
Any large project needs a plan and schedule to be successful and efficient — and construction projects are no different.
Because construction projects have many moving parts like . . .
. . . flying by the seat of your pants isn’t an option.
A solid construction schedule can help you manage all the moving parts smoothly and without anxiety or stress.
Creating and maintaining a construction schedule takes time. But this time invested at the beginning goes a long way in avoiding delays and problems.
Keep reading to learn what a construction schedule is and why it’s crucial to the success of your projects.
Flexbase is an all-inclusive resource for the administrative, billing, and cash flow processes in your construction business.
Take advantage of Flexbase services to:
Flexbase integrates everything including . . .
. . . so you only need to enter data once.
There are no licenses and subscriptions, and you only pay when you receive money. Our low fees start at 0.5% per payout received which means lower fees for higher payment volume.
Let us show you how Flexbase can help make all the pieces of your construction business run more smoothly and efficiently.
A construction schedule is pretty straightforward — it’s the planned schedule of what work will get done and when.
In short, it is a plan that is very detailed and outlines all phases of a project including the:
A construction schedule should include enough information to answer the following questions:
A well-thought-out and organized construction schedule will help make the best use of resources as well as protect deadlines and budget constraints. A detailed construction schedule is a win-win for everyone.
An effective construction schedule:
Because there are so many moving parts with a construction project, it makes sense to have different types of schedules to meet the needs of each of the different parties involved in a job.
Construction schedules can be organized by categories according to:
Regardless of how a construction schedule is categorized, common types of construction schedules include a:
Flexbase has the software and expertise to assist you with all types of construction schedules. Click here to get started.
A construction schedule benefits all parties involved in any project regardless of the size.
Getting the work done on time and within budget are two of the greatest rewards of a construction schedule — but there are more.
Everyone wants a quality product and a pleased client at the end of a construction project. A thoughtful and executed construction schedule can go a long way in guaranteeing both of those when the necessary supplies are available at the right time.
Though some unforeseen surprises are inevitable at times, a well-planned schedule helps mitigate some of those unexpected issues and provide greater management over the end result.
Small-scale and large-scale construction projects alike require a vast array of resources, labor, and materials.
Planning for each phase of the plan ahead of time guarantees that:
Safety is of utmost concern with any type of construction project, and a schedule can help you know what safety equipment you’ll need so you can have it on hand when you need it.
Timing of activities on a construction project is critical to efficiency and meeting deadlines.
Having a schedule of labor helps everyone working on the project be able to sync their tasks and work together.
This type of schedule benefits:
Construction schedules can be formatted in a variety of ways. The type of project and project priorities may determine which format you choose, but they are all designed to facilitate the process of scheduling.
In construction, some activities can be delayed easier than others.
The critical path method (CPM) uses information like time scale and the order of the work to be done to identify which tasks cannot be delayed.
Tasks labeled as critical path tasks help contractors know how to make adjustments when delays occur.
A Gantt chart is a graph where each bar is a task to be completed. Each individual task is placed on the graph according to the time the task needs to be done. The length of each bar corresponds to the expected duration of the activity.
The Gantt chart is the most common format used in construction schedules and Gantt charts can be linked to show how tasks are related to one another.
Line of balance (LOB) formatting is ideal for projects involving teams that are doing repetitive jobs. If several teams need the same equipment, LOB formatting can help guarantee the efficient use of both the equipment and the crew.
Q scheduling combines the Gantt chart and the line of balance formats to consider the order of individual activities and the materials and equipment needed for each one.
The following frequently asked questions may be informative if you have questions about:
Creating a construction schedule involves getting an overall picture of the project, which includes consideration of the objectives, risks, constraints, scope, budget, priorities, timeline, resources, and materials.
Once tasks have been prioritized, timelines set, and funding considered, the following steps can be used to create a construction schedule:
Follow the steps below to successfully manage a construction schedule:
Construction scheduling software is not always a necessity, especially on smaller and simpler projects. If the size and the scope of the project are relatively small, you may be able to use a simple tool like Microsoft Excel.
But for projects with a larger scope, construction scheduling software would be valuable and beneficial.
The benefits of using software particularly designed for construction scheduling are varied:
Choosing the right software will depend on functionality and how complex you need the software to be.
Construction templates are numerous and many can be found online.
Some popular templates include:
If you have tried to schedule your construction projects on your own and found the task to be more than challenging, Flexbase can make the task of scheduling easy, stress-free, efficient, and productive.
Flexbase can help keep your construction project on target because we have the integration capabilities necessary to create a construction schedule that perfectly fits your needs no matter the size or scope of your project.
We offer so much more than construction scheduling assistance. Flexbase is your one-stop-shop for all of your construction-related administrative tasks.
Construction administration and scheduling don’t have to be difficult and complicated.
Flexbase’s automated systems do the hard work for you so you can focus your energy on building your construction business.
Click here to schedule your demo.