We can save costs by advanced organisation and getting those involved in a project to work together, says Greg Verhoef. But alas, we’re missing opportunities to get the best out of each other
We still don’t know what the impact of public sector cuts will be and what that will do for confidence and employment. However, during 2010 we went through a useful learning curve that gives me hope that our sector can find a way to deliver exciting new projects.
With the inevitable reduction in resources and project team leaders, planning is more important than ever for all business sectors; but in construction it’s imperative to growth and the successful delivery of projects. In the building trade we all need to be part of an efficient supply chain - planning ahead and good procurement are both major factors in delivering a project.
The last year has proved that the quality, quantity and delivery time of materials is essential if we are to save costs and complete projects on time. Advanced organisation is the key to ensuring this happens. If the necessary provisions are in place - and in these difficult times we have worked even closer with the professional team, main contractors and architects - to ensure that possible onsite problems are factored in at the planning stage, then we are all able to deliver a successful project.
We all want our projects to run smoothly, and I am sure we all do our best to make sure they do; however it must be necessary to consider why, on occasions, they don’t. So what is it that causes unnecessary project delays and extra costs?
As I have stressed before in this column, I believe the key to success is considerably enhanced by all contractors involved on the project working together and focusing on organisation at an early stage. This may seem a simplistic approach but it really is important because it forms the basis for working well with each other and delivering a project on time and to budget.
If, from day one, there is no clear, well thought out strategy that sets out what each supplier or individual will do at a particular time, costs will increase and working relationships and project delivery deadlines are bound to come under pressure.
The last year has proved that the quality, quantity and delivery time of materials is essential if we are to save costs and complete projects on time
If I take my own area of speciality I can explain exactly what I mean. Our expertise lies in stonework and we win contracts because of this capability; our business is to know everything there is to know about stone, from its source through to design and application. The key is for the client to harness these benefits as early as possible to enable us to plan the work with them and other trades working on the project.
The last year or so has shown that when we do get involved at the design stage we can work with the architect or developer to deliver exactly what they require, at a significantly improved cost. When we are left out of the supply chain until well into a project, it is more challenging to deliver this.
Stone is carved out of mountains and shipped across the world, its supply chain is convoluted - naturally next day delivery is much more expensive than advanced and carefully planned orders are.
Early loading calculations and material selection can also save huge sums of money, particularly on facades and interface issues. We often find that less stone needs to be applied in certain areas, or that we are able to use simpler methods that cost less and save time. Coming in at the design stage, rather than at the problem solving stage, we can offer more and reduce – or eradicate – many of the problems in the first place. Other small subcontractors with specific areas of expertise tell me the same approach works for them too.
This brings me on to a wider industry issue. I believe the project team does not share enough of their knowledge with each other, so we don’t understand each other’s capabilities as much as we could at the start of a project; we are missing opportunities to get the best out of one another.
I referred, in my last column, to Experian’s business information team’s managing director, Kirk Fletcher, who stated in a Sunday Times article that there is a danger
of late payment driving the large contractors to “consolidate the smaller suppliers” and create “three” mammoth contractors. This would, in my view, be a disastrous move; in one act we would dissipate the one real chance for the specialist subcontractor to contribute to the overall growth and well being of the building sector.
Better by far to utilise each other’s skill sets, work closely with the main contractors and architects and focus on efficiency, growth and the next project.
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