From a resent post I read from a blogger at Move Up San Antonio, he/she shared a great tip explaining that construction delays mean rescheduling and re-planning. And, nobody wants to go through the hassles of laying out counter-measures or going over the original construction plan. Essentially, construction delays can cause great losses for the client and the contractor. But, what causes construction delays? Here are some of the reasons why delays can occur during a construction project.
Weather Disturbances
Bad weather is the leading cause of construction delays. Rain, snow, and freezing temperatures are some of the weather conditions that can delay construction. Tornadoes can also happen if you’re unlucky during your construction project.
Unfortunately, the weather is mostly unpredictable at some time. Even the strongest weather instruments foretell accurate weather conditions only one month ahead. Therefore, estimate the duration your construction will take in advance. After that, determine the best seasons for constructing a building but still expect your contractor not to work for some days.
Budget Constrictions
This is also a major factor that can lead to construction delays. In some cases, project misquoting can lead to budget constrictions. The construction project owner can also run out of the required funds. When there is no inflow of money, a construction project will most likely stop. Therefore, accurate budgeting is necessary to ensure a continuous flow of power costs, materials, and wages. These are the major requirements in a construction project.
Projects Overbooking
If your contractor is a risk-taker, you may experience delays in your construction project. That’s because the contractor may have taken several projects that may lead to unmanageable tasks. If the contractor runs to a problem with one project, yours might also suffer.
Poor Communication
You’ve heard several times that communication is very important in construction. For instance, sudden changes should be communicated immediately. If you don’t communicate properly, delayed announcements can cause problems in your project. Miscommunications can also cause mistakes. These mistakes will lead to losses and some procedures may even have to be repeated thereby causing delays.
Poor Scheduling
In most cases, poor planning is the major cause of construction delays. A project manager should foresee inevitable and unexpected problems. This will enable them to come up with Plan B and alternative schedules. When faced with the unexpected, a project manager should make quick decisions. This will help in minimizing or preventing the impacts of the delay.
No matter how well a contractor utilizes technology, they can still experience delays. Nevertheless, maintaining proper communication and planning for the unexpected can help in the mitigation of potential delays.