Building on Time: Why Schedule Management Matters in Renovation Projects

Scheduled Management

Just about all aspects of our lives are controlled by schedules. Everyone knows that there are consequences for not following a schedule. Appointments cancelled or rescheduled for arriving late, missed business opportunities for lack of preparation and I am sure most of you can list a few for yourselves. All of our lives are controlled by schedules from the time we’re born until the day we pass. 

Construction is no different. Just like any other profession, construction is a business and to be fiscally responsible, we all must do our best to set and maintain schedules. At the beginning of a project, there is a preconstruction schedule that will rely heavily on the client to maintain. These schedule tasks will set the groundwork for the entire project and center primarily around design decisions. Cabinetry, fixtures selection, layout approval, tile, flooring and countertop selection, among others. There is a certain amount of time allotted to these decisions based on an agreed upon start date.

The preconstruction schedule is potentially more important than the actual production schedule. These foundational decisions can have a ripple effect if missed or delayed. A missed decision on cabinets can then affect flooring and countertop decisions (as they are usually all tied together in terms of color and style). Delaying these decisions then delays our ability to accurately budget for installation. In this example, the cabinet designer also needs time to not only meet with the client to approve a cabinet style and finish, but then needs to create a layout based upon the individual needs of the client. As we are all busy and working on several projects, along with balancing work and family commitments, rescheduling can lead to a week or more delay. We would then also need to reschedule tile and countertop selection which in turn leads to delays in getting a complete and accurate proposal for installation of these items. While it might not seem like a big deal, it is easy to see how a single missed appointment can quickly lead to a delay of 2-3 weeks. 

It is important to meet these schedule milestones. Prior to beginning the project, we will work with you to account for fitting these events into your already busy schedule. Ideally, we try to select cabinets, tile and counters and plumbing fixtures into a couple week period. We’ve had clients that got everything selected in a couple days and we have had clients that, for whatever reason, took a couple of months to make decisions. As long as your completion date and selection schedule align, we will make it all work.

Once the client has made all their selections and production begins, there is only one way for the client to delay the schedule – changes to scope. Once selections are made and the budget is finalized, making selection or design changes can affect, not only the budget, but the schedule. Any change must be assessed for viability, schedule modifications and cost. Changing paint colors is pretty straightforward and likely has minimal impact on schedule and cost (if paint isn’t already acquired), deciding to remove a wall will have both financial and schedule impacts. Assessment by an engineer, permitting approval and additional labor hours for several trade partners. That is why it is important for us to follow our process and finalize a design prior to beginning a project and avoid these potential adjustments to budget and schedule. There can also be change orders of necessity for items such as existing unforeseen damage or improperly sized structures. 

Outside of delays to selections or approvals, there are however a handful of items that can affect the schedule, although we work diligently to minimize these delays, things happen. There are a number of events that can affect the overall schedule.

• Manpower challenges. Personal emergencies or illness can affect availability of trained staff.
• Delayed or damaged materials. Prior to beginning the project we work to establish a timeline for availability of each item, but occasionally suppliers are unable to meet that schedule. Mislabeled items, equipment malfunction and other shipping related issues can create these challenges.
• Weather delays. Extreme weather can create schedule challenges. Snow, locally and in the mountain passes, can make travel difficult. Exterior projects can be affected by extreme heat or air quality challenges. Excess rain can cause flooding or slide events that inhibit travel.
• Pandemic events. I never would have thought, prior to 2020, that this would be a thing, but I had several projects affected by it. After a short pause, we were able to rally enough installers to get all our projects completed.

A schedule is a living breathing thing. I don’t recall a project ever going from implementation to completion without a couple of tweaks to the schedule. We constantly assess the schedule to make necessary adjustments. To ensure clear communication and up-to-date information, project schedules live on-line within Job Tread, our project management software, and updates are available in real time. Whether it is the client, designer, logistics, installers or the project manager, we all must do our part to ensure that the schedule is met or monitored and adjusted as necessary. If you Dare to Dream, all of us share the responsibility to support you in realizing that dream.