Preparing a Construction Schedule

I have never given a schedule to any client, except when doing commercial for an architect. Just a completion date.

I use a formulated list that I have coded to write scopes and do schedules. I use Project software to build a CPM schedule, with alerts for selections, ordering and releasing packages.

I just don't see the payout giving anybody else my schedule. It doesn't do anything for them or for me.

The length of the project is stated in my contract. I have never missed one of those deadlines. I don't need to cover my ass what a schedule, I keep a daily log or the lead does, it provides documentation of bad weather days, selection delays by the client, etc.

I guess I would be interested and how it helps you to give anybody else your schedule.

reading my own post it sounds defensive. Lol. That's not how I intended it. I was truly just curious.

we schedule the subs at the beginning of the project, and then we give them the real date about two weeks out. Lol. What we do give them a lot of advance notice. I guess I can see where giving the clientthe schedule would be a good thing.

I wouldn't though, at least the way we do things. It would be a nightmare every time those dates were wrong 3 months down the road. Every builder knows some things are going to fall behind and others are going to make up for that, a common homeowner is not going to. I wouldn't have as big an issue giving a construction schedule to an owner's rep , someone who knew what they were doing for a commercial project. Usually an owner's rep is an ex contractor or a current contractor. They will understand what the losing ground and making up ground is all about.

I hear you. I learned critical path scheduling as a commercial foreman and super. There was no flexibility really. Big time subs need a lot of advance, so do suppliers. A few we did for the state Supreme Court had liquidated damages. Learned how to ramrod a job from the end date back to the beginning for sure.

My completion dates don't change as a residential contractor, the scheduling changes everyday though. It's like a guideline. I also allow more fat in the timeline than any project manager ever gave me.