How to Increase Construction Profits and Productivity

The first way to increase Construction Profits and Productivity relates to the standard belief that “Acceleration costs money”! Chuck that idea out of the window! Acceleration is usually a great money saver! For one thing it saves site overhead costs; for another it removes the threat of LAD!

The next big thing that needs to be done is to come up with a Detailed Programme to Completion (DPC). So, okay, a Planner capable of doing this properly costs, but what a money saver it is in the end! It needs to be done in discussion with the Sub-Contractors so that everyone has an input about what is possible and practical. Now, what I have invariably found is that if you stick a copy of your DPC up so the skilled trades can see it, they love that! Big-headed so-and-sos show off and get everything of theirs done quicker than programmed! These days you can save having to print off copies of the DPC simply by using GenieBelt. That has the DPC on it and everyone can see it to get their bit done!

Why should the tradesmen actually complete their Tasks ahead of time? Simple! The vast majority of them are on price work! If they can get off that project a couple of weeks early, that is another two weeks wages they can earn somewhere else that year – Family holiday paid for!

The next tip is to have a good old wander round the whole site every day with your eyes wide open! If you see any defective workmanship gently point it out to the guys. They’ll fix it quickly and there are another couple of devious advantages to this! They don’t like being criticised so they’ll make sure it is right first time in future! The second is that there has been no follow-on work done that would push up costs and time to sort out.

Still on the subject of your daily walkabout, make sure you are approachable by thetrades! If they decide you are a decent bloke and not all snooty and too important for them to talk to, they’ll talk to you! That way you’ll learn of buildability problems weeks, and ££££’s, before you’d find out otherwise! It’s them dirty fingernail brigade lads wot build stuff, not we intellectual professionals!

Next one is to do away with all paperwork. GenieBelt will take care of all that for you and save time, money and storage space!

The final tip for today is about Requests for Information (RFI). Usually the contract allows 7 days for the Architect or Engineer to come back with an answer to any RFI. The trouble is that this might halt work in an area for 7 days! Hound and harass them on a daily basis; you want the reply pdq! Here again GenieBelt can make your life easy; if everyone involved in the project, including the Client who pays them, knows that the RFI needs and answer, that does focus attention and gets you a fast response!

That’s it then.

GenieBelt takes care of three of them for you and leaves you with more time on your hands to wander round in you suit and tie, looking important, but chatting happily with the lads to deal with the other two!