5 Ways to Avoid Rework and Disputes

Rework and disputes in construction suck. Both cost you time and effort — and probably a lot of money.

The best way to minimize rework and avoid disputes is to be proactive as you plan, manage, and prove your work. That way, you can get paid in a timely fashion for a job well done.

Here are five tips for avoiding rework and disputes.

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate

70% of construction professionals blame poor jobsite communication for project delays — and rework is a big part of why deadlines get missed. To make sure the work is done and done right the first time, communicate with all stakeholders before and during the project. That means aligning on the project scope and alerting customers, trade partners, and whomever else is involved — especially when there are changes and issues.

Construction management software enables real-time project-related communication, keeping everyone up-to-date and in the loop.

2. Document everything

If you see something, say something — in writing. A supplier sent the wrong materials? Document it. A trade partner built something in the wrong spot? Document it. Site design not matching your plans? Document it. Having documentation of site conditions, issues, and deficiencies — whether they’re your responsibility or someone else’s — can speed up resolutions and ultimately CYA should disputes arise.

Construction management software centralizes and makes project documents easily accessible from anywhere, on any device.

3. Track issues

Once you’ve identified an issue, the next step is to follow up. Whether it’s an on-site conflict, deficiency, a punch item, or something discovered during an inspection, assign the fix to the responsible tradesperson or team and monitor progress to ensure it gets taken care of. By proactively addressing any and all issues, there won’t be any requested rework.

Construction management software makes it easy to assign, track, and monitor work items — and provides an indisputable record of what was done.

4. Keep plans and documents up to date

Having the most up-to-date plans is crucial; giving your team plans with missing, incorrect, or confusing information will result in time wasted waiting for clarifications or redoing the work. Whether you’re dealing with a change order, RFI, or a discrepancy between what’s in the plans and what’s on-site, update the plans with the most accurate information so everyone can access those changes in real-time.

Construction management software keeps plans up-to-date, as markups and annotations get added in real-time and are synced across devices to ensure everyone has the latest.

5. Take photos — lots of photos

A picture is worth more than 1,000 words — it can be worth as much as the payment due for the work you’ve completed. Visual proof that your work was done and done right can be the difference between being sent out for rework and getting paid on time. And in the off-chance there’s a dispute, photos with timestamps can be persuasive when you make your case that it wasn’t your team that messed up and needs to redo it.

Construction management software serves as a record of work progress and completion with contextual photos.