5 Tips To Keep Your Construction Project On Schedule

Missing the completion deadline on home building projects can be costly in penalty fees or lost opportunities. It isn’t easy to meet deadlines, given the variables involved — multiple trades, an extensive list of equipment and supplies, change orders, adverse weather, etc. However, here are some tips to help:

1. Carefully Review Project Documents

Ensuring that the scope of work is properly defined in the contract helps avoid time-consuming disputes during construction. Thoroughly review the construction drawings, specs and other documents before you develop your schedule. Have your subcontractors look over the documents relevant to their trades too. Be prepared to answer questions and clarify any ambiguities before work begins. 

2. Create a Collaborative Construction Project Timeline

Develop a carefully thought out and realistic timeline before you break ground. Your master construction project schedule should be broken down into phases, tasks and activities. Keep in mind which tasks need to be done in sequence and which can be done simultaneously. Look back at previous projects to see how long certain tasks tend to take, but also consult with your team, subcontractors and suppliers. They may have pertinent, timely information which will affect the schedule. Also build some slack time into the schedule for any inevitable, unexpected issues.

3. Communicate, Monitor and Document Progress

Keep track of your progress in relation to your schedule with daily reports, and have a dependable process for your subcontractors and suppliers to communicate immediately when they are falling behind or spot potential roadblocks ahead. The sooner you identify problems, the sooner you can find solutions. It’s smart to brainstorm contingency plans in advance with your project team for common disruptions, like weather, supply delays and design changes. 

As the project progresses, make changes to your master schedule, as necessary, to stay on track. Keep your subs and suppliers in the loop, so they can adjust as quickly as possible.

Also be sure to have a process for subs to signal and document completion of their tasks, so downstream tasks can start promptly.

4. Prioritize Transparency and Access to Information

Miscommunication and misunderstandings cause numerous problems in residential construction projects. Your subs, trades and suppliers need easy access to project information, so they are working on the same page as you are, with the most up-to-date information, even as changes occur. Your team and your trade partners work most efficiently when they work in unison.

5. Invest in Scheduling Software

Software can make scheduling and communications easier and more efficient. Having your staff, trades and suppliers on a single digital platform like Hyphen Solutions’ BuildPro gives everyone access to the same information in real-time — from project documents to change orders and the latest version of the master schedule — without taking up your staff time to distribute it. 

BuildPro’s scheduling feature offers ongoing monitoring of progress, clear regular reporting and the ability for all stakeholders to communicate easily and quickly. A bilingual system that works, even without Wifi, enables field crews to be as connected as office staff. By including suppliers in the chain of information, this scheduling system also optimizes supply chain management and just-in-time deliveries, eliminating even more risks to timely project completion. 

Learn More About How To Keep A Construction Project on Schedule With Hyphen Solutions 

BuildPro is the largest supply chain construction management software solution in the nation for the residential construction industry. BuildPro takes construction scheduling to the cloud, providing real-time information with greater accessibility, accuracy and efficiency. In today’s competitive market, the need for efficiency has never been greater. BuildPro connects home builders with their contractors, trades and suppliers all on one platform, to increase effective collaboration and efficiency. 

Learn more about Hyphen’s BuildPro solution or schedule a demo today.