5 Ways to Keep Your Construction Project on Schedule

A significant number of commercial construction projects experience delays and fall behind schedule. It’s such a widespread issue that researchers studied it and published their findings in the Ain Shams Engineering Journal. If your own construction project fails to meet its scheduled deadlines, you’re certainly not alone. While many delays can be out of your control, many are not. You may be able to stop your next project from running behind schedule by taking these actions: 

Create a Strong and Realistic Schedule

In many situations, construction projects can fall behind schedule because those schedules were never realistic or accurate to begin with. You immediately start on the back foot when you don’t forecast every obstacle that could set you back.

That’s why creating a strong, realistic schedule is so crucial. It can improve your chances of finishing on time. Make sure your schedule has ‘buffer’ time for weather delays, permit approvals, and the delivery of materials. You may also see the value in using construction management software to visualize the path to your deadline. 

Be Proactive with Materials and Equipment

All it takes is for one building material to be delayed, and your entire delivery deadline can be derailed. Understand all materials and equipment you’ll be using, order long-lead materials early, and confirm supplier availability. 

For example, when planning landscaping for a new build, you can contact the landscaping company early to understand what to expect from a sod installation, including the time required for installation and any specific lead times.

At all times, maintain an up-to-date inventory and identify backup suppliers as needed. Not only can this proactive approach keep you on schedule, but it may also mean your crew does more working and less waiting.

Prioritize Communication

Poor communication is undoubtedly one of the many contributing factors to commercial construction projects falling behind schedule. To prevent communication-related issues, hold regular meetings with subcontractors and stakeholders to share updates and spot potential problems before they escalate. 

You can also use technology to your advantage. Research platforms you can use to provide real-time updates, organize documents, and change orders and instructions. The more transparent you are, the smaller the risk of costly miscommunication. 

React Quickly

You shouldn’t wait until a project is already behind schedule before you react. It doesn’t take long for a project that’s mere days behind to quickly become weeks behind. Perform regular site inspections and compare progress to your schedule. 

If you realize there have been delays, think of adjustments that can make up for lost time, such as bringing in more workers or moving forward materials deliveries. There can also be value in using real-time project management software to highlight deviations. 

Manage Changes

Changes in a building project while it’s underway aren’t uncommon. However, without careful management, they have the potential to cause significant delays. When a client or stakeholder has requested a change, assess its impact against your schedule before you approve it. Doing so enables you to communicate possible schedule delays or make other modifications to prevent them.  

Despite many project delays being out of your control, many are within it. You may be able to keep your next construction project on track by reacting quickly to delays, communicating, managing changes, and creating a realistic schedule in the first place.