In today’s construction world, more and more time and resources are spent on scheduling, and with good reason, too. With the high cost of construction loans and general conditions, contractors and developers alike can agree that the sooner we hand over a building the better for all those involved. Project milestones, proper sequencing, and task and crew logic are all scheduling terms that are thrown around on a weekly basis when discussing how we get the job done as soon as possible.
But what if I told you there was something else besides scheduling that can hold up progress on your project just as much as a missing drywall crew or bad schedule logic? Wouldn’t that be something we need to be cognizant of?
I am talking about inspections, of course. Inspections are a necessary step in the construction process to provide a third-party audit that the work meets all code requirements to give future occupants a safe place to live and work. And while necessary, inspections can pose a huge roadblock to the scheduling progress. Can’t pass an inspection? Well, good luck maintaining that workflow you had.
So how does The Douglas Company pass inspections on our projects? Before the first shovel is in the ground, we meet with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) and discuss everything pertaining to inspections: who to call, when to call, order of inspections, fees, permits, etc.
In the lead-up to calling an inspection, we scour the work put in place and verify for ourselves that we are ready to have it looked at. Our quality check process leads our site staff through each room to ensure inspections are passed the first time.
By having a proactive approach both before and during construction, The Douglas Company is able to limit the time lost on our projects due to re-inspections. This helps us keep our commitments through proactive attention to detail and execution, just as our Core Values state.
So next time you fire up your scheduling software, check when those inspections are called in.
Chris Vasel, P.E.
Project Manager
The Douglas Company
