Common Construction Project Challenges

Poor communication

Effective communication between all parties involved in a construction project is essential to that construction project’s success. If one party fails to communicate effectively, this can cause a communication breakdown that then has a ripple effect across everyone’s ability to deliver to plan and meet the project’s expectations.

This is true within teams, but also across teams and the different subcontractors engaged in a project. If a subcontractor fails to tell you there will be a delay, to communicate their timeframe, or to share their requirements on site – and all the other myriad details involved – it can leave you in the dark and hinder your project.

Therefore, it is vital to use subcontractors who are great communicators and who realise the importance of sharing information in a timely and clear manner. If you are looking for a screw piling contractor in Sydney that fits this description, you may be interested in the Piling Experts.

Delays

Delays often plague a construction project. As with poor communication, a single delay can have a knock-on effect and suddenly the whole project is out of sync by more than a month.

Delays can be caused by several different factors. These include:

• Supply issues. Sometimes the materials simply aren’t available for a project. This has been felt acutely during the COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted supply chains and workforce availability.
• Sometimes unscrupulous subcontractors may overbook, and place themselves in a position where they can’t complete the task in time.
• Extreme heat can stop a project, as can rainfall. However, some subcontractors may be able to operate with wet ground conditions more effectively than others – such as screw piling Newcastle and screw piling subcontractors who have no dewatering requirements.
• Any aspect of construction may have multiple different methods. For example, walls may be wood, brick, or concrete. Similarly, foundations may be concrete foundations, screw piles, or various other types of foundations. Some methods may be more long-winded than others, whereas other methods may be completed more quickly and allow the project to keep moving – such as screw piling which is said to be 20 times faster installation than any driven piles.
• Creation of mess. Some subcontractors and aspects of construction create a large mess that then requires a substantial clean-up effort. Fortunately, some methods, such as screw piling, create a minimal mess and can have your site clear and ready to go more quickly than would be the case with different types of foundations. No open holes or bunting are required for screw piling.
• Unexpected landscape factors. When work commences, you may encounter challenges you hadn’t anticipated – such as soft soils or hard rock. Therefore, it makes sense to partner with adaptable and versatile subcontractors that can provide a solution to whatever you uncover. Screw piles are highly versatile to the many different types of the ground type you may encounter and can drill as deep as required – up to 30 metres in depth.

When planning a project, some delays can be foreseen and planned for, and you can make decisions to reduce the risk of delays to make it more likely your project will achieve its goals on time and to budget.

Cost blow-out or poor forecasting

It is not uncommon for the initial forecast expenses to be blown out of the water by unforeseen expenses. This can create issues whereby you are quite literally unable to pay on time due to cash flow, or where the profit margin is eaten into, and potentially even places you at a loss. It may mean you have to pass these expenses onto the client, which can damage your reputation or create disputes.

To avoid this particular type of construction problem, it is essential to forecast well and to accurately predict what sort of costs you will be dealing with. Therefore, you will need to partner with subcontractors that can provide quotes to give you a solid understanding of what you will need to spend. Even better if your subcontractor can offer fixed prices.

To avoid a cost blow-out, it is also beneficial to look to cost-effective methods of construction that make no compromises on quality. Often, many builders will find that screw piling is a highly cost-effective and affordable method of establishing the foundations for the building project. For more information on screw piling costs, contact screw piling specialists, Piling Experts.

Finding a screw piling expert

Avoiding these common construction problems begins with correctly selecting the subcontractors whose services you use to carry out the project. Piling Experts is a family-owned business with five full-time teams working across New South Wales. If you are looking for a screw piling subcontractor on the Central Coast, or in Wollongong, Newcastle, or Sydney, contact our team.