Construction Law

Handling Construction Delays the Right Way Part 1 featured image

Handling Construction Delays the Right Way Part 1

If you’re dealing with project delays, it’s critical that you handle them properly. If a delay claim needs to be filed, but it is not handled promptly, it can be harder to prepare and document the claim. As a result, your preparation costs will increase, and your negotiations may be halted which will make it that much harder to resolve the claim. For this reason, our Sarasota construction attorneys urge construction professionals to handle delay claims proactively. For the conclusion of this article, read part two.

Why Delays Happen

Construction delays happen all the time and can occur due to unexpected circumstances such as material delays, inclement weather, client changes, approval delays, poor communication, unrealistic scheduling, cash flow issues, and so on. It seems the list of potential delays are endless.

How to Minimize Delays

Some delays can be prevented and some cannot. This is why managing delays well can greatly impact the success of a project. Some the ways you can reduce delays include:

  • Managing the job site well
  • Creating realistic schedules
  • Attentive monitoring
  • Frequent meetings
  • Effective coordination
  • Establish clear and efficient collaborative practices
  • Conducting detailed site investigations with well-defined stages
  • Ensuring all parties understand and are fully committed to the project

How to Deal With Unique Delays

There are different types of delays. In particular, delays that are caused by the client, a contractor can file a claim for matters that may include variations in work, a lack of information provided by the client’s consulting team, the client failed to supply appropriate materials, or a delay in giving access to the jobsite.

On the other hand, if the delay is caused by the contractor, the contractor should seek to divide up the delay according to direct responsibility and no responsibility. The contractor may be liable for paying damages to the client.

If you would like to speak with a Sarasota construction attorney, please contact us at 813.579.3278, or submit our contact request form.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.