The ten common problems to avoid when starting a construction project

There are a lot of elements to get right when embarking on a construction project and undoubtably two of the most important elements are delivering on time and to budget.

As Quantity Surveyors, we do a lot more than just count bricks! A Quantity Surveyor is an integral part of the construction process and key to delivering the two above elements of ‘on time’ and ‘to budget’.

There are a lot of common problems that people face when starting a construction project on their home or land. The option that people face is either to manage the project yourself or employ specialist support. This is the type of support that we provide every day.

We have come up with what we see as ten of the most common problems and will be releasing a number of short, bitesize articles to outline these in detail along with how a Quantity Surveyor can help avoid them. These problems are:

1. Not knowing what your budget should be
2. Lack of knowledge of reliable contractors
3. Assurance that all necessary work had been included and priced for
4. Your chosen builder has given you a fair price
5. Whether your builder and you are covered by a nationally recognised contract
6. Whether the programme (or timeframe) of work is being stuck to by your builder
7. The builder is asking for more money than the value of work undertaken
8. Paying over the odds for design / work being charged due to circumstances beyond your control
9. Assurance that specification is being adhered to and the work of industry accepted quality
10. There are disagreements about work and the builder leaves site