Construction projects are temporary assignments that need a specific cost, effort, and time for successful completion. However, many external and internal factors influence the projects both positively and negatively. The negative impact can result in delays, disruption, and other types of claims in construction. Construction delays may occur in many types, and their impact varies depending on it.
Are you thinking of getting into the industry? Have you signed a project recently? The article is aimed to help you get a detailed overview of all essential delays in construction. Keep reading!
Different Types of Delays in the Construction Projects
Nevertheless, construction projects are mega-investment that requires a careful approach for successful completion. It is imperative to keep an eye on influencing factors for better results.
Due to this, project teams work collaboratively on a specific site under conditions that will never be rehashed. The projects are usually complex, need higher collaboration, movement of materials, and other such efforts to meet the project requirements. In the case of claims, contractors usually take assistance from a delay expert for the site analysis to determine the types and scope of disruption in the construction project.
However, delays in construction can hinder progress in the projects. So, you must have project knowledge of the main types of construction delays to deal with them wisely. Here we created a list of construction delays to help you in this regard. Let’s have a look:
a) Excusable Schedule Delays
Excusable delays occur due to unforeseen circumstances that were not in the control of any contracting party. For example, the project delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic are excusable delays. Besides this, the delay occurs owing to the following reasons:
- Labor protests
- Floods, earthquakes, and other calamities
- Order change as requested by the owner
- Mistakes and errors of commission or omission
- Lack of action by the directed authorities of the state
- Outsiders’ intervention in the project
b) Non-Excusable Delays
A controllable event causes construction delays. Therefore, the contractors or the project owners are responsible for the occurrence of such a delay. A few examples of postponement delays are:
- Longer time consumed in materials provision
- Disturbance in mobilization
- Laziness in documents submission
- Later execution of labor and productivity issues
The delays that come under the category of non-excusable delays are either no-compensable or compensable. So, it is possible to allow time extension in some cases, depending on the situation.
c) Critical and no critical construction delays
Regardless of the excusable and non-excusable nature of the delays, it is imperative to consider if a delay is critical. The critical schedule delay has a considerable impact on the project’s due date for delivery. If it has little impact on the critical path of construction processes, the effect may be minor and not noticed. In other cases, the project delivery is delayed owing to critical delays.
d) Concurrent Delays
Construction projects require the contractor and owners to collaborate for successful project management and completion. Due to this, many things come from the contractor to the owners and vice versa. In this way, simultaneous postponement can happen.
It can lead to a situation where disruption occurs in the project from both owners and contractors. This is known as concurrent delays. The multifaceted nature of the problem lies in deciding how much each gathering added to the deferral or disruption.
There are some specialized strategies for investigating plans that can aid this assurance. The covering of defers makes it hard to break down, and factors like the span of the postponement, the reason for the event, and involved parties must be considered in the specialized examination.
e) Compensable Delays
A compensable delay in construction is one where there will be some pay required for the postponement to the process. That implies that the proprietor or contractual worker is obligated for augmentation of time or cost remuneration or both. The cost remuneration is to represent damages or additional expenses related to the delay.
The delays are considered significant because compensation is involved in this. Keeping this into consideration, the contractors must ensure the presence of a delay expert and witness for the evaluation of an event leading to disruption in the project. It will help you defend your stance to eliminate the risks of paying damages.
What Causes Delays in Construction Projects?
The following are some of the most common factors causing delays in the construction industry.
1) Securing Finance
Start talking to the banks or investors ahead of time to secure project financing or bank loans to avoid delays in the project later.Â
2) Construction DrawingsÂ
You cannot start construction on a project without drawings that are approved by a licensed professional. Incomplete drawings can delay your project.Â
3) PermitsÂ
Some projects require multiple permits like zoning, soil erosion, water, sewer, etc. Each permit requires a separate application, which can take 2-8 weeks to complete.Â
4) Public UtilitiesÂ
Most commercial projects require relocating utilities or using the existing ones. You need to contact public utility carriers to avoid delays later on.Â
5) Design ChangesÂ
The project owner may change the layout when the construction begins. This can delay your project as you will need professional help to update the drawings and get them approved again.Â
6) Site ConditionsÂ
Various site conditions can delay your project. Weather conditions can affect soil conditions, which can cause delays in construction.Â
7) Material SupplyÂ
Delivery of material and equipment can take 8-12 weeks, depending on the project. To avoid delays, plan for extra time.Â
8) Frost LawsÂ
Frost laws can cause delays in your project. These laws restrict the weight limit on freight and trucks, limiting the number of materials from being delivered to your site.Â
9) Weather Conditions
Nature and weather can interfere in construction. Contractors don’t have control over rain, storms, hurricane, and earthquakes. Â
10) Environmental AspectsÂ
For most of the projects, you will need to conduct a Baseline Environmental Analysis (BEA) and consult state authorities.Â
Learn about Construction Delays to Make Avoidance Strategies!
Summing up, the construction industry is full of surprises as you may not one what’s coming next. Keeping the nature of business into consideration, the owners and contractors should pay more considerable attention to eliminating the risks of construction delays and disruptions. It is because delays have a long-lasting impact on the project, which may lead to suspension.
In the case of any such event, you should consider acquiring the services of professional construction claim consultants to resolve the issues in time without getting things worse. Don’t forget to initiate a forensic schedule analysis for better delay handling in construction!
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