Five Tips for Completing Construction Projects on Time

Nothing is more daunting for your clients than waiting for construction projects to finish. As a construction worker, you can’t afford to keep your client in anticipation, even if the final product is worth waiting for. 

Yet, despite this knowledge, construction work projects, more often than not, end up getting delayed. According to a report by KPMG, about 25% of construction projects get completed within their given timeframe. But, megaprojects take 20% longer than their expected timeline. 

While it’s understandable why these delays happen, it still doesn’t bode well in your favor as a construction company. 

Generally, mid-size projects of about 1500 to 2800 square feet take six to nine months, while those over 5,000 square feet can take over a year, which is also what your clients expect from you. So, you risk your name and your client’s trust in your company by going over the prescribed deadlines. 

Hence, the question arises, how do you stick to your given timeframe and ensure you hit a home run every time? Here’s what you need to know:

1. Prepare Ahead of Time

Before starting any project, it’s best to scope out the area, learn how far it is from the city and draw up a rough estimate of the timeline. For instance, if you happen to work in Odessa, Texas, you’re well aware that this city, abundant in oil rigs, experiences hot, sunny summers and dry winters, which can heavily interfere with work. 

Likewise, since Odessa occupies about 133 km², you may often need to travel outside the city to plan and outline new projects, which is why it would make sense to invest in man camps in Odessa TX, for the duration of your projects. 

Man camps drastically cut down the cost of transport, ensure all workers are at the construction site on time, and are the perfect space to cool down and relax after a long day at work. These camps also offer construction workers shelter against the extreme seasonal changes and ensure no rain, heat, or dry will postpone the work. 

Therefore, you should book lodgings before you begin your job. This allows workers to move in and settle immediately and makes it easier to shift all the equipment to the construction site. 

2. Always Have an Ironclad Contract

As a construction worker, you need to smoothen out all the details of the work you’re about to embark on in the form of a detailed contract. 

Make sure you have all the legal permits that allow you to work on that particular site, a reasonable budget,

and a realistic timeline that accounts for all possible setbacks. Legal permits also include obtaining the necessary certifications for your team members. For instance, certain jurisdictions may require specific certifications for electricians, plumbers, or structural engineers, depending on the scope of the project.

A reasonable budget and a realistic timeline that accounts for all possible setbacks are crucial components of your contract. Thorough planning and careful resource allocation can help mitigate potential delays and cost overruns. Additionally, your contract should inform the client what team member is responsible for planning and which of your employees are involved in building.

If the project involves the creation of new lots or the subdivision of an existing property, you will also need to secure a subdivision certificate from the relevant authorities. This certificate ensures that the subdivision meets all legal requirements, including zoning regulations, infrastructure provisions, and environmental assessments. Obtaining a subdivision certificate is a crucial step in the process, and its procurement should be accounted for in your timeline and budget.

 

3. Ensure All Workers Are Trained

Construction sites can be hazardous to work on, and coupled with an ill-trained staff, you may end up with numerous workplace-related injuries and deaths. Construction-related injuries are tragic, and it delays the timeline and may cost you extra to get the damage under control. 

According to data published regarding injuries related to construction in the US, during the year 2020, more than 170,000 injuries and illnesses were reported, while more than 1,000 construction workers lost their lives. 

Hence, you must ensure that every construction worker is adequately trained and knows how to handle construction equipment properly. It would help if you also informed workers on safe load management to prevent overloading the machines and how to store away the equipment for the day. 

OSHA has a list of comprehensive guidelines you should consider while training workers; this can make it easier for you to direct workers. Ensure you provide them with safety gear like disposable overalls, ear muffs, goggles, and rubber boots to reduce injury chances further. 

Untrained workers can unintentionally cause chaos, injure themselves, and damage expensive equipment. It is also illegal for them to drive large construction vehicles without the correct license. However, trained workers are able to drive trucks with Live Bottom Trailers that can carry heavy materials and precisely unload these. The proper training is essential when operating heavy machinery.

Likewise, trained workers know what to do and how without causing unnecessary postponements.

4. Establish Clear Communication

While working, you must constantly communicate with your team members and keep yourself updated on their progress. Mistakes can happen even after you detail the role of every worker and inform them what they need to do. 

So, make sure after a day’s work; you catch up with the workers, learn if they hit any roadblocks, and calculate how much progress they can make in a day. If a client has last-minute changes or requests, don’t delay informing your team and revisiting the blueprint to include these additions. 

The best way to communicate with your workers is to speak to them directly, let them ask questions, and if they are confused about how they should proceed, make sure you’re always available to help them. That way if, for example, they have a delivery from a series of trailers that aren’t going to make it on time for work to begin with those particular materials, you will want to coordinate with your workers on what time they will need to arrive on the job site for that day to prevent having to pay for them sitting around waiting on the delivery.

Conduct a follow-up every day, and if a particular worker cannot finish their delegated set of work, hold them accountable and make sure they put in overtime. 

5. Use The Right Tools

Technology has seeped into every sector, which includes the construction industry. Manual labor has decreased significantly, and tools like 3D printing are now dominating the enterprise. 

This is why you must also invest in the right technological tools to speed up your projects and prevent you from relying on manual labor. So, try drafting a list of supplies you will need, such as diggers, cranes, and cement mixers. For a construction project, you will also require a full suite of environmental monitoring products to adhere to safety guidelines.

However, while purchasing these machines, ensure the equipment is not outdated, works with minimal interruptions, and has no visible signs of wreckage. Additionally, it is crucial to understand how the equipment works before you implement its use. For example, if you are asking the question how do hydraulic power units work? then you need to be sure you are fully trained, as they are crucial in providing the necessary force to operate machinery. Hydraulic power units use fluid under pressure to transmit power, which is generated by a hydraulic pump. This fluid is then directed through valves and hoses to actuate various components of the machinery, providing precise and reliable movement. Proper maintenance of these units ensures efficient performance and extends the lifespan of the equipment.

Construction technology, such as building information modelling software, can enable you to create 3D models of 2D designs, saving you the trouble of creating manual blueprints and plans that are tedious to edit and change. 

Likewise, drone technology can help you get an aerial view of the land, allow you to check the progress of the building from the top, and give you valuable data on what aspects of the project you want to fix.

Final Thoughts

There are times when construction work takes longer than it should. For any construction company, this is enough to drive clients away and cost them an immense fortune. This is why it is imperative as a construction company to ensure that you can complete your work on time. 

To achieve this feat, as a construction worker, you should always confirm that you’re ready to tackle the project by arranging the necessary tools and scoping the space beforehand. 

Likewise, ensure you clear all the details on the contract and leave nothing to open interpretation. Finally, always be clear about what you want, use your words, and be smart about the tools you plan to invest in to prevent further delays.

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