Leaving the execution time of a building to fate is a proven formula for disaster. It must be planned on solid foundations, involve the team from the start, closely monitor progress, and have alternative plans in predictable scenarios that allow minimizing risks.
The saying is sadly famous: “
It is known when a construction project starts, but it is never known when it will end
”. And it seems that, as an industry, we have become accustomed to leaving the control of time in the hands of luck, chance or the good faith of contractors and suppliers. The problem is more serious than it seems, as it is said in English “
Time is money
” o “
El tiempo es dinero
”.
You may think that a contractor who does not advance is a contractor who does not charge; especially if the modality under which he was hired is “piecework”, but the reality is different since although there is no construction progress to cover; there will be fixed costs, such as equipment rentals, cranes, towers, backhoes, scaffolding, fortnights of managers and salaried technicians, fixed costs of central and field office, per diem and a long etcetera, that do not stop and that the contracting company will have to find a way to include, yes or yes, in the final price of its construction project.
In addition to a higher cost, there can be an infinity of problems derived from an inadequate control of execution times. For example: fines for non-compliance with lease contract dates, fallen sales for not opening a premises on time, legal problems for not delivering the property to third parties on time or additional rents paid for not being able to vacate the current property to occupy the new one, not to mention the so-called “opportunity cost”, etc.
Obviously, there is another way to attack the problem, which requires dedication and above all intense planning and coordination work. Well-planned works begin from the very conception of needs and the clear determination of objectives and goals; which must be achievable and measurable, as they will serve as the basis for all the progress metrics that are desired to be implemented.
Sticking to the schedule is everyone’s job
Before starting construction, it is of vital importance that all participants are convinced of the objectives and the way in which progress will be measured, because without this consensus it will be very difficult to commit the actors to follow the path traced. Thus, the Building Program is not just an Excel file with some color bars, but the document that collects all the requirements, limitations, conditions and objectives, as well as all the agreements between the members and translates them into a timeline, which must be signed in conformity and acceptance by all members of the team.
Already during construction, constant coordination of the participants and clear and timely communication with the Client is required, but above all, a reliable system of progress measurement with the appropriate periodicity for the type of work. Our system must be able to timely detect deviations between the actual progress and the progress programmed in our Work Program and the results must be transparent for all members of the group, so that awareness is created and the efforts of each member are channeled to the solution of the causes and reasons that are originating the distortions. For the same reason and as far as possible, it is advisable that progress be reconciled between the Construction Management or Supervision and the contractors or suppliers, both to involve everyone’s efforts in case of deviations, and to present the Client with a unified and more balanced overview of the progress of their assignment.
Forecasting and prevention are also essential tools, so it will be important to have alternative plans in case deviations occur and with forecasting mechanisms, which warn of the activities that are approaching, so that the team is prepared to face them.
All these actions, systems, and controls must be managed and promoted by the Construction Management or Supervision, who must have the support of the Client and the participation of the entire work team, as it is the most effective way to achieve adequate time control, to avoid at all costs that your construction project does not meet the deadline. .