Project Management Tips for Building on Time and Within Budget

Most building projects that run late or over budget do so for reasons that could have been seen in advance: a vague scope, an unrealistic programme, late decisions or poor communication. Project management is the discipline of anticipating those problems and dealing with them early. The tips below apply whether you are an owner managing a house build or a professional running a larger job.

Define the scope clearly

Write down what is included and what is not. A scope that lives only in conversations will be understood differently by each person. List the accommodation, the standard of finishes, the external works and the services, and attach the drawings and specification. When everyone has the same document, there are far fewer arguments later about what was agreed.

Plan the sequence of work

A programme shows the order of activities, how long each is expected to take and which depend on others. You cannot plaster before the walls are built, or install ceilings before the roof is watertight. Draw up a simple programme with the main stages: site clearing and setting out, foundations, ground floor structure, walls, roof, first fix of electrical and plumbing, plastering, second fix, finishes and external works. Identify the critical items, those that will delay everything if they slip, such as ordering roofing sheets or reinforcement with long lead times.

Allow for the weather and the seasons

Rain, heat and wind affect what can be done and when. Schedule earthworks and concreting for suitable weather where you can, and have a plan for protecting materials and fresh work. A programme that ignores the seasons will be wrong from the first week.

Make decisions early

Many delays come from waiting for the owner to choose tiles, doors, fittings or paint colours. Agree these choices before the work reaches the stage where they are needed, and order long-lead items in good time. Changing your mind after work is complete is the most expensive kind of change.

Track costs as you go

Do not wait until the end to learn what you have spent. Keep a simple cost record that compares the budget for each stage with the amount committed and paid. Record every delivery and every payment, and keep receipts. Update your forecast of the final cost at least monthly. When the numbers start to move, you will notice early and can decide what to do. Our guide to bills of quantities and cost estimates explains how a good budget is built, and our tips on materials cost control cover the largest cost item.

Control changes

Changes are normal, but each one should be handled formally. Before any change is made, write down what is to be changed, what it will cost and how it will affect the completion date, and get approval. Unpriced verbal changes are a common reason for disputes at the end of a job.

Manage risk

Make a short list of things that could go wrong, for example unexpected ground conditions, late deliveries, shortages of skilled labour, price rises, or bad weather. For each one, decide how likely it is and what you will do. Having a plan, or a contingency sum, turns a crisis into a manageable problem.

Communicate regularly

Hold short, regular site meetings with the people who matter, and keep notes of what was decided and who is responsible for each action. Share progress photographs and simple reports with the owner. Bad news does not improve with age; raise it as soon as it is known so options remain open.

Check quality as you build

Correcting a defect after the finishes are on is far more costly than preventing it. Inspect critical stages before they are covered, such as reinforcement before concreting and damp-proof membranes before floor slabs. See our article on why site supervision matters.

Pay fairly and on evidence

Link payments to completed stages that have been inspected and measured. This protects the owner and keeps the contractor’s cash flow healthy, which in turn keeps the labour and materials coming.

Finish and hand over properly

Agree a snagging list, set a date for corrections, and collect drawings, manuals and approvals at hand-over. A project is not finished until the owner has a building that works and the paperwork to go with it.

Project management is one of the services offered by Fani Nigeria Limited; learn more on our services page or contact us to discuss your project.