Every project hits problems. That is just construction. The question is how quickly they get resolved – and who is in a position to resolve them.
On a fast-moving site, the biggest programme risk is usually not the physical work. It is decision-making. More specifically, the gap between a problem arising on site and someone with the authority and experience to deal with it actually making a call.
We had a project recently which involved stripping the facade of a commercial building to make improvements to its fire safety. When the cladding came off, we discovered unforeseen defects and unexpected material arrangements within the structure. These needed resolving before the reinstatement works could commence. On this occasion, direction was given, architectural details were swiftly developed, approved by the relevant consultants, and works were quickly back under way. Straightforward enough – however, this is the kind of thing that on a lot of projects, might sit in someone’s inbox for three days while it works its way up a chain of people who were not there and are not fully across the detail.
With a hands-on Director involved on the project, that direction was given the same morning.
Whilst programme pressures always exist, this is not just about speed. It is about the quality of judgement that comes with experience. Directors who have run a complex projects have seen most problems before, or something of a similar ilk. They know which issues need careful thought and which ones just need someone to make a decision. They know the commercial implications, the programme implications, and when escalating something is the right call versus when it is just delay dressed up as process.
Larger contractors are not always set up this way, with many layers of reporting lines. Each layer adds time and introduces the risk that something gets lost or diluted along the way. That structure may suit large-scale, long-term projects with predictable workflows. It does not suit projects that are complex, fast-moving or that require fast reactive decisions.
For clients with that kind of project, the question of who is actually running it – not who is nominally responsible, but who is on site and making calls – matters a lot.
If you are weighing up contractors for a complex scheme, we would be happy to talk through how we could work with you to deliver your project, successfully.Â