Delays are common in road construction projects all over the world, with no definite time for occurrence. Where some delay events occur during the initiation stage, others may occur during the execution or monitoring stage. Although delay events may not amount to much individually, several delay events may contribute greatly to delaying significant parts of the project or the project schedule altogether. Determining delays is not something novices can do. It's up to expert witnesses of delay to determine causes of delay and how much it has affected the schedule of the project or any activities. Assessment of the causes of delay and the amount, by which the schedule has been delayed, requires the expertise of Delay experts, with ample knowledge and experience in similar projects. Although all these causes of delays remain extremely critical, this article explains delay events that are relevant or a result of the contractor’s negligence or ignorance:
Contractor-related delays in road construction projects Detecting delays require the expertise of the best expert witnesses to determine the causes and resolve delay claims arising from delay events. The three main reasons for delays in construction projects are: Contractor related delays, Owner related delays and Consultant associated delays. Insufficient planning of projects In case the planned schedule does not perform as anticipated, faulty estimation of the costs and the time the project will cause severe delays. Any errors in the estimates of construction cost appear to be very difficult for such crucial projects. Also, they may be costly to reimburse. For example: e.g., missing supply date, delay in supplies reaching the site, may delay the whole project schedule. Lack of experience of contractors Lack of expertise remains a critical cause for delay in construction projects. In case a problem arises, the lack of expertise prevents the timely resolution of problems. The project activities may have to be stopped to resolve the issue. It is essential for hiring parties to ensure the contractor is experienced and knows what to do! Change in vendors It’s the contractor's job to select the best vendors for the completion of construction activities. Due to numerous reasons, subcontractors may hand over their work to other vendors, or may continuously opt for different parties for the end of the job. The change in vendors may cause considerable delay in the projects as new vendors may not know the previous relevant details needed to conduct the task ahead. Use of obsolete technology The malfunction or breakdown of machinery used for road construction may also have an important impact on the project's schedule. The project might have to be delayed due to parts getting damaged during the project. Also, it may not be easy to locate the spare parts of old machinery resulting in more significant delays in the construction projects. Rework due to errors Any work/activity that hasn’t been done right the first time may need to be redone, due to its non-conformance with the desired results. In a construction project where numerous activities are taking place at the same time, and there are multiple chances for omissions and mistakes, due to poor management may lead to a change in the final output. Rework not only results in schedule overruns but cost overruns too, which is why meticulous oversight is required for the different activities in construction projects. Conclusion Construction projects may become prey to delays due to many reasons. It's not for the normal personnel to determine the cause of the delay, however. To assess project delays in all construction projects, it's essential to employ the best delay experts with years of experience in road construction projects! The most experienced professionals contribute significantly to the determination of the delay events and the impact that may result from such events. |