5 Key Things To Consider When Planning a Construction Site
Preparing for a major building project, whether it’s a home addition or a new retail location, requires comprehensive groundwork. These 5 key things to consider when planning a construction site are a start.
Safety
Construction sites are inherently dangerous, even before any work begins. Safety and security should be at the top of the list of 5 key things to consider when planning a construction site.
First, thoroughly inspect the site. Mark the boundaries of the work area. Identify the location of any pre-existing underground electric, gas, cable, water, or sewer lines and make sure they are appropriately flagged.
Even if all utilities will be disconnected before work begins, these essential lines should be protected from damage. Remember, any damage caused during construction will have to be repaired, delaying completion, and possibly triggering penalties for late delivery.
Dangers may lurk aboveground, too. Overhead electric wires, dead trees, and invasive vegetation could impair the progress of work and endanger workers. Have the site cleared according to the architectural and design plans, and make sure any overhead wires are secure and out of danger from falling branches.
Make sure you know what the site had been used for in the past. There could be other hidden dangers, like defunct wells, buried debris, or toxic contaminants in the soil. Have the site tested and plan for remediation of any dangerous substances already present on the site.
Once you have established the boundaries of the worksite, inspected it, marked any subterranean utility lines, and removed threats to the stability of overhead wires, it’s time to put up a fence around the area. Local ordinances and regulations may dictate what type of fence you must erect, such as chain link, plywood, or bright orange mesh.
A construction site fence is necessary to keep passersby, workers, and visitors safe. Clearly mark entrances, exits, and restricted areas with durable signage.
Security
Unless work will be ongoing 24 hours per day, you’ll need to keep the site secure from intruders and materials protected from theft when no construction crew is on-site. This may involve security cameras, locked entrances, security codes, lighting, and guards.
Not all intruders are human: conduct regular inspections for the presence of rodents and other harmful vermin and engage a pest control company to take care of any infestations. Construction often displaces wildlife you may not have known was present, and those creatures will venture out to find new habitats. You don’t want them to choose another area of your site to make their new residence.
Equipment and Materials
Your construction plan will include the equipment and materials you’ll need to complete the job. This could be everything from drywall, steel beams, and concrete, to bulldozers, cranes, and excavators. Where are you going to put all that stuff?
Scheduling delivery of construction materials and equipment is a delicate dance that must be executed with precision, especially if your construction site has limited space for storage and no parking area for idle heavy equipment. It’s wise to have a contingency plan for what to do if materials arrive early or if the equipment is late or needs repair during the project. You’ll also need a reliable power source for lighting, charging tablets, laptops, and phones.
Labor
Skilled workers are the lifeblood of any successful construction project, and experienced construction managers are necessary to keep the work on schedule and within budget.
Workers need toilet and washing facilities and personal protective gear such as hardhats, respirators, and depending on the project, goggles, gloves, and ear protectors. They also need a source of fresh, clean drinking water, a comfortable area for meals and rest breaks, and a shelter in case of inclement weather.
Managers need a dedicated workspace to keep an eye on the progress of the project, make calculations, and address any roadblocks or worker concerns that arise during construction. Establish a command center (a trailer, an office, or another temporary structure) where construction managers can go over plans, deal with subcontractors, and schedule work.
Waste Management
Construction projects generate a lot of waste, especially if demolition is part of the plan. Collection and disposal of construction waste is another critical element of your list of 5 key things to consider when planning a construction site.
While managers with an eye on construction budgets strive to minimize waste, it’s inevitable that there will be scraps of drywall, carpet, lumber, pipe, and wire that must be disposed of responsibly. Dumpster rental services will help calculate the capacity dumpster (or dumpsters) you’ll need to have on-site.
Dumpster capacity is measured in cubic yards. Small projects can get away with a 10- or 20-yard dumpster, while major construction projects may require a large, 40-yard roll-off dumpster to handle the volume of construction debris that must be carted away.
When they’re delivered, the delivery truck for roll-off dumpsters raises the end of the truck platform closest to the cab so the dumpster can glide off the truck and be deposited on the designated spot. When the dumpster is full, the waste management company will return and collect the dumpster, taking it to an appropriate landfill or other solid waste management facility.
Whether your upcoming construction project is large or small, you must plan your approach to the above 5 key things to consider when planning a construction site. While commercial construction clients understand that their property is transformed into a job site during construction, residential construction clients have a harder time understanding just what’s involved in living on a construction site.
If renovation or remodeling clients intend to live on-site during the project, another level of planning becomes necessary: personal property protection and protecting client health. This means the contractor must help the client understand their responsibility to move personal property out of the way to a protected area.
The contractor must plan how to separate work areas from living areas with plastic draping, floor covering, and if necessary, additional ventilation.
Every construction job is unique, and something unexpected can always occur. With careful planning, the project has a much better chance of coming in on time, within budget, and looking great.
