How Jobsite Planning and Coordination Can Be Improved
In theory, all construction projects should be completed under the negotiated budget and before the target date of completion. However, the reality of today’s construction industry is that over-budget, late projects occur far too often. According to Levelset’s 2020 National Construction Payment Report, even though 77% of construction businesses are happy with how quickly they complete a job, only 30% finish projects on time and within budget. Although construction businesses have become tolerant of project delays, the status quo of the industry can be changed by improving job planning and coordination.
Improving Jobsite Planning and Coordination:
Besides unexpected weather, illnesses, and supply chain disruptions, poor job planning and coordination is the main cause of all project delays. For a job to be completed on time and under budget, contractors, sub-contractors, and suppliers must effectively communicate with field workers and back office employees. 80% of construction businesses expect delays on some or all of their projects, and 70% of contractors claim that poor jobsite coordination is often the main cause of projects running over budget and past deadlines. One effective method of improving jobsite planning and coordination is to implement 24-hour, 1-week, and monthly planners for the project. These planners can be used to communicate each member’s tasks for each day of the project. Additionally, if problems are found in the planners, they can be proactively addressed so time and money is not wasted during the job.
The Costs of Poor Planning and Coordination:
When poor planning and coordination occurs on jobsites, time is wasted, money is lost, and a company’s reputation is hurt. According to the previously mentioned Levelset report, 66% of businesses in the construction industry spend more than a quarter of their hours waiting for work to be done, and 75% reported that they spend less than half their time actually doing construction work. Due to jobsite inefficiencies, construction companies are losing more than 1 full day of work every week. These wasted hours add up and cause projects to run over budget and behind deadlines. When asked about failing to complete a project on-time and under budget, nearly 60% of companies in the industry reported that they received lower or late payments for their work, and 55% claimed that their reputation was hurt. In an industry where reputation is pivotal for success, failing to complete a project can severely hurt your company’s future profits.
The Takeaways:
Everyone knows that construction projects don’t always go as planned. However, to ensure that your future jobs are finished on-time and under-budget, it is pivotal to have proper jobsite planning and coordination. Whether you use planners or another system that works for your team, clearly communicating the expectations for each member of your team can help improve the efficiency of the project. To avoid wasting your valuable resources and hurting your company’s reputation, work with PartRunner to develop a planning system that works for the needs of your business.
