by Jacob HammondThe Sandbagging Trap
When I began my career in construction working for a large general contractor, knowing project cost was a condition of employment, and one could not truly know cost without accurate and timely reporting. The project manager gathered the project staff to discuss why it was not acceptable to sandbag. Sandbagging is the practice of holding unreported quantities of work performed in one’s “back...by Jacob HammondRising Prices, Supply Chain Bottlenecks, and Material Shortages – the Importance of Procurement Strategy in Today’s Environment
In an environment of rising prices, supply chain bottlenecks, and material shortages, implementing an efficient procurement strategy on your construction project is more important than ever. Procurement strategies that worked in the past will likely not work now, nor will they likely work in the future. Strategies of the past include, amongst others, relying on a single supplier or small...by Jacob HammondWho’s Responsible? Analyzing Cost and Schedule Issues on Construction Projects
Schedule delays and cost overruns are constant threats to construction projects; when they do occur, determining responsibility is a major challenge and can be a point of contention. Oftentimes, it is only after the project has suffered negative effects that their causes are given the attention they deserve. Once a party identifies a delay or cost overrun, identifying the applicable contract...
by Bennett ColemanAvoiding Claims & Disputes: It’s the People
Large construction projects are risky, and when they end with claims or disputes, the blame is usually placed on unfair contracts, planning or estimating errors, design deficiencies, unforeseeable delays, poor productivity, or other process or technical factors. These are simply indications of the real root cause: the project management capability of the companies working together on the...by Bennett ColemanHurricanes’ Problematic Construction Impacts
While the recent storms in Texas and other areas in the southern United States represent a silver lining for those involved in repair and reconstruction, these storms have caused disruption and delay on many construction projects that were underway prior to the storms. In many cases, those associated with the construction industry have experienced costly delays and increased expenses to their...by Bennett ColemanDispute Avoidance Through Improved Change Order Management
Contractors and owners involved in a construction project understand that the project will inevitably experience changes that will impact the scope, cost or schedule. An effective change order management system can be the difference between a successful project and a delayed and over-budget project that ends up in a dispute. Projects where a third-party construction consulting firm is...by Bennett ColemanDeath, Taxes…and Changes
Benjamin Franklin was once quoted saying, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” It is obvious that Franklin was not a construction expert; otherwise he would have included project changes in his famous quote. Most projects have changes that impact scope, cost, or schedule – it’s how the changes are managed that determines project success. An effective...by Bennett ColemanA Game Plan for Successful Construction Contracts – Focus on Blocking and Tackling
There are many ways to avoid problem construction projects. However, an old sports metaphor best comes to mind – focus on blocking and tackling and the rest will take care of itself. In football, blocking and tackling are the fundamentals and are done down in the trenches away from the glamour of touchdowns and long pass-plays. However, success in football cannot be achieved without first...by Bennett ColemanEvery Step Counts in Successful Project Management
Introduction The goal of any contractor is to build a project on time and within budget. To be an effective and productive contractor, one must have a complete understanding of the construction process, which includes not only building the project, but, more importantly, effective scheduling and management of the project. The contractor is ultimately responsible for managing its activities...by Bennett Coleman