Delays to construction projects affect many parties with a vested interest in their timely completion: the developer that carries an interest-bearing construction loan and has commitments to prospective occupants, the contractors trying to complete the work on time and move on to the next project, architects, engineers and other professionals that are expending resources reviewing shop drawings and visiting the site, and the prospective users anticipating occupancy. However, despite the vast interests in timely completion, construction projects often do not achieve timely completion. In the best of circumstances, a delayed project results only in verbal accusations of responsibility for the delay. In others, the delayed project strains the parties’ relationships and can result in a multitude of complex claims for damages and costly litigation.
Preparing a Project Schedule
The most prudent approach for avoiding delay of a construction project is to prepare a comprehensive and project-appropriate schedule and to maintain that schedule throughout the duration of the project. Unfortunately, developers and contractors often neglect the thorough and structured planning process that complex projects demand. At the early stages of a construction project, the parties are understandably consumed with obtaining financing, buying out trades, obtaining permits, procuring materials, and designing the project, and as a result, the important task of preparing the project schedule may be minimized. However, this is ill-advised because the act of developing the project schedule is not just a means to an end, but is an end in itself.
