When I took on the role of construction manager for my capstone project, I knew it would be a big challenge but the true scale of the obstacles involved was far greater than I anticipated. The project goals were ambitious – we wanted to build a multi-purpose community center located on the outskirts of town that would serve residents by providing facilities for sports, recreation, education and other social activities. With a budget of $5 million and timeline of 18 months to complete the project, the stakes were high to deliver it on schedule and on budget.
One of the first major challenges was finalizing the blueprints and designing a building that met all functional requirements within budget constraints. The initial designs came back over budget so extensive rework was needed by the architects. This delayed our schedule by 2 months as value engineering workshops were held to modify designs. Materials choices, structural elements, mechanical/electrical systems all needed optimization. Coordinating multiple design disciplines took significant effort to align on cost-saving changes while maintaining quality.
Once designs were approved, the next hurdle was securing all necessary construction permits on time. As the project site was in a suburban area, it required zoning approval as well as permits from various other regulatory bodies for earthworks, utilities connection etc. Permit application processes took longer than expected due to multiple revisions needed to satisfy requirements. This pushed our start date back by another month. Inter-agency coordination was vital to minimize further delays.
When on-site construction began, material and equipment procurement emerged as a big problem area. Supply chain bottlenecks impacted availability of key materials like structural steel, wood, and mechanical equipment. This was exacerbated by high demand due to the economic recovery underway. Costs of materials we could source also increased unpredictably. Mitigation required proactive material management, value engineering, alternate material selection and re-sequencing construction activities to avoid delays.
On the jobsite, construction faced challenges from weather-related impacts beyond our control. Wet ground conditions during earthworks in spring stalled excavation and grading for weeks due to excessive rains. In summer, extreme heat slowed productivity and increased safety risks for workers. Proper planning of work sequencing, soil stabilization measures, expanded safety protocols helped counter these effects on progress.
Project site also witnessed significant labor shortages at multiple levels from skilled trades to general labor. Competition for talent increased costs of hiring and retaining workers. Temporary foreign worker programs helped supplement local workforce in the short-term. Longer term strategies employed were training/upskilling of own labor force and workforce development with local community colleges.
Coordination between more than a dozen subcontractors on a tight schedule was a massive coordination task. Clashes between trades due to incompatibility of work fronts had to be proactively identified and resolved. Site logistics planning for material/equipment movement and laydown areas was paramount to maintain smooth workflow. Frequent coordination meetings and real-time tracking of progress through tech tools enabled precise issue resolution.
Budget overruns due to the above challenges started eroding our contingency funding. Difficult decisions had to be made around reduction of building finishes scope, design changes and value engineering of remaining works while maintaining core functionality. Negotiation of scope adjustments and associated claims with affected subcontractors tested project relationships. Prudent cashflow management and refinancing existing loans assisted in addressing cost overruns in the later stages.
Despite facing complex issues ranging from design optimization to material shortages, weather delays, labor scarcity and inter-trade coordination – through diligent project controls, risk management and collaboration with all project stakeholders, I’m glad to report we were able to complete the construction in the extended timeframe of 20 months while containing overruns to 10% of the budget. The new community center has since been well-received by the public it aims to serve. While huge challenges were overcome, the center stands as a testament to perseverance in construction management.