Early Detection of Construction Phase Issues: The Use of Construction Documents to Identify Potential Problems Before They Become Disputes

Cost and schedule “surprises” are more efficiently managed through the early identification of issues. This paper will provide practical guidance to Owners, Design Professionals and Contractors on how the wealth of underutilized data which is contained within standard construction phase documentation such as RFIs, PCOs, and submittals as well as underlying schedule information can be utilized to provide an early warning of potential issues thereby allowing project participants an opportunity to avoid and/or mitigate potential cost and schedule impacts.

Construction documents are reflective of the clarity of the Contract Documents and the Contractor’s understanding of them. “Excessive” questions or re-submittals regarding a particular specification or drawing can be indicative of problems with the drawing/spec or a contractor that lacks the understanding, either of which can lead to issues. Categorizing and tracking RFI’s and submittals by Specification/Drawing Number and by Type/Cause will enable the early identification of such issues.

Basic reviews of CPM Schedules monitor progress and changes to network logic or activity calendars. These reviews only provide a cursory level status of the project. An advanced review of the schedule data including the Critical Band, Start Activity Index and Finish Activity Index can provide a more in-depth status of not only the number activities that are sensitive to external influences but also whether the contractor is employing sufficient resources on the Project to meet the completion date.

Registration Deadline: June 12, 2020
Registration Fees Waived 
Please Click Here to Register

David M. Ponte, PE, Managing Director, Nautilus Consulting, LLC  
David has more than 30 years of experience in the design, construction, and management of large, complex construction projects. This experience includes the preparation of detailed construction cost estimates and project budgets; development of large, complex CPM schedules, and the preparation/analysis of construction claims. David has provided strategic risk management and dispute resolution expertise to owners, contractors, design professionals, insurance carriers, and attorneys.
In addition, David is a contributing author to several construction claim related publications, has published several articles on construction cost estimates, and has presented on numerous topics pertaining to construction claims.
His area of expertise includes the forensic analysis of complex design and construction issues; development and analysis of multifaceted CPM schedules; preparation of detailed expert opinions/reports encompassing both technical and quantum construction issues; as well as the development & analysis of construction costs and budgets.