9 Reasons That Cause Construction Project Delays in 2023
A construction project delay occurs when there is a failure to meet the project completion deadline. This can happen due to a variety of reasons.
These delays can be common in the industry, as they are often the result of unexpected circumstances that can be difficult to predict or mitigate. They can result in additional costs, lost revenue, and even legal disputes between parties involved in the project.
In this post, we describe the most common reasons for construction project delays. Keep reading to know more.
What causes project delays in the construction industry
Let’s start exploring the first reason — weak planning.
1. Poor planning
Inappropriate planning is one of the biggest causes of construction project delays nowadays.
If you have a well-prepared project plan, you can easily identify the tasks or work activities that must be performed to obtain the desired outcome.
This plan may include tasks and schedules for various departments, suppliers, materials, and equipment, as well as the time and costs required to complete a specific construction phase. However, if the plan is weak, any construction project may easily break and lead to delays.
An example of a delayed construction project due to poor planning: the Melamchi Drinking Water Supply project (Nepal).
A good schedule should provide teams with a logical project roadmap showing how construction works should be run from start to finish.
Fortunately, there are great construction scheduling software solutions on the market, including GanttPRO Gantt chart maker.
This powerful construction project management software assists in scheduling and organizing even the most complex construction projects, avoiding delays.
A Gantt chart categorizes tasks according to their hierarchy, setting dependencies, project milestones, due dates, and deadlines. It is possible to assign responsible people and consider all required resources from staff to heavy equipment in GanttPRO.
The platform is a good choice if you deal with home construction works, engineering, residential construction, commercial construction, heavy industrial objects, etc.
Take the most out of a real estate development timeline template
https://ganttpro.com/create-project-timeline-for-real-estate/.
2. Budget issues
Construction project delays often result from budgetary problems.
It is not uncommon for many construction projects to exceed their allocated budgets. When employees are not compensated for their labor, they may become demotivated and less willing to work.
Similarly, customers may be hesitant to pay additional fees if the project runs beyond the initially agreed-upon timeline.
Inaccurate estimations can also lead to problems, as certain positions may be forced to shut down for extended periods of time. This is why it is critical for project managers to ensure precise estimates that can account for expenses such as materials and wages.
An example of a delayed construction project due to budget issues: the project of New York MTA East Side Access (USA).
It’s difficult to avoid budget conflicts. However, we can take action to prevent them or reduce their impact.
When you have a professional project timeline with a clear picture of all budget affairs, you will succeed. In GanttPRO, you can calculate costs like a pro.
3. Economic changes
Changes in the economy can also have an impact on the completion of your construction project. This factor is closely linked to your company’s budget.
Unforeseen changes in costs and prices can cause the project to no longer reflect its actual cost per unit of time, which can be a significant issue for any construction firm. Therefore, if a country is facing a global economic crisis or experiencing fluctuations in its currency value, construction projects may be postponed or adversely affected.
An example of a delayed construction project due to economic changes: World Islands in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
4. Project complexity
Construction delays can often be attributed to the complexity of projects which is usually correlated with the project’s scale.
Large-scale construction projects, such as skyscrapers, dams, motorways, nuclear power stations, and stadiums, typically have longer execution times. This happens due to a number of factors, including lengthy negotiations, higher costs, intricate plans, schedules, estimations, and poorly researched innovative technological aspects. These factors can all contribute to significant delays in the project timeline.
An example of a delayed construction project due to project complexity: Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (Spain).
Proper planning is what can also help to solve the problem of project complexity. Calculating complex projects, detailed WBS (work breakdown structure), key milestones, and the methodology to be adopted — all these factors must be counted.
GanttPRO allows for generating a WBS as a handy online Gantt chart with milestones and task dependencies.
5. Weak communication
Effective communication plays a crucial role in the construction industry, and poor communication is an essential contributor to project delays. This can take different forms, such as collaborating with the wrong person or unclear communication that leads to misinterpretation.
It’s crucial to keep everyone involved in the project informed about any new developments, such as redesigns or change orders. A well-planned project schedule is essential for enhancing team collaboration. If you want to ensure that your project runs smoothly, you should prioritize excellent coordination among all parties.
To achieve this, it’s advisable to use an appropriate project management tool with advanced collaboration functionality, such as GanttPRO.
It allows for efficient communication and control of every step in the construction process. With access to the timeline, all employees can plan and track each construction stage while considering labor and machinery usage.
They can also attach necessary files, leave comments, and receive notifications. The Gantt chart generator ensures that every step in the construction process is thoroughly coordinated and communicated.
Do you want to know more reasons for construction project delays?
Feel free to read the full version of this article here: What Causes Construction Project Delays: 9 Reasons that Make Work Fall Behind Schedule https://blog.ganttpro.com/en/reasons-for-construction-project-delays/.
Also read:
