An introduction to construction claims for project managers
video 12 - Negative variation claims
Contractors hate giving money back, but not all construction variation claims are positive and sometimes contractors may be required to give money back to the client. Learn when and why, as well as when the contractor doesn't have to give money back.

​Information in this video is from the author's easy to read books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

With the short days and long nights, it’s not hard to tell that winter is upon us. Weather conditions have rapidly gotten harsher and even the simplest tasks have seemed more difficult. Many projects will see snow and some will get rain. Winter is in full swing. Is your project ready for the season? 

During poor weather, production may be slowed, or even have to stop for safety reasons. Materials can’t be lifted in high winds. Workers have to take more frequent rest breaks when working at extreme temperatures and their movement could be hampered by cold weather or rain clothes. Concrete could take longer to set and reach sufficient strength to strip forms.

Rain slows and even stops production. Storm-water can flood excavations, damaging equipment, causing excavations to collapse and generally delay construction work. Rain can penetrate partly completed buildings damaging finishes and equipment. Storm-water flowing from the project can erode away neighbouring properties, or deposit silt or contaminated material from your project site onto neighbouring properties.

Preparing your project for winter.
There is much to be done on projects while the weather is still good.

1. Make your project weather-tight. For those on building projects, your aim should be to get your building weather-tight, which will allow work to continue inside even while temperatures outside plummet. Working additional hours now to ensure your building is weather-tight could be well worth the additional costs.
2. Complete all groundwork before the onset of poor weather.
3. Check storm-water drains and gutters before the onset of wet weather. Often construction debris blocks storm-water drains. Sometimes drains are damaged by construction work or connections aren’t done properly. While the weather is still good clean and test drains and gutters to ensure there aren’t blockages and that they are all functioning. Blocked drains can lead to flooding and property damage. Nobody wants to go outside in a fierce winter storm to fix a problem that should have been sorted when the weather was still good.
4. Ensure that there’s sufficient stock of wet weather and cold weather gear. Unfortunately, your team often has to work in wet and cold conditions. Without the right gear, your project will lose productivity and time.
5. It could be prudent to have a stock of weatherproof coverings and tarpaulins available to protect unfinished work. It may even be advisable to have water pumps (with sufficient pipes) available in case excavations and basements become flooded.
6. The sun is rising later and setting earlier, with less daylight to work in. Consider reducing working hours to fit the new daylight hours. Otherwise, check that there’s sufficient lighting to enable work to safely proceed.
7. Check the site access roads to ensure they will be accessible even in the worst weather.
8. Review hazard assessments to ensure that they take account of the changed weather conditions. Hold tool-box meetings (tailgate, pre-start or safety meetings) to discuss the new risks with your crews.
9. Check that all materials are stored in such a way that they won’t be damaged by unfavourable weather.
10. In areas prone to severe winter storms, allocate someone to regularly monitor weather warnings. Sometimes, even a few hours warning could provide sufficient time to lock the project down, ensuring materials and equipment are safely stowed away, new work is protected and workers are safely out of harm’s way.
11. Remember, bad weather can sometimes close transport routes for days, so ensure there is always sufficient stock of critical materials such as fuel. You don’t want your crew standing around because of a shortage of materials.
12. Ensure that the project records all weather events which could be the reason for a delay claim. It’s difficult to ask for an extension of time because of poor weather if you don’t have all the facts and figures that contributed to the delay. It’s important to maintain accurate weather records.
13. Check that your construction schedule has allowed slack for the anticipated poor weather of the next few months. It may pay to try and get ahead of the schedule while the weather allows, especially items that’ll be impacted by poor winter weather.
14. Check that water pipes are protected from freezing
15. Ensure that all equipment is ready for the cold weather, and check that there’s stock of snow chains for tires if they’re required.

Note, that even weather events far from the project could cause delays by blocking transport routes and preventing materials reaching the project. Work in offsite facilities could be impacted by poor weather at these locations.

Milder climates
Of course, some states are fortunate to have milder climates without rain and freezing temperatures. These cooler dry days offer opportunities to maximise productivity and progress. Ensure your crews make the most of the good weather.

Conclusion

....Continue Reading.....

An introduction to construction variation claims. Video 11 - reasons to submit a variation claim.
​Apart from delay claims or extension of time claims discussed in video 6, often contractors suffer additional costs which they couldn’t have foreseen or allowed for when they priced the project.

​Information in this video is from the author's easy to read books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

All too often, construction projects are finished late. Usually, the contractor is blamed. Contractors inevitably lose money because they are on the project longer than they planned to be. In addition, they are often penalised by the client for finishing late. But, is it always the contractor’s fault?

Many of the delays experienced on a construction project are due to circumstances beyond the contractor’s control, which means that the contractor could have claimed an extension of time, usually including the additional costs that they incurred as a result of the delay. So why don’t contractors claim for these delays?

Unfortunately, contractors often fail to submit delay claims because:

1. They are so focused on doing the work that they don’t recognise when they have been delayed by circumstances which they could not have reasonably allowed for.
2. They don’t understand their contractual rights in terms of the contract.
3. They don’t understand the construction schedule and the impact that the delay will have on the project completion.
4. They believe that the delay won’t be a problem and that they’ll catch up the lost time.
5. They don’t want to upset the client by submitting a delay claim. Many of these delays occur early in the project, sometimes even before work on the project has begun and contractors are often embarrassed to be submitting a delay claim so early in the project.

It is vital to notify the client immediately when a delay occurs. Not only can the client sometimes take steps to minimise the delay by rectifying the situation, but they also have the option of requesting the contractor to accelerate the work to catch up the lost time, or they can implement steps to avoid delay on their following activities.

Contractors must learn to be more focused on the contractual issues as well as the construction work. Those who don’t understand their contractual rights will run into trouble, costing them money which could ultimately sink their company. The contract document is there to protect the client’s rights as well as the contractor’s rights, and no client can object to a contractor’s legitimate delay claim. Indeed, in the course of my career, I’ve been involved in over 120 projects for a multitude of different clients and many of these projects have involved variation and delay claims. Almost every one of these claims was settled amicably, even though some involved substantial increases to both the value and the time of the project. In nearly every case we went on to do further projects with the client.

Of course, it is important that every delay claim is backed up by sound logic and information.

Regrettably, some contractors only focus on submitting claims, often claims which are only desperate attempts to claw back time and money that has been lost due to their own mistakes. Many of these claims have no sound basis and are a waste of the contractor’s and the client’s time. In my next article, I’ll discuss some reasons the contractor can’t claim a delay for.

When Can Contractors Claim for Additional Time?
Contractors can claim for additional time when:

1. The client increases the scope of work on the project.
2. The client issues instructions to the contractor to stop work for reasons unrelated to the contractor. Or, when the contractor can prove that the client wrongfully stopped them working because the client claimed the contractor had not fulfilled certain responsibilities.
3. The client’s team provided construction information late to the contractor.
4. The contractor received access to a work area late.
5. The work area given to the contractor was not in accordance with the contract or the drawings. For instance, the area may not have met the correct specifications, dimensions or levels.
6. The client changes specifications to an item so that the item has to be reordered which causes a delay, or that the item with the newer specification takes longer to manufacture.
7. The client’s activities delay the contractor. This could be that the client’s contractors have not completed tasks required by the contractor to proceed, or the client’s operations impede the contractor’s work.
8. The client unnecessarily withholds approvals of the contractor’s designs, drawings or completed items.
9. The client demanded additional tests and inspections which weren’t in the contract document and which aren’t the norm in the construction industry.
10. The client demanded additional safety measures which weren’t stipulated in the contract document and which are above the normal requirements for the industry.
11. The client’s team issues drawings which have errors or omissions which results in the contractor being unable to carry out their work, or which caused the contractor to construct an item incorrectly which then has to be redone.
12. There were unforeseen site conditions which delay the contractor. These conditions could include:
    1. Existing unknown services and utilities, such as; gas lines, electrical cables, water pipes, data cables, etc. which have to be moved or protected.
    2. Different soil conditions such as rock and clay.
    3. Encountering hazardous materials.
    4. Discovering of archaeological artefacts.
    5. Uncovering buried building rubble.
13. There are extreme weather events in excess of what could be expected for that location at that time of the year.
14. Items that were specifically excluded in the contract, possibly such as, normal expected weather or hurricanes and tornadoes, occur.
15. Changes in legislation.
16. National strikes, work stoppages or disruptions which stops the contractor’s work, or impacts their suppliers or subcontractors.
17. Disruptions caused to the contractor’s work by the client’s workers embarking on industrial actions such as work stoppages.
18. Client supplied materials or equipment arriving late, or where these aren’t fit for purpose.
19. ....Continue Reading....

​To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below:

• '​Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
• 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
• 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
• 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
• ​'Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion'
• and 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open'

'Construction Book reviews'
To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher'
Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts'
Find out how Paul Netscher can help you

An introduction to construction variation claims for construction project managers.
Video 10 - Disruption Claims
​What is a disruption claim? Learn more....

​Information in this video is from the author's easy to read books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

After 30 years in construction I’ve developed some dislikes.
Do you agree with my list, or am I becoming old and grumpy and should learn to be more forgiving?

1. Clients that don’t pay for completed work, or regularly pay their contractors late. When contractors have delivered construction work of the right quality and on time they deserve to be paid. Not paying a contractor on time can have serious repercussions for the contractor, possibly even resulting in them becoming bankrupt. Inevitably there is a knock-on effect and the contractor’s employees, suppliers and subcontractors may not be paid. One invoice not paid, or paid late, can seriously impact the lives of many. Why should owners and clients make money at the expense of others. Of course, it is equally important for contractors to pay their subcontractors and suppliers what’s due to them and on time.
2. Clients that ignore variation claims from their contractors. Contractors can’t be expected to work for free! I had one client simply ignore our variation claims which eventually totalled the value of the original contract – that’s right the contract value had doubled but the client was only paying us for the original contract scope and value. This put severe strain on our cash flow and it would have sunk many other contractors. We tried everything in the book to be paid and only when we instituted legal action were most of our claims paid, although the contractor managed to avoid paying some of our claims on a technical issue. Why did we have to wait 6 months to get money that we were entitled to? If there’s a change in the project scope, or if the contractor has been delayed for reasons beyond their control then they deserve to be compensated – indeed they are entitled to be compensated in terms of the contract. 
3. Clients that request you price a project and then use your price to bargain with their favoured contractor who ultimately is awarded the project. Pricing a construction project takes time and costs contractors money. But even worse for the losing contractor is that they might think they have a chance at winning the project, so don’t price other prospective projects, so could be left with no work for their teams.
4. Clients that ask contractors to price construction projects which are pie-in-the-sky or won’t be built any time soon. Pricing projects costs money. Why should contractors be used and abused to provide price estimates for grandiose plans.
5. Contractors that lodge excessive or even ludicrous variation claims to try and make up the losses they’ve incurred on the project due to their mismanagement, or because they under-priced the project. Excessive and spurious claims wastes everyone’s time and money. It costs integrity to submit false and inflated claims and it will negatively impact your reputation.
6. Clients that award a construction project to the contractor with the lowest construction price even though the contractor doesn’t have the resources or know how to complete the project. Unfortunately many clients are only interested in the lowest price. Inevitably the contractor who submitted an unreasonably low price runs into difficulties on the project, possibly submitting numerous spurious variation claims to recoup their losses. The client is sometimes left with an unfinished project, or a project that’s completed late, or one that is of poor quality. Of course all contractors are blamed by the client for being useless and crooked, when it was actually the client’s poor choice that caused the problem.
7. Contractors who price projects knowing they don’t have the resources or knowledge to complete the project. That’s irresponsible and possibly even dishonest. I’ve witnessed many contractors run into problems after winning a construction project which they didn’t have resources for. Inevitably they had to hire new personnel who weren’t suitably qualified and who didn’t fit in with the culture of the company. Resources were stretched and management didn’t have time to manage the project. Sure, we all hire personnel and equipment for our construction projects, but it’s critical that we have some key people available within the company for the project, or that we are sure we can employ the right resources for the project. Contractors who don’t have the required knowledge will certainly run into problems which will cost them and their client money.
8. Poor safety. Poor safety leads to injury, additional costs and even death. There is no excuse for poor safety. It is possible to work safely. Yet frequently I see construction projects which aren’t following good safety practices.
9. Contractors who let you down and contractors that don’t respond. Unfortunately there are contractors that let you down. They deliver work late and of a poor quality and then they don’t respond to complaints and requests to sort out their problems. They don’t reply to telephone calls or emails.
10. Poor quality work. There is no excuse for poor quality construction work, no matter how rushed the project or how low the price. Poor quality work tarnishes reputation and it can even cause injury and death. Often it costs no extra money to do the work properly, but poor-quality construction work usually has to be redone costing extra money and time. We should all be proud of our work.

Conclusion
Regrettably, like all industries, construction has its share of fraudsters and liars. But unfortunately, as often as there are unscrupulous contractors there are also dishonest clients. Contractors need to be wary of the clients they work with and clients needs to be more selective in their choice of contractors.
What are your dislikes in construction?

Who is responsible for obtaining new construction projects in your company? Inevitably, most will answer that the estimator, owner, or some senior manager must find and win work. Yet, the responsibility of procuring new construction projects lies with everyone in the company.
​

Management’s Role in Winning New Projects.
Management must:

1. Ensure that the estimating team has the right resources (including software) to accurately price construction projects.
2. Select suitable construction projects for the company to price, discarding unsuitable projects. It is pointless pricing projects which the company doesn’t have the resources to construct.
3. Talk to prospective clients to ensure that the company has the opportunity to price their next project.
4. Understand the construction marketplace to better select the profit that can be added to the estimator’s price, which will still ensure a winning price.
5. Develop new markets and clients.
6. Check all the bid prices to ensure that they are an accurate assessment of the work, that there aren’t excessive risks for the company, and that the construction schedule is achievable. This review process could include developing alternate construction proposals and methods which could result in a more competitive price.

The Project Manager’s Role.
The project manager plays an important role in securing new construction projects which includes:

1. Ensuring that they deliver their project safely, on time, with minimal fuss and with the right quality. The best source of new work is from:
   1. Returning clients. Indeed many of my projects have been with returning clients. On some projects, we completed up to 5 construction phases (5 different projects), while we became the preferred contractor for other clients. This was a huge advantage as we were often awarded projects even though we didn’t have the lowest price, or better still, the client negotiated the project price only with us, which meant we didn’t have to go through a competitive pricing process. In fact, some of our clients enjoyed working with particular project teams so much that they insisted that we would be given their next construction project only on condition that the same team worked on that project.
   2. Word of mouth. There are simply hundreds of contractors out there. How are clients to determine who should be asked to price their construction project, and who should be awarded the project? Being recommended by a satisfied client helps get a contractor to the bidding table giving an opportunity to submit a price. Then, when clients are trying to differentiate between 2 or more prices and between 2 or more contractors, a glowing recommendation from their friend or colleague, who has worked with your construction company, or even a good recommendation or review from your previous clients, may just tip the project in your favor.
2. Providing constructive feedback to their estimating department. All construction project managers are quick to tell their estimating departments when they’ve made a mistake with the price that has cost the project money. Yet few (indeed possibly none) will tell their estimating department when their price was too fat, usually rather claiming all the kudos for a profitable construction project because of their own project management skills. But, if the estimator is aware that some of the rates or costs they used in their estimates are higher than they should be, they could be in a position to cut these which may mean that more of their future project prices are successful.
3. Informing the estimating department of suppliers and subcontractors who’ve performed well and should be called upon to supply prices for the next project estimates.
4. Interacting and talking to clients, designers, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers. This interaction would include uncovering leads to potential new construction projects, while also developing good working relationships for possible future projects.
5. Understanding their clients. Knowing a particular client’s needs may help the company win another construction project with the same client if they are able to incorporate ways to satisfy these needs in their price submission.
6. Delivering a project with the efficient use of resources, so that the company has a lower cost base to use when calculating the price of future projects.
7. When assisting with the pricing of construction projects, seeking ways to enhance the bid to ensure its success, while maximizing the profitability of the project.

The Employees’ Role
Every employee has an important role to play in finding and winning projects.

1. Delivering a project safely, on time, with minimal fuss and with good quality is essential to every construction company’s reputation. A good reputation can ensure recurring construction work from clients and it is a good advertisement for potential future clients. A poor reputation could be the death knell for a construction company, with them not winning new construction work even when their price is the lowest.
2. Any employee could hear about possible new construction projects from their friends, relatives, and acquaintances. It’s important that our employees are encouraged to inform management of likely new construction projects and potential new clients so that these leads can be pursued. Indeed some may be dead ends, but, even having a few turn into a new construction project can make a huge difference to the fortunes of your construction company.
3. ...Continue Reading.....

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. To visit this website and continue reading the article click on the link above.
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To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below:

• '​Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
• 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
• 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
• 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
• ​'Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion'
• and 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open'

'Construction Book reviews'
To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher'
Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts'
Find out how Paul Netscher can help you

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. To visit this website and continue reading the article click on the link above.
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​An introduction to construction variation claims for construction project managers.
Video 9 - What information do contractors require and and by when should the information be issued?
Sometimes clients issue construction drawings to contractors, but these drawings are literally worthless. Late and poor information is a leading cause of delays and variation claims on construction projects. Learn more...... 

An introduction to construction variation claims for construction project managers
video 8 - When you can’t claim for extension of time
Even when a contractor has been delayed they can’t always claim for the delay. ​Learn more...

​Information in this video is from the author's books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. To visit this website and continue reading the article click on the link above.
Please share this post

​To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below:

• '​Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
• 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
• 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
• 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
• ​'Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion'
• and 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open'

'Construction Book reviews'
To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher'
Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts'
Find out how Paul Netscher can help you

Why are government organisations (national, state, city, town and state run enterprises) often so bad at project delivery?
​
A project isn’t just construction, it’s the complete life-cycle, from project conception, through design, planning, construction, completion, including maintenance and operation of the finished facility. At all stages of the process we see examples of spectacular failure, costing money, time and even lives.

How do we define project success?
For most projects success is defined by delivering a project within time and budget. Regrettably many projects fail this test. But, even a project that’s delivered on time and within budget could be a failure. Unfortunately, some projects which are seen as successful by one stakeholder are regarded a failure by another. For instance, a contractor has a successful project, they finished on time and made money, while for the owner the project was over budget and didn’t deliver value for money. A person whose house is overshadowed by a neighbouring ugly apartment building wouldn’t regard the project a success, even if the developer made a fortune building and selling the apartments.
So what defines a successful project?

1. The project is finished on time.
2. It’s completed within budget.
3. The project delivers value for money.
4. The project is easily maintained and operated, which won’t be excessively expensive.
5. The construction works is completed safely.
6. The facility is safe to operate and use.
7. The environment isn’t unduly harmed – during construction and when the facility is operating.
8. None of the stakeholders were unjustifiably disadvantaged.
9. Those involved with the project earned a fair wage, or profit.
10. The project is the best use of available funds. There are usually limited funds available and it’s impossible to develop and construct every project on the Wishlist. Money needs to be allocated wisely to projects that are the most necessary and which provide the biggest benefits.
11. The project should provide long term benefits.
12. The project must be of good quality. This includes aesthetically pleasing.
13. The facility is functional. It effectively delivers what it’s supposed to deliver.
14. The project hasn’t resulted in other problems.

When judging projects by these criteria we find many failures. So, that Olympic or Soccer World Cup stadium may have been delivered on time and within budget, and provided good service for a few weeks of the event, but, if it isn’t going to be used afterwards, or there aren’t funds to maintain it, then the stadium isn’t a success. Also, if people lost there lives during the construction process then the project definitely failed those people.

Reasons why many projects conceived and delivered by government organisations are a failure.
There are many reasons for project failure (they don’t meet the above criteria) and these include:

1. Many politicians (elected officers) are driven by personal gain. This gain could be:
   1. Delivering the greatest number of votes. Unfortunately this often means that areas with a small voting population are ignored. It also means that areas that have a stable voting population – regularly voting for a particular party or individual are ignored, while areas which could swing between parties and individuals have more money thrown in their direction – and I mean literally thrown, without too much thought on how the money will be spent.
   2. Being involved with a prestigious project. Spending money on repairing and maintaining infrastructure is essential – but if you’re a politician it certainly doesn’t get you the same publicity as cutting ribbons when opening a new bridge or legislature office, or unveiling a new statue. Who wants to be filmed opening a new wastewater treatment facility – it’s a necessity, but a stinking business!
   3. Monetary. Regrettably, often politicians accept bribes (donations!) from corrupt contractors, suppliers, land owners and developers. This often results in the wrong project being built in the wrong place, incompetent contractors being selected, or inappropriate equipment and materials being used.
   4. Helping friends and family. With little regard to the people or country.
2. Often politicians are there for the short term, but projects and facilities will typically outlast their careers and even their lives. In many cases the next generation has to live with their actions, or lack of action. Upgrading roads and infrastructure to farming and mining communities has few immediate visible benefits, but is often essential to the development of the country in the long term.
3. Some politicians don’t see the bigger picture. Indeed they’re often only focussed on their own needs, position, or the next election. A project typically consists of multiple parts. Building a new hospital could be great, but it’s a failure if there isn’t money left to equip the hospital, or indeed money for the doctors and nurses to operate the hospital. Building new apartments in a particular area may be a great idea, but if the infrastructure (roads, utilities such as water, sewer and electricity) isn’t sufficient to handle the additional people then it’s possibly a bad idea. It’s definitely a poor idea if people don’t want to live in apartments, or there’s an oversupply of apartments. Politicians have a knack for drawing lines on a map, acting on whims, or tossing new ideas into the arena, without adequately thinking through all the consequences of their actions.
4. Politicians often have a short tenure. Some might see this as a good thing – being able to regularly change politicians. It does mean that we (the voting public) can dump politicians we don’t like, but it often means there’s seldom consistent policy. So, one politician who likes building roads is replaced by others that want railways, while some want conventional energy sources and others focus on renewables. This leaves projects in limbo, possibly after millions of dollars have already been spent.
5. Sometimes politicians are unduly influenced by those on the fringe, or the noisiest objectors. No politician wants to be visibly and publicly ridiculed or embarrassed, so they’ll often take the action that results in the noisiest celebrations and the quietest protests – even if the noisy celebrations are of their own making and the quiet protests are because people have been cowered into submission.
6. Many politicians are bad at explaining the benefits and necessity of some projects. Indeed, often necessary and beneficial projects end on the waste tip of abandoned good ideas because the voting public wasn’t properly informed. Is this because politicians are arrogant and they assume the average person doesn’t need to know, or is it because they expect people to automatically follow their lead and then they’re surprised when there are objections?
7. Usually politicians don’t like people that don’t agree with them. They’re often advised by departments. Sometimes there are good people in the departments. Regrettably politicians like to make changes – getting rid of those who worked for the previous leadership, who often have years of experience. Anyway, who wants to have people working for them who don’t agree with your new ideas and policies – even if that disagreement is founded on a better understanding of the current workings, people, systems and requirements? Unfortunately, some heads of department have learned to play the game, to adapt to new leaders, to blow with the wind and to give politicians what they want – never providing advice that they know won’t be welcome, even if it’s right.
8. Sometimes politicians make their pet projects fit the available budget and a need. Often projects will clearly exceed their budget, but they are made to fit – costs are ignored or deliberately understated.  When the project costs exceed the budget there’s every chance the politician has moved on to another posting. There’s no accountability and they can always blame their successor, or even a predecessor! Then there are projects that are sold as one thing, yet clearly won’t satisfy that need.
9. Politicians use other people’s money and their projects impact the lives of others. Need I say more!
10. Many politicians are driven by ideology, political agendas and personal beliefs, and their projects are often an extension of this thinking, rather than being based on sound research and delivering the best long term benefits to the people, region and country.
11. Most politicians aren’t project managers or engineers so have little experience in delivering projects on time and within budget, from concept to completion. Consequently they have limited understanding of the processes, risks, costs and requirements of a successful project. They don’t understand the project life-cycle.
12. Many politicians like easy wins and hate hard decisions and tough choices.

Fortunately there are many successful government projects, and some elected officials who work for the good of the community, take on board the advice of experts and understand the concerns of stakeholders. There are a few that are prepared to serve the people, who put the public ahead of personal ambition.

Conclusion
The World has many projects that are white elephants, projects that have been ill conceived, poorly planned and badly managed. Millions of dollars are wasted on inappropriate ideas, poor projects and ineptly executed projects. Unfortunately the next generation has to live with the consequences of these projects. Indeed we have to live with them! Whole communities, states and countries are hamstrung by these bad projects and the resulting debts. Politicians must be accountable. It’s time that elected officials looked beyond short term gain, greed and petty politics, rather focusing on the long term requirements of the community and country. Politicians need to take advice from honest project managers and not people and organisations that have vested interests in a particular project or outcome. They need to carefully evaluate all projects to ensure that they are the best use of public money, delivering the greatest long term benefits. They need to consider all implications of their decisions and choices, ensuring they aren’t swayed by their egos, personal agenda, or a vocal minority. They need to understand the fears and objections of all stakeholders, then not just override or ignore them, but adequately explain why these objections aren’t relevant, or adapt the project to lessen its impacts on the stakeholder.

It's time for our politicians, elected officials and those in government (city, county, state or national) to stand up and take pride in their accomplishments, to be accountable for their decisions (or lack of decisions), to build a place, a community and a country that future generations will be proud of. Projects aren’t just random ideas or lines on paper, they aren’t political slogans or one-liners, they impact people and cost money. Projects require rational thought, proper planning, careful design, sound construction and expert delivery – but even more important, the project process doesn’t stop there, the completed facility has to be managed, operated and maintained, ensuring that it continues to deliver benefits safely for many years to come.
​
Why are there so many bad government projects? Why do elected officials frequently embark on ill-conceived projects or make poor decisions?
Do we have to accept bad projects? Will you hold your politicians and elected officials accountable?
A question to politicians and those in administrative power – will your projects be remembered by the next generation for the right reasons? Will your projects be successful?

​This article is adapted from information in the author’s popular books: 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide' and 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' is another of Paul's useful books.
Paul has recently published 'Construction Management: From Project Concept to completion'.
Paul's new book: 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open' is for those with little construction experience who want to build or renovate a house. It's filled with tips and suggestions to help you on your way, ensuring you avoid the pitfalls of home construction projects.
These books are available on Amazon and other online book stores.
Paul publishes articles regularly on LinkedIn and his website. 

Paul writes regular articles for other websites, gives lectures, mentors, and is available for podcasts and interviews.
​
© 2018 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

An introduction to construction variation claims for construction project managers
video 7. What is access?
What access has the client provided to the contractor? Will this access help or hinder the contractor's work?
What should contractor's check when granted access?

​Information in this video is from the author's books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

​Information in this video is from the author's books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. To visit this website and continue reading the article click on the link above.
Please share this post
To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below:

• '​Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
• 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
• 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
• 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
• ​'Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion'
• and 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open'

'Construction Book reviews'
To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher'
Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts'
Find out how Paul Netscher can help you

When you’re on a tight budget, it’s hard to invest in marketing. That’s exactly why you want ways to get the word out about your construction business that don’t cost a ton. Can you effectively market your construction company without spending a bundle? Are there free strategies that truly work?
The good news is yes. So, wherever your construction business is financially, here are 10 no-cost ideas to help you promote your services to new clients!

1. Create a plan. Good marketing is all about strategy. And what’s great about strategizing is that it doesn’t cost a dime. So, start with your goal. Do you want to generate new leads? Get more requests for quotes? Book more business for the quarter? Whatever it is, identify a specific, tangible goal, and then brainstorm. Where does your target audience hang out? How do they make decisions? Where can you reach them? The more time you invest in researching this information, the better prepared you’ll be to make your (free) marketing effective. Construction companies have different clients, so what works for one company may not work for your clients. Understand your clients and market place.
2. Blog regularly. If you’re like most construction businesses, your prospects are online. As such, your website is a major marketing tool. How can you get more people to see it? One great, free way is blogging. You’ll have to invest time to churn out quality content on a regular basis for a blog, but if you do the writing, you won’t have to invest any cash. In exchange for your efforts, blogging can help you improve search engine rankings, traffic, online authority and more. Blogs can be construction tips, or they could be short updates of your projects and important milestones reached. Include photos - but do check to ensure that the photos don't show unsafe acts, an untidy site or poor quality work.
3. Do something newsworthy. Think about ways you can generate free publicity for your business without a financial investment. Can you provide free construction help to a local event in exchange for promotion? Would it be doable to host a workshop or seminar at your facility on an area of your expertise? Try to make a splash, then reach out to local journalists and media professionals about it. The key to getting coverage is being legitimately newsworthy. Consider when projects reach a special milestone or safety achievement. Of course you shouldn't have them too frequently because this will take away the impact.
4. Join a local professional organization. Do a little research into business organizations in your area that allow free membership. Join and get networking. Whether it’s the chamber of commerce or a new alliance, you can gain new visibility by participating.
5. Team with other businesses. Any time you can find other local businesses to partner with, it can be a powerful, effective marketing strategy. Perhaps you specialize in small-scale handyman jobs, but there’s another business that does roofing. By referring your customers to each other, you cross-promote and both reap the benefits — and it doesn’t cost anything.
6. Get active on social media. Invest the time to be active on social media and it can pay dividends over the long haul. The keys are being consistent, offering real value and finding a way to stand out. What kind of information and resources does your target audience want? What will help them or answer their questions? Make your content less about you and why you’re awesome, and more about your prospects and how you want to help them. Keep providing real value day after day, and people will notice.
7. Use a referral program. Current customers can be one of your most powerful marketing tools when they tell their friends about your work. Incentivize referrals by offering a reward for bringing in new business. Maybe you provide a free sample product or a bonus service. Perhaps you give the referred customer a discount, as well as a discount to the one who referred him or her. Find a way to make it worth people’s time to promote you, and you get free promotion.
8. Build an email list. If you aren’t already building an email list, you’re missing a golden opportunity for future marketing. Add an opt-in form on your site that tells prospects why they should sign up. Stay in touch with past clients. No matter how good your relationship was and the last project you executed for them there's no guarantee that they're going to remember your company in a year's time for their next project. So send out a short email, holiday greeting, or company update once a year.
9. Send a survey. Email your list of past/current customers and prospects a survey, asking for feedback. Doing so not only gives you free market research, but it also reminds your audience of your services.
10. Hold a contest. Prizes for a contest don’t have to be expensive. You could give away a couple free products or some complimentary services, for example. So, run a contest online that asks people to sign up for your newsletter, visit your site or complete another action that aligns with your goals.

 
While marketing your construction company with no money is a challenge, there’s actually more potential than you may realize. Try the ideas above to start spreading the word about your business! If you stay faithful to the process, you should start reaping results in no time.

​Information in this video is from the author's books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

​Information in this video is from the author's books: 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' and 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'. All available from Amazon in paper or ebook.

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. To visit this website and continue reading the article click on the link above.
Please share this post
To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below:

• '​Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
• 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
• 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
• 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
• ​'Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion'
• and 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open'

'Construction Book reviews'
To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher'
Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts'
Find out how Paul Netscher can help you

I’m sure most of you at some stage have taken a bite from a nice big juicy apple or peach, only to find that the inside was rotten. Maybe it had a worm … or worse still, half a worm. You were taken in by the external appearance of the fruit and took a giant size bite in your eagerness to taste it. Maybe, sometimes you were just so hungry that you grabbed the fruit and bit into it without first checking the outside.

Of course, you are now left with a mouthful of rotten fruit and a half eaten piece of unpleasant fruit. What do you do with it? Where’s the nearest trash can? How can you get rid of that foul stuff in your mouth before you chuck it up, and where can you rinse your mouth to get rid of the bad taste? Sometimes it’s easy and you are in the kitchen, but often you are out with friends and it’s not so easy to deal with.

Unfortunately, the same happens with contractors and construction projects. Contractors are often beguiled by projects that seem so good, then they’re disappointed once they start the project to find that it’s not so great after all. Sometimes, contractors are just so desperate for the work that they grab the project without much thought, only to find that they’ve got a rotten project. They forget to first check the project, read the contract document, understand what’s required, and know the client. Frequently contractors are too busy to price projects properly, they assume things, guess prices and hope for the best.
Then, when things go wrong, the project turns rotten, contractors are left holding the rotten project with no easy way to get rid of it. Like the rotten fruit, a rotten project can leave an unpleasant taste lingering for a very long time.

How can we avoid rotten projects?
It’s important when pricing any project to understand:

1. The client. Does the client have money to pay for the project? Do they have a reputation for paying contractors on time and fairly, or do they pay late and hold money unfairly? Does the client have reasonable expectations that can be satisfied? (Some clients expect a luxury sedan with the budget for a small car.)
2. The client’s team. Does the client have a team that can deliver information on time? Can the team manage the project? Are they organized?
3. The contract documents. Some contract documents apportion risk unfairly, they are one-sided in the favor of the client. Are the documents clear and free of ambiguities? Are the terms and conditions of the contract reasonable?
4. The scope of the project. Sometimes contractors misunderstand the scope and don’t price all the work in the contract.
5. The project site conditions. What is the topography on the site (steeply sloping or flat), is the site accessible, what are the ground conditions like (rock or sandy), are there other contractors already on the project or going to be working there at the same time, how will the client’s activities and operations impact the construction works?
6. The project construction schedule. When will the client grant access and provide information? Is it possible to complete the work in the time allocated?
7. The weather conditions likely to be encountered during the project. How will the expected weather impact construction?
8. The available resources. Does your company have sufficient resources (people, financial and equipment) of the right quality to commit to the project? Will there be sufficient suitable resources such as materials and subcontractors available to complete the project?
9. The risks. Every construction project has some risk and contractors are expected to manage and control these risks. However, some projects have large risks which could be devastating for the project and the contractor should the risk eventuate. It is important to understand the type of risk, their quantum and the likelihood of them occurring. In some cases for particularly risky projects, it may be best to walk away from the project.
10. The project’s cash flow. How much you’ll be paid and when? Who has to be paid, how much and when? Poor cash flow has destroyed many contractors, even on profitable projects. If you don’t receive money on time to pay project debts the company could become bankrupt.
11. Your costs. Calculate the costs of managing the work, costs of all equipment materials and subcontractors and overheads. Don’t guess.
12. Other possible projects. Don’t just blindly pick the first project to price. Be selective and see which project best suits the company and which one you are most likely to win. When you are presented with a whole selection of fruit you are better able to be more selective, thus choosing one that’s the ripest, juiciest and least likely to be rotten.

Conclusion
….Continue Reading.....

​This article was first published on the ClockShark website. To visit this website and continue reading the article click on the link above.
Please share this post
To read more about the author’s books and find out where you can purchase them visit the pages on this website by clicking the links below:

• '​Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
• 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
• 'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
• 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
• ​'Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion'
• and 'Build and Renovate Your Home With Your Eyes Wide Open'

'Construction Book reviews'
To read more about the author visit the page 'Paul Netscher'
Want to contact Paul Netscher please enter your details on 'Contacts'
Find out how Paul Netscher can help you

Ensure your home build project is a success. An easy to read book packed with expert tips and advice to guide you through all stages of your home build, helping you avoid pitfalls and common problems.

Get the what, where, how, who, when and why questions answered. 

My new book – ‘Build and Renovate Your Home with Your Eyes Wide Open’ is now available on Amazon and other online stores in paper and ebook. It’s for those planning to build and renovate a house who have limited construction knowledge.

All stages of your home building project are discussed, from deciding what you want, where you’re going to build it, what help you need, designing your home, selecting and appointing contractors, what you need to know to do everything yourself, building processes, managing construction, and finally, completing the project. In addition, there are chapters on contractual and financial matters, as well as how to avoid common construction mistakes. To conclude, there are suggestions for simple changes you can make to improve your home. It’s an easy read book packed with expert tips and advice to ensure home building projects are a success.

The information in this book will save you thousands and it will help you make your new home an even nicer place to live.

​Get your book today. Click on any of the links below to preview your copy.

​Amazon Canada, Amazon Australia, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Spain, Amazon Italy, Amazon India