5 Best Practices for Preconstruction
In order for an organization to be successful, it must plan ahead. Although the majority of the attention is usually paid to the construction phase, it is important to focus on the preconstruction phase as well. In the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, a study found that construction organizations that planned ahead gained an average profit margin of 23 percent. However, the study also found that poorly planned construction projects experienced a loss of 3 percent.
The planning phase of a project is crucial to success. When everyone is on board with the project, this can become a challenging task. However, by getting all parties involved now, you can avoid a host of issues that will arise later. This includes having a clear and concise plan. Through preconstruction, you can improve efficiency, lower costs, and avoid delays during the build phase.
The goal of this discussion is for you to become a more effective preconstruction leader. Riise has identified five steps to help you optimize your preconstruction process and set your future projects up for success.
Let’s look at this list of steps and put them all into action. We’ve identified the five steps to help you optimize your preconstruction process and set your future projects up for success.
1. Audit your current pre-construction process
To be sure, the process is working, or you’d have noticed the problems.
If you are going to audit your current process, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the major problems you are facing?
- How can you improve your process?
- How can you improve your process?
- How can you improve your process?
- What are the major problems you are facing?
The pre-construction team’s communication and collaboration on projects are sometimes siloed and separate from other departments. Project information is generally not stored in a single system. Other teams have trouble accessing the information. When schedules are missed, the team is not always aware of the problem.
To get the most out of your team, talk to them about things they have done well and things they could do better. Be honest about any areas where your process could be improved, and identify strategies to improve the processes you’ve identified.
2. Find the right collaboration tool
A successful project requires getting all project stakeholders on the same page. This applies to general contractors who must choose suitable estimating software for the project and subcontractors who must choose suitable bid management software.
Construction companies today need systems that can support collaboration across offices and eliminate silos. By doing so, companies can more effectively collaborate internally and externally, make the best possible business decisions, and avoid the most risk.
3. Distrust the official source of information
In the pre-construction phase of a project, information remains trapped in silos. This leads to delayed information sharing, which means project partners operate based on different versions of reality. This disconnect between project partners leads to incomplete, inaccurate, or both data. It also primes projects for missing deadlines and making errors, which decreases overall productivity.
On the other hand, storing all construction data in a single system increases efficiency and improves the flow of information. Even after construction is complete, using cloud-based software allows organizations to embrace connected construction. This makes construction data portable, making it possible to move information between phases and achieve a seamless flow of construction information.
4. Remove all Manual Processes
Preconstruction software is a tool that helps make the process of building smarter and more efficient. While it may be tempting to believe that the tools of automation could replace human beings, they are merely a tool that helps increase efficiency and minimize mistakes.
Building with data sets such as zoning maps, building footprints, and property ownership information allows the preconstruction team to take on more work and spend more time thinking strategically, not being bogged down in data entry.
5. Build Trust and Strengthen Relationships
Whether you are in charge of the project or not, pre-construction is the best time to cultivate positive working relationships that are rooted in trust and communication. A project team can come together at this time and align and support one another.
Effective communication begins with getting to the appropriate contacts at appropriate times and continues with communicating in real-time about the twists and turns that inevitably arise throughout the life of a project. Trust is not simply a natural result of solid communication—it’s enhanced when you focus on the relationships that matter most.
Final Thoughts
The ultimate reward for a successful preconstruction process is smiling clients that come back, again and again.
Optimizing the preconstruction process is an opportunity to identify major risks and concerns before building begins, ultimately improving quality and increasing profits. Riise consists of industry-leading, knowledgeable professionals with years of experience in all areas of construction management and the entire building process. Contact us to find out how we can help your organization.