Importance of proper planning. It could be as simple as starting with a Gantt chart or a simple timeline. It’s one of those things that people tend to overlook when they are in a rush to get things done. The other day I had a conversation with a friend that is an architect regarding a project they were working on. What was meant to be a 12-week documentation process for this development project got cut short down to just 6 weeks.

The reason for the reduced timeframe was because the builder wanted the drawings done sooner so that they could send it out for subcontractors to provide pricing on the project. Putting aside the impossible task of rushing out all the documentation in time given the short notice, what worries me is the accuracy of the pricing the builder will receive from their subcontractors given that the drawings will most likely need to be further refined and changed for construction.

This opens the doors for variations to be claimed by the subcontractors, then by the builder, which will impact the client’s over budget for the project. Had the builder mapped out when they needed the quotes in from their trades, they could have reverse-engineered the timeline to provide the architect with more time. Instead, this will now result in the architect needed to reallocate resources (no doubt also pulling a lot of all-nighters) and result in the tender documentation being partially finalised since it would be possible for the service consultants to provide feedback.

So ask yourself, would you rather put your project at risk of having variations? Or would you rather be a bit patient and do the correct timing in advance so that you can identify these critical tasks upfront to allow for sufficient time for tasks to be completed correctly?

Plan it out properly, do it right and do it once.