When it comes to managing construction, you may be overwhelmed by the millions of parts you need to manage, organize, and keep track of. Many people work on them, including architects, engineers, suppliers, trade partners, general contractors who handle subcontractors, and the project owner. As a result, it is critical to conduct a meeting before the actual building phase starts to ensure that all stakeholders are working toward the same goal.
A preconstruction meeting is usually held before a building job starts. At these meetings, key project stakeholders will discuss cost figures, quality control, a safety plan, permits, worker schedules, and more.
In this article, we will explore preconstruction, who should attend a preconstruction meeting, and what to discuss to get the most out of it. But first, let’s start with the basics.
What is A Preconstruction Meeting?
The preconstruction meeting, as the name suggests, is held before the actual construction phase starts. The client and project team, which includes staff from the construction company, consultants, and contractors, get together to set up authority and communication, make sure everyone knows their roles, look for potential problems, and make plans for a successful project before they start working on the site. This is where all details about the project are laid out, including exceptions, scope, and deliverables to the project, jobs are made clear, and ways to lower risks are discussed. The budget and schedule are also discussed with everyone involved in the upcoming building job.
As mentioned earlier, construction projects are made up of many separate teams of contractors and subcontractors, each of whom is in charge of a different part of the bigger picture. Each person has their own set of skills, but they all need to work together to make the building or thing being built whole.
So, the preconstruction meeting is the first step toward bringing together all the workers working on other parts of the project. Everyone working on the project must agree on its goals and aims, and there needs to be clear communication between them.
The Importance of Preconstruction Meetings
A preconstruction meeting is helpful because it ensures that every person involved in the project has access to the same information and knows exactly what needs to be done during the construction phase to ensure the project’s successful completion.
At the preconstruction meeting, it will be apparent if the project’s scope needs to be better thought out or if the specs and quality standards need to be clarified. These things should be known before the job starts so they can be addressed without throwing off the schedule or budget. You can also discuss any potential problems that could get in the way so that the team knows to look out for them and knows what to do if they show up.
It also gives the people who have a stake in the matter a chance to ask questions and provide feedback. Even though there may be questions during the project, getting most of them answered before the work starts saves time and makes the project go more quickly.
Who Should Attend Preconstruction Meetings?
Everyone involved in planning the building should attend the preconstruction. This ensures that everyone working on the job, no matter their role, knows precisely what needs to be done and when it needs to be done.
The preconstruction meeting will include people with a stake in the project, such as the owner, producer, contractor, architect, and engineer on record. Sometimes, you also need to involve some people from the local government depending on the project’s scope, such as a plan review engineer, planner, building inspector, public works staff, and traffic engineer.
What Should Be on the Agenda of a Preconstruction Meeting?
Now that you know what a preconstruction meeting is and who should be involved, it is time to cover what items need to be discussed.
Introductions
The meeting starts with everyone introducing themselves. Some people who were just hired to do the specific scope of the job will be there, and most of them have yet to meet each other. As people are introduced, they will give each other their phone numbers and addresses and provide different ways to get in touch with the general contractor, project foreman, engineer, project manager, project inspectors, owner, and their reps to ensure proper communication and close collaboration throughout the project’s progress.
Roles and Responsibilities
This meeting is an excellent place to describe the roles and duties. Everyone should know how they fit into the bigger picture and take accountability for their tasks. Everyone should know their jobs and how to contact someone if they have any questions.
Scope of Work
The contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers will be responsible for tasks and duties that fall under their scope and come with the project. This is usually written down in the work plan to ensure everyone knows what’s in and out of reach. The more information, the better. You can then talk about milestones, how often you will report, deliverables, and the outcome.
Material Details
Talk about the different building supplies that will be sent to the site, like abrasives, coats, thinners, caulks, and more. Materials are often sent to the job site with a certificate saying that they are in line with the contract papers. The person who accepts the materials should look over papers like the material takeoff or bill of materials.
Building Plans and Specifications
Look over the building documents and drawings that the project team needs to understand the most. Each one must be carefully reviewed, and everyone must discuss the most critical parts.
Construction Schedules
During preconstruction, the start and end times need to be discussed and finalized. The project team will also be given the aligned work schedule, and any possible problems, like road limits, lousy weather, or problems with the site, will be discussed. The general contractor will discuss how long the job is expected to take and flag considerations such as whether work will continue on holidays and weekends.
Finalizing Costs and Budgets
It is critical to ensure everyone agrees on the building budget and cost estimates. This way, everyone knows how much money is set aside for materials, labor, overhead, and more. This will help the project stay on budget and avoid any mistakes that can significantly impact cost and time.
Site Safety
Figure out the building site’s safety risks so that the project team can work safely. If the site needs a safety professional, introduce them. Please talk about the site’s conditions, how to get to it, any problems with controlling erosion and sediment, the site’s boundaries, how to clean up the site when the project is over, and so on.
Payment Plans
The contract’s payment terms and conditions will be discussed, and a schedule of values should be used to keep track of the money paid to workers. The exact parts of the project and the different ways to pay will also be discussed. Discuss how much work needs to be done before payment can be made and whether and how split payments can be made.
Tips on How to Get Ready for a Preconstruction Meeting
Everyone attending a preconstruction meeting should be ready to discuss the issues and their jobs. The better everyone is prepared, the faster and better the meeting will go. In this section, we will share a few tips and tricks for getting ready for a preconstruction meeting.
Get Your Questions Ready
Writing down essential questions before the meeting ends can help you remember to ask them when it ends. This is especially important if you are worried about the time frame or building schedule.
Prepare All Essential Documents
Get together all of the essential papers, blueprints, and building plans.
It is essential to have all the paperwork you need on hand for a preconstruction meeting. If the client or builder wants, these papers could be sent electronically beforehand. However, you should still bring them to the meeting in case you need to look them up quickly.
Collate All Visual Tools
The builder or contractor should bring videos, diagrams, and other visual tools to the meeting before the project starts. The information in your documentation is excellent, but these visual tools are even better. They help the team come up with more specific questions. It all depends on the job.
Send Out the Agenda
Before the meeting starts, you must send a copy of the plan to everyone on the team. This helps them prepare for the conference, such as coming up with questions or being ready to give a short talk about their job when asked.
Utilize Construction Management Software
Using construction management software can help you disseminate information more efficiently and effectively. It can bridge the gap between the office and the field and lets you have a clear overview of the project’s scope, budget, and schedules.
Key Takeaway
Conducting a preconstruction meeting might seem tedious at first, but it can make or break your project’s success in the long run. The project’s success may depend on how well the preconstruction meetings are conducted, how much information is shared, and how well they are managed. It is critical to keep everyone on the same page at the same time and ensure everyone is aware of their tasks and responsibilities.
