8 Ways to Streamline Your Construction Projects

Streamlining your construction projects is increasingly important as pressure builds on you and your peers in the industry to accomplish greater production faster.

Market demand continues to increase, with tighter schedules and budgets. Following are eight ways to streamline your construction projects, so you can meet demand, while remaining relevant and competitive:

1.  Data – You have access to a lot of information on your projects, and it’s a valuable resource. That data may come from estimates, budgets, building information modeling (BIM), logistics, billings, labor/timesheets/payroll, vendor deliveries, accounting, and jobsite photos. First you need to make sure it’s accurate quality information. Then find a way to organize, integrate and use that quality data for your current and future jobs. The products on the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform were designed for that very purpose.

2.  Automation – Automate your repetitive workflows to save time. It seems like a no-brainer to do so, since labor is both expensive and in short supply. So, look into implementing new technologies that mesh with your company’s goals. Whether it’s new software, AR/VR, drones, 3D printing, or some other technology, choose something that enables you to impress your customers, while saving you time and money. If you don’t have the time to research what’s available, partner with a reputable technology company to help you.

Want to learn more? Get the lowdown on Autodesk Construction Cloud.

3.  BIM – Using 3D BIM models can give you the competitive advantage you may be looking for. If you’re not using BIM yet, you are missing out on a whole world of benefits, including:

• 3D models rich in data you can use now and later;
• the ability to visualize the entire project in advance;
• agile reaction to changes and requests for information;
• clash checking before construction.

4.  Materials – Make it a goal to get accurate materials counts on your projects. Accurate quantity takeoffs let you take advantage of the best pricing options. A product like Autodesk Takeoff in Autodesk Build can help.

5.  Collaboration – Involve all the stakeholders on your project from the very beginning. Communication and collaboration are most effective when you use a single source of truth.

6.  Sustainability – Consider sustainable practices on your jobs. Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it can be a way to save your business significant expense. You can reduce the cost of your projects by reducing waste. According to a BigRentz blog, up to 30% of new materials delivered to construction sites go unused and end up being discarded. This presents an opportunity for companies to increase efficiency and save money by using reclaimed/recycled materials. Lean practices may be an option for your company’s processes. You may also be able to implement modular or prefabrication, even if on a limited scale, for faster, less wasteful processes.

7.  Supply chains – Supply chain challenges can be one of the biggest disruptions companies face to delivering a project on time. Monitoring supply chain issues will help you anticipate delays and plan your project better.

8.  Safety – Make safety everyone’s responsibility. No one goes into a project thinking a serious accident will happen. Yet safety incidents can and do shut down construction projects entirely, short or long term.

Using these eight suggestions will help you start streamlining your construction projects today. You can be part of the industry’s efforts to meet construction demand, while adjusting adroitly to those tighter schedules and budgets.

Get started on streamlining your construction projects today by downloading the free guide, “Ways to Deliver Better Projects Using Autodesk Build.”