Construction

The Establishment Of A Well-Planned Project Plan Factors In To Overall Success

Establishing a successful project plan is a key component of the construction process. There are numerous factors that must be considered by the contractor to ensure that the project is completed timely and within budget. Establishing parameters and working in conjunction with the overall sequence of construction activities will result in minimal damages.

Hiring Help

If a contractor is faced with the intimidating task of having to go about this process by himself, he can always appoint a construction consultant as an assistant. This helps relieve some of the load that has been placed on him and also guarantees that everything is running relatively smoothly.

Assigning Duties

During the midst of creating a project plan, the owner, engineer, architect, and contractor must assign duties to all construction parties involved. An organized structure will be a solid foundation for all parties to lean on if a problem were to arise. Furthermore, planning correctly will also minimize the risk of claims being brought up during the project.

Turnaround Services

Construction & turnaround services are reputable companies that come in and relatively take over the field of operations. Essentially, they’re used almost as a last resort when companies are bleeding money over a short period of time. If a project is suffering from continuous errors in scheduling and work progress, turnaround services can help bridge the gap.

Project planning is a laborious task for the management team, but it’s also one of the most vital aspects of the entire process. Solid leadership, meticulous organizational skills, and proper education will result in a progressive motion that will carry the project the rest of the way.

Bio: Lyle Charles Consulting is run by Lyle Charles, a seasoned executive, coach, and mediator. His wealth of knowledge and experience has made him one of the most trusted experts in the construction industry.

 

The Responsibilities of a Construction Expert Witness

During a trial to determine whether or not a construction claim holds it ground, both party’s attorneys have a right to hire a construction expert witness. Now, what these witnesses are responsible for are to evaluate the claims to see whether or not they hold true to construction laws and regulations. They are often used to write a report to settle or adjust a case where they form an opinion which could affect the outcome of the entire trial.

The Role of an Expert Witness

Expert witnesses also testify at deposition and express their opinions on the claim itself. This could be referencing to a certain law or guideline that has already been set or what they believe is the right course of action. Because these witnesses can be anybody with experience in the field, from an everyday construction worker to prolific specialists of construction advisory services, results may vary when it comes to the result of the claim.

Discrediting an Expert Witness

An attorney that’s on the opposing end of the expert witness will often try to discredit that person through various methods. As stated above, an expert witness could be anyone with experience in the field which means an above-average candidate would be preferred. Also, attorneys can easily find files of any witness that takes the stand, and if there are any “stains” on their record, it’ll most likely be brought up to further attempt to discredit the witness. It’s important that if you are looking into hiring an expert witness that they are known to be a good citizen because everything becomes fair game in the trial.

Bio: Lyle Charles of, Lyle Charles Consulting, has helped construction companies, sub-contractors, owners, banks, bonding companies, and engineers quickly assess deviations from the construction schedule and accurately assign responsibility.

Finding the Right Construction Expert Witness

Most companies know that a legal claim can be damaging to a construction project. This being said, they are still a common occurrence in today’s projects. Why? There could be an assortment of factors that are unaddressed, or even scheduling issues that require the team to take more time in the project. Whatever the problem may be, it’s important that during a claim, a construction expert witness is consulted to approach the ordeal “by the book”.

Construction advisory services will also tell you that hiring the right construction expert witness will be a major factor in how the entire case will be played out. Because the expert’s testimony is reliant upon the latest construction laws, the outcome will be based on documented facts.

If you are considering hiring an expert witness, make sure that they well-versed are able to understand all of the technical aspects of the entire legal process. They should also have a thorough knowledge the construction laws as well as the industry standards. You want to essentially find someone that has knowledge regarding the construction industry and also has been a witness in cases before. The more experience that they have, the better the result will typically be.

When you hire an expert witness, you’re going to receive a testimony. If you have abided by all of the construction standards and have met everything in the books, then your witness will verify these facts that confirm it during the case, which could be swing the favor in your way.

Bio: Lyle Charles is the president of Lyle Charles Consulting, a construction and business consulting firm offering services to corporations, owners, directors, contractors, construction managers, sub-contractors, attorneys, and engineers.

Giving Your Doors Second Life

Written By ETO Doors

Most people have an idea of what they want their dream home to look like. Many actually live in their dream home; they just have some work to do in order to get it there. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, there’s a good chance you don’t give your doors the credit they deserve. However, doors are necessary and can make or break a home. For this reason, you should take care in how your doors look.

Picking out the best doors is a good place to start. Your entry doors get the most attention, but all of them should really be given some of your focus.

Still, you may have already done this. Let’s say you picked some gorgeous exterior wood doors and are very happy with how they look. What happens when something goes wrong? Doors aren’t bulletproof (well, some are). Between your kids, pets and just normal wear-and-tear, they’ll eventually need help.

Instead of replacing them, though, try giving them second life. Wooden doors are especially easy for this. Strip the paint, if it has a coat, sand it down and then prime it and start over. You could also do countless other things to help the door look better. Get creative or go online and see what’s possible. At the end of the day, you’ll get a gorgeous, custom door without breaking your budget.

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Looking for doors for your home? Whether you need front doors, entry doors interior doors, you’ll find everything you need at ETO Doors and so much more.

Why Choose Structural Steel

If you were to ask a structural steel expert how to expedite a construction project, the answer you get might surprise you. Your choice of material can dramatically alter the time frame you can expect to complete a project, and that’s just one benefit to choosing structural steel over alternative materials.

Improvements on Speed

Structural steel benefits from a rapid design and fabrication phase, so it’s quick to produce and erect. With structural steel, workers can finish a building’s frame in significantly less time. It’s important to understand how those benefits play out before you place your order.

The speed factor comes into play during production. It’s not likely that workers on the ground will be able to work with structural steel any faster than other materials, but the shipments will arrive on time. Any steel fabrication expert can tell you that the best way to ensure work is done on time is to ensure that you reduce potential stoppages.

Lowering Projected Costs

Structural steel can save up to 7% of costs on average when compared to other materials of similar strength. If that sounds surprising, it may shock you even more to learn that structural steel has been a cost leader for the past 30 years, beating the cost increases in concrete by 40%.

The biggest reason for that has to do with the labor costs. We can produce far more steel per hour today than we could in 1980, which is a major factor in cutting costs.

Bio: Lyle Charles Consulting offers expert advice on claims, structural steel and turnaround services. For arena construction consultants, contact Lyle Charles.

Avoiding Construction Delay Claims

Written by: Lyle Charles

Summary: Avoiding construction delays is the best way to save yourself from unanticipated costs.

It’s no secret that the construction industry costs money before you can make money, but there should be a limit to the amount of needless spending that a project accumulates. Every time a project planner puts together a change for the plans, or if supplies fail to arrive on time, the owner of the project will end up paying more than what they have anticipated. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to manage construction claim preparation efficiently or avoid them altogether.

Proper Documentation

One of the common problems crews run into is documentation. For inexperienced crews, documentation can often take a back seat to getting actual work done. Construction consultants have to be excellent record keepers because those documents will come back during a dispute. Documents outline everything, from the project plan to contracts for specific materials. Failure to track your documents is a liability, and will end up costing you in the long run. It may not be this project, but sooner or later you’re going to need to show proof that you have done something or ordered something. Documentation is crucial.

Scheduling in Advance

Another common problem on construction sites is the issue of getting schedules done well enough in advance to predict what might change on the ground. If you work in an area with four seasons, for instance, you might need to plan for days where you’ll be snowed in. There are also excessive overtime requests that could result in “over manpower.” It’s not easy to judge how much manpower you’ll need throughout the project, and you can’t predict which deadlines will present the most stress.

A good project manager needs to balance the deadline for a project, and structure operations so that nothing overlaps or lags. Every day that construction can’t happen is a day that everyone loses money. You should also consider scheduling inspectors, especially for permit issuing, well in advance and plan your changes accordingly. Even seemingly small changes may necessitate a new inspection.

Final Thoughts

Construction claims management is both an art and a science. Every case will present new challenges, but much of the conflict boils down to the same thing. The disputes differ only in detail most times. That’s why good consultants can save crews money and time. They know which documents to keep, how to create a solid filing system, and they can offer advice on scheduling that might not otherwise occur to the project manager.

Two Big Causes of Construction Delays

Written by: Lyle Charles Consulting

Summary: These two causes are a common source of construction delays.

A construction delay can cost a lot of money to deal with, especially if the process of filing and resolving the claim drags out. As a result, it’s important to stick close to the schedule and do your best as a project manager to come in under budget. Unfortunately, even the best-planned jobs can go awry. When they do, a construction consultant can make the difference in navigating the legal process.

The Issue With Supplies

Materials can be a tremendous thorn in the side of any project manager. It’s tough to budget for the costs of materials early into the project, and there are many potential delays that can occur in the shipping of supplies. You may need to retain a structural steel expert to determine the integrity and strength of the steel you’re using to build the frame if you want your building to be up to code. Failure to follow up on these

Managing Personnel

Commercial construction projects have large demands with regards to personnel. There are also time frames to remain conscious of, especially as workers grow fatigued over the course of the project. One of the best defenses a project manager has against this problematic situation is to review personnel ahead of time and contract out to extra firms as needed. You may be able to save money in the budget paying two firms cost, rather than one firm with over time.

Conclusions

A construction consultant can help assess the state of your project at any point, and help you avoid making a bad problem worse. Small mishaps like scheduling are easily fixable, and sometimes a levelheaded third party is all that’s needed to solve the problem.

Bio: Lyle Charles is a construction consultant and structural steel expert specializing in commercial and residential construction projects.

How to Deal with Construction Claims Efficiently

Construction delay claims can mean costs to both parties involved. These claims are often unavoidable side-effects of construction and may even be out of either party’s control. There are also reputations and relationships at stake, so it’s best to handle the matter with delicate hands if possible. The process to file a claim, and to see it through to completion, is not short. There are ways to handle the claim efficiently that cut down on the costs to you and your organization.

Documentation

Before a claim is filed, it’s best to gather all documentation related to claim. You should keep detailed records of every transaction, from the estimate given by the project manager all the way up to invoices for materials shipped. If something isn’t in the proper quantity, or at a certain quality, you could have a lawsuit on your hands.

In addition, documentation will be required to prove your case in front of a third party.

Private Mediation

One method utilized by construction professionals is mediation. This process is faster than a trial, and far less costly. Construction professionals may mediate for each other in some cases, especially if they are federally or state certified.

In mediation, both parties get to voice their case and have their side heard. A dispute is resolved in a manner that is mutually beneficial. Mediation usually ends with both parties feeling satisfied at the outcome. It’s easier to repair a bruised ego than a burned bridge, so consider mediation if you plan to work with the other party into the future.

 

— Lyle Charles is a construction consultant and mediator. For assistance with private mediation, or to utilize an expert witness for testimony, contact Lyle Charles Consulting.

Tips to keep Your Construction Site Safe

A construction site is inherently dangerous, and a place where proper safety protocol is a life saving issue. Managing a safe construction site isn’t just good for employee health, it’s good for business too. A properly managed site tends to meet budget and time constraints, with minimal losses due to injury. Some companies even opt to hire a construction consultant to be sure that the job is done properly. Follow these tips to ensure your site is safe.

Protection from Falling

Workers who work on ladders should have some form of protection from falling. Others should be in attendance, checking the ladder for stability. For jobs that are higher up, a harness may be appropriate to prevent employees from falling and injuring themselves. Aerial lifts are another solution, and may help when materials need to be moved back and forth.

Communication

When accidents do happen, it’s important that employees are able to quickly coordinate and communicate with crews to get attention as soon as possible. Maintain a safety data sheet for chemicals that are in use, and have a written plan for dealing with accidents.

Final Thoughts

Construction & turnaround services perform in a business of deadlines. Sometimes, those deadlines tempt us to disregard safety in the name of doing the job quickly. In construction, you only get one chance at a mistake before problems can hurt you. Make sure you do it right the first time, taking your time to observe proper safety protocol before you do the dangerous work.

— Lyle Charles is a construction consultant and expert witness. For help litigating your construction dispute, contact Lyle Charles Consulting.

Be Aware Of Local Building Codes

By Lyle Charles

A lot goes into going from a cleared lot to a finished building. Companies in charge of constructing these structures have no shortage of things they need to worry about. One of the things that must concern them the most, however, are local building codes.

Generally, when an architect plans a building out, they do so within the confines of the local building codes. This means they don’t make it taller than it can legally be. They don’t make it go to deep into the ground. It doesn’t have windows that will pose a serious threat to the birds in the area, etc. There are countless boxes to check.

However, building a structure also means following a number of codes too. Any number of things can go wrong, though, that result in infractions. When that happens, you want a construction claims management expert to take the wheel.

This will be a third party who is experienced in handling these types of infractions. They work hard to ensure that the claim gets resolved ASAP, so you can get on with finishing the building.

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When you need a bit of extra help with your current build, look no further than Lyle Charles for support and insights where it matters. Through his firm, you can get everything from his skills as a construction mediation expert, help with turnaround services, consultations on matters that may be holding you back and much more. Don’t try facing down big challenges on your own, get help from the best.

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