The typical construction project involves a vast number of decisions, and brings together people with different skills. It is up to the project manager to bring these people together in a unified manner to meet the goals of the project. This indicates that planning is essential to helping the project manager in carrying out duties effectively.
One of the factors that underscores the need for planning is that many construction projects these days are fast tracked. Any project involves not just the construction, but also development and design. These are also factored into the project schedule. Here are some issues that can be mitigated by proper planning.
Changes to the Project
A project manager should be able to anticipate how changes can affect the pace of the project. Minor changes to the engineering drawing are not unusual, and these can often be accomplished without an adverse effect on the budget. However, there is less of an impact if this occurs during the early phase. Later on, changes can have a devastating effect on the schedule and the budget. Even a small change might be enough to surpass the contingencies incorporated into the project budget.
Problems with Documents
The project manager should outline steps for responding to discrepancies in documents. Informing contractors of discrepancies quickly will go a long way towards helping to keep the project on track. Also, any request from a contractor for information regarding a discrepancy should receive a quick response. The project manager’s plan should take into account the possibility of discrepancies. There should be possible solutions for dealing with these situations. It will be necessary to add missing information to documents, and the project manager may be forced to move forward if the information is not immediately available.
Contract Discrepancies
Well prepared contract documents are a vital aspect of the construction and project management processes. Lack of contract consistency has been the source of many disputes, and these can lead to delays and damage the reputations of the professionals involved. Bid and contract documents should be precise and understood by the relevant stakeholders.
Planning will allow the project manager to respond to issues quickly. The owner of the project should have a representative who is in regular contact with the project manager. Both parties should review all documents to uncover any possible discrepancies. This enhances the ability to anticipate changes to engineering drawings and to understand how these changes will impact the budget and the timeline.