Whether it’s your maiden construction work as a firm or something you have been doing for years, the seeds of a successful construction project are sown right in how you begin it. There is a very old and famous adage “well begun is half done” and this can’t be truer for any industry other than construction. A bad planning can result in delay and cost overruns and a whole lot of other unexpected disasters. And those have the power to skittle the greatest of projects and all the skills of manpower and experience of manager can’t do much to restore the situation back to normal.

To ensure you get more ups than downs while working on your project, and to improve your chances of success, we are presenting you with 4 important steps you must take before starting a new construction projects. The biggest construction companies follow these like mandatory rituals and you must too. After all, to be a master, you have to learn from one. Right..??

• Make a checklist:  Might seem like the simplest of things, however it is not. There is a lot of thinking, planning and strategizing that goes on here. Note down everything you require doing before work can start on the site, from license to permit to job site storage. Check them off as you go. This will ascertain even the smallest of stuffs are not forgotten. As it turns out, these small stuffs – if forgotten or neglected – turn into massive irritant at the most inopportune time.

• Prepare and stick to a timeline: Even small projects can have a lot of moving parts. Permitting, mobile office delivery and getting your team ready are all tasks that move at their own pace. Charting your checklist on a calendar will help you prioritize where to spend your time, from the moment you win the job to the day the first hammer drops.

• Anticipate delays: Delay will occur and there is no escaping that. No matter how meticulously you plan and strategize every aspect or process of construction. Productivity loss due to workers’ injury or sickness, accidents, bad weather, lost paperwork, and change orders can scuttle your smooth sailing ship of work throwing your hard-earned schedule out of control. The world will never be perfect, so plan on delays and give yourself breathing room when possible. This combined with your timeline and checklist will reveal delays sooner, so you can avoid last-minute surprises that upset your customers.

• Get the most out of your resources: You may have compiled the very best and talented of teams. Chances are they own, or have been supplied, the most advance of tools and equipment. But it takes more than that to get a job completed on time and on budget. One of the best ways to keep your job on track is use suppliers you trust. Ask them if they can help with other services such as temporary labor, portable sanitation, furniture for your mobile office and more. Just a few calls may save you time and money — the two things we all need most.