6 Ways Construction Planning Has Changed Over Time

Construction planning is the process of identifying crucial steps required to implement a project successfully. The primary importance of having a construction plan is to create an accurate schedule. Construction plans will also guide project managers and ensure that the project is always within budget.

The benefits of construction planning

Here are some additional benefits of construction planning.

You’ll have clear objectives

Having a construction plan makes it easier for all key stakeholders to know what the project is about and what it intends to achieve. If contractors are unaware of what exactly they’re building, the project is at a high risk for scope creep. Scope creep refers to continuously changing project objectives without following due procedure.

It’s easier to hit milestones

Another advantage of construction planning is that it becomes easy for construction crews to set targets. This is because the plan is broken down into milestones that guide the project manager in achieving them. Each milestone will be allocated resources and time for completing these tasks.

Without a proper construction plan, there will only be a single, broader milestone that becomes difficult to implement due to its ambiguity.

Risk identification is better

When you break a project down into milestones, it becomes easy for project managers to identify and develop risk mitigation strategies. By developing a risk-mitigation strategy, project managers increase the likelihood of the project being completed on time, effectively reducing risk.

It helps with efficient resource allocation

A construction plan helps save money because project managers will only allocate resources on a milestone basis. This way, project owners will not have to incur costs for idle equipment or material that is not required. Overallocation of resources results in waste.

Construction plans also help project managers identify dependent tasks that can be completed simultaneously. This saves time, which ultimately helps with saving on construction costs. Plans can also improve communication among key stakeholders since it allows them to know what’s required at every construction stage.

6 ways construction planning has changed over time

A few decades ago, the construction planning process was tedious, with hundreds of stacks of paperwork stored in red boxes. Nowadays, technology has evolved and has not only reduced the amount of physical paperwork involved, but has also simplified the construction planning process.

1. AI and optioneering to create schedules

Back then, the best way to create a construction schedule was to use an Excel template. This may have been sufficient back then, but as construction projects grow in size and scope, it’s proven to be inefficient today. The best way to create schedules in this modern era is to use an AI or a construction optioneering software like ALICE Technologies.

For optioneering platforms in particular, contractors can use it to generate work schedules for industrial, residential, and commercial construction projects. The platform will create several simulated options based on crucial data sets (such as the number of equipment, labor, and materials such as TZ Containers Tote Tanks).

Creating a construction schedule in this way helps developers reduce risk and save money and time. It also comes in handy when you want to develop a construction plan that involves project recovery.

2. Cloud-based technologies to increase efficiency

One of the goals of construction planning is to find ways for contractors to achieve efficiency and increase profits.

In the old days, project managers would increase work efficiency by giving briefs to construction workers and manually identifying unproductive teams.

These days, efficiency is increased by ensuring that every construction team is connected to a cloud-based system. The system would ideally be mobile-compatible, making it easily accessible as long as there is data or Wi-Fi. Project managers can send out briefs to team members through this cloud-based platform, with weekly or monthly milestones quickly tracked.

3. BIM for planning purposes

BIM technology is currently being used to create an effective plan for designing and constructing buildings. BIM technology makes it faster for designers and architects to collaborate on construction projects. When used with other technologies, contractors can convert 3D models into 4D scheduling plans that are much more effective when compared to manual programs.

4. VR and AR

VR technology creates an assimilated environment that enables users to explore digitally. VR is currently being used in the construction industry by safety engineers to identify hazards that could potentially stall a project. Along with safety, it’s also being used by architects to simulate what a finished building will look like digitally, and by interior designers to plan a renovation project.

Additionally, VR and AR are used during the bidding stage to show clients how a construction project will be implemented successfully.

5. Drones

Contractors are using drones to help plan out how projects will be implemented. For example, a professional tethered drone for sale may be used to provide aerial site survey measurements, which can be used to generate impact assessment reports.

Drones are also used for construction mapping to guide engineers and architects. Some of these drones are equipped with modern 3D modeling cameras that capture important images of a construction site.

6. 3D printers and robotics

3D printers are currently being used to plan how to mitigate shortages by printing specific components that might require human labor. These 3D components are printed in a factory and assembled on site. The use of 3D printers lowers the cost of construction and speeds up the entire process.

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