Dealing with Construction Delays

by Mark Robins | 1 May 2020 12:00 am

Delays occur in every construction project and vary considerably from project to project. Some projects lag only a few days behind schedule, some are delayed over a year. What follows is information on construction delays and what you may be able to do to avoid them.

Adverse Weather

Michael Pum, CEO, Alois Roofing and Sheet Metal[1], West Allis, Wis., says weather is probably the worst kind of delay for his company to deal with. “It’s completely out of your control and it just has a domino effect that can push every other job in your queue back. Last year was one of the wettest years on record for us, which meant a lot of lost time in production and then a lot of weekend hours trying to recover. It’s definitely something you have to take into consideration when scheduling, but even best laid plans can get tore up by Mother Nature.”

Even windy days can delay metal construction. “Long metal panels can act like a sail on a ship on windy days, and work can really slow down,” says Reid Ribble, CEO, National Roofing Contractors Association[2] (NRCA), Rosemont, Ill. “[But,] metal roofing is the very type of roof system that can typically go on pretty quickly otherwise. Panels that are custom rollformed on-site can offer significant time savings for customers.”

Paul Becks, executive vice president,National Enclosure Co.[3], Ypsilanti, Mich., believes ordinary seasonal weather can and should be expected and planned for. “[However,] failure to do this is simply poor planning and wishing for a sunny day. Exceptional variations cannot be expected and are generally considered force majeure, where all parties are affected and can be made whole.”

Alois’ management team continually checks weather forecasts day and night so it is always prepared for what’s coming and can plan ahead. Always strategizing and thinking forward about how to better plan its jobs or schedules lets it factor in the inevitable delays like weather while still minimizing their impact on the job.

Joseph Allen, project manager, safety and training manager, Thomas Phoenix International[4], Eastampton, N.J., says site condition problems should be addressed as early as possible to minimize the impact of bad weather. “Steel erection job sites are generally unimproved. Rain won’t melt our employees, but can sink a boom lift up to its frame on a poorly graded or drained job site. Poor site conditions and rainy weather cause the biggest headaches. General contractors should expect to have some way to re-grade or compact the job site as the project proceeds. Packing the dirt down once before a project starts isn’t enough. Rough-terrain forklifts and aerial work platforms will constantly create ruts and uneven terrain.”

Allen suggests using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s www.weather.gov[5]or a similar site to ensure everyone is looking at the same forecast. He also cites OSHA’s often-neglected guidance for site conditions in 1926.752(c)(2), which states the controlling contractor shall provide and maintain a firm, properly graded, drained area, readily accessible to the work with adequate space for the safe storage of materials and the safe operation of the erector’s equipment. Additionally, he says the Metal Building Manufacturers Association’s Building Systems Manual provides information to help the erector clarify acceptable site conditions.

Delays in Material Delivery

Ensuring all material is shipped to a job site on time and in full is a key component to ensure projects are not delayed. “[But,] metal construction, especially products or systems that require long lead times for engineering or fabrication, tend to cause scheduling issues if there are either product defects or poorly coordinated shop drawings,” says Scott Winter, vice president of design-build services, Winter Construction Inc.[6], Freeport, Ill.

“If a product arrives on-site incorrect, receiving replacements may take longer than other products and have a greater impact on the schedule. Our success in avoiding these issues is to work with reputable manufacturers and spend extra time in reviewing and coordinating shop drawings. The worst delay we have incurred on a project was due to material defects in an exterior enclosure product. We were able to persevere through this because the supplier proactively rectified the situation at their cost, and we were able to fast track other sequences of the project.”

Becks says when it comes to the engineered trades—such as curtainwalls and metal panels—material procurement and fabrication is generally his company’s largest risk. “The lack of proper process planning, assurance of responsible suppliers, and tracking in the engineering and acquisition process will doom a project. The very first effort, engineering and drafting, if not done correctly, in a timely matter can affect the entire supply chain. And in today’s hyper-fast track environment, plan for success and monitor your plan unfolding closely, or expect delays and the associated inefficiencies. Don’t be complacent in the material supply chain. Ask for validation and assurance for suppliers: trust with verification!” Pum says metal panels have a longer lead time than other materials and this has the potential to cause delays. “When you know what you need and can order ahead, it’s fine because you can usually account for those lead times. But, in cases like new construction where you can’t know what you need exactly until the rough frame is completed and you can get your measurements, you may be looking at another four to seven weeks delay in being able to complete the project. And, then you’re the one potentially holding up other crews.”

Labor Shortage Delays

The construction labor shortage has caused delays to short-staffed contractors. Ribble believes, “The U.S. roofing industry is short more than 40,000 workers; as a result, many contractors simply have more work than time.”

Winter contends, “An aging workforce and changing dynamics in labor and business continuity pipelines have made labor shortages a pressing issue. Not only are we seeing a reduction in overall worker numbers being an issue, but fewer subcontractors are available as businesses are closing due to worker shortages or ownership retiring without succession. The best strategy we have found is to work with subcontractors and suppliers that we have the longest history and best relationship working with. We can stipulate deadlines and completion dates in contracts, but at the end of the day, a solid working relationship is invaluable.”

Trade Coordination and Communication

Poor coordination between trades on job sites frequently results in delays. “We can get told a job is ready and then we get out there and find it’s not, or told we can setup our equipment in one location only to have to move it later,” Pum says. “It just leads overall to a loss of efficiency on the job.” Becks says adequate collaborative planning can mitigate delays resulting from trade coordination issues, but “open and collaborative planning at the CM level is needed: look ahead/plan ahead.”

Allen says managing the timing between secondary framing elements and contractors is tough. “Often an erector has to complete framing, and then wait for walls to be blocked up before installing siding. When a building supplier can communicate the manufacturers’ details early to the customer and architect, it can go a long way toward minimizing the scheduling impact. It is also important to remind general contractors that other trades cannot work underneath erectors, no matter how far behind they get—and they’re always behind.”

Communicating a realistic preliminary schedule and expectations in writing is what Allen calls the single greatest way to prevent or minimize avoidable delays. He feels the more organized the erector, the more able they are to tell a general contractor what to expect and when. “Whether or not a contract requires you to provide a two- or three-week lookahead, it should be part of the process. One of the differences between a lead hand and an effective foreman is the ability to look forward, see the big picture, and communicate ahead of time.”

Ribble agrees that communication is key to prevent delays. “If everyone’s expectations are in alignment with their realities, there often is little concern. I was always taught that disappointment was nothing more than the gap between what you expect and what you receive. When it comes to delays, communication is king—communication with your customer, with your supplier, with your crew and with the general contractor if there is one. Delays are a fact of life in construction, and most companies get pretty good at managing them. The ones that struggle are the ones that haven’t set expectations correctly right from the start.”

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/dealing-with-construction-delays/

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