For any contractor, a successful construction project is the one completed within the set budget and schedule. Clients are happy with completed projects and a contractor can walk away with clean profit. Essentially, a successful construction project is the one where both the contractor and the client win.
But, a failed construction project causes issues and conflict. It is associated with schedule delays and cost overruns. If a construction project is not managed properly, it leads to overstretching of the budget and extension of the completion deadline. Going over the set budget eats into the profit of the contractor in addition to causing conflicts. It also affects other projects because the equipment and workers of a contractor are tied up as they try to finish up the failed project.
So, what makes a construction project fail? Well, here are some of the major reasons why a construction project can fail.
Inadequate Planning
Poor or inadequate planning can cause poor execution. When more effort and time is spent on planning out a construction project, everybody is better off when getting the actual work underway. Therefore, start by reviewing and understanding the construction plan, specifications, client’s expectations, and work scope. Careful planning of a construction project entails working closely with the architect, client, suppliers and subcontractors in order to complete construction project’s milestones within the set schedules.
Poor or Lack of Communication
Effective communication is important in ensuring successful completion of a construction project. Poor or lack of communication causes costly rework, accidents, delays and eventually an unhappy client. Ensuring that everyone is always updated on the client’s needs, schedules, and progress of the project is important in preventing problems that can lead to failure. Therefore, have a communication plan with a designated communication point to ensure that every stakeholder is constantly updated on what needs to be done.
Changes in the Scope of the Project
Continuous changes or expansion of the initial scope of the project beyond the initial plan can also cause failure of the project. This can be due to a poor definition of the scope, incomplete specifications and plans, mismanagement of changes, and poor communication of the changes.
Productivity Issues
Delays in the completion of a construction project can be due to natural disasters that are uncontrollable by the involved parties. For instance, unfavorable weather can make completion of a construction project on schedule challenging. Shortage of labor or having few workers available can also lead to delays in completion of a construction project.
These are some of the factors that can lead to the failure of a construction project. Nevertheless, a good contractor can overcome these challenges with quick thinking, careful planning, and effective decision making to ensure successful completion of a construction project.