From small residential renovation projects to large scale commercial developments, construction products require carefully planning, reliable coordination, and timely execution. However, even the most experienced builders and project managers will encounter bumps along the way.
Costly mistakes can lead to significant delays, budget overruns, and terrifying safety hazards. Whether you’re a contractor, project manager, or property owner, learning from these common missteps can help you to work more efficiently, reduce your overheads, and ultimately end up with a better end result.
Understanding the most common construction mistakes is the first step toward preventing them. Read on to explore the most frequent construction project mistakes and to learn about how best to avoid them.
Settling on the First Estimate
Take your time in the early stages of the project. Although it can be exciting to get the show on the road, avoid settling on the first estimate you receive! Excessive optimism is a significant threat which could severely harm your construction project.
If you move ahead with the first estimate you receive, you may quickly find that there is not enough room left in the budget to accommodate surprises and unexpected costs. Unfortunately, this can lead to important details being completely missed out of your project. For example, you might have budgeted for basic ceiling installation but later realise that high quality suspended ceiling tiles, which improve acoustics and conceal wiring, were not included in the estimate. This could force you to settle for a lower quality option or remove them from the plan altogether, affecting both the look and functionality of the space. Also, it will absolutely lead to overruns and delays at best, or a logistical nightmare at worst.
To avoid said logistical nightmare, be sure to acquire a significant number of estimates from a wide range of contractors before settling on one. You should aim to reach a good middle ground price to move forward with for your construction project. However, when comparing quotes, be sure to also consider the contract’s reputation, experience, and the construction warranty the contractor offers. The project cost certainly isn’t the only thing that matters.
Hiring the Wrong Contractor
Your project, in the hands of an underqualified and irresponsible contractor, can take a real turn; even the simplest of projects may end up crashing and burning. And though we may expect these instances to be a particularly rare occurrence, when it comes to the construction industry, this is unfortunately a tale as old as time.
To avoid this construction project faux pas, be sure to do your due diligence when it comes to selecting a contractor, including researching the contractor’s reputation, experience, and the warranty they offer. Importantly, check their licenses and testimonials to be sure of what to expect before you start working together.
Forgetting to Acquire Permits
Your local authorities are likely to present you with an awful number of penalties and stop work orders if you do not have the proper permits that are required for your project. Unfortunately, pausing to acquire a permit can do significant damage to your project’s budget and timeline.
To avoid this happening to your construction project, check through every step of your process and do your research to ensure you are educated on all the necessary permits, and then follow through and acquire all of the permits your project will require. Also, ensure this happens early on in the process as licenses and permits can take a long time to process, and can have large associated costs. This will ensure you are able to factor the time and money these things take into the project’s budget and timeline.
