Construction project resources are not easy. A simple mistake can derail the project for several months or even years. In some cases, the project can be derailed by external factors that you do not have control over. Other factors that can derail a construction project are price volatility in the international market and litigation.
One internal factor that can cause a construction project to fail is poor resource management. In the construction world, resource management is the process of planning and scheduling resources to ensure a Construction Project Resources is completed successfully. Several resources are required during construction.
Types of construction resources
Human resources
Human resources would be considered by many as the most crucial resource in a construction project. Without people, no construction project can succeed. Some personnel that are required in a construction project are:
Architects- Their work is to plan and create a construction blueprint based on developer needs.
Quantity surveyor- The work of a quantity surveyor is to advise contractors on costs.
Supervisor- A supervisor works as an intermediary between management and field workers.
Engineers- Engineers bring construction expertise to the project. For example, an electrical engineer does the wiring while structural engineers ensure the structure is safe.
Construction workers- They are the engines of every construction project that convert blueprints into reality. Without them, no construction work can happen.
Equipment
Another critical resource required in every construction project is equipment. Equipment can range from heavy machinery to small tools such as shovels and hammers. Equipment is expensive, and they are always in limited supply. Examples of construction equipment are; excavators, bulldozers, and cranes.
Materials
Material resources are essential because construction projects cannot take off without them. Examples of material resources include cement, wood, concrete, clay, and metal.
Facilities
Another construction resource worth mentioning is a facility. Facilities improve your worker’s welfare and also enable them to work efficiently. Some of the facilities required to be on-site include a canteen, living accommodations, toilet facilities, and changing rooms.
It is vital to optimize your construction resources because it helps reduce costs. If you opt for a construction optioneering platform such as ALICE Technologies, you will be able to access vital financial indicators such as revenue, expenses, and profit margins.
6 Tips for Optimizing Construction Project Resources
1. Use an AI-powered construction and simulation platform
If you are going to optimize your project resources, the best way to do it is to use AI-powered construction software. This is much better than using Excel spreadsheets which are prone to human entry errors. An AI-powered simulation platform will make it easy for you to know how many resources are required or remaining to achieve a project milestone.
Simulation platforms will analyze several scenarios to make it easy for you to identify the best resource allocation strategy. In addition, such platforms facilitate the identification of design errors that can cost you money.
2. Understand your resource capabilities
If you are to optimize your resources, you will have to know what you have and what you lack. You should break down your resources based on categories such as human resources, equipment, and materials. Once you do this, you will be required to assign your resources to a specific project based on a milestone.
What you should be careful of is resource overallocation. This happens when a particular resource is overstretched. A good example is when you assign your team members more tasks than they can handle within a given time frame. Overallocation should be avoided because it can result in unproductivity, resulting in expensive construction delays.
3. Improve your plan
Managers create construction plans as a blueprint of how a structure will be handled and manifested. During the planning stage, the construction manager must identify all available resources and distribute them where they are needed most. The plan must include all construction project details to ensure finite resources are optimized.
Metals that must be included in the construction plan are the number of workers needed, materials, and the budget. Ensure that you do not leave out critical information such as the number of plumbers, painters, and electricians involved in the project.
4. Listen to your workers
Your workers are among the most crucial resources in a construction project. They are your eyes and ears in the field. When you hire experienced workers, you can rest assured that they will be able to spot holes in your plan and advise you accordingly.
Experienced workers can also identify small tasks that could have been left out in your schedule, which are just as important as the big projects. Therefore, create a collaborative culture between senior management and their workers.
5. Only hire skilled employees
If you’re planning to optimize your resources, you must ensure that the employees you hire are skilled and qualified. If you employ unskilled labor, you risk causing construction delays because they will be unproductive. Another problem with hiring unskilled labor is that they can cause costly mistakes, especially if they err in reading and implementing the construction blueprint.
6. Train your staff
Another strategy for optimizing your resources is to ensure that your team is well-trained. Some of the construction skills your staff must have are hand-eye coordination, communication skills, and problem-solving tactics. If your workers are qualified, you can rest assured that you will see increased productivity.
Lastly, you should have an effective communication environment to enhance communication among contractors and subcontractors. You can use modern communication platforms that hold people accountable and make sending files and documents easy. If you create an effective communication channel, everyone will know what is required of them, improving efficiency.
