October 2024 - Elevate Constructionist

What Are The Most Common Pre-Construction Services?

Posted on October 31, 2024October 31, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 8 min

The Most Common Preconstruction Services You Should Consider

In this blog, we’re diving into the preconstruction services that are critical for successful project delivery. From why these services matter to how you can implement them effectively, we’ll outline essential steps and considerations, plus a list of must-have services for smooth project planning and execution.

Why Preconstruction Services Matter

Skipping robust preconstruction services can spell disaster for any project. In fact, according to research from the book How Big Things Get Done, only about 50% of projects hit their budget, and a mere 8% hit both budget and timeline targets. Out of 16,000 mega-projects studied, only half a percent finished on budget and on time while meeting client expectations. These stats highlight one key takeaway: you can’t expect to figure things out as you go.

Pitfalls of the Design-Bid-Build Approach

Many projects fail due to a fragmented design-bid-build approach. This method, where design and construction are separated into silos, leads to a gap in responsibilities. Here’s the problem: the contractor is only required to build what’s on the plans and specs, and the designer only has to design to local standards of care. This creates “gaps” where misinterpretations or missing details lead to costly change orders.

Instead, overlapping design and construction through preconstruction services – particularly using collaborative methods like Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) or Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) – can prevent these costly issues.

Essential Preconstruction Services

Real-Time Budgeting, Scheduling, and Constructability Reviews
- Enabling your design team with real-time budgeting, scheduling, and constructability reviews ensures that your project design remains within budget and on schedule. If you miss this step, you could end up with a design that’s too costly or can’t be constructed within your timeframe.
Early Design Assist from Trade Partners
- Complex projects may need trade partners like MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing), exterior skin, or elevator specialists involved early on as design assist entities. This early collaboration enables detailed input from specialized subcontractors, ensuring a more feasible and coordinated design.
Project Planning
- A comprehensive project plan is the foundation. This plan should include:
  - Takt plans, zone maps, and logistics planning
  - Trailer setup and organizational charts
  - A risk and opportunity register
  - Overall project build strategy, including risk analysis and reference class forecasts.
Budget and Cost Estimation
- Accurate budget and cost estimation allows you to design toward a target budget, preventing last-minute changes. By setting clear budget goals, you reduce the risk of cost overruns and unexpected expenses down the line.
Preparation for Construction: Site and Trade Readiness
- As part of preconstruction services, ensure that long-lead procurement is planned, site conditions are assessed, soils reports are read, and utility adjustments are addressed. Having trade partners lined up and ready for construction eliminates delays and ensures materials and resources are available when needed.

Case Study: Success Through Preconstruction

On a $120 million project in a remote location, I led a team through a rigorous preconstruction phase. We partnered closely with the design team from the outset, setting up a collaborative environment for budget updates, schedule alignment, and constructability reviews. We also brought in MEP and skin contractors early on as design assist partners, ensuring that the final design was both buildable and budget-friendly.

The result? The project was delivered on time and on budget. Our efforts in preconstruction made all the difference, with our Director of Construction saying the project execution felt “like going to Disneyland” due to its smooth operation.

Key Obstacles in Preconstruction

Two primary challenges can disrupt preconstruction:

Owner Reluctance to Invest in Preconstruction Services – Owners may hesitate to pay for these services, underestimating their value. Without preconstruction, however, the project faces a greater risk of failure.
Construction Managers’ Reluctance to Provide Preconstruction – Even when paid, some construction managers don’t prioritize preconstruction. As a project leader, I stood firm on the necessity of this phase, refusing to divert focus to other projects. This dedication is crucial to ensure a successful outcome.

Conclusion

Preconstruction services aren’t just an extra step – they’re foundational for project success. By prioritizing thorough planning, budgeting, scheduling, and early trade involvement, you’ll be equipped to overcome common obstacles and achieve outstanding results.

If you want to learn more we have:

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-The Takt Book: (Click here)

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Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

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What Are Pre-Construction Services?

Posted on October 30, 2024October 30, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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Understanding the Importance of Preconstruction Services

In this blog, we dive into preconstruction services—why they’re essential, what they entail, and how they set projects up for success. If you’re involved in construction or project management, this step is a game-changer. As Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner put it in How Big Things Get Done, “Projects don’t go wrong; they start wrong.” Here, we’ll cover the core steps of preconstruction to ensure your project starts and finishes smoothly.

What Are Preconstruction Services?
Preconstruction services are the strategic efforts by a construction manager or construction manager at risk (CMAR), who essentially becomes the general contractor for a project, executing it under a guaranteed maximum price (GMP). These services are about more than basic planning; they’re crucial for aligning the project’s design, client goals, and timeline while maintaining quality, safety, and budget integrity. Think of preconstruction services as crafting a recipe for success—one that’s more than just ingredients but a complete blueprint.

Key Elements of Preconstruction Services

Project Planning
Preconstruction starts with thorough project planning, which includes creating a master schedule and production plan. Key tasks here involve logistics planning, zone mapping, budgeting (both for subcontractors and general requirements), and constructability reviews. This stage anticipates and addresses possible issues before construction begins, setting up a solid foundation.
Budgeting & Cost Estimation
Real-time budgeting and cost estimation are essential to keep a project financially on track. Leveraging lean practices, target value delivery aligns the design with a stipulated maximum budget, allowing a seamless experience for the client while keeping costs in check.
Site Analysis
Site analysis examines factors like topography, soil conditions, zoning regulations, and environmental impacts that could shape the design. Conducting a thorough analysis, either in-house or with consultants, is crucial to prevent surprises down the line.
Design Development
Design development advances from schematic design to construction documents (CDs). Here, the construction team collaborates closely with designers to keep the project on budget and schedule, aligning with regulations and the client’s functional and aesthetic vision.
Value Engineering
Value engineering is about maximizing design value without overspending. This collaborative effort explores new technologies and methods to deliver a quality experience that meets functional and aesthetic goals without unnecessary costs.
Permitting & Approvals
Navigating permits and approvals is a vital part of preconstruction, often involving collaboration with regulatory bodies to secure necessary permissions. Familiarity with the permitting process can streamline timelines and prevent costly delays.
Risk Management
Identifying potential risks for both the construction team and client is essential. This includes evaluating risks related to design, financial commitments, development, construction, and maintenance. Strong risk management prevents setbacks and protects the project’s long-term success.
Project Scheduling
Scheduling aligns the design teams and overall project’s timelines. A well-structured schedule ensures coordination across production, quality, safety, and budget, all contributing to the project’s final success.
Procurement Management
Procurement management handles the acquisition of essential materials, such as exteriors, elevators, and specialty items. This step ensures these items are ordered early, avoiding delays due to missing materials and keeping the project on time.
Stakeholder Management
Effective stakeholder management includes coordinating efforts, managing timelines, and removing obstacles to keep the design and construction teams in sync. Regular communication and tracking of needs ensure a smooth workflow and minimal delays.

Final Thoughts
Investing in preconstruction services isn’t an optional add-on; it’s a strategic move with long-term payoffs. Proper upfront planning can significantly mitigate the risks of budget overruns, delays, and quality issues. As this blog has outlined, the comprehensive steps of preconstruction services—from budgeting to scheduling and risk management—are key to a successful project.

Preconstruction services set up the “recipe” for success. Following these steps ensures that your project has the foundation it needs, leading to a smoother and more predictable construction phase. Incorporate these elements into your next project plan to help ensure that your project is ready to go right from the start.

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What Is Takt Planning Takt Control?

Posted on October 29, 2024October 29, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 7 min

Mastering Takt Planning & Control in Lean Construction: Key Insights and Techniques

Welcome to this blog on Takt Planning and Takt Control—a topic that’s essential for anyone involved with lean construction and effective project management. In today’s post, we’ll dive deep into how Takt Planning and Takt Control work, dispel common myths, and outline how you can implement these systems to achieve flow and consistency on your construction sites. Let’s get into it!

Understanding Takt Planning

So, what is Takt Planning? At its core, Takt Planning is a scheduling system that organizes a project by time and location, ensuring smooth trade flow with designated zones and takt times. It’s all about creating a rhythm in construction, a “train of trades” where each trade completes its tasks in a specific zone before moving to the next. This system helps to reduce waste and improve efficiency while keeping work manageable and predictable for everyone involved.

A few key features make Takt Planning superior to traditional Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling. It aligns closely with production theories and lean principles, focusing on one-piece flow—a concept where a trade partner finishes work in one zone before proceeding to the next. This allows for optimized work continuity, faster project completion, and fewer disruptions.

What is Takt Control?

While Takt Planning sets the schedule, Takt Control ensures it runs smoothly. Takt Control involves managing the “Gemba,” or the place of work, using short-cycle meetings to monitor progress and address issues on the spot. Daily huddles with foremen and workers help to track essential metrics: the number of workers per trade, compliance with the takt plan, quality defects, and safety metrics, among others. This proactive approach enables teams to identify problems early, make real-time adjustments, and gather insights to improve future projects.

Introducing Takt Steering and Control

In lean construction, managing both roadblocks and system constraints is vital. Here, the concept of Takt Steering and Control (TSC) takes center stage. It separates the tasks of “steering” (overseeing trade flow and constraints) from “controlling” (maintaining a clear work environment).

Think of Takt Steering as driving a train on tracks—it’s all about adjusting the train’s speed and flow through proper zone design and takt time management. Takt Control, on the other hand, is focused on maintaining the environment for the train, keeping the tracks clear of roadblocks and ensuring workers have what they need to stay on schedule. This distinction keeps foremen focused on clearing work paths and allows project managers to focus on system improvements and adjustments for optimal performance.

Key Takeaways for Lean Construction Success

For those who want to take their lean construction projects to the next level, mastering Takt Steering and Control is critical. Key takeaways include:

Separate Roadblocks from Constraints: Identify and manage roadblocks at the Gemba level, keeping the work environment clear for ongoing tasks. Address system constraints like takt time and trade flow through careful planning.
Leverage Daily Huddles: These meetings are vital for tracking progress, gathering real-time data, and making quick adjustments that keep the project on schedule.
Use Key Lean Principles: Takt Steering and Control aligns with core lean principles—Just-in-Time flow, the Jidoka principle (seeing and solving issues in real-time), and Kaizen (continuous improvement).

With a well-structured takt plan and control process, your project can achieve better flow, clarity, and success. Embrace these lean methods, and watch as your construction projects improve from planning to completion!

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What Is The Difference Between Commercial And Residential Construction?

Posted on October 28, 2024October 28, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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Commercial vs. Residential Construction: Key Differences and Career Path Insights

When it comes to the construction industry, the distinctions between commercial and residential construction are essential for anyone considering which path to pursue. Whether you’re deciding on a career path, wanting to understand both fields better, or need clarity on what each entails, this blog will walk you through the core differences and insights to help guide your decision.

Common Perceptions vs. Reality

In the industry, residential construction is often viewed as simpler and faster, sometimes perceived as a “Wild West” with looser standards and less proficient workers. This perception also considers residential construction more volatile, with the market shifting based on economic conditions.

On the flip side, commercial construction is generally seen as complex, requiring higher skills, more stringent standards, and large-scale planning. In times of economic downturn, commercial projects also tend to be less volatile than residential, with longer project timelines providing some stability.

However, the reality is that both types of construction require skill, organization, and professionalism. While expectations may differ, both fields are essential and present their own unique challenges.

Core Differences Between Commercial and Residential Construction

Purpose and Function
- Commercial Construction: Built for business operations like offices, restaurants, and retail spaces. Prioritizes functionality to enhance business flow, often incorporating specialized areas such as lobbies, loading docks, and queuing zones.
- Residential Construction: Built to be lived in, focusing on comfort, aesthetics, and personal preferences. Projects can range from single-family homes to multi-family units like condos and townhomes.
Scale and Complexity
- Commercial Projects: Larger, more complex, with higher architectural and structural demands. Projects can span years and require substantial capital.
- Residential Projects: Smaller in scale, with faster timelines. They generally require less capital, making project financing simpler and turnaround times shorter.
Design Focus
- Commercial: Design emphasizes functionality to meet business needs, often prioritizing efficient operations over comfort.
- Residential: Comfort and aesthetics are key, tailored to create a pleasant living environment. While functionality matters, it’s often secondary to comfort.
Regulations and Codes
- Commercial: Stricter building codes, fire safety, and accessibility standards apply, ensuring compliance across various safety and structural standards.
- Residential: Fewer and less stringent codes, allowing greater flexibility in design and construction.
Financing Structure
- Commercial Projects: Typically funded through complex financing like bonds, loans, or investor funds due to the scale and duration of projects.
- Residential Projects: More straightforward financing, often through loans or mortgages, making funding simpler than in commercial projects.
Project Management
- Commercial: Requires on-site supervision, with a full team of superintendents, project managers, and engineers to oversee progress daily.
- Residential: Project oversight is less intense, with a superintendent often managing multiple projects without daily presence on-site.
Timeline and Volatility
- Commercial Projects: Usually last longer, providing stability even during economic downturns, thanks to extended timelines.
- Residential Projects: Have shorter timelines and can be more volatile, with economic conditions influencing market demand more directly.

Which Path Should You Choose?

Your choice ultimately depends on your career goals and preferences. If you’re drawn to larger teams, longer timelines, and enjoy the complexity of detailed planning and extensive training, commercial construction may be the best.

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What Is Takt Steering & Control?

Posted on October 25, 2024October 28, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 9 min

In this blog, we’ll dive into the essential concepts of Takt Steering and Control as they apply to Takt planning. If you’re working in lean construction or are interested in integrating lean practices, you’re in the right place. I’ll walk you through methods to ensure your train of trades flows smoothly through a project, how to handle constraints and roadblocks, and ways to absorb delays—all to maintain flow on-site. Let’s get started!

What is Takt in Construction?

First, let’s clarify what “Takt” means. Takt is a German word that roughly translates to rhythm or cadence. Imagine breaking down a construction project into zones, where each trade partner moves through those zones in a planned sequence. If this flow aligns with a consistent rhythm, we achieve true flow in construction.

In lean construction management, Takt planning is where you create the flow, while Takt Steering and Control involves guiding that “train” of trades through the project and managing the environment to support this flow.

Takt Planning vs. Takt Steering & Control

Takt Planning: This is your blueprint for achieving flow by organizing the trades and zoning.
Takt Steering: Think of it as steering the trades through your carefully planned project zones, configuring the layout of zones (tracks) and trade partners (wagons). This process includes adjusting parameters, like trade pacing and zone boundaries, to handle constraints that can impact flow.
Takt Control: This is about environmental control. Here, we focus on removing potential roadblocks, ensuring the path ahead remains clear for the trades.

Let’s dig deeper into these elements.

What Are Constraints in Construction?

In lean construction, constraints refer to the bottlenecks and limiting factors that can disrupt flow. As described in the book ‘The Goal’ by Eliyahu Goldratt, every production system has constraints. In construction, these constraints could be zone boundaries, crew availability, or the pace at which trades can operate.

Constraints can’t be eliminated entirely but can be managed. For instance, adjusting zone boundaries, tweaking takt time, or balancing crew composition are all methods to increase flow within a project’s “train” of trades.

What Are Roadblocks in Construction?

Roadblocks are obstacles that arise along the way and threaten to disrupt the flow. Unlike constraints, which are inherent to the system, roadblocks are external issues like adverse weather, material shortages, or unforeseen obstacles in the work area. Think of roadblocks as the debris on the train tracks that must be cleared before they can derail your project. While constraints require strategic adjustments, roadblocks need tactical removal, often handled by foremen on-site.

Implementing a Meeting System to Keep Flow Consistent

The meeting system is the backbone of takt steering and control. Here’s how it works:

Strategic Planning and Procurement Meeting: Start by setting your master plan and procurement log.
Trade Partner Weekly Tactical: Develop a pull plan, look-ahead schedule, and weekly work plan to clear roadblocks before they impact the trades.
Daily Foreman Huddle: On-site, the foremen gather daily to address roadblocks and align on the upcoming tasks.
Worker Huddle: Finally, everyone reviews the day’s plan together before getting to work.

In these meetings, constraints can be adjusted as needed, and roadblocks are identified, discussed, and cleared. This proactive approach allows us to maintain flow without panic or rushing.

Zone Control: Boots on the Ground

Zone control is the on-site aspect of Takt control. It’s where you go zone by zone, ensuring trades are moving through as planned, identifying real-time issues, and making adjustments on the fly. With effective zone control, you’ll be able to see and respond to deviations immediately, keeping the project flowing smoothly.

Ways to Absorb Delays

Even with thorough planning, delays are sometimes inevitable. Here are some ways to handle them without derailing the project:

Adjust Takt Time or Sequence: If needed, you can tweak takt time or rearrange sequences.
Use Workable Backlog: Keep a backlog of tasks that can be worked on if there’s a delay in a critical area.
Rezone: In extreme cases, redefine your zones and work around the delay.

With these tactics, you can absorb delays efficiently, keeping the trades engaged and the project on track.

Building a Flowable System

By knowing your constraints, preemptively managing roadblocks, and using a structured meeting system, you create a robust, flowable system. Incorporate zone control, track your KPIs, and improve constantly based on real-time data. This way, foremen stay accountable, and you prevent delays from cascading into broader issues.

If you hear the term “Takt Planning,” remember that it’s about organizing for flow in lean construction. “Takt Steering and Control,” on the other hand, is about navigating that train of trades through the project efficiently.

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Advanced Pull Planning

Posted on October 24, 2024October 24, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

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Advanced Pull Planning: Unlocking Efficiency in Project Management

In this blog, we will delve into advanced pull planning techniques that can help you maximize the efficiency of your projects. If your pull plan hasn’t yielded the expected results, or if you’re wondering how to gain valuable time in your project, you’ve come to the right place.

Understanding the Purpose of a Pull Plan

At its core, the purpose of a pull plan is to identify milestones and create a sequence of activities that ensure the job gets done effectively. A well-structured pull plan outlines both forward and backward paths, helping to clarify what needs to be accomplished by various trades involved in the project.

When executing pull planning properly, start with establishing conditions of satisfaction. Identify your sticky notes, assign colors, and pinpoint milestones. It’s essential to establish rules and create your forward and backward paths, stacking your zones based on Takt time while ensuring a diagonal trade flow to meet your milestones.

Common Pitfalls in Pull Planning

One common issue arises when collaborating with lean consultants or trade partners who may not fully understand the pull planning process. This often leads to generic sequences that lack proper vetting. For instance, if multiple trade partners default to similar time frames, such as each selecting seven days without considering their optimal speeds, it reflects human psychology and can derail project timelines.

To avoid these pitfalls, ensure that each activity is assessed based on its requirements. Ask, “What do you need for that activity?” This careful questioning helps verify that sequences and durations are correct and that no critical activities are overlooked.

Key Factors to Identify for Optimizing Your Pull Plan

If your pull plan results appear ineffective, take a moment to analyze your sticky notes. Document the fastest, average, and longest durations for each activity, as well as the quickest, average, and longest overlap or Takt times. This analysis enables you to publish a pull plan that stacks zones based on average durations and Takt times. However, if these durations don’t yield optimal throughput, consider alternative optimization strategies.

For instance, if you observe that one trade is consistently slower than others, dig deeper. Explore options such as pre-planning additional crews or adjusting the installation cycle. Focus on the bottleneck to identify actionable solutions that can enhance your overall project pace.

Real-Life Application: Mapping Trades and Improving Optimization

Let’s consider a practical example to illustrate the concepts discussed. Imagine your first trade has a fast pace, with a two-day Takt time. The second trade has a three-day duration, and the third trade is back to a two-day pace. Here, the second trade emerges as a bottleneck. By concentrating on this bottleneck and working closely with the contractor, you may discover ways to optimize the process without compromising the overall project timeline.

When you analyze the fastest, average, and slowest speeds for each activity, you can create a more accurate pull plan. For example, if the second trade can improve its pace from three days to two days, the entire team can benefit from increased efficiency.

Conclusion: The Path to Effective Pull Planning

Advanced pull planning is about leveraging real data to create effective strategies. By analyzing trade bottlenecks and collaborating with partners, you can develop a pull plan that not only enhances efficiency but also mitigates risks of delays.

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Why Is Construction Technology Important?

Posted on October 23, 2024October 23, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 9 min

Why Construction Technology is Crucial for Your Project’s Success

In this blog, I’m going to explain why construction technology is essential and introduce you to some key technologies, even for small contractors. If you’re curious about the benefits of construction technology, why you should invest in it, and which tools you deserve to have, this blog is for you. Let’s dive in!

The purpose of construction technology is to help humans do what they do best. However, it’s important to ensure that technology doesn’t take over tasks that should be handled by humans. Instead, technology should enable human teams to work more effectively. When selecting tech, focus on these three criteria: usefulness, addictiveness, and speed. Software and equipment should make work faster, not bog you down with unnecessary clicks or delays. If it meets these standards, here are some of the major benefits of construction technology:

How Construction Technology Improves Efficiency

The right technology can significantly improve your team’s efficiency. For example, rather than manually cutting studs or stick-framing walls, machines can do it faster and with less physical strain. Similarly, GPS technology can improve precision in tasks like grading. When well-maintained, technology can perform tasks quicker and more accurately than humans alone, making it a crucial part of any efficient job site.

How Construction Technology Minimizes Costs and Labor Hours

One of the most valuable aspects of construction technology is its ability to save labor hours. Contrary to popular belief, technology doesn’t replace jobs—it fills the gaps. With the current labor shortage in the U.S. construction industry, technology helps bridge the gap by taking over repetitive or physically taxing tasks, freeing up skilled workers to focus on what they do best. The goal is to reduce wasted work and make labor more efficient, ensuring we treasure the human resources we have and use them wisely.

How Construction Technology Enhances Safety

Technology has made construction sites safer. From fall protection systems to improved personal protective equipment (PPE) like helmets and hard hats, tech is keeping workers safer on the job. A key consideration here is ensuring that safety equipment is designed to accommodate different body types. For instance, many safety tools and gear are still designed for men, leaving women at a disadvantage. It’s essential that we select equipment and tech that fits everyone’s needs, especially as the workforce becomes more diverse.

Better Project Management Through Technology

Advanced technology allows for better organization and communication within project teams. Whether it’s project management software, wearable tech, or automation, these tools help keep everyone on the same page and ensure projects stay on track. They also enhance the quality, safety, and sustainability of the work being done.

The Role of Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a must-have for many construction projects today. BIM allows teams to visualize, plan, and coordinate more effectively through 3D modeling. This enables better communication among team members and ensures that potential issues are addressed before construction begins.

The Impact of Drones and 3D Printing

Both drones and 3D printing are game changers in the construction industry. Drones are increasingly being used for site inspections, documentation, and monitoring, while 3D printing is making it possible to produce components off-site and reduce on-site labor. 3D printing in particular offers exciting possibilities for modular construction, enabling faster builds with improved quality control. I recently saw a facility that prints walls and pods for construction, which is a safer and more efficient method than traditional on-site work.

Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR)

Virtual and augmented reality are becoming essential for pre-construction planning. These tools allow clients and stakeholders to experience spaces before construction starts, ensuring that the design meets their expectations. Using VR or AR, teams can walk through a virtual version of the project, identify potential issues, and make adjustments early on.

There are even more technologies to explore, including wearables, robotics, smart materials, and construction analytics. All these tools are designed to improve safety, efficiency, and project outcomes.

The key takeaway here is that if you identify, discuss, and solve the problems facing your construction business, there is likely a technology solution that can help fill the gaps. Start by evaluating your current processes and look for areas where technology can improve efficiency, safety, and project management.

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How To Reduce Waste On A Construction Site

Posted on October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

In this blog, I’ll share practical tips on how to reduce waste on construction sites and explain why this is crucial. Waste not only harms the environment but also impacts our economy and sustainability efforts. Excess waste translates to lost resources, increased costs, and diminished productivity, making it vital to address waste effectively.

Here are some essential strategies for reducing waste on your construction site:

Proper Planning

Implementing proper planning through prefabrication and modularization can significantly minimize waste. By bringing pre-assembled components to the site, you reduce the amount of material that might otherwise be wasted. For instance, ordering drywall in lengths that match ceiling heights can help avoid unnecessary cuts.

Material Selection

Choose materials with less packaging, more sustainable options, and those that are durable and require less maintenance. This not only helps reduce waste but also supports a more sustainable construction practice.

Conducting Waste Audits

Perform waste audits to identify areas where waste is generated. By observing the flow of materials and pinpointing inefficiencies, you can create a feedback loop to enhance project management and minimize waste in future tasks.

Sorting Waste

Implement a system to sort waste effectively. Create separate bins for recyclable materials, such as wood, metal, and drywall. Sorting allows for better recycling and reuse, ultimately leading to less waste. Plus, recycling scrap metal can even provide funds for team refreshments!

Reuse and Repurpose Materials

Look for opportunities to reuse materials, particularly from renovations or demolitions. This might include salvaging bricks, fixtures, or historical elements that can be integrated into new projects, thus reducing the amount of waste produced.

Effective Inventory Management

Ensure your inventory management is on point. Often, materials are lost on site, leading to unnecessary reorders. Maintaining an organized and accurately tracked inventory means you’ll order only what you need, reducing excess and waste.

Training and Awareness

Invest in training and awareness programs for your team. Regular huddles can educate workers on sustainable practices and the importance of waste reduction, fostering a culture of responsibility towards resources.

Continuous Communication

Effective communication is crucial. Regular updates about waste management practices can empower your team to identify wasteful behaviors and suggest improvements.

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, not only can you reduce waste on your construction site, but you also contribute to a more sustainable future. Reducing waste means respecting both people and resources, creating a more efficient and eco-friendlier working environment.

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What Are Roadblocks In Construction?

Posted on October 21, 2024October 21, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 11 min

Managing Construction Roadblocks: What You Need to Know

Roadblocks in construction can cause significant disruptions, and knowing how to manage them effectively is key to keeping your project on track. In this blog, we’ll take you through typical roadblocks, explain why they matter, and outline how they differ from constraints. We’ll also give you actionable strategies to manage these obstacles and ensure your project flows smoothly.

Understanding the Difference Between Constraints and Roadblocks

If you’re familiar with constraints, you know that they impact the flow of trades on your project site—think of constraints as something you can adjust to improve the performance of your project. In contrast, roadblocks are unexpected issues that stop or slow down the flow entirely. Picture it as a train running on a set of tracks: constraints are problems you can fix or adjust to keep the train moving, while roadblocks are like cows on the track or broken rails—things that obstruct your progress and need immediate attention.

In this analogy, roadblocks are obstacles that site foremen typically control, often discovered during daily huddles or zone control system reviews. Foremen need to move these roadblocks, get what they need, or adjust to them quickly. Let’s explore the most common types of roadblocks and how to deal with them.

8 Common Construction Roadblocks and How to Manage Them

Weather-Related Roadblocks: Weather can disrupt your project in many ways—whether it’s rain, snow, or high winds. The best way to manage weather-related delays is by staying ahead of the forecast and planning your work accordingly. This might mean slowing down, stopping, or changing the pace of your project to keep your workers safe. The key is to identify weather-related roadblocks early and adjust your production schedule to minimize impact.
Changes in Plans: Plan changes are often unavoidable, coming from owners, designers, or other factors outside your control. While you can’t always see these changes in advance, adapting quickly is essential. Once a change occurs, analyze it, adjust your approach, and keep your “train of trades” moving. Roadblocks like these require flexibility and clear communication with your team.
Lack of Planning: When specific areas of a project lack proper planning, it can create chaos. To avoid this, make sure you and your team are always planning ahead, focusing on quality and safety standards. A well-thought-out plan helps keep trades on schedule and ensures the work environment is ready for your crew.
Work Area Not Ready: This occurs when a preceding trade has not completed its work, leaving the area unfit for the next crew. Whether it’s due to cleanliness, incomplete inspections, or lack of space, the solution is to keep an eye on the areas ahead of schedule. When problems arise, address them quickly to prevent delays.
Permissions Needed: In construction, there are times when you need special permits to enter certain areas, such as hot work permits, confined space permits, or impact notices. The key to managing these roadblocks is to foresee the need for these permissions and acquire them before they impact your schedule.
Layout Issues: Accurate layouts are crucial to keeping the project moving. Ensure you have proper control over primary, secondary, and job site layout lines, and verify that grid lines and elevations are clearly labeled. If layout issues arise, they must be addressed immediately to keep the work progressing.
Failed Inspections: Failed inspections can bring progress to a halt. The best way to avoid this is by preparing thoroughly—understand the inspection criteria, do pre-walks with inspectors, and make sure the area is truly ready before the official inspection takes place.
Something in the Way: This is one of the most common roadblocks on construction sites—an unexpected piece of equipment, a pile of debris, or misplaced materials obstructing the workspace. Make it a priority to spot and remove these obstacles ahead of time so they don’t slow down your team.

Managing Supply Chain Roadblocks

Beyond the zone-related roadblocks, there are several supply chain issues you should address before work begins in the field. These roadblocks can occur in your staging areas or laydown yards, and managing them early prevents delays in your project’s progress.

Missing Information: When checking your materials, always verify that you have the necessary shop drawings, RFIs, and installation instructions. Missing this information can cause confusion and delays once you’re in the zone, so check for it early.
Missing Resources: Be sure you have all the tools, equipment, and motorized vehicles required for the job. Confirm the availability of these resources during your supply chain inspections to avoid any last-minute scrambling once you’re on-site.
Material Defects: Inspect your materials before they arrive in the zone. Whether it’s prefabricated walls, pre-cut materials, or machinery, identifying defects early will save you time and trouble down the road.
Equipment Issues: Equipment breakdowns can stop progress entirely. Keep your equipment in good condition through regular maintenance, and replace faulty items before they impact work in the zone.
Labor Shortages: Labor shortages are a significant roadblock that must be anticipated well in advance. Be proactive by analyzing labor availability, hiring early if necessary, and sourcing supplemental crews or innovative methods to keep your project staffed.
Site Conditions: Lastly, make sure the site is safe and ready for work. This includes clearing any obstacles, managing water drainage, and ensuring that the site conditions are favorable for your crew to proceed without any safety hazards.

Conclusion: Be Proactive, Not Reactive

Speed on a construction site doesn’t come from pushing the team harder—it comes from making work ready. By identifying roadblocks early, preparing in advance, and managing obstacles effectively, you can keep your project flowing smoothly.

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Why Is Safety Important In Construction?

Posted on October 18, 2024October 18, 2024 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 10 min

Why Is Safety Important in Construction?

In this blog, I’m going to give you some important reasons why safety should be a top priority for you and how you can approach it in a way that enhances your leadership. If you’re interested in improving safety on your construction site, stay with us because I promise you it matters. We’re going to cover why safety is crucial, how to make it a priority, and why it should never be overlooked.

The Importance of Safety in Construction

Safety in construction is critical for many reasons. I want to share an experience that demonstrates just how significant it is. I’ve done this exercise before with CRW, where I gathered a crew around for a stand-down, often in the form of a “come to safety” meeting. I would ask, with their consent, for everyone to put their phones down in front of them. Then, I asked them to imagine what it would be like if their little girl, boy, spouse, or partner were calling that phone—and no one was ever going to answer again.

Think about it: someone has to tell that loved one that the person they were calling is gone forever. That child or partner will have to go through the grieving process, perhaps parent alone, and maybe even find another life partner depending on the situation. Imagine having to tell your children that their mom or dad isn’t coming back. That chain reaction of grief is something we never want to experience. But when we don’t follow safety protocols on a job site—like wearing a seatbelt, using fall protection, or wearing safety glasses—we don’t often think about what could happen. But we should.

Why Safety Is a Priority

When I’ve done this exercise, crew members’ phones start vibrating. Their families are texting or calling them. That moment becomes real, and they start to understand the importance of safety. This isn’t about assuming anyone is careless—construction workers are brilliant. But we all lose focus sometimes, and we shouldn’t. Safety should be a non-negotiable value because while we can repair a wall, we can’t replace a life. No matter your beliefs—whether in heaven, hell, or nothing at all—there’s no justification for wasting a life or the time we have on this Earth. That’s why safety matters, first and foremost.

A safety professional at DPR once said something that hit me hard: “Until you get that you are responsible for everyone’s life on this job site, you don’t get it.” That responsibility sits with you as a supervisor, foreman, assistant superintendent, or project manager. It’s not just about what we build, but who we build. We don’t want to destroy any lives in the process.

How Your Experience Modification Rate (EMR) Can Affect Your Work

Let’s talk about your EMR, or experience modification rate. This is crucial for winning contracts, especially government projects. Your EMR reflects your company’s safety record and compares your risk level to the industry average. You want to be below a rating of one. A high EMR means your company has had too many workers’ comp claims over the past three years. This not only affects your premiums but can also reduce your ability to get work. So, if you’re not focused on safety, you’re not going to win contracts.

Other Reasons Why Safety Is Important in Construction

Let me walk you through more reasons why safety matters:

Protection of Workers: The goal is to ensure that everyone goes home the same way they arrived. As the project’s leaders, superintendents, and managers, it’s your responsibility to make sure this happens.
Legal Compliance: We have OSHA, local, state, and federal regulations that must be followed. Failing to comply can lead to fines and citations that could jeopardize your project and business.
Cost Savings: Less safety means more legal fees, fines, and court cases. Staying safe helps reduce these risks.
Enhanced Productivity: Safety isn’t just about avoiding accidents—it also boosts productivity. A clean, safe, and high-quality work environment helps projects run faster and more efficiently, leading to higher profits.
Reputation: A good safety record is key to maintaining a strong reputation in the construction industry. Without it, you’ll struggle to attract top talent and secure contracts.
Risk of Major Incidents: Poor safety practices increase the risk of accidents, injuries, and even fatalities. These events can not only harm individuals but also lead to severe consequences for the entire company.
Sustainability: Unsafe practices aren’t sustainable. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, and one major lawsuit could wipe out everything you’ve worked for.
Employee Retention: People won’t stay in unsafe environments. If you want to keep top talent, you need to create a workplace where employees feel safe, supported, and valued.
Insurance Compliance: Insurance companies require robust safety protocols to keep your coverage and maintain low premiums. If you can’t demonstrate a solid safety record, your costs will rise.
Moral and Ethical Responsibility: It is unethical to place anyone in harm’s way without proper training, tools, or safety gear. Safety is not just a regulation—it’s a moral obligation.

Safety in construction is not just a priority—it’s a responsibility that affects every aspect of your work and the lives of your team. Prioritize safety today to protect lives and ensure long-term success in the industry.

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