Nobody likes hearing that a construction or remodeling project is going to take longer than expected.
The homeowner wants the project finished. The contractor wants the project finished. And most of the time, everyone involved would rather move directly from one phase of the job to the next.
But construction doesn't always cooperate.
We recently received a box of tile for one of our projects. The material showed up, but when we opened the box, many of the tiles were broken.
A shipment can arrive on time and still cause a delay. Several tiles in this box arrived broken and had to be replaced before the job could move forward.
At that point, we had a choice.
Sometimes the Right Decision Takes Longer
There are plenty of reasons a construction project can get delayed.
- Materials arrive late
- Something arrives damaged
- A product is backordered
- Weather changes the schedule
- Demolition uncovers a hidden problem
- Another trade needs more time
The broken tile is a perfect example. The tile was ordered. It arrived. The job was ready to move forward.
But the material wasn't usable.
The real risk: installing broken or damaged tile just to keep the original schedule would create a much bigger problem than waiting for replacement material.
Construction Is a Sequence
One of the things homeowners don't always see is how connected the different stages of a project are.
Tile installation gets pushed back
The next step waits with it
The next crew has to reschedule
A relatively small problem can ripple through the schedule. That's why a projected completion date is exactly that—a projection based on the information available when the schedule is created.
Good planning reduces delays. It can't eliminate every unexpected problem.
The Goal Isn't Just to Finish Fast
We want our projects completed on schedule. But the bigger goal is completing them correctly. There's a difference between an unnecessary delay and taking additional time because something needs to be corrected.
That may occasionally add time to a project.
Communication Matters When the Schedule Changes
The frustrating part about a construction delay is often not the delay itself. It's not knowing what's happening. When something changes, homeowners should know three things:
What happened
What we're doing about it
How it could affect the rest of the project
We can't guarantee that every construction project will go exactly according to the original schedule. We can control how we respond when it doesn't.
A box of broken tile may not seem like a big deal. On an active construction project, though, it's a reminder that sometimes slowing down is exactly what it takes to finish the job right.
Planning a renovation or repair project?
MDKennedy Real Estate Development helps homeowners throughout Western New York navigate the expected work—and the unexpected issues that can come with it.
Talk About Your ProjectMDKennedy Real Estate DevelopmentRenovations, repairs, and real estate development throughout Western New York.
By
Matthew Kennedy
3 min read
