The Wall Street Journal introduces an uplifting thought: the presence and expansion of industrial space in the US is apparently at a 10 year high. In even more idealistic news, real estate studies show that Philadelphia is one of five markets that encompasses more than half of the nationwide development.
Stemming from my last blog on the up rise of e-commerce—you guessed it—food delivery services’ warehouses and online retailer fulfillment centers are the main culprit. Commercial real estate translation: there is now a need for more competitive construction as the demand for these spaces grows, and rent sees a spike from demand. For landlords aiming to make facilities as marketable as possible with less cost per square foot, turning to a competitive general contractor who understands the following can go a long way in mitigating risk.
Industrial construction has a unique need for time management, more so than project management in other sectors. The CLMA (Construction Labor Market Analyzer) emphasizes a few techniques for paying attention to time management and avoiding costly delays that can derail a project.
1. Lay Out Your “Plan of Attack” Early
Whether contractually or internally, prepare for potential risks and deadlocks during pre-construction. Create business interruption provisions and procedures that set conditional next steps in the case of disturbances.
2. Periodic Check-Ins
Follow up on timeline and your team’s progress systematically. Set meetings to keep everyone on top of issues and material needs that may present themselves. Tackle these issues head-on so that they are dealt with early on without significant delay. No project goes without unexpected pop-ups. The ability to catch concerns early is the secret to preventing an impact from these situations.
3. Multi-Location Presence
Coordinating on-site and office needs can seem like a juggling act. There needs to be a connection between not only the job site and PM team behind it, but also the broader teams supporting fulfillment: the owner, architect, engineer, etc. The bottom line is a need for communication across all parties.
Some effective ways of accomplishing this:
– Some firms employ a “liaison” type manager who visits each party throughout a project to confirm alignment of goals.
– More and more construction managers turn to technology for up to date connectivity. There are countless smart phone apps generating daily reports and updates for each member of the team to ensure each asset is being tracked and monitored for safety and efficiency with identical standards.
4. Training and Safety
Remaining mindful of safety and how to manage compromising situations is crucial in any type of construction, but especially in projects as large-scale as an industrial facility. CLMA advises encouraging ongoing training so that responses to problems are smooth and potentially life-saving.
For more tips and time management tactics from CLMA, visit: http://www.myclma.com/time-management-tips-on-industrial-construction-sites/
Additional Sources Referenced:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/industrial-real-estate-gains-momentum-on-strong-appetite-for-space-1496777271