Potential Installation Problems During the Building Process

14 September 2021

What Could Go Wrong During Installation?


IN BRIEF


  • Several things can slow your project down: bad weather can cause delays during installation, and machine breakdowns or workplace safety issues can also temporarily halt the project.

  • Human errors like fabrication or drafting mistakes can slow down the project and lead to reworks.

  • Coordination problems with third-party tradespeople and scheduling issues may cause delays during the construction process.

  • Despite these potential issues, the Steelcorp team can help you keep your project on track and manage any delays quickly and efficiently.


Potential Problems When Building a New Structure

It would be great if every single project went smoothly, however occasionally, things can go wrong during the installation of your structure. This doesn’t happen that often – but knowing what potential problems can arise when building your structure means you’ll be better equipped to handle issues and keep your project on track.

Natural and Environmental Problems


The most obvious thing that can happen is that bad weather delays your project. Unfortunately, there’s no real way around this, and both wind and rain can push your build back by anything from one day to a week or more. We avoid scheduling projects when bad weather is forecast, but unpredictable rain and strong winds can put your job on hold.

Shane Barker notes that that the winter months can also affect access to your site.

“This is a common problem, and the reason why it’s important to have a good hardstand site prior to the winter period,” says Shane.

At times, we encounter machine hire breakdowns that put a brief halt to excavations. Scissor lifts and telehandlers can have mechanical issues, and trucks can break down on the way to delivering trusses and columns to the site. This is typically a minor problem that doesn’t cause much of a delay, as we can quite easily replace these machines and keep things moving.

“We also have a great project management team that ensures everything moves forward on site as planned,” adds Shane.

Very occasionally, workplace health and safety issues or injuries sustained by workers mean that the team has to stop work temporarily. Of course, our contractors follow all health and safety procedures to avoid these risks, but sometimes accidents happen.


Communication and Human Error

Our team are experienced professionals, but we’re human – and mistakes happen. At times, fabrication or drafting mistakes could cause problems on site. This can slow down a project whilst components are reworked and rectified. Shane explains that deliveries can also be held up or damaged by accident.


“Our suppliers deliver directly to your site and sometimes they mishandle materials and accidentally damage them. These components then need to be re-ordered. That’s why we use trusted suppliers to keep these kinds of issues to a minimum.”



Coordination and Scheduling Problems


Because we use third-party tradespeople, there can be times when they need to manage other projects and are not on site 100% of the time.

We thoroughly vet the tradespeople we work with and only use companies we trust, but also respect that they are running their own businesses and being pulled in multiple directions. We ensure contractors are scheduled in, however, they can be delayed if other projects blow out.

On the engineering side, your foundations and frame need to be ‘signed off’ and if any issues are raised, these can cause a delay.

“At times we need to wait for engineering advice on unexpected site issues too, in order to work out the best way forward,” says Shane.

“For example, discovering a rock shelf below ground can make it impossible to excavate. We need an alternative engineering solution to ensure your structure is built strong and safe.”

Building your structure is a team effort and other trades are part and parcel of the process. At times we need to work around electricians, plumbers, landscapers and other tradespeople which can mean work on-site is slowed down.

On the topic of plumbing – if your services are located in awkward positions or amidst poor site conditions, problems can occur. Plumbing underground or dealing with rocky foundations can take extra time.


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