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The 5 Most Common Construction Project Conflicts

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With any construction project, there will inevitably be unforeseen issues that have the potential to delay or entirely derail the process. While you can’t know exactly what may arise, you can prepare for the more common problems and take preventative measures to avoid them.

To help you with that, let’s discuss the 5 most common construction project conflicts.

#1 Project Management Conflicts

A construction project is a highwire juggling act. Even simple projects have dozens of moving pieces—each of which could cause hiccups or delays. When it comes to project management, the most frequent issues that your team may run into include:

  • Communication errors between key stakeholders and crews

  • Delayed timelines

  • Problems with documentation processes

  • Contractual disagreements

  • Unclear project vision

  • Contract errors and omissions

How to avoid project management problems: It's important to partner with the right construction management team—one that is experienced, reputable, and transparent.

#2 Environmental Permitting

Even in low-regulation states, environmental permitting can be a long and frustrating process, but it becomes even more so in high-regulation states (like California or New York). And to make matters worse, regulatory agencies make frequent updates and changes. Failure to address those—even minor issues—could result in significant delays.

How to prevent environmental permitting delays: Being proactive is essential. If there are potential ecological or environmental considerations, they should be planned and accounted for from the outset. Start the permitting process early on because the turnaround time can be incredibly slow, especially if water is involved.

#3 Substandard Soil Conditions

The ground at a construction site must be suitable for the project. It’s not only an environmental concern but a construction concern since it's considered a type of construction material. You must consider:

  • Whether the soil is granular or fine

  • Erosion vulnerability

  • Soil resistance

  • Unexpected water issues

How to address this issue: These conditions will impact the foundations and what’s possible to build. Soil samples must be gathered early on via geotechnical drilling to understand the geological conditions and determine early on whether the project is viable.

#4 Bad Weather

Unfortunately, this factor is mostly out of your control. But inclement weather remains one of the most frequent causes of persistent delays. Rain and snow especially are common culprits.

How to prepare for bad weather: Here, planning is critical. Projects should ideally be scheduled with seasonal weather patterns in mind. Additionally, creating contingency plans can help ensure that certain work can still be done even when weather delays occur.

#5 Right-of-Way Issues

Some projects begin without first verifying that they have the legal right-of-way. Or they fail to realize that there’s a pre-existing easement on the property. When this happens, the project will either be delayed until a redesign is complete to address the issue or must be scrapped entirely.

How to prevent this: It’s important that you do your due diligence and confirm right-of-way ownership before getting deep into the process. For this, it's beneficial to perform a title search and then hire a professional surveyor.

MFS Construction—Say Goodbye to Construction Headaches

Anytime a project is delayed it can lead to significant losses, even jeopardize the project at large. So, how do you avoid these common issues?

You must be judicious about who you select as your construction firm. At MFS Construction, we provide expertise in project management, design-build, general contracting, and more. Our team knows what it takes to ensure that a project is completed on time and on budget.

Interested in finding out more? Contact us today!