Most Common Obstacles in Commercial Construction Projects

As with any large-scale commercial construction project, you may encounter obstacles along the way toward achieving your final vision. Luckily, you and your builder or design-build team can take steps to prevent or eliminate these issues.

Before you can bypass these hurdles, the first step, of course, is identifying what those trouble spots are. To help you on your way, we’ve pulled together a list of the most common obstacles encountered in commercial construction as well as suggestions for how to avoid them completely or deal with them strategically when they crop up.

Construction Delays for Your Commercial Construction Project

You want it when?! If only commercial construction projects always went as planned. Unfortunately, encountering challenges that can cause delays are common. But you don’t have to fall victim to delays; by selecting the right team, you’ll increase your chances of hitting that all-important deadline. When you select a design-build construction team as your partner in commercial construction, you’ll notice a difference in how smoothly projects progress. When the entire team from start to finish is on the same page, delays are virtually eliminated. And because everyone’s working together, project phases can run concurrently. With design-build, your team has control over the most common factors that contribute to construction delays.

Of course, if challenges arise that threaten delays, ask your design-build construction team to engage in efforts to eliminate and/or minimize delays. Your design-builder’s ability to leverage collaboration between design, project management and on-site construction personnel can oftentimes be effective in eliminating and/or minimizing delays.

Old Blueprints of Your Commercial Construction that Won’t Go Away

If you’re working with subcontractors, there’s always a risk that an old set of blueprints will somehow get into their hands. The result can be a nightmare. One of the best ways to prevent this from happening is to make sure all drawings, addendums and bulletins are dated. Your builder’s project superintendent should then confirm that the most current plans are being used in the field for construction purposes during daily jobsite walks, as well as weekly jobsite subcontractor coordination meeting.

Unforeseen Expenses in your Commercial Construction

From sudden increases in the cost of materials during construction to environmental and structural issues like unsuitable soil, infestations, hazardous conditions or other issues discovered along the way, unwelcome surprises during the construction process can increase your expenses and threaten your completion date. Due diligence activities at the front-end of the design phase, such as a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment, a Geotechnical Site Investigation and on-site builder inspections can identify potential issues early in your project so they can be dealt with proactively from a budget and schedule standpoint. Engaging a design-build team to manage these due diligence items is an effective means of managing risk for your project.

Construction Errors by Workers with the Best of Intentions

You know how you want your commercial construction to be, and your architect and/or design-builder will provide plans and specifications for construction crews to turn your vision a reality in the field. How do you ensure that construction crews in the field don’t come up with shortcuts, or improvements they are sure you’ll love, that in the end you don’t? First, hire a builder that intends to commit an experienced, on-site project superintendent that will monitor quality as work is completed to ensure the work complies with the plans and specifications. An experienced on-site project superintendent will ensure that errors are addressed proactively. Also, set the expectation that ideas for varying in the plans and specifications be discussed among the owner, architect and builder to discuss advantages and disadvantages related to schedule, budget, quality and/or functionality.

The Design-Build Advantage: Full Speed Ahead on Your Commercial Construction Project

When you’re looking for commercial building contractors in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area, consider selecting a design-build team. With the design-build construction model, costs are better controlled, the construction process is streamlined and all members of your commercial construction team—from architects to licensed building contractors—are working together. The outcome: common obstacles in commercial construction are avoided, change orders are virtually eliminated and your project stays on schedule and on budget. Check out our full scope of design-build services and project history to learn more.