Why Construction Tech Should be Prerequisite for Bids and Project Planning

With technology such as commercial drones, companies can conduct their own takeoff survey before moving any dirt or before submitting a bid, enabling them to create a realistic budget and timeline that helps them prevent data discrepancies down the road.

With technology such as commercial drones, companies can conduct their own takeoff survey before moving any dirt or before submitting a bid, enabling them to create a realistic budget and timeline that helps them prevent data discrepancies down the road.
With technology such as commercial drones, companies can conduct their own takeoff survey before moving any dirt or before submitting a bid, enabling them to create a realistic budget and timeline that helps them prevent data discrepancies down the road.
©Kadmy – stock.adobe.com

Every project manager has three hopes for their construction project: on-time, on-budget, and without dispute. However, 88% of construction firms are experiencing project delays, 89% are challenged with finding qualified workers, and 9 out of 10 construction projects are experiencing cost overrun.

The factors causing delays for project managers run the gamut, from inclement weather, to equipment failure, missing or incomplete data and project mistakes, post-bid disputes, persisting labor shortages, and communication issues.

With advanced technology such as drone data visualization, construction projects can resolve conflicts quickly and peacefully, minimize delays, and leave little room for error or rework. 

Can Tech Help Prevent, Resolve Worksite Disputes?

The global average of disputes between construction companies and their clients rose dramatically in 2020, according to the 2021 Global Construction Disputes Report. Disagreements often occur due to a lack of visibility into project data, impaired communication channels, and unexpected changes.

Made-for-construction technology alleviates the pain of conflict and reduces unwarranted delays by capturing worksite conditions in the pre-bid phase. With technology such as commercial drones, companies can conduct their own takeoff survey before moving any dirt, as well as before submitting a bid, enabling them to create a realistic budget and timeline that helps them prevent data discrepancies down the road. 

A project without conflict is often a project completed on time, with all stakeholders having the ability to access a centralized source for progress. 

Attract and Retain Skilled Workers 

Earthworks companies are facing two main challenges: a lack of younger employees to replace a retiring workforce and a lack of skilled workers to support construction technology. For every one new worker entering the construction workforce, two retire, causing a never-ending cycle of labor shortages. Technology has the power to attract and retain skilled workers, enabling companies to gain a competitive edge and take a proactive approach toward addressing the need for more workers. 

The latest construction technology can attract young skilled workers, who otherwise would look outside the construction industry for their career path. For current employees, the chance to learn new skills and work with cutting-edge tools they may not find at other jobs creates a more engaging workplace, which often leads to increased productivity and retention.

Embracing new technology into a worksite shows a company’s commitment to supporting and empowering their workforce, with new opportunities for continued training and education. This leads to well-run projects, equating to less stressful workdays and higher rates of job satisfaction. 

Improve Data Accuracy for Project Planning

Incorporating technology solutions into construction projects improves data accuracy through transparency and availability, while enabling cross-team collaboration. 

With drone visualization, project managers develop a close to real-time 3D model of the jobsite. The flyover helps operators see utility line conflicts and measure dirt needed to be moved for better machine and resource planning. It also helps operators communicate this information in real time to their team through the cloud. 

It is vital for construction projects to have clear communication and documentation from start to finish. Photogrammetric data from drones enables teams to execute work with greater accuracy and allows for easier renegotiation of otherwise problematic changes. This data can be collected more frequently to obtain more accurate models of the jobsite, as well as used for materials management. 

Although some delays are unavoidable, many can be mitigated with the help of technology applications. Incorporating advanced technology, like commercial drones and drone survey data visualization software, can keep project managers one step ahead of the competition when bidding and align project planning even before machine engines start. 

Latest