or various soft costs.

Coordinate and Manage the Supply Chain

Supply chain delays can have a domino effect on an entire construction project, as one delay will result in another.

As you may know, if a tradesperson is late, a specialist doesn’t show up, or materials don’t arrive on schedule, teams might be forced to wait to complete a specific task, causing the business to miss important deadlines.

Take control of the supply chain by hiring an experienced project manager, as they can ensure the team and suppliers complete their jobs on schedule and materials and equipment arrive at the right time.

Also, project managers must communicate the business’s expectations and timelines with subcontractors to boost efficiency and productivity.

Don’t be afraid to diversify your supply chain, too. Secure supply by working with various reliable sources to ensure the firm has continual access to materials and equipment, as it is safer than relying on one company.

Create a Realistic Budget

Poor financial decisions can cause significant construction project delays. Stop the worst from happening by creating a realistic budget to avoid spiraling costs and ensure the funding supports the project to completion.

In addition to creating a detailed budget, you must leave a wiggle room for unexpected overheads. For instance, supply chain changes may result in higher material prices, inflation rises, increased fuel costs, and more.

Anticipate Potential Delays

Delays can and will happen at some point in a project, as materials might not arrive on schedule, accidents may occur, or you might experience a labor shortage.

For this reason, you must anticipate delays and execute a strategy to keep the project on track. For example, create a contingency plan for each potential issue, such as arduous weather conditions and supply chain issues.

Recruit Employees ASAP

Labor shortages are a major problem in the construction industry, as it is missing approximately 650,000 skilled workers, which is why you mustn’t delay building your dream team.

Start recruiting skilled employees sooner rather than later to ensure labor shortages don’t slow down tasks or cause a complete shutdown.

If your business cannot find the right person for a job, it might need to invest in new technologies or equipment instead. For instance, a small excavator could complete the same level of work as a three-person crew using hand tools.

Hire the Right Employees – and Treat Them Well

Every employee you hire will need much more than the right skills for a job, as they must possess a professional attitude and a hard work ethic to help the business tick off every task on schedule.

In addition to hiring the best tradespeople for specific roles, you must treat them well on each project to retain your top talent and execute projects to a high standard.

Boost morale by regularly checking in with your employees to learn how they’re feeling and to discover and support their professional ambitions.

Introduce an open-door policy to encourage them to share ideas, discuss problems, or raise concerns. By doing so, they will feel they have a voice on a project, which will make them work harder for the business.

Plus, the more skilled workers you retain, the less time and money the business will need to spend on training and recruitment.

Use Construction Technologies to Manage Tasks

Various construction technologies are available to help firms manage every aspect of a project, which can avoid unnecessary delays.

For instance, project management software can help you track every aspect of a real estate project until completion.

Also, it could streamline communications, support schedule changes, improve calculations, and improve data storage.

Encourage Good Communication

Communication is key to any successful construction project. Everyone involved must have a good working relationship to ensure they’re on the same page.

Encourage a project manager, architect, engineer, builder, and subcontractors to get to know one another, which will make it easier to receive answers to questions and resolve problems quickly.

Also, they must review the project’s plans, ask questions, and discuss potential issues before it commences to avoid delays in the future.

If your specialists work in sync, your construction firm can avoid unnecessary problems and delays, which can increase the project’s productivity and profitability.