Completion of construction projects according to their original plan is the primary concern of every project manager and project owner in the construction industry. There are multiple parties involved, and dozens of activities are taking place simultaneously. Management of construction projects, in light of this, is a key concern.
If the management is not responsible and effective, a plethora of problems will arise. These problems then lead to circumstances that affect not only the timeline but also cause the costs to escalate beyond estimates.
This article aims to introduce you to issues in construction projects which lead to cost escalation and disturbed timelines.
Six issues which cause delays and overspending in Construction
Construction projects are complex because of the overlap of work that takes place at any time during the project timeline. Thorough project planning and professional help of expert witnesses and consultants can save your project from major delays and budgetary losses.
But still, the issues may arise. Some of the issues which commonly cause delays and overspending are as follows:
1. Bad organizational structure
When there are huge teams involved, the organization of project work is a hefty task. The life of a project manager is thus not easy at all. For this reason, the organizational breakdown structure (OBS) is important to form in every ongoing construction project. If you do not have a clearly defined OBS and the authorities and responsibilities are not well-demarcated, then there will be misunderstandings.
These misunderstandings may cause one person to put the blame for the delay in an activity on another. Clear demarcation of boundaries and responsibilities is important for the timely execution of all components of a construction project.
2. Lack of communication
Communication is the most important ethic of life. You cannot spend a day without communicating with the world. When it comes to complex work that the construction industry entails, it gets even more important to get rid of the communication barriers. Bad communication or lack of communication can make it difficult for a person to understand his/ her responsibility.
In such a circumstance, delays may occur. As a result of delay claims, the costs escalate. You need the help of Quantum expert hailing from a reputable consultancy to help you deal with a difficult situation like this. Good communication throughout the span of the project is essential for the success of your project.
3. Non-universality of information
Information dissemination is a key component of all kinds of work in all industries. In larger teams, keeping the information consistent for all members is essential for success. When every small bunch of tea members has their version of a piece of information, it will lead to a prevalence of mistruths. Project progress may take a hit in this scenario. The probability of delays will ride.
4. Weak performance management
Construction projects span a long period of time. While the project is going in, circumstances keep on changing. These changes can be related to the cost of material or weather conditions or any other form of force majeure. While you can’t get rid of such problems entirely, you can mitigate the losses by responsible management and mitigation of effects.
Performance management in this scenario can help save you from cost escalation or threat of critical delays. Thus, make sure you are using an efficient means to manage and monitor the progress and performance of the project overall.
5. Connection gaps
Hierarchy and chain of command need to be clear and followed since day one. When the workers are unable to channel their grievances and problems to the upper hierarchy, the problems keep on bottling up. There comes the point when the cost escalation and sever delays become inevitable.
Thus, you need to ensure as a project manager that you do not leave any connection gaps within and amongst the teams and organizational heads.
6. Poor Short term calculations
The budgets for construction projects are huge. The primary budget is decided at the time of contract agreement signing- even before the construction process begins. But the costs and transactions keep ongoing throughout the project process.
Besides the anticipated costs escalation, sometimes your project demands you to overspend. You can assess the gravity of the situation with the help of a Quantum expert and be sure that the costs are not unreasonable. If the short term calculations are poor, they can lead you to further delay in the overall timeline of the project.
Avoid overspending and critical delays!
Construction projects are complex. You need to carry out the planning, budgeting, and scheduling with utmost care. You will need the assistance of construction consultants, engineers, and expert witnesses. Expert opinion can help minimize the risk of overspending as well as occurrences of delays in your project.
Make sure you monitor the performance throughout and seek professional help for every component of your construction project!
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