No one likes to waste time or money but on a construction site it is going to happen. Subcontractors may be running late, you have equipment failures or weather delays. Some things you can control and some things you cannot. However, knowing what could cost you time and/or money will allow you to be better prepared and alert and hopefully reduce your waste. Here are some things you need to watch out for:
- Rushing: The number one thing that costs you time and money on a construction site is when you rush. Rushing has never gotten a job done faster. In fact, it creates mistakes and causes further problems than it fixes.
- Waiting to hire subcontractors: You know that you are going to need to bring in subcontractors on a particular job but you are waiting until you know exactly when you need them. That’s fine but don’t wait too long because if they are booked with work then you find yourself scrambling to find someone else.
- Wasting materials: Nails, wood, drywall and other materials used on a jobsite all cost money. If you can reduce your waste of these materials by even 10%, you are saving hundreds of dollars or more.
- Being unorganized: It happens all the time; someone makes a run to the hardware store and forgets something. You forget when you scheduled concrete or the electrician or you cannot find the paperwork you need. Stay organized and it will save you a major headache.
- Going off the script: Before every job begins you have a plan. As you get started there are going to be some curveballs, every project has them. However, it’s important that you stick to the original plan as closely as possible because that’s what you, the owner or manager of the project and everyone else agreed to.
- Hiring unproven subcontractors: Sometimes we base our decisions of who we hire on price rather than quality of work. If you need a crane rental company for example, make sure you hire someone who will do the job right, do it on time and on budget. At the end of the day, saving a couple bucks isn’t worth it if it creates more problems and delays.
- Equipment failure: Machinery breaks down, it happens, especially on a job site as they are used and abused. Having a backup plan already in place is important to keep the job on schedule.
- Inexperience: Experience pays big on a job site as it can save you a lot of time, headache and money. One of the main reasons you need to rely on experience is because there are always unplanned circumstances that come up and can cause major delays and other issues. An experienced team will be able to adapt quickly to this problem and get back to work.
As you try to stay on time and budget for the project, remember that there is no such thing as a construction job that goes exactly according to plan. Be patient, stay organized, hire reliable subcontractors and you will get the work done.