During the construction process, communication is key; disputes often arise due to breaches in communication and expectations. Many times, commercial construction projects can have a large number of moving parts and lots of people involved, and these can include manufacturers, sales personnel, truck drivers, insurance companies, etc. All too often, a simple lack of communication can create huge issues when there are this many trades involved.
The traditional way to preserve accuracy during commercial construction is the documentation process, when all designs, specifications, contracts, schedules, and costs are clearly documented in writing. Clear, complete, and unambiguous drawings and written specifications will go a long way towards creating, and maintaining, accuracy and quality in the final product.
All participants must be integrated with the project team as a whole, and this can include engineers, architects, project managers, consultants, interior designers, landscape professionals, green building consultants, and others. As the complexity and scale of your project increases, this may demand the retention of a professional construction manager or owner’s representative – someone who can be assigned to gather, retain, and process all the communications coming from every avenue of the project. He or she can chair regular meetings and conference calls, heading up a systematic organization of project documents to ensure efficiency is maintained throughout by clear and consistent communication.
Establishing a clear chain of command will be critical for the input and distribution of information, documentation, and decisions. For a more complex project, the owner’s rep or construction manager will usually take the lead on contractual, schedule, budget, and risk management matters, while the architect will coordinate the design.
Fostering an atmosphere of trust between all team members is perhaps the most crucial piece in the communication of all parties; team members will then be far more apt to inform one another of potential problems that could adversely affect the project.
Mistakes may be unavoidable during a commercial construction project, but they can be mitigated with proper and clear communication and the effective use of construction management processes.
Our Ascension General Contractors team is here to help you complete your commercial project, under time and under budget.
