Category Archives: Legal

Material Disputes: Costly and Avoidable Mistakes

material-disputesAside from construction delay claims, there are a variety of challenges that can throw off the schedule of a commercial or residential construction project. Materials disputes are some of the most common, aside from injuries and personnel disputes. Material disputes can be expensive if you’re not careful, and they can lead to serious injury years after a project has been completed. Taking care of your material supply chain is critical for the success of any remodeling, refinishing or basic building you’ll need to do.

Verifying

A steel fabrication expert is tasked with verifying that the steel you ordered is what is actually delivered. During planning, project managers specify where they plan to buy their materials and what the basic costs will be. The important thing when dealing with steel is to avoid cutting corners.

Make sure you’re not ordering cheap steel that is brittle and poorly made. You might not notice any problems now, but in the near future there could be a collapse. If you or your family happened to be in the room that collapses, you can see how cutting costs isn’t really worth it.

Professional Advice

Sometimes, it’s not an easy matter of proving just what your side of the dispute is all about. In these situations, a construction expert witness can help provide some insight in case you need to go to trial. A legal expert can help clarify problems with paperwork, and explain your side of the story in more effective language.


Lyle Charles is a consultant with more than 30 years of experience in construction delay claims for commercial and residential construction projects.

How to Handle Being Short Staffed on a Construction Site

Running construction & turnaround services can be challenging enough on its own, but being short staffed can make managing projects that much more difficult. If you are not able to get a project done on time, then you are jeopardizing the reputation of your company, which could hurt your profitability.

Teamwork

When you are short staffed on a construction site, it’s essential you encourage your employees to use teamwork so that you can optimize your odds of meeting your deadline. Having everyone on the same page can work wonders to keep your project on schedule, but a construction consultant can help you plan your project if you are too busy to do it on your own.

Communication

If you don’t believe your project will be done on time, then communicating with your client can go a long way to help reduce tension. According to Lyle Charles Consulting, changing the scope of work is one of the most common types of construction disputes. Simply inform them that you are short staffed and will do everything you can to resolve the issue and complete the project. Although your client might not be happy to hear that, it’s important to remain honest so that you can maintain their trust.

Employee Retention

It’s vital you have an effective employee retention plan so that you can maintain the productivity of your company, especially when you are already short staffed. When you need to prevent your employees from quitting, using a private mediation service is a good place to start. An objective mediator can give an objective solution so that conflicts can be resolved before an employee walks away.