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LESSON 2: Issues During Construction Phase: Ce 426S-Advanced Construction Methods and Equipment

This document contains summaries of three lessons on construction methods and equipment: 1. The first lesson discusses common issues that arise during the construction phase such as cost overruns, delays, inadequate risk management, lack of structure, poor communication, unrealistic expectations, delayed cash flow, and limited skills. It provides strategies for project managers to address these challenges. 2. The second lesson defines specifications and explains their purpose in describing work nature/quality and guiding execution. It differentiates between general and detailed specifications. 3. The third lesson covers construction specifications, describing their role in specifying materials, workmanship, equipment, and quality control to establish contractual guidelines and cost estimates. It outlines the components of general and detailed specifications.

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62 views

LESSON 2: Issues During Construction Phase: Ce 426S-Advanced Construction Methods and Equipment

This document contains summaries of three lessons on construction methods and equipment: 1. The first lesson discusses common issues that arise during the construction phase such as cost overruns, delays, inadequate risk management, lack of structure, poor communication, unrealistic expectations, delayed cash flow, and limited skills. It provides strategies for project managers to address these challenges. 2. The second lesson defines specifications and explains their purpose in describing work nature/quality and guiding execution. It differentiates between general and detailed specifications. 3. The third lesson covers construction specifications, describing their role in specifying materials, workmanship, equipment, and quality control to establish contractual guidelines and cost estimates. It outlines the components of general and detailed specifications.

Uploaded by

Fritz Montojo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CE 426S- ADVANCED CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND EQUIPMENT

Instructor: Engr. Calvin Leigh D. Dalida, CE

LESSON 2: Issues during Construction Phase


There are many potential pitfalls in the life of a construction project. Project managers are tasked
with keeping a site running smoothly, safely, within schedule and on budget. Sometimes, this is a very
difficult ask.

According to one study, 98% of construction projects come in over-budget and 77% of them suffer
significant delays.

So, what is leading to these delays and budget issues, and how can project managers prepare? Here
are just six typical challenges facing a construction project, as well as some proactive strategies to curb
them.

1. Inadequate Risk Management


Often, project managers put safeguards in place for long-term risk. Short-term issues, however,
often are left out of the equation. These issues can snowball quickly and start to have a real impact on the
bottom line.

Whether it’s subcontractors that turn out to be unreliable, scheduling conflicts, or the changing
tastes of stakeholders, any seemingly small issue could derail a project. Therefore, it’s important to have
contingency plans. Build some wiggle room into schedules, and make investments in programs like safety
training to avoid any of those potential issues.

2. Lack of Structure
Without clear goals, it’s difficult to get things done in an efficient manner. A construction project
can easily fall behind or run over budget (or both) if people don’t have a clear target they need to hit. And
without these goals, it’s difficult to hold people accountable for their part in a project.

Performance management is a key aspect of project management. In order to implement this and
keep everyone on task, they all need clear tasks to perform. Break down bigger, project-wide goals into
smaller, daily targets for individuals to accomplish. If something isn’t done one day, it’s compounded into
the next. Keep people accountable through set processes. This way you can keep the whole project from
crumbling beneath you.

3. Poor Communication
Communication is an important tool in any profession, but it’s especially important when work is
delegated amongst various parties. Without clear and effective communicating, important tasks can slip
through the cracks and the team can remain unaware of an issue until it’s too late to rectify. Therefore,
project managers need to enact clear guidelines.

There should be communication up a clear ladder that informs the team of any progress or obstacles
at the end of each day. This way, problems can be solved proactively. If in-person meetings are not an
option, using different types of software could be an excellent solution.

4. Unrealistic Expectations/Bad Forecasting


Some clients and stakeholders may make some big asks. Whether they want a project completed
on an accelerated schedule or on a limited budget, there may be some challenges that come with their

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expectations. While some things are possible for a skilled project manager, some things simply aren’t.
Working with unachievable goals can actually hinder productivity; why exhaust yourself working overtime
when you’ll only fall short despite your effort?

Some of these expectations are set due to bad forecasting. It could be that this forecasting, much
like risk management, focuses on the long-term instead of the short-term. Break those forecasts down into
monthly, weekly, and daily goals to see if they are actually achievable. Then, if necessary, communicate
the issues with stakeholders. Provide an alternate plan so that they can see an aggressive, yet achievable
timeline or budget. Manage expectations from the beginning and you can set up a winning project.

5. Delayed Cash Flow


The construction business relies on invoicing, which can sometimes be an outdated system. And if
payments fall behind, it could negatively impact a company’s cash flow. This can in turn dry up a well of
funds for other projects and cause delays.

Therefore, systems of invoicing need to evolve. With improved software and enough follow
through, construction companies can ensure that cash flow does not affect other projects negatively.

6. Limited Skills
Construction is very much a reputation-based industry. People tend to work with people they know
and trust. This can often be a great thing, as teams who know how to work together can be incredibly
efficient. But when there is a skills gap in the team, it could cause some delays.

The solution is to be aware of these skills gaps before they have an impact on the project. Once you
detect these gaps, you can fill them quickly and efficiently.

LESSON 3: Construction Specifications

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What are Specifications?

Specifications describe the nature and the class of the work, materials to be used in the work,
workmanship etc. and is very important for the execution of the work. The cost of a work depends much
on the specifications. Specifications should be clear.

Purpose of giving Specifications

 The cost of an unit quantity of work is governed by its specifications.


 Specification of a work is required to describe the quality and quantity of different materials
required for a construction work and is one of the essential contract documents.
 This also specifies the workmanship and the method of doing the work. Thus specification of
a work serves as a guide to a supervising staff of a contractor as well as to the owner to execute
the work to their satisfaction.
 A work is carried out according to its specification and the contractor is paid for the same. Any
change in specification changes the tendered rate.
 As the rate of work is based on the specification, a contractor can calculate the rates of various
items of works in tender with his procurement rates of materials and labour. Thus tender rate
without specification of works is baseless, incomplete and invalid.
 Specification is necessary to specify the equipment tools and plants to be engaged for a work
and thus enables to procure them beforehand.
 The necessity of specification is to verify and check the strength of materials for a work
involved in a project.

Types of Specifications

1. General Specifications
2. Detailed Specifications

General Specifications

In general specifications, nature and class of works and names of materials that should be used are
described. Only a brief description of each and every item is given. It is useful for estimating the project.
The general specifications do not form a part of contract document.

Detailed Specifications

The detailed specifications form a part of a contract document. They specify the qualities, quantities
and proportions of materials and the method of preparation and execution for a particular item of works in
a project. The detailed specifications of the different items of the work are prepared separately and they
describe what the work should be and how they shall be executed. While writing the detailed specifications,
the same order sequence as the work is to be carried out is to be maintained.

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