Two Steps to Take to Ensure the Success of Your Construction Project

If you have plans to carry out a building project and are concerned about the possibility of something going wrong, don't worry—there are things you can do to significantly reduce the likelihood of any serious problems arising. Read on to find out what these things are.

Hire a surveyor to perform a features survey

One of the most effective ways to ensure that your construction project does not end up being delayed, extended or disrupted by unexpected issues is to gather as much information as you can about the plot on which you will be constructing your building.

Armed with all of the most important facts about the land where your project will be carried out, you and your contractor will be far less likely to make an error which could affect the speed with which your building project progresses.

The easiest method of obtaining information about your chosen plot is to hire a surveyor to perform what is known as a feature survey. Feature surveys offer information about the presence of things like trees, power lines, fences, sheds, sewerage drains and other structures on a plot of land.

Having this information could spare you a lot of unnecessary expense and hassle by ensuring that you do not design a building which is not appropriate for the plot. For instance, if the results of the feature survey indicate that there is are no public sewerage drains nearby to which you can connect your new building's plumbing system, you can alter your existing plans to compensate for this (in this situation, you might, for example, decide to install a septic system).

Conversely, if you decide not to bother having a features survey done and are not aware of the drainage issues until midway through your project, you may end up experiencing extensive delays and additional costs, as you will probably have to re-do your plumbing layout and drainage plans for the building.

Make sure the cost estimates are extremely accurate

Inaccurate estimates which lead to unexpected extra costs can wreak havoc on your construction project, especially if you only have a small contingency fund.

Let's say, for example, the cost of installing the kitchen in your new property is 20% more than the initial estimate you were given, and you end up using all of your contingency fund to cover the additional expenses. Then, a similar problem arises when the time comes to install the bathroom and you need several thousand dollars more to pay for the work; with no contingency money left, you may find that you cannot complete the construction work and that your project has to be suspended whilst you apply for a loan to cover the extra costs.

To avoid this nightmarish situation, you should try to make sure that the estimates you obtain are extremely detailed and include every single expense, however small it might seem. If there is even the slightest indication that the estimate you have received for a specific task is inaccurate, make sure to discuss your concerns with the contractor or subcontractor at the beginning of the project and, if necessary, ask them to double check or revise their original calculations.