There are so many moving parts in a construction project it can be hard to get everything together on time. Keeping your project on schedule might feel impossible. But with a couple of helpful tips and tricks, you can keep everything moving smoothly. Here are five tips to help you keep your construction project on schedule.
1. Create a Plan
Before you start scheduling for any type of build, a good construction project manager knows to create a plan. In the planning process, you will take into account the scope of the project and the budget you have to work with. Some aspects of your plan that you’ll need to review are the drawings for the project. These drawings should line up with the ideas and written designs of the project. They can also guide you and your team throughout the building process.
Once you have the scope of the project and the budget set, you can also plan out the materials and resources you will be using. When you create your plan, you may realize that a certain material won’t work in your budget. It’s much easier to pivot at this point than when you’re on the construction site. Once your plan is solidified, you’ll have the framework on which to base a project timeline.
2. Review the Details
After you create your plan the next step is to get the details reviewed. The project manager of the build should review the plans as well as the materials suppliers and manufacturers. You should also have your subcontractors review the parts of the plans that are relative to their fields. They know about the details of their fields and can advise if there are any parts of the plans that don’t make sense.
Going over all of the details with the proper people can help you find any pitfalls before you get a crew together. Anything you can do before the building process to avoid slowing it down during construction will help you keep your construction project on schedule.
3. Draw Up a Master Schedule
Now that all of the plans are solidified and the details approved, the best way to keep a project on track is to have a master scheduled. This schedule will be the guiding force of the project. A good way to start your master schedule is to break down all of the big parts of the project into smaller pieces. Figure out exactly what you need for each part of the construction process and how much time each of those areas will need. For example, if you are doing a build with tilt-up concrete, you’ll need a specific amount of time for the concrete to be poured and set before moving on to the next step.
Having chunks of time for each part of the process allows you to know exactly how long you will have certain teams of people, equipment rentals and when certain materials need to be delivered. The master schedule will keep everything on track each day of the project. Everyone should be aware of the hard deadlines and stick to them. You can also work with your suppliers on these deadlines and have a good idea of when to contact them to have everything together when you need it to be.
4. Backup Plans
While it may feel counterintuitive, having backup plans can keep your project on track if anything goes wrong. These contingency plans should be baked into your master schedule.
To truly keep your schedule on track, think about any scenarios that may push your timelines back. Setbacks include sourcing labor, weather delays, or equipment malfunctions. You can mitigate these setbacks by adding overtime to certain phases of the project or bringing in more workers to meet a tight deadline.
5. Communicate
Overall the best way to keep your project on track is by communicating. Be clear with your teams, suppliers, and workers about project timelines. If everyone is aware of the timelines and deadlines they’ll be able to keep the schedule on track. If something does go wrong, which tends to happen on large-scale builds, communicate with your team about how you will get back on track. When everyone works towards a common goal, it will be easier to get the project done.
Conclusion
Keeping a constitution project on schedule is a daunting task, but with the right planning, it’s completely possible. Working as a collaborative team and doing as much pre-planning as possible can help you keep everything on track.
