
7 common mistakes most contractors do
Every project that you carry out will involve a certain level of risk. From safety issues to cost and estimation challenges, being prepared for such risks can help smoothen even the most complicated projects.
Unfortunately, many contractors make common mistakes when it comes to implementing their daily workflows. Some ignore essential safety measures, while others rely on manual processes to prepare budgets and designs. Being aware of these mistakes is a critical first step towards avoiding them in the future.
Safety is essential in any workplace. The construction industry is disproportionately affected by accidents and injuries, and contractors who ignore safety are more likely to incur high costs and disruptions to projects. Even a single slip/fall accident could result in serious injury or death of an employee. This is why contractors should always priorities safety on site.
Keeping track of your finances in real time is the best way of avoiding high costs and improving your bottom line. However, many contractors lag behind in proper accounting practices. Whether you’re still using spreadsheets or taking too long to report expenditures, such mistakes may inhibit your ability to meet your financial goals.Hiring an accountant or accounting firm is also an excellent way of keeping your books in good order.
The construction industry is one of the top employers in Saudi Arabia. However, many talented workers are moving to other sectors, such as finance and technology. As innovative tools become more common in construction, you’ll need qualified workers to help you implement this technology. Hiring the wrong people will increase costs and lower productivity.
Budgeting is an essential part of construction work. Your company needs to be able to estimate project costs in detail by considering material, labor, supplier, and customer variables. In this way, you can provide more accurate quotes to customers and avoid underestimating your expenses.
Many construction projects are won via competitive bids. Therefore, you’ll need to develop a strategy for presenting competitive prices to customers. But this doesn’t mean that you should simply offer the lowest price available. Unrealistically low bids will only result in further costs down the line when you find out that you can’t sustain the quote that you provided.
Instead, focus on areas where you can cut costs without compromising on quality. You may have access to discounted prices for a specific material, or you may specialist in a building process better than others can. Use competitive advantage to attract clients and projects.
Whether you rent or own construction machines, predictive maintenance will help you reduce costs over time. A common mistake contractors make is to neglect their equipment while still expecting it to work.
Avoid unnecessary downtime by developing maintenance schedules for your bulldozers, cranes, excavators, etc. An even better approach is to use sensors that transmit signals in real time. This will allow you to find out when specific machines require maintenance.
Many contractors don’t have checks and balances for ensuring the quality of their workflows. Without proper controls in place, you can’t achieve consistency and customer satisfaction with every completed project. Make sure you develop a framework for quality management from top to bottom.
projects or even worse, disgruntled clients. Even if you’re confident about your construction experience, take time to listen to what your clients are saying.
The first step is being aware of these common mistakes, and the second step is choosing a solution. Embrace the digital solution to some of these problems by transitioning from manual to digital estimating. Dar AL Mamar is a natural estimating solution designed to save time, minimize error and increase accuracy.
Start a free trial today to simplify even the most complicated projects.