The 3 most common causes for delays in construction works and how to avoid them

Lack of Preparation

As most are aware, work starts long before any works begin on site, the completeness and accuracy of preparation is key to the smooth execution of any project. With a clear scope and adequate notice, there are many things that can be done well before work commences to mitigate any delays and ensure a smooth and hassle-free project delivery.

Firstly, one must know as much as possible, exactly what the Client requires and what they are expecting to receive on handover. Clarity of expectations at the outset is vital so that progress is measurable and nothing is omitted from not only the execution of the project but also to meet the initial budget & Timeline.

The organisation of Professional services will be one of the initial tasks undertaken by Client or Contractor. This will invariably take quite a lot of time and should be accounted for. Organisation of Trades and when they will be required on site will need to be considered long before they need to be there, if Sub-Contractors are being used, there may be lengthy waiting times before high quality tradespeople are available so it is vital to understand exactly who is required and when. 

This can be especially felt by heritage building clients who require specialised artisans that can often have waiting lists for their services and require booking well in advance.

By clearly defining what success looks like and having clear expectations of the desired outcome and the timescales required, delays and additional cost can be avoided. Working with a consultative team to define these outcomes and plan ahead improves your project by most, if not all metrics.

Materials

Waiting for materials to be supplied to site is a huge headache for any Contractor and by extension the client. Not only do supply chain issues impact the physical fitting of items holding up the progress of the project, but it will also invariably result in the Tradesmen working in a less efficient manner on other tasks as jobs cannot be executed in the allotted time or in chronological order.

By consulting surveyors or an experienced construction firm, you can define the material requirements at the planning stage to avoid unpleasant surprises. Much like with the preparation of the right people, finding the most effective materials and placing orders well in advance not only avoids supply delays but can even result in lower costs. 

Scope Creep

Should a project require changes once commenced, professional services such as Architects and Structural Engineers will need to make amendments to their contributions which can result in lengthy delays. This can be especially frustrating when dealing with factors like conservation as multiple stakeholders may need to be involved a second time.

Very often, depending on the nature of the project, the Client will be required to make decisions as it evolves, which can be time consuming especially if multiple entities have to agree to the decisions. It is critical to have a change advisory board or responsible person overseeing the project to make decisions quickly and communicate this clearly to those driving implementation. 

As with the initial project, changes should ideally be planned for with as much notice as possible, however things crop up and predicting them can be impossible. Emergency changes are entirely expected and need to be handled.

At this stage setting clear expectations in an expedient manner to your chosen contractor is essential so that change can be implemented and any additional costs discussed.

When you work with a principal contractor such as Northstar Construction Projects Limited, change is simple to action as you have someone managing all aspects of your project. Once the change is clearly understood and any changes in scope/ cost have been agreed everything else is handled for you without you having to consider who, what, when, where and how.

For a comprehensive service from concept to completion with experience helping clients with any of the above, contact us today and the team will be delighted to talk to you about your project.