Everyone involved with a construction project hopes to avoid challenges or hiccups along the way. This series of blogs describes the red flags you should look out for if “smooth sailing” doesn’t seem to be the direction your project is going. Here are red flags #7 through #9:

7.  Ignoring or dismissing General Requirements (Division 01). General requirements order how a project is to proceed, including payments, changes, substitutions, meetings, coordination, mockups, and closeout. Part of the contract documents, these requirements often are dismissed by a contractor when challenges surface.

8.  Unrealistic construction schedule. The construction schedule is a map the contractor makes to spell out how to get from here (incomplete project) to there (complete project). It provides direction on when tasks are to be completed. Unless the construction schedule has subcontractors’ agreement, it is unrealistic. The bigger problem may be that each subcontractor (or crew) determines what to install when it sees fit, at the expense of the project as a whole.

9.  Slippage from unrealistic construction schedule. If work durations expand or milestones are missed, the contractor must present a corrective action plan to get back on schedule, or the projected completion date will slip further behind.

To be concluded in a future blog.