Tips To Manage Supply Chain Issues In The Construction Industry

Supply chain shortages have affected virtually every industry over the past few years, but the construction industry has felt the effects harder than most. Because so many materials go into making the supplies that construction professionals rely on for both commercial and residential construction projects, even small delays can lead to large bottlenecks and setbacks.

Thankfully, you can avoid the pressure caused by supply chain issues by following a few simple tips. Below are some steps construction professionals can take to mitigate the fallout from supply chain breakdowns:

Order Supplies Early

One way to mitigate the effects of supply chain shortages in the construction industry is to ensure that you and/or your contractors order supplies early. Last-minute orders of items like tension control bolts (TC bolts) can put projects on hold. Thankfully, you can rely on suppliers like BACO Enterprises for TC bolts to get a head start on projects and avoid costly delays. BACO Enterprises carries a large selection of galvanized tension control bolts, A325 tension control bolts and A490 tension control bolts to help construction professionals get the supplies they need for projects of all sizes. By ordering early, you can reduce the chances for supply chain problems to negatively impact your project.

Take Another Look At Your Contracts

Many construction company owners utilize contracts that have served them well over the years. Standardized contract terms may work in a normal business environment, but when supply chain woes hit, it may be time to re-evaluate the terms of your contracts. You’re encouraged to look back over any contract templates that you currently use to make sure they are still relevant in today’s work environment. You may need to adjust certain terms to set expectations and reduce the potential for missed deadlines, and you can also consider adding special terms related directly to supply chain issues and how they are to be addressed.

Utilize Construction Management Software

You can also take advantage of construction technology like project management software to analyze and predict project needs. Construction management software may provide the ability to plan out project details in different configurations to give your team a backup plan in case certain supplies are delayed. This could end up making a big difference in your ability to handle changes at the last minute, resulting in happier clients and a stronger reputation in your region.

Keep Engineers On Retainer

It may also be a good idea to keep an engineer or engineering team on retainer to get advice on last-minute changes that come up as a result of supply chain issues. If a particular piece of your project is missing or will not be available in time, an engineer can evaluate your project, analyze your progress and suggest changes that can be made to not only complete the project but also circumvent problems that may be caused by supplies that are missing due to supply chain problems.

Employ Effective Communication Strategies

Lastly, you will want to use effective communication strategies with your team, your suppliers and your clients. When everyone is aware of delays, deadline changes and project alterations, there’s less of a chance for a misunderstanding to occur. You need your team to keep you apprised of the latest changes that take place due to supply chain concerns so that you can make important decisions that will impact the project. If deadlines are expected to be missed, it is vital to let the client know as early as possible while also providing the necessary steps that will be taken to remedy the situation.