If you’ve been in construction long enough, you know that the real work begins long before the first crew arrives on site. Preconstruction planning sets the stage for successful projects—but even seasoned teams can fall into common pitfalls that lead to costly delays and increased risk.
Here are five frequent preconstruction mistakes—and practical steps to prevent them using proven management tools, technology, and strategies.
Your project scope is the big picture. It’s the blueprint that lays out the detailed description of all the work and deliverables required to complete your project, along with any boundaries, exclusions, objectives, and constraints involved.
A successful construction project relies on getting your project scope right, but it’s one of the most common mistakes companies make. If your scope is incomplete or vague, it can lead to miscommunication, project delays, scope creep, mismatched expectations among stakeholders, and costly change orders later.
Communication is essential here. Get everyone involved in the project into the same room, or a digital workspace, to make sure no views are left out. Using collaborative preconstruction planning tools can help you document every detail and create a clear picture of the project ahead, leading to a smoother construction process.
Estimating errors can kill a project. When that first ballpark number turns out to be just wishful thinking, you end up with budget overruns, late deliveries, awkward client conversations, and a loss of client trust.
The key to creating better, more accurate project estimates lies in combining past experiences (and the key historical data) and the estimators’ knowledge with modern, digital tools. Integrated estimating platforms like DESTINI Estimator allow you to pull information from past construction projects, adjust for current market conditions, and create project estimates you can confidently stand behind.
Rarely do projects get completed without something going wrong. That’s just life. But the key is to be prepared beforehand. Proper risk management involves identifying common pitfalls that can be avoided, as well as having backup or contingency plans for those issues that may be unavoidable.
Preconstruction planning software can help you identify risks as well as build scenario plans for things like permitting delays and supply chain issues. The key is to prepare for uncertainty rather than to react to it. The result is fewer project delays, better budget accuracy, and improved client confidence.
Your construction team is just that — a team. They each have a job to do, but to complete your project successfully, you all need to work together. And it starts in the preconstruction planning phase.
When each team has its own workflow and everyone is working from a different spreadsheet, it can make timelines and responsibilities fuzzy. The fix is to bring team members together and centralize communication and sharing by having all teams work from the same cloud-based estimating platform. That centralized center for communication and sharing progress can help decisions happen faster with fewer misunderstandings between teams.
You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, “But we’ve always done it this way!” Manual processes have worked in the past, but today’s construction projects demand a higher level of speed, accuracy, and (most of all) adaptability.
Adopt digital platforms that integrate estimating, scheduling, and risk management into one cohesive workflow. DESTINI Estimator is one example of how technology can transform preconstruction from reactive to proactive.
Digital tools offer an additional advantage after the project as well: quick access to data for lessons learned and continuous improvement. Future projects benefit from the library of knowledge, cost databases, and even the audit trail of changes. Speed and accuracy make all the difference, as well as set up your preconstruction team for success.
Preconstruction planning isn’t just about avoiding common mistakes; it’s about unlocking the best possible outcomes. By investing in tools that enable smarter planning, reduced risk, and improved collaboration, you can consistently deliver more predictable results.
In today’s competitive market, construction companies that learn and utilize AI and cloud-based technology in their preconstruction processes are sure to take the lead.