Creating Your Primary Control Plan In Construction

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Creating Your Primary Control Plan in Construction

In this blog, we’re diving into the critical step of creating your primary control plan—the foundational system that guides all layout and survey work on your project. If you’ve already seen our previous blog on getting coordinates and verifying your basis of bearings, this is the perfect next step.

Once you’ve locked down your coordinates and verified the property corners with contract surveyors, it’s time to begin developing the primary control plan. This is the intermediate step between your pre-construction survey prep and your boots-on-the-ground layout activities. Think of this as the bridge between design and field execution.

Getting on the Same Coordinate System:

One key lesson: everything must be on the same coordinate system. Whether you’re using state plane or geodetic coordinates, consistency is non-negotiable. Mismatched coordinate systems can cause serious layout issues, like what happened on a project in Austin, Texas. Make sure the basis of bearings, property corners, and building points all match exactly.

Building the Primary Control Plan:

The current plan lives in AutoCAD and includes:

  • Verified basis of bearings.
  • Verified property corners.
  • Points for each building.

We’re now moving into creating baselines for each building using grid line intersections. From these, primary control points will be laid out around the project site. The field engineer or surveyor will use total stations to backsight and forward shoot across these points, verifying their accuracy using direct and reverse shots. This setup allows for precise 90-degree turns and accurate layout of any building element.

What the Final Plan Looks Like:

We’re aiming for a complete primary control file that includes:

  • Coordinates for all points.
  • Distances and azimuths.
  • Elevations where necessary.
  • Clear grid layouts and secondary baselines.

Everything will be prepared and aligned in AutoCAD, and we’re well on our way to a fully controlled site.

Surveyor Scope Is Key:

None of this works without the right scope for the surveyor. That includes:

  • A full boundary survey.
  • Verification of the basis of bearings.
  • Property corner validation.
  • Monument layout for control points.
  • As-built certifications.

When you combine this with a clear interface between the surveyor and the field engineer, your project is set up for success.

Final Thoughts:

Our CAD files are nearly complete. The monuments are about to be set. Once everything’s posted in the office trailer and installed in the field, we’ll revisit this topic with a final walkthrough. Until then, I hope this blog gives you a solid foundation for understanding and building your own primary control plan.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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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Why PPE Is Important In Construction

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Why is personal protective equipment (PPE) important in construction?

In this blog, I’ll Walk you through three critical points:

  1. Why PPE is crucial.
  2. How we designed ours at Lean Built.
  3. How PPE ties into your company image and marketing.

Let’s get one thing straight: I’m psycho about this. You might be thinking, “Jason, I love your other content—we’re practically homies—but I’m not with you on the PPE thing.” Let me explain.

Why It Really Matters:

I’ve run multiple projects as a superintendent with zero tolerance on PPE. If someone didn’t wear their safety glasses, they were respectfully sent to a safe area. Over a two-year period with up to 380 workers on-site, I only had to send 20 people home. That’s not a lot.

Why? Because people are smart.

If we can trust them with forklifts and cranes, we can trust them with safety glasses. But here’s the deal: safety glasses are not just about the eyes. They’re a leading indicator. If someone won’t wear glasses, they probably won’t wear fall protection or use a seatbelt in a lift.

How we do one thing is how we do everything. PPE sets the tone and mindset for the whole team.

Look Like Pros, Act Like Pros:

General Patton once said his troops got beat because they didn’t look, act, or train like soldiers. Same goes for construction. Once you cross that gate onto the job site, it’s full gear: hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection (if needed), vest, workwear, and boots.

It’s about mindset.

That’s why personal protective equipment needs to be intentionally designed—unless your company already has a solid system. Companies like Hensel Phelps use hard hat colors to indicate tenure. I love that approach. And in this blog, I’ll walk you through exactly how we do it at Lean Built.

Our PPE at Lean Built:

At Lean Built, we went with sleek, black Cask-style hard hats with built-in glasses, breathable materials, and our branding. They look sharp. We issue gloves, cool glasses, high-quality vests, and proper boots.

The result? When people see our team, they say, “Where can I get PPE like that?”
Whether it’s LeanTakt, Lean Super, or Lean Built—we look excellent.

Design It with Purpose:

Ask yourself:

  • Should your hard hats come in different colors for seniority?
  • Do your vest, gloves, and glasses match your brand and purpose?
  • Are you planning for prescription eyewear?
  • Does your team look like a unit?

The PPE should be functional and reflect your brand identity.

PPE Is Part of Your Marketing:

Yes, you read that right.

If you’re investing in a website, logo, social media, and signage—why would you not include PPE as part of your marketing strategy? It shows identity. It shows pride. And how you wear your PPE tells people how you approach your work.

So, you might still be thinking, “J Money, this is a bit much.” But I promise—it’s not. PPE is a big deal, and I hope it becomes a big deal to you too.

Let’s intentionally design our PPE. It’ll make a huge difference.

Key Takeaway:

Personal protective equipment isn’t just about safety—it’s a reflection of your company’s culture, mindset, and brand. When designed intentionally, PPE sets the tone for professionalism, trust, and team pride on every project site.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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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How To Come Up With A Mission And Vision Statement

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How to Create a Vision and Mission Statement for Your Construction Company

If you’re building a business—especially a new or small one—here’s something that might surprise you: the biggest problem I see during consulting is that most companies don’t actually know who they are. They don’t know where they’re going, and they haven’t clearly defined their core values.

Yet these are the very foundations of every other system you’re trying to create.

People often ask me:

  • “Jason, can you help us create an operating system?”
  • “Can you help us build a training program?”
  • “Can you help us hold job site teams accountable?”

My answer? I can—but not until you know your vision, your mission, and your values. Because without those, how do we know where we’re going?

Why a Vision Statement Is Your Starting Point:

In the world of EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System), we use a tool called the Vision Traction Organizer. Your version might go by another name, but the concept is the same: you have to understand your purpose, your destination, and your core beliefs before you can build any effective system.

In this blog, I want to share the exact approach we use to create our vision and mission, why it’s critical, and how it benefits our teams on the project site. Let’s dive in.

A Game-Changing Resource:

I highly recommend the book Traction by Gino Wickman. It’s a cornerstone of how we think about business vision and structure. Wickman explains the Vision Traction Organizer in a way that’s powerful and practical—and it’s backed by thousands of high ratings on Amazon.

Anchor Your Team to a Bigger Purpose:

You need to give your team something to rally around. Why are you here? Is it just about profits? Or is it about excellence, care, and legacy?

When you create a strong vision statement, you’re giving your team clarity on:

  • Who you are.
  • Why your work matters.
  • What direction you’re headed.

What Should Your Vision Include?

We recommend including:

  • A “Who We Are” paragraph (a short narrative that describes your identity).
  • Your Mission Statement (what your company is committed to doing).
  • Your Purpose (why you’re doing this work).
  • Your Core Values (the principles that guide decisions).

For example, our mission is to be the “Paul Akers of construction companies.” We aim to be clean, organized, safe, beautiful, and lean. That’s what we do. Our purpose? To master the art of Lean Construction. And we use this framework to guide every decision.

Let’s Talk About Core Values:

Some leadership experts recommend having no more than five core values. We have six:

  1. Transparency.
  2. Respect for people.
  3. Lean-focused construction.
  4. Quality for clients and developers.
  5. Care for trade partners.
  6. Planning as a central practice.

These are not just buzzwords—we actually use them to guide hiring, firing, rewards, and correction. And they’re designed beautifully in a Canva document that lives with us daily, not just on a wall.

Why This Matters More Than You Think:

Without a clear vision:

  • Your team won’t know if they’re headed in the same direction.
  • People won’t know how their work connects to the mission.
  • You won’t be able to decide who fits your culture—and who doesn’t.

When your vision is alive in the hearts and minds of your team, it becomes the compass for your entire company. That’s when your business starts to thrive.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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 Is The Purpose Of A Project Dashboard?

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What Is a Project Dashboard? How to Truly See Your Project

In this blog, I want to talk to you about something that could absolutely change the way you manage your construction projects: the project dashboard.

At its core, a dashboard allows you to see your project—your KPIs, the status of procurement, and the implementation of critical systems. And let me be clear: lean systems are seeing systems. You cannot run a lean project if you can’t visualize and quickly identify problems.

We use dashboards not to admire pretty charts, but to trigger action. That’s the whole point—find the issues, mark them, and then address them before they grow into real problems. Even if there are 50 elements on your board, it only takes a short, focused review to identify red flags, mark them visually (think red dots or magnets), and make them the agenda for your next project meeting.

Let’s walk through some of the key components you’ll find on an effective dashboard:

  • Timeline and Pre-construction Status.
  • Planning Systems like First Planner, Takt Production, and Last Planner.
  • Zone Maps and Logistics Plans.
  • Conditions of Satisfaction.
  • Constraints and Roadblocks.
  • Team Health and Trade Partner Prep.

Now, here’s the twist: I don’t want you to automate this. Not with Power BI. I want humans engaging with it. We want people to see the issues, to grade themselves, and to interact with the dashboard to continuously improve. Because when you can clearly see problems, you can solve them.

And yes—this can take effort. But if we want a successful project, we have to do more than display data. We have to use that data to drive meaningful conversations and outcomes.

Our dashboards include red dots that show problem areas, just like chicken pox. If we see those red dots, we know something’s off—and we can treat it. From project health to procurement concerns to safety issues, everything is visible, and everything is actionable.

One of the most powerful parts of this system is how it allows us to communicate status and problem areas to owners and teams. Whether it’s an email summary, a visual board, or a live meeting discussion, the dashboard drives alignment and speed—not by rushing, but by making work ready and clearing the path.

Just like a dashboard in your car warns you when the engine’s overheating or the oil is low, your project dashboard helps you monitor and adjust so your team stays safe, productive, and on track.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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.

 

 

On we go

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Designing Your Bathrooms For The Craft

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Designing Your Bathrooms for the Craft: Why It Sets the Tone for Your Jobsite

In this blog, we’re going to dive into something that might not seem groundbreaking at first—bathrooms on the jobsite. But hear me out. If you care about quality, safety, and culture, then how you design and maintain your bathrooms says everything about your leadership.

Let’s be real—if you want to start lean, you start in the bathroom. Paul Akers says it, and I stand by it. The way your site treats workers—starting with restrooms—sets the tone for everything else.

Early Planning Is Key:

During Pre-Construction, we should identify where we’ll place portable restrooms—with hand wash stations, trash cans, and either shade tents or heated enclosures for cold weather. Ideally, we also consider temporary bathroom trailers that truly take care of our craft professionals.

One commitment we’ve made as a company? The management team doesn’t get separate restrooms. We use the same facilities as the craft. If it’s not good enough for us, it’s not good enough for them.

Industry Shoutouts: We’re Moving in the Right Direction:

It’s been encouraging to see quality setups on jobsites. On a recent trip, I saw a DPR site in Phoenix and an Oakland site that had completely dialed in restrooms—clean, shaded, and clearly well thought out. That’s the gold standard. And the best part? We don’t need regulations or unions to force us into caring—we can do it because it’s the right thing.

Options That Work:

We use rentable restroom trailers when possible—clean, well-kept, and available for male and female workers. When that’s not feasible, porta potties (or “honey buckets” as I call them) with hand wash stations and trash cans are totally fine—as long as they’re well-maintained.

Let’s get this straight: three cleanings per week is the minimum. Don’t let your service provider talk you into more units instead of more cleanings. Clean matters more.

Other Considerations:

  • Shade and weather protection are critical—no one wants to use a restroom that’s freezing or sweltering.
  • If it’s not suitable for your grandma, it’s not suitable for your crew.
  • Bathrooms should be conveniently located on the logistics plan, and if you need more units, get them.

Final Thoughts:

Design your bathrooms during Pre-Construction. Get them into the budget. Make them a priority. Because how you treat your workers is how they’ll treat your site. And how your site looks and feels is how your client will experience your work.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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.

 

 

On we go

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Temporary Water Planning In Construction

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How to Plan for Temporary Water on Your Construction Site

Temporary water planning might not seem like the most thrilling topic, but it’s absolutely essential—especially if you want to avoid delays and confusion on day one of your project. In this blog, I walk you through a solid approach to temporary water planning using three critical elements: a detailed plan, a clear timeline, and a site sketch.

Why Water Comes First:

Unlike temporary power or comms, temporary water is often easier to get—but that doesn’t mean it’s less important. You need it on day one for dust control, grading, and overall site safety. Especially in places like Maricopa County, AZ, dust control regulations make this a non-negotiable.

The Three Essentials:

  1. The Plan:
    The temporary water plan might look wordy at first, but it’s packed with real insight. One of our engineers built it using ChatGPT, experience from previous projects, and electrical/water system knowledge. It includes:
  • Regulatory requirements.
  • Pre-installation prep.
  • System design and protection.
  • Installation process.
  • Troubleshooting and maintenance.

We’ve even used this plan in our bid packages to help trade partners understand their scope.

  1. The Timeline in InTakt:
    You’ll see how we built out the full timeline in InTakt, linking activities to key milestones like concrete work and site prep. This ensures that your water setup happens well before you need it—not after.
  2. The Site Sketch:
    Using Miro, we created a sketch showing water access points across the site—laydown areas, trailers, dust control points, and cooling stations. With a visual like this, everyone knows where water connections are, what the system serves, and what needs to be coordinated.

Why It Matters:

This isn’t just about running a hose. It’s about being prepared, reducing risk, and ensuring your subcontractors and field teams have what they need, when they need it. We’ve even included this water plan in scopes of work and communicated it clearly in pre-bid meetings.

Key Takeaway:

Having a clear temporary water plan—including a documented strategy, a timeline in your scheduling tool, and a site sketch—ensures you’re ready on day one, keeps your project compliant, and eliminates confusion among contractors and trades.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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.

 

On we go

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The Testing & Inspection Register

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How a Testing & Inspection Register Can Level Up Your Quality Control

Let’s be honest: “Testing and inspection register” doesn’t sound like the most exciting thing in the world. But if you’re running construction projects, this one log could be the difference between smooth sailing and major issues on-site.

Nobody wants to guess what needs to be tested or inspected. And if you wing it or skip it? That’s when costly mistakes happen.

What Is a Testing & Inspection Register?

It’s exactly what it sounds like—a master log of every inspection and test your project needs. The information comes straight from your drawings and specifications (especially the general notes), and it’s all pulled together in one place for your team to review weekly.

This isn’t just busy work—it’s essential. Having this log ensures your team stays focused, knows what’s coming up, and doesn’t miss anything critical.

Pro Tip: Use ChatGPT:

Yes, really. You can actually program ChatGPT to sift through your specs and pull out inspection requirements automatically. That means there’s no excuse not to have a solid register ready for every project.

Here’s How It Works:

  1. Go through your specs and general notes.
  2. List every test or inspection item.
  3. Log it with key info: task IDs or wagons (which helps pinpoint when the inspection first comes up), reference documents, frequency, acceptance criteria, hold points, responsible party, required submittals, and current status.

You’ll end up with a clear, searchable log that you can use to proactively manage quality.

When Should You Use It?

Two key times:

  • Weekly Strategic Planning and Procurement Meetings: Review upcoming inspections and make sure everything is queued up.
  • Daily Huddles or Scrum Boards: Make inspection tasks visible so no one forgets or overlooks them.

Why This Matters:

Specs and drawings can stack up 10 inches high. That’s a lot of info to keep track of. If you don’t consolidate inspection requirements into one place, things will get missed. This register pulls everything into a single, usable format that your entire team can reference.

Key Takeaway:

A well-maintained testing and inspection register—built from your specs and drawings and reviewed regularly—can prevent costly oversights, ensure compliance, and drastically improve your project’s quality control.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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.

 

 

On we go

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What Is The Main Purpose Of Production Planning?

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What Is the Main Purpose of Production Planning?

In this blog, I want to talk to you about a key question: What is the true purpose of production planning? Yes, it involves timelines, trade flow, and showing how the project will finish—but there’s something even more important.

In my mind, ensuring the plan can happen constraint- and roadblock-free is almost more important than the plan itself. That may sound bold, but hear me out.

It’s More Than Just a Pretty Plan:

Production planning isn’t just about laying out a schedule. It’s about making sure the design, fabrication, delivery, permissions, and coordination are all done ahead of time. A beautiful diagonal line on a Gantt chart means nothing if submittals are late, materials aren’t ordered, or trade partners are unprepared.

That’s why, in this blog, I want to shift the focus slightly—from the field execution side of the production plan to how we enable that plan using supply chains and secondary systems (as Todd Zabel calls them).

The True Power of Production Planning:

When trades hit the site, they usually know how to maintain their rhythm. The real job of construction management is twofold:

  1. Help them stay on that rhythm.
  2. Ensure everything is ready so they can be successful.

This includes:

  • Buyout.
  • Permitting.
  • Trade partner prep.
  • Procurement of long-lead items.

These components must all be aligned with the master plan.

A Smart Way to Handle Procurement:

Now here’s something that might sound funny—but is totally practical. In the absence of perfect info, you can even use ChatGPT to get ballpark durations for things like submittal prep, review times, lead times, and delivery windows. For example:
“We’re building a three-story, $120M multifamily in Buckeye, AZ—how long for switchgear procurement?” It gives you a solid starting point, which you can later confirm with trade partners.

Once verified, you link that information to the production plan in InTakt—tracking everything from submittal prep through delivery with buffers in between. That way, each long-lead item is properly timed.

Why Procurement Logs Still Matter:

Procurement logs may sound old-school, but they’re essential. It’s surprising how often trade partners cite procurement as a top challenge—yet they’re not tracking it.

As general contractors, we must:

  • Track procurement activities.
  • Link them directly to production tasks.
  • Meet weekly to review and recover where needed.

Here’s the Bottom Line:

You need two things:

  1. Long-lead items embedded inside your production plan.
  2. A live, accurate procurement log reviewed regularly with the PM, Supers, and Pes.

Most teams fail in procurement planning for two reasons:

  • They don’t start early enough.
  • They don’t monitor it consistently.

If you can see it, you can fix it. That’s the magic of visual planning tied with active procurement tracking. That’s what production planning is really about.

Key Takeaway:

Production planning isn’t just about scheduling tasks—it’s about proactively removing roadblocks before work begins. The real value lies in tracking procurement, aligning secondary systems, and preparing trade partners so the plan can actually happen without delays.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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.

 

 

On we go

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Why Projects Fail – Takt University Course – Video 2

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Why Projects Fail — And How to Predict (And Plan) For Success

Welcome to the second blog in our free Takt University course. In this installment, we’re tackling one of the most important questions in construction and project management: Why do so many projects fail? And more importantly—how can we start getting them right from the very beginning?

We’re going to explore the key takeaways from the book How Big Things Get Done, and how these lessons apply directly to production planning using Takt.

The Ugly Truth: Most Projects Start Off Wrong

If your project is off-track halfway through, it likely didn’t go wrong during construction—it started off wrong. According to How Big Things Get Done, out of 16,000 representative projects:

  • Only 8.5% finished on time and on budget.
  • A mere 0.5% finished on time, on budget, and as originally planned.
  • Projects that failed went 65% over budget on average.
  • And finished 58 days late.

That’s not just bad luck. That’s systemic failure rooted in poor planning, broken systems, and untrained or unsupported teams.

The Three Keys to Project Success:

Based on the book and field experience, here’s what every successful project needs:

  1. Remarkable Planning.
  2. Systems That Support Flow.
  3. Skilled People with Real Training.

Let’s break these down.

  1. We Don’t Plan Anymore—And It’s Killing Us:

In the industry today, we’re often expected to start planning a project just days before execution. This reactive behavior results in chaos. Real planning should follow the 1/3–2/3 rule: if your project lasts 12 months, you should be planning for at least 6 of those months in advance.

Let’s learn from failure:

California’s “Train to Nowhere” was planned to be a 500-mile rail line completed in 2020. It’s now 2025, over $70 billion over budget, and only spans 172 miles.

Contrast that with the Empire State Building—planned thoroughly, it finished two weeks early and under budget, using time-location flow strategies we now recognize in Takt.

  1. We Use the Wrong Systems:

Traditional methods like CPM and design-bid-build are broken. Instead, we should embrace:

  • Design-build.
  • IPD (Integrated Project Delivery).
  • CM-at-risk.
  • Takt Planning + Last Planner System.

The goal is to establish flow, not force speed. Pushing people and schedules results in rework, chaos, and burnout. Flow, on the other hand, is what leads to consistent, safe, and productive sites.

  1. We Don’t Train Builders—We Train “Security Guards”:

Too often, superintendents are trained in company policies and paperwork, not real building. We’ve taken skilled master builders off the field and turned them into meeting attendees.

Real supers:

  • Create zone maps and logistics plans.
  • Lead procurement.
  • Implement production systems.
  • Remove roadblocks.
  • Lead teams.

Train them. Support them. And don’t sideline them.

Debunking the Fallacies That Destroy Projects:

Projects don’t just fail because of bad luck. They fail because we fall for predictable traps:

  • The Need for Speed: Pushing timelines doesn’t make projects faster—it makes them worse.
  • The Commitment Fallacy: Signing a contractor early without a plan isn’t smart—it’s risky.
  • Strategic Misrepresentation: Understating risk or complexity to win a job backfires.
  • Wish thinking: Hoping problems won’t arise instead of planning to prevent them.

The “10th Person” Principle: Think Differently

In Pre-construction, optimism is your enemy. You need a “10th person”—someone willing to challenge assumptions and look at risk critically.

Plan from right to left:
Start with the completion date, and work backwards through each phase. Make sure each step is achievable and fully prepared before moving on.

This is how Pixar plans their movies:
They do 9 full drafts before final production. Why should we plan construction projects any differently?

Case Studies: When Planning Works (And When It Doesn’t)

Project  Result
Guggenheim Bilbao  Finished on time and under budget using models, iteration, and pre-construction.
Sydney Opera House  1,400% over budget, 9 years late, due to lack of finalized design.
Montreal’s “Big O” Stadium  Paid off over 30 years, still undergoing repairs in 2025.
Frank Gehry Projects  No change orders, rigorous model testing before construction.
Hoover Dam  Finished under budget and ahead of schedule with a master builder in charge.

What Planning Should Include:

Before construction begins, your planning toolkit should contain:

  • A Takt plan.
  • Zone maps.
  • Logistics plans.
  • A procurement log.
  • Organizational charts.
  • A risk and opportunity register.
  • A fully designed trailer and signage plan.

The Power of the Integrated Production Control System:

To succeed, every project must integrate:

  1. A solid project plan.
  2. The Takt Production System.
  3. Last Planner System for team alignment.
  4. Trade partners prepared for Takt.
  5. Real builders with experience.

You can’t just implement Takt blindly—you need the right training, team, and sequencing for it to work.

Final Thought: Learn to Say “No”

Most failures occur not because someone didn’t know—but because they didn’t say no:

  • No, we’re not skipping planning.
  • No, we’re not rushing trades.
  • No, we’re not using broken systems.

Saying no to dysfunction is the first step toward remarkable results.

Key Takeaway:

Most projects don’t go wrong—they start wrong. Success in construction begins with thorough planning, proven systems like Takt and Last Planner, and experienced builders who think critically before the first shovel hits the ground. Stop pushing. Start planning. Think from right to left, build on paper first, and support your people from day one.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

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.

 

 

On we go

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