91视频

Both project owners and builders are working to capitalize on the booming market after the Great Recession. They are tackling multiple projects at the same time, which is stretching their bandwidths. Plus, the market is moving at a faster pace amid significant shortages of qualified subcontractors and skilled workers as well as cost increases. The result is a marked increase in risk to all involved. Following is a brief overview of the top six common obstacles facing managers of multiple construction teams. Keep these risks in mind in order to minimize and mitigate them.

Clear communication

Good communication is a challenge in most large organizations. Naturally, it is critical that the builder be able to depend on its on-site construction team. What the team tells the builder impacts proper contract performance and compliance, the schedule and correct project wrap-up. The detail of what is communicated by each site鈥檚 project team to the contractor鈥檚 leadership will dramatically impact project profitability, and often determines it. Managing multiple project teams demands clear communication between leadership and each team.

Proper protocol

Having a multi-site protocol, and consistency with that protocol, is another common obstacle. When site teams are consistent and building projects with the same method and dependability, the leadership can focus on the important 鈥渞eal issues鈥� because the small ones are avoided or are less time-consuming. Builder protocol is then bolstered by effective quality assurance/quality control, resulting in fewer corrections and call-backs, resulting in streamlined performance and efficient scheduling. If a consistently applied protocol is not established, builders will spend a significant amount of time trying to unravel the daily 鈥� and most often avoidable 鈥� concerns at multiple project sites.

Verification

Failure to 鈥渢rust but verify鈥� that the work in the field is properly performed and that the field conditions are as required leads to reactionary decision making and 鈥渇ire drills,鈥� resulting in avoidable time and expense due to increased corrections, requests for information, and warranty call-backs. This challenge of field condition verification is increased for many multi-site builders due to the increased level of coordination required for the work and pace of multiple projects. Too often, pure necessity requires that leadership simply 鈥渢ake the word鈥� of construction teams that may not have the builder鈥檚 鈥渂ig picture鈥� vantage point. Even the best employees may shift their focus to their site and their deadline, and not fully appreciate the oversight required among multiple projects. Builders can avoid many conflicts by consistently verifying work across project sites.

Schedule management

Time is money, and juggling staffing and scheduling at multiple project sites can tax even the best builder. Most companies manage their schedules by either allowing on-site project managers or leads to create and manage the schedule, or having a central management of the schedules in one location. Both can work if the communication is accurate and verification is ongoing. In practice, builders are better served using common scheduling software that can be centrally monitored and coordinated across multiple projects, utilizing their assets with the 鈥渂ig picture鈥� in mind.

Documentation

Project documentation is critical to: 1, know what was built, 2, maintain what was built, and 3, respond to and defend against potential claims. In many litigious jurisdictions, unless the owner intends to maintain ownership of a project (and manage the asset appropriately), at some point in the project鈥檚 life the work may need to be defended. Whether in sale due diligence or litigation, proper documentation of quality is the second line of defense (after building it right), but with multiple sites in progress at one time, keeping accurate records for each project is imperative. Proper documentation for each site may be the difference between a successful defense, making a strategic nominal monetary concession, or suffering a loss and liability exposure.

Transition management

and warranty services

Gone are the days of the 鈥渢ail light鈥� warranty, when responsibility for defects ended when the owner saw the contractor鈥檚 tail lights driving away from the project. Many states鈥� statutes of repose or limitation extend time to litigate against a builder from four to 10 years on all non-observable defects. Given this risk, when a builder is managing multiple projects it is crucial that a project is properly transitioned from the builder before it moves the project team to different project sites. If each project is transitioned correctly, the warranty operations will be managed smoothly and project documentation will be efficiently closed at each project site, minimizing end-of-project discrepancies or disputes.

Tamara Boeck is an attorney in the construction and design practice group of Stoel Rives LLP. Contact her at 916-319-4678 or 208-387-4256, or [email protected].

Dwain Bateson is president of Bateson Consulting Services. Contact him at 775-745-9917 or [email protected].