Any construction project regardless of the context and intention requires a certain amount of consideration and planning to bring it to fruition. There are typical major factors that need to be addressed before the project can begin and ongoing needs to be mindful of throughout, all the way up until to the completion date. If you are planning your first construction project, your biggest barrier will be a lack of experience. This may lead to an oversight of essential tasks or admin; however, this guide explores some of the key things you need to keep in mind.
The Surveys
It is easily done, but overlooking vital steps like acquiring the appropriate surveys prior to and during work will be detrimental to the completion and viability of the project. Arguably, one of the most important types is an ecology survey carried out by professional ecology surveyors. These are one of the most direct routes to understanding the potential impact and collision points that your project will have with the environment around it. Protecting nature and combating negative implications on the earth are two things that need to remain at the forefront of guiding every construction project as the world moves into a more sustainable future. Visit Ecology Surveys to find out more.
Safety Procedures and Protocol
All of the preliminary health and safety considerations will be in place before a project starts, but what about the other factors? Protecting the public, for instance, is a big job on the to-do list. If there is any chance that your project will get in the way of residents and citizens in close proximity, provisions have to be in place to keep things legal and safe. This will avoid your construction zone from becoming the subject of a lawsuit or being shut down owing to an avoidable incident.
Here are the top five safety considerations to pour energy into:
- Safety and PPE equipment, clothing and accessories for anyone working on the project. Don’t let people work without it, because you will be liable were an accident to occur.
- Blocking off access to the site during work hours.
- Securing and restricting access, potentially employing a guard, for non-work hours to protect from theft, vandalism and general break-ins.
- All members of the project team kept up to date with the latest health and safety training, especially if there are chemicals involved in any task.
- Protecting any native, local species from harm.
Project Planning and Insight
Starting a construction project means that you have a vision and a purpose, but have you written it down? The best plans are ones where ideas are in constant flux, everything is recorded for reference and there are anchor points to return to when the time calls for it. Get to know your construction goals and project insight, as this will be invaluable.
Managing Time
Every project, regardless of how small or big it may be, needs a timeline. A timeline should be a fixed thing but with the allowance for flexibility and external influence as well. There will always be factors that impede completion. If you have a clear, labelled and considered timeframe mapped out, it is easier to adapt if things take a turn for the unfortunate.
Third-Party Negotiations
If you are purchasing materials, services or specialist products from a third-party supplier, this takes organisation and strategic thinking. It is never quite as simple as placing an order and then receiving it. Work out timelines, stay in touch and keep on top of expectations to avoid any roadblocks.
Amenities On-Site
Planners spending all their time and focusing all that energy on producing the perfect construction blueprint may forget the basics. Any construction project will need somewhere safe and sanitary to eat for whoever is working, a hygienic bathroom area and a place to sit down for a quiet five minutes to break up the day. These three things are non-negotiable in the context of protecting either your own mental and physical well-being or/and that of the construction team.
Staff Sickness and Shortage
For projects that have a longer timeframe until completion, there will be staff sickness here and there. This is an unavoidable eventuality of working with people. Make sure you have provisions in place to plan for the days when everything feels like it’s going wrong.
Being Mindful of Neighbours
Noise pollution is an unavoidable consequence of construction projects. Therefore, when it comes to being mindful of neighbours, it would be considerate to let them know what the plans are. The perfect information to give them would look like this:
- The predicted project timeline, highlighting wherever possible, particularly noisy patches
- How loud it is likely to get
- Whether there are any times to be extra considerate
- Pacify concerns about any negative impact
This small act will be significant nonetheless. You are showing the people living around the construction zone that you care and want to keep them informed of progress and trajectories. It is easy to get on the bad side of the neighbourhood when you go in strong with the loud machinery, long days and unrelenting traffic. Let them know where the construction staff will be parking and what access you might require to the property and surrounding area too because you don’t need something as trivial as a car parked in the wrong spot to hold up the job.
Construction staff should also be given clear guidelines on how to respect the area and community; for example, cleaning up debris before the end of a shift and being respectful at peak times to the local residents. It is vital for the smooth running of the project that workers and residents can co-exist harmoniously.
As long as you tick all the boxes, you are in control of what you are able to control. Everything else is up to fate. While you can’t expect to manage every aspect of a project and have to make a certain peace with external factors such as weather or sickness being a guiding force, there are areas where you are better able to take charge. Overlooking things happen to everyone, so to avoid this happening put in the time during preparation.