Good communication makes for good construction

Construction projects are incredibly complex and never the same. It is not unusual for relations between project team members to become strained. It is common for consultants and the site team to not see eye to eye, however, if handled well this can lead to a better outcome. In my experience, this comes down to one thing: communication. Unfortunately, it is often our actions that are the catalyst for such situations. It might not always be the fault of the consultant from a technical point of view, but our delivery, approach, judgement, and tone are often misdirected, leading to mistrust between both parties. This can then lead to a difficult period ahead.

Many of my projects for Cundall come directly from contractors. I have a number of repeat clients and have been described as a ‘user friendly consultant’ (according to them this is not always the norm).

I also worked for a contractor for a few years and that experience has helped me appreciate and understand the mechanics of both sides. Drawing from my past experience, I have laid out a few thoughts below on how we (the consultant) can approach communication when projects move to the construction stage.

Seven tips for good project communication
1. Nobody is the enemy! Treat everyone as the client (they probably are or will be at some point). Too many consultants approach the construction phase of a project with the mindset of ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ This always sets you up to have poor relations and a battle of wills during construction.

2. Be friendly – This might sound obvious, but perhaps not always intuitive. Remember – it is teamwork that gets projects delivered; nobody is the enemy (see point 1).

3. Collaborate - Contractors have a wealth of building experience for you to tap into. I find that the best question to ask when given a problem to solve is, ‘how do you want to do it?’ If you can produce a design in line with their thinking, then relations will flourish.

4. Do not criticise – Mistakes happen. It’s too easy to say, “it’s your mistake, you deal with it.” This is a sure-fire way to lose goodwill with a contractor. How do you feel when or if you make a mistake – what kind of response do you then expect back? Accept that it has happened and prioritise finding a solution with a clear commercial focus - it’s much easier applying for variations when you are on good terms.

5. Know your audience - This comes with experience, but it’s a bit like ‘reading the room.’ There are many types of individuals on construction sites, and everyone has a role to play. It’s easy to make assumptions based on experience or position, but by simply getting to know the individuals on site and their experiences/abilities, you get a better feel for how to communicate with them.

6. Don’t go dark – put very simply: keep in touch. This is particularly important when you are expected to deliver. Even if you have nothing to update, a quick note to say, ‘we’re working on it,’ ‘we haven’t forgotten,’ ‘it will be a couple of days,’ etc., often diffuses any tension around waiting.

7. Lastly, know who you are working for. Again, this might sound obvious. However, it is not always clear what the contractual relationship is with the contractor. Are they, our client? Have we been novated? Are we both employed by the main client or developer? It is particularly important to understand this to ensure we communicate accurately regarding our scope and deliverables.

These are just a few ideas on how to approach communication with contactors. Hopefully, they can help enhance project experience and make it easier to successfully deliver our services.