Here are ten Better Working principles, to reduce stress, construction dispute and financial risk which should help your Project run a little smoother. Problems can often be attributed to these concepts not being followed closely enough. Often strategic imperatives create tension and challenge these concepts so that the best routes through have to be found to balance the overall risk.
- Do not rush to build unless there is a compelling reason –
Matters not properly attended to at the inception stage can prove catastrophic later on. Take control and get the right team in place.
- Set realistic overall contract period; not too long or too short –
Often incorrectly set owing to a lack of key information at the prime decision making time. If the overall project from inception is seen as a series of distinct smaller sequential projects, the importance of getting the duration of each phase right is more easily acknowledged. Often the bigger the client the longer is needed at the pre-start phase as more internal stakeholders will influence the outcome. Inadequate time left over risks the temptation, or perhaps imperative to unduly hurry the build phase. The wrong period causes fragmentation of overall effective control and additional cost. Getting it right is down to having the right team on board from the start.
- Clients need to allow for a reasonable contingency sum –
Even if it is not divulged to any of the team
- Gather better building site information before tendering –
More extensive green or brown site surveys help to reduce possible delays and claims over conditions and pollution; especially applies to refurbishment work. Check consents and that all the infrastructure items needed for your site will be in place and not delayed due to perhaps a much larger regional strategic view and Govt controlled spending with less interest in your project
- Review buildability of design and plans before tendering –
Some contracts lend themselves easily to this concept; for others it can be made to be part of the tender process if the project is suitable. Don’t underestimate the vagaries of individual buildings within a national corporate rollout. Each is an individual project in all but the simplest scheme.
- Continually review overall costs and programme forecasts –
From day one regularly refresh the use of best available information to pro actively forecast the final account and completion. List main risks and effects for resolution
- Consider your Dispute Resolution strategy from the outset –
Investigate ways of predetermining elements within Preliminaries etc of potential dispute and have this flagged so that should a dispute arise, there is little or no disagreement over what should be costed or how, including variations and client change orders. Especially useful if your work could be curtailed by a change of strategy once commenced.
- Pick the right personnel for the project –
There is no doubt that experience counts, especially on large projects. Use the right project personnel for the task. Can you afford not to?
- Risk Avoidance –
If the contract documentation has been thoroughly prepared then the likelihood of a serious dispute is very much reduced. If it should arise then if necessary the team should obtain specialist help at the appropriate time and seek to resolve it speedily
- Rethink the meaning of success -
If the project is delivered on time and on budget to the quality required then it has surely been a success. These three essentials are interlinked in sometimes less than obvious ways. Not enough time or money will damage quality, though it can be damaged just as easily by too much time or easy money. The key to have these all in harmony is suitably experienced personnel at all levels and all working as a team together. Now that is success!
