IDEA – DEVELOPMENT- IMPLEMENTATION
When any one of us begins to dream about building a new home or doing a major renovation, most of us think in terms of the benefits of the finished product. For example, we might say to ourselves, “It would be so nice to have more or less space,” or “I would like less maintenance to do,” or “a nicer outdoor living area would be great.” Whatever prompts the idea to build or change our living space we always see the ultimate goal in our minds and focus on the results. As with any endeavor in life though, we know that all successes in life are a series of much smaller actions that have led us to our end goal or destination. So, if you’re thinking of building that new home or doing that major renovation you’ve always dreamed of, you need to identify just exactly what the basic process is, where you are in the process, and how to get through the process to achieve your goal. So here are the 3 Basic Stages of any construction project process; and, for that matter, most endeavors we will take in life.
1st stage:
IDEA. This stage is very broad and has limited details. Includes research, risk/reward analysis.
It may be a response to a need in the family or a life circumstance change. This stage should include a great deal of research. The construction industry, like most professions, has its own terminology and jargon that are specific to the trade. Before beginning a project, it will greatly improve the experience if you at least can understand the basics. You need to gather enough information to analyze the risks and rewards to make a well-informed decision about the direction you want to proceed in. The rewards are generally easy to see, for example: better kitchen design, more space for family gatherings, more energy efficiency, and so forth. However, the most difficult things to foresee are the risks that any project could potentially bring. Just to name a few: you could end up financially way over budget, project unfinished, frustrations over lack of skilled performance by the contractor. All the information and education you get during this stage will help you with the next stage, development.
2nd stage:
DEVELOPMENT. This stage is very detailed and provides scope & direction, assigns responsibility.
This stage of a construction project is where you can really get into the details of your project. You’ll need to be able to answer questions like: how many square feet, what kind of exterior finishes do I want, what kind of interior finishes. For most of us there is a gap we have to close when it comes to what we want and what we can or are willing to afford. The development stage is the time when that process is best handled. A well developed construction project will be so much more likely to stay on budget and progress to completion sooner than one that didn’t stay in development long enough to get all or at least most of the details worked out on paper. If a project doesn’t work on paper then there is no way it will work in real life, and, if it works on paper, there still is a chance there may be something that doesn’t work in the progression of the project; so, spending plenty of time, energy, and money in the development stage is critical to the success of any construction project. This stage should include detailed plans and drawings that outline exactly how things will be built, where they are to be built, and what they are supposed to look like when finished. There should also be a very detailed accounting of the costs associated with each and every one of those details. Leaving the costs up to verbal estimates or even vague written quotes is a recipe for failure and not success; so, take your time in the development stage and don’t rush. The results will pay off in a huge way in the next stage of implementation. Before implementation begins, decisions have to be made in regards to who will be responsible for managing your project until completion. You have to have a company that fully understands your goals, and is willing to align themselves with these goals for the duration of your project. In this process of choosing your contractor, it is important to find someone whom you appreciate for the way that they think and how they go about doing things. Sometimes we can get caught up in whether we like a person or not, but a good contractor will say and do what is going to be best for you, even if you don’t want to hear it! The two main goals of a great contractor is: first, to serve you and second, protect you from the things you can’t see. Once you have made the decision of who is going to build for you, it is time for stage three.
3rd stage:
IMPLEMENTATION. Time to go to work! Move toward the developed goal.
This is simply the most fun part of any construction project! Dirt starts moving, concrete flows, wood starts standing up, and the project goes through a weekly metamorphosis, taking shape and texture. There still needs to be a certain level of vigilance to any risks or challenges that may come up. All of the participants in the project need to be encouraged to move toward the goal of completion on a regular basis with positive reinforcement. Most skilled tradesmen are deeply motivated to accomplish their tasks, not just for the financial reward, but for the satisfaction of the skill they possess and the joy that comes from serving others with the experiences they have. The more positive you are with the people who work on your project, the more devotion and pride you will typically get from them. At this stage, it is very rare for a process to go backwards. It might need a slight adjustment here or there, but, if due diligence was done during development, it will progress right on to completion.
Conclusion:
An ancient proverb says: Plans fail when there is no consultation, But there is accomplishment through many advisors. So, if you are thinking about building or are in the “Idea” or “Development” stages, be sure not to rush through any step. The three stages can be accelerated, but rushing will certainly bring problems. Take your time to clearly have your main goals down before beginning the development stage. Then, once development begins, give ample attention to all the details. If you do these things, then your implementation process will be as pleasant as it possibly can be!