Any successful construction project has to begin with a sound foundation. Once you’re confident that what’s underneath is solid, you can rest easy knowing that the entire structure is much more likely to stand the test of time. The same principle applies to the process of planning it. Without the right amount of thought put into the earliest stages, your project will be much shakier than you want it to be. Poor planning at the beginning results in being caught off-guard by delays and cost overruns.
To avoid this becoming a problem with your home improvement project, it’s important to focus your efforts on creating the most cost-effective plan you can as early as possible. For example, you’ll want to establish productivity metrics at the onset and then watch them closely while you work. This will enable you to spot issues much sooner and give you time to react before it has a serious impact on your schedule. Using takeoff software is another reliable means of streamlining your process. It tracks the amount of materials needed as well as their current market prices. Additionally, although it may not affect how much the work costs, you’ll want to protect your most precious assets by sending your kids to stay with relatives to keep them out of harm’s way during construction.
Unless you do some thinking ahead of time, your next job may be on less-than-solid ground. For more tips on creating cost-effective projects, see the accompanying infographic.
Author bio: Lonnie Keplar is Sales Manager at PrebuiltML, a provider of construction software built for professionals providing flooring, painting, roofing and other construction services. PrebuiltML was founded in 2012 to help automate the construction project from start to finish.
