Contractors are often the most misunderstood parties in construction projects. They are usually the villains everyone loves to blame when things go wrong.
However, the purpose of this article is to give you a better understanding of who contractors are, the challenges they face, and how understanding your contractor can contribute significantly to the success of your construction project.
There are a few important things every client should understand about contractors.
1. You Are Responsible for the Contractor You Choose
Choosing a contractor is a very important decision, and it should never be taken lightly.
Just like choosing a spouse or a business partner, you must exercise proper care when selecting a contractor because you cannot fundamentally change a person’s character, attitude, or mindset.
You can only identify someone who already possesses the right qualities and then make the best use of their abilities.
Unfortunately, this is where some building owners make mistakes. They may engage contractor based on one criteria such as cost then spend considerable time and energy trying to make that person conform to their expectations.
The better approach is to choose someone who already possesses the right mindset, professional attitude, integrity, and commitment to delivering quality work.
When you select the right contractor, you are more likely to have a successful project, even when you are not physically present to supervise every activity.
In fact, a good contractor should be able to deliver a successful project whether you are on-site, away on business, or even asleep.
The lesson here is simple:
Choose the right person from the beginning rather than trying to change the wrong person along the way.
2. Contracting Is Not an Easy Job
One of the biggest misconceptions about construction contracting is that it is an easy business.
This misconception partly explains why we have so many abandoned projects, disputes, and misunderstandings within the construction industry as people who do not have the required training claim to be contractors.
Many people venture into contracting believing that all they need is some technical knowledge, a few workers, and access to construction projects.
However, successfully executing a construction project from beginning to completion requires much more than technical knowledge.
It demands excellent management skills, sound judgment, intelligence, planning, coordination, and the ability to make important decisions under pressure.
A contractor constantly balances several competing responsibilities while ensuring that the project meets its objectives.
Completing a project according to its specifications, within the agreed budget, and within the expected timeframe requires considerable professional competence.
This is why contracting should never be underestimated.
3. Your Contractor Deals With More Challenges Than You May Realize
Another important thing to understand is that your contractor deals with a considerable number of challenges throughout the construction process.
Construction projects are naturally stressful because they involve numerous activities, professionals, suppliers, workers, and stakeholders who must all work together toward a common objective.
Your contractor is constantly managing these responsibilities while trying to ensure that everything progresses smoothly.
As a client, one of the best things you can do is to make the contractor’s job easier through proper communication, cooperation, and a clear understanding of the project’s requirements.
When clients unnecessarily add to the pressure a contractor is already experiencing, it can negatively affect the contractor’s judgment and decision-making.
This does not mean that contractors should not be held accountable. Rather, it means that clients should understand the pressures involved and avoid creating unnecessary complications.
A less stressful and more cooperative working environment encourages better decision-making and ultimately contributes to a more successful project.
The Many People and Activities a Contractor Must Manage
To appreciate the complexity of contracting, consider the number of people and activities that may be involved in a typical building project.
A contractor may have to coordinate with:
– Government agencies and regulatory bodies
– Electricians
– Plumbers
– Carpenters
– Masons
– Tilers
– Painters
– Paving teams
– Roofing teams
– Handrail installers
– Precast concrete teams
– Window installers
– Door installers
– Cabinet installers
– Air-conditioning technicians
– Iron benders
– Concrete casting teams
– Suppliers and other construction personnel
-Other building professionals
And ultimately, the building owner.
Beyond these, the contractor must also deal with unexpected visitors to the construction site, revisions to drawings, changes in specifications, logistics, transportation, accommodation, and several other operational matters.
Each of these activities comes with its own challenges, and many involve individuals with different personalities, expectations, and personal interests.
Managing people can be particularly difficult because human beings are not always predictable.
There is always something happening within these various areas of responsibility, and without proper coordination, the entire project can quickly become overwhelming.
This is one of the reasons why a contractor needs strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
4. Your Contractor Is Also a Project Manager
Whether consciously or unconsciously, every contractor is involved in project management.
Project management is not simply about supervising workers or ensuring that construction activities take place. It involves coordinating several important elements that determine whether a project succeeds or fails.
These include:
**Project Scope**
The contractor must understand exactly what is expected to be done, the extent of the work, and the specifications that must be followed.
**Time and Scheduling**
Every project operates within a timeframe. The contractor must plan activities, coordinate different trades, and ensure that work progresses according to the project schedule.
**Cost Management**
The contractor must manage the financial aspects of construction, including labour costs, material costs, and other expenses required to complete the work.
**Quality Management**
Completing a project is not enough. The work must also meet the required quality standards and specifications.
**Procurement**
Construction requires a constant supply of materials, equipment, and other resources.
The contractor must ensure that the right materials are purchased and delivered when needed to avoid unnecessary delays.
**Human Resource Management**
The contractor must assemble the right team, coordinate workers, assign responsibilities, and ensure that everyone contributes effectively to the project.
**Stakeholder Management**
Different individuals and organizations have interests in a construction project.
Managing these relationships requires patience, diplomacy, and a considerable amount of emotional intelligence.
In fact, human resource management and stakeholder management are among the most critical aspects of construction project management.
They require the contractor to spend considerable time dealing with people, resolving disagreements, managing expectations, and maintaining productive working relationships.
**Communication Management**
Of all these responsibilities, I consider communication to be one of the most important.
Communication is what binds the different elements of a construction project together.
You can have an excellent design, adequate funding, competent workers, and a well-prepared schedule, but without effective communication, the project can still run into serious difficulties.
Poor communication leads to misunderstandings, mistakes, delays, disagreements, and unnecessary expenses.
On the other hand, effective communication ensures that everyone understands what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be executed.
This is why I believe that communication is one of the most important keys to a successful construction project.
Everything may appear to be going well, but once communication breaks down, other aspects of the project can begin to suffer.
Conclusion
Your contractor deals with far more responsibilities than may be immediately apparent.
Beyond the physical construction work, there are people to manage, materials to procure, schedules to coordinate, costs to control, quality standards to maintain, and countless decisions to make.
Understanding these responsibilities can help you develop a better working relationship with your contractor and improve your chances of completing a successful project.
As a client, two important things you can do are to choose your contractor carefully from the beginning and understand the demands of the contractor’s role.
Choose someone who already has the right mindset, professional competence, and character rather than attempting to change someone who does not.
And once you have selected the right contractor, maintain clear communication, encourage cooperation, and avoid creating unnecessary pressure.
A successful construction project is not just about having a good design or enough money. It is also about having the right contractor and maintaining the right working relationship throughout the project.
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