Construction Project Management Services and Construction Books
  • Construction Home
  • About Paul Netscher
  • +Construction Books
    • Successful Construction Project Management
    • Building a Successful Construction Company
    • Construction Claims
    • Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights
    • Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion
    • An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses
    • The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman
    • Designing your ideal home
  • Construction Management Services
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact
  • Blog | Construction Management
  • Site Map
  • Blog | Home Improvement
  • Index of construction articles
  • Useful Links
  • Index Home Improvement

Your Construction Project is in Trouble – Who are you Going to Blame?

19/9/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Construction projects will have problems

Many construction projects get in trouble and project managers are good at finding someone, or something to blame. It’s usually the poor estimator who cops the brunt of the blame. Listening to many construction project managers you would think that all estimators make mistakes and every construction project is only completed successfully because of the project manager’s heroic efforts. Of course, the next best thing is to blame the weather – well there’s always rain, wind, cold and heat. Poor weather is a reliable excuse. Then we have others to blame, poor subcontractors, unreliable suppliers, unskilled workers, difficult clients, and weak designers. But wait a minute, isn’t that the experience on most construction projects? What’s different?

There will be problems and disruptions on construction projects. There will be mistakes with the estimate – both mistakes that cost money as well as mistakes that add to the profits. There will be bad weather, difficult clients and poor workers. But that’s why we employ project managers to solve these difficulties and deal with problems! I can’t think of one of my construction projects that went perfectly and according to plan. But we finished them all, and in almost every case made money and had a happy client.

It’s easy to blame the estimator for under-pricing material or underestimating the amount of work. But, there are also often estimating mistakes on the positive side, where the project wasn’t as difficult as the estimator envisaged and the materials cost less than the estimator allowed.  In fact, often an estimating mistake costing project money is cancelled out by an error which is beneficial to the project – it’s a shame that you only hear about the first mistake and not the second!

Why can’t project managers accept responsibility for problems on their project? Why can’t they admit when they’ve made the wrong decisions? Why can’t they just get on and solve the problem, instead of wasting time and effort looking for excuses and scapegoats?

It seems that the easy response these days is to blame others – our politicians set good examples of this. Let’s find a scapegoat, in fact, maybe we can even turn it into a political slogan. Finding the real cause of the problem and fixing it is hard work. In doing this we might not like the real reason for the problem – like we slipped-up. We might upset or offend somebody we don’t want to offend, somebody that’s the real problem. We might not like the solution to fix it – because it could result in more work, or require some sacrifices. Company bosses and politicians are good at cutting employees and freezing wages to lower costs, but very few will take a salary cut themselves. Not sure what happened to lead by example!
​
Blaming others takes time and energy and doesn’t solve anything. A construction project that’s in trouble, one that’s losing money or behind schedule, isn’t miraculously going to come right. Because a culprit, a scapegoat, has been found doesn’t solve anything. Making noise and jumping up and down doesn’t solve problems. Over dramatising the problem also doesn’t solve the problem – it could result in panicked quick fixes that don’t work or over extravagant solutions which aren’t necessary. Throwing up your arms or having a temper tantrum solves nothing – the project that’s in trouble will remain in trouble.

Solving construction project problems

PictureImage courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
​There’s a problem. What are the causes? Indeed, there is almost always more than one cause. Don’t just look at the symptoms and treat these. Sure, it rained and the construction works were flooded. What steps can we take to prevent more damage? How can we salvage the project? Solve the immediate problems and get the project back on track. Then look at preventing the problem from recurring. Why was the work flooded? Could we have kept most of the storm-water out? What should we do to prevent a similar problem occurring? You can’t stop the rain – but maybe you can implement preventative measures to limit the damage.

Let’s look at the problem logically. Find the real cause. Take action to fix the symptoms and implement steps so the problem is fixed and doesn’t reoccur. Ask for help if necessary.

Don’t try and hide the problem, because inevitably the problem doesn’t fix itself. So, the project is losing money. Why? Maybe the estimator did make a mistake, but usually, there are other reasons. What can we do to prevent further losses? What can we do to recover money already lost? If we’ve done everything possible, ensured that we have uncovered the true causes for the losses and stopped them where possible, and the project will still end in a loss, then it’s important management is informed of the losses so they aren’t caught unawares at the project finish when the project makes a loss.
​
Fixing a problem requires a motivated team. Shouting and blaming demotivates people. The team needs to pull together, in the same direction, in a coordinated effort to rectify the problem and its cause. Threats don’t help. Good communication is vital. Maintaining morale is essential. People hate working for a project or company that’s in trouble.

Project managers must be proactive

​Project managers need to be proactive. They should plan for poor weather – okay sure you can’t allow for a hurricane or abnormally heavy snow or rain, but you should at least have anticipated and allowed for the normal expected weather conditions. Projects should allow for the time disruptions of normal weather, but more importantly, take active steps to minimise the disruption, like planning work around the normal seasonal rain and cold, and protecting partly completed work from the worst of the weather. When bad conditions are on the way take steps to limit the damage. When there’s good weather make the most of it.
​
Anticipate problems and take steps to prevent them from arising, or at least implement measures to limit the impact of the problem.

Conclusion - there will be problems on your construction project so deal with them

Your project will not be the first project to have problems and nor will it be a last. Construction project managers are expected to be proactive and prevent problems from occurring. They are expected to solve problems when they do occur. They may have to ask for help sometimes.

Don’t be quick to find an easy excuse, or pounce on an issue that’s not the real cause of the problem. Don’t be too quick to apportion blame. Make sure you uncover the true underlying causes then fix them.

Project managers will make mistakes. Their team will make mistakes. Admit when a mistake is made and take responsibility, instead of blaming others.
Use your time and energy effectively to solve problems and prevent them recurring, instead of blaming others. Provide constructive criticisms and feedback. 

This article was first published on the ClockShark website. 
Please share this post

Do you want to learn how to manage construction projects successfully?

"Easy to read and understand with some great advice and insights" Reader Amazon UK
Picture
Click on picture to view books on Amazon
 I've written several easy to read books for owners, contractors, construction managers, construction supervisors and foremen. They cover all aspects of construction management and are filled with tips and insights.
The books are available in paper and ebook from most online stores including Amazon.
Need help with your construction project or construction company? Contact me for help and advice.
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'
  • 'The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman'
  • and 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volumes 1 and 2'
'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
construction management construction project management
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Archives

    January 2023
    October 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Copyright 2016 - The attached articles cannot be reproduced for commercial purposes without the consent of the author.
    The opinions expressed in the attached articles are those of the writer. It should be noted that projects are varied and different laws and restrictions apply which depend on the location of the contractor and the project. It's important that the reader uses the supplied information taking cognisance of their particular circumstances. The writer assumes no responsibility or liability for any loss of any kind arising from the reader using the information or advice contained herein.
    "I have what I consider some of the best books on construction management."


    Books are available from:
    Amazon.com
    Amazon.co.uk
    takealot.com

    kalahari.com
    Amazon.in
    Amazon.de
    Amazon.fr
    Amazon.it
    Amazon.com.au
    Powell's
    Fishpond
    uread
    bokus
    Amazon.ca
    Amazon.es
    Other retail stores


    Available in paperback or on Kindle

    ​"28 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, DEVELOPING SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS AND BUILDING SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES"

Construction Books

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

Construction services

Construction Management Services
Paul Netscher
Construction Management Blog
​Home Improvement Blog

Contact
Developing Successful Construction Project Managers.

Building Successful Construction Companies.
30 years of construction project management experience
  • Construction Home
  • About Paul Netscher
  • +Construction Books
    • Successful Construction Project Management
    • Building a Successful Construction Company
    • Construction Claims
    • Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights
    • Construction Management: From Project Concept to Completion
    • An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses
    • The Successful Construction Supervisor and Foreman
    • Designing your ideal home
  • Construction Management Services
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact
  • Blog | Construction Management
  • Site Map
  • Blog | Home Improvement
  • Index of construction articles
  • Useful Links
  • Index Home Improvement