Construction Fails: How Project Owners Fail

In this blog, we’ll dive into the world of construction mismanagement, focusing on how project owners can unintentionally drive their projects into chaos. If you’re a project owner, this is your ultimate how-to guide on losing money, extending timelines, and navigating through costly court battles. Think of it as your blueprint for disaster!

Keep Pushing & Rushing People

If you want to ensure your project descends into chaos, rush your team! Everyone expects it, but it’s a surefire way to create chaos. You’ll love the results: late nights, stressed workers, and a downward spiral in productivity. And don’t forget, you can always blame the contractor!

Start the Project Before It’s Ready

Why wait until all the planning is in place? Start early and lock in your contractors before they’re ready. This way, they’ll scramble to meet your demands, and you’ll have the upper hand as they burn through resources. Who needs thorough planning when you can create panic from day one?

Misuse Phased Design

Ever heard of phased design? It’s supposed to help finish the project sooner, but here’s a twist: don’t complete the design! Get your contractors started and then change things midway. They’ll be too busy juggling your whims to hold you accountable for incomplete plans.

Don’t Hold Designers Accountable

Accountability? Not for designers! If the design isn’t up to par, just push the blame onto the contractor. This keeps you buddy-buddy with the designers while leaving the heavy lifting to someone else. It’s a perfect way to avoid responsibility.

Hire the Wrong Owner’s Representative

Want to make things worse? Hire an owner’s rep who thrives on contention. They’ll make your contractor’s life a nightmare while you relax on a beach somewhere. The more they stir the pot, the better you can shift blame onto everyone else.

Use Critical Path Method to Hide Issues

A detailed Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule can be your best friend. At 60 pages long, you can hide any mistake and make the schedule say whatever you want. By the time anyone figures out where things went wrong, you’ve already got a court case brewing!

Don’t Care About Workers’ Well-being

If things go south, no need to worry! You don’t have to pay for the extra overtime or injuries—let the workers handle that. Their bodies and personal time can pay for the mismanagement. It’s all about keeping costs low, right?

Create Excessive Paperwork for Contractors

Overwhelm your contractors with endless paperwork. Not only will they not have time to run the job properly, but they’ll be so bogged down they won’t have time to check if you’re meeting your responsibilities. It’s a perfect smoke screen.

Overextend the Team

Insert contract provisions that prevent your contractor from asking for additional resources, even when change orders come pouring in. This will make sure they are overworked and distracted, making it easier to blame them for anything that goes wrong.

Don’t Give the Project Team Time to Plan

Why would you pay for planning? Let the team figure things out as they go. The less time they have to plan, the more you can point fingers when things go awry.

Delay Decisions

There’s no rush to make decisions in a timely manner. Take your time choosing materials, approving designs, or selecting room numbers. The more you delay, the more control you maintain, while creating frustration within the project team.

Ignore the Right Metrics

Metrics? Who needs them? Rush, push, and panic are your guiding principles. Tracking progress would only reveal areas where you’re not doing your job, so why bother? Stick with chaos—it’s way more fun.

Learn More with Our Resources

This, of course, is a tongue-in-cheek guide on how NOT to manage a project. If you genuinely care about your construction project and want to avoid these pitfalls, reach out to us for consulting services. We can help you stay on track, finish on time, and avoid the headaches that come with poor project management.