From the scheduling point of view, the aim of every project is the timely delivery of quality outcome within the planned budget (Cha, Kim " Ko, 2012). However, the case is different in other tasks especially in the building construction projects. Various factors may intervene to cause delays or expand the cost over the original strategy, and this can be detrimental to the quality and reliability of the executing team. Lack of proper coordination between the implementation group and designers has been pointed out as the primary cause of the discrepancies in the project schedule and cost. Studies (Lee " Yu, 2011 and Asiedu, Adaku " Owusu-Manu, 2017) have shown that natural factors also play a crucial role in the time and cost variations from the actual and planned. This report addresses the causes of possible delay and increases in the cost of construction from $ 500,000 to $ 600,000.
Identification of Impacted Activities with their Costs and Schedule Attributes
Having planned for the completion of the project within two years at the cost of $500,000, the client has kept the expectations higher very high and therefore the execution firm has no option but to deliver the final product within the specified period and budget. The process of inspections and permit from the county took longer than expected and this implied that there would be a significant delay in the implementation of the project (Asiedu, Adaku " Owusu-Manu, 2017). Moreover, the supply of building materials has not been timely enough resulting to activity overlap in the process. Therefore the management team has come up with various strategies to ensure the project is on schedule. One such plan is combining multiple activities within the same timeline. Non-critical tasks will be done concurrently to offer more time for the important ones to be completed within the appropriate time (Ibironke " Ibironke, 2011). Painting, plumbing, and connection of electricity will be done concurrently and considering that each of them was scheduled to occur in 32-40 days; the project team will have almost 90 days available for other issues such construction of the walls, roof, and floors.
The increase in the cost of the project is attributed to the delays in the supply of construction materials, and this was due to the breakdown of the transport trucks. Moreover, the rise in the cost of input due to inflation has also contributed significantly to the rising costs. However, despite the challenges, there has been an agreement between the supplier and the project management team that the distributor of the materials will take charge of the delays and pay for any increase in expenditure resulting from his side (Ibironke " Ibironke, 2011). Consequently, the management team has decided to cut down on the wages with the consent of the employees to cover the costs resulting from the delays.
The Role of Project Management Team
Project execution process is a very involving undertaking, and therefore the management team must work in collaboration with each other at all levels and stages to ensure a successful outcome (Lee " Yu, 2011). The primary stakeholders in the construction of a building are the sponsors, the surveyors, suppliers, and the quality assurance individuals. The sponsors or the owner will be crucial in provision of the resources especially funds to facilitate the building activities. The project manager will be essential in planning and allocation of duties for other members of the group (Cha, Kim " Ko, 2012). Various team members such as the technicians and the secretariat will come into play when it comes to the actual implementation and record keeping. The successful completion of the building will significantly depend on the creativeness and commitment of the team members since in some cases they will be required to work for more extended hours in a day to meet the deadline. The suppliers of the building materials are essential stakeholders as the schedule significantly rely on the timely delivery of the items (Cha, Kim " Ko, 2012). The quality assurance department will be crucial in the monitoring and evaluation process to ensure that the activities remain on course and the services are desirable.
Reflections on My Learning
After researching the process of writing this report and by reading through the course materials provided by the lecturer, I have learned that project management process is a team activity that can only prosper if there is collaboration among all stakeholders (Cha, Kim " Ko, 2012). Moreover, it has come out that there is always a possibility of discrepancies between the design and the construction of a building especially if there were no adequate consultations between the designer and the execution team (Asiedu, Adaku " Owusu-Manu, 2017). Furthermore, I have come to understand that the primary goal of the project management team is to complete the project within the time limit and budget given at the beginning. Finally, it is apparent that critical activities in a project schedule cannot be altered, but the other tasks may be changed to ensure that the work is done within the timeframe. However, some of the causes of the delays cost overrun are natural and therefore, the management teams do not have control over them but can only come up with ways to mitigate the situation.
Conclusion
In summary, in the building construction industry, the essential aspect is the timely delivery of the project and within the budget. Never the less, the client should always be flexible to ensure that the quality and standards are maintained.
References
Asiedu, R., Adaku, E., " Owusu-Manu, D. (2017). Beyond the causes – rethinking mitigating measures to avert cost and time overruns in construction projects. Construction Innovation, 17(3). doi: 10.1108/ci-01-2016-0003
Cha, H., Kim, K., " Ko, Y. (2012). Selecting Optimum Management Practices in Pre-construction Phase Considering Project Characteristics. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Project Management, 2(1), 1-4. doi: 10.6106/jcepm.2012.2.1.001
Ibironke, O., " Ibironke, D. (2011). Factors Affecting Time, Cost and Quality Management in Building Construction Projects. FUTY Journal Of The Environment, 6(1). doi: 10.4314/fje.v6i1.68323
Lee, S., " Yu, J. (2011). Critical Success Factors for Project Management Information System in Construction. Journal Of Construction Engineering And Project Management, 1(1), 25-30. doi: 10.6106/jcepm.2011.1.1.025
