The construction of the turmeric road to bar-el-ghazal has a number of obstacle and stumbling blocks
preventing it's realization. Mention and explain 15 challenges facing the such a national project and
solutions to such challenges
Introduction
The construction industry has been living through an exciting phase, growing nonstop, and facing many
challenges simultaneously. A single construction contractor in the U.S. called the Turner Corporation
managed to acquire over 16 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2022. That same year, the overall
construction market in the United States reached over 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars – a very lucrative market
for most companies involved.
That is not to say that the industry is easy to work in. It has plenty of issues, some relatively new, while
others are decades old. There are a variety of different approaches to these construction issues. For
example, slow rates of technological adoption are sometimes treated as a single big challenge, and
sometimes as a multitude of problems, including communication problems, scheduling issues, and
problems with documentation.
Now, we will go over some of the most significant issues in the construction industry, starting with the
problem of compliance in a world of constantly changing rules and regulations. Other issues will be
mentioned, too. We will also attempt to offer solutions to these issues, no matter how insignificant or
ineffective they may seem.
1. Slow technological adoption speed
The construction industry is notoriously slow to adopt new technologies, and the problem has existed
for a long time. Even though many business owners acknowledge the various benefits that newer
technologies can provide, it is still fairly common for the technological departments of construction
businesses to have relatively small budgets.
A solution to this issue
There are many different technologies and advancements that are rarely used by construction
companies, including:
Internet of things
Drone surveillance
VR/AR
Wearables
Robots, and more
Ironically, these technologies are incredibly beneficial in counteracting some of the oldest problems in
the construction industry. As we have mentioned, one of these problems is scheduling, but it is not the
only one on the list.
2. Managing documentation
Unsurprisingly, construction generally involves a lot of documentation, such as contracts, receipts,
insurance certificates, and material orders. Dealing with all of this regularly makes the document
management process slower and more prone to human error.
A solution to this issue
Running entire businesses mostly paperlessly has been possible for a while now. There are many
systems and solutions on the market to help with document management in various ways, such as via
categorization and monitoring due dates and project deadlines.
That being said, not all of the problems and issues in the construction industry are easily fixable or
technology-related. Our next issue in construction is a clear example of that.
3. Issues with cash flow
Construction companies must have free cash to pay for several things semi-regularly. The list includes
payments to subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, and employees. However, the payment for a completed
project may come only once, after the project is completed.
A solution to this issue
Fund management is a surprisingly common problem among construction companies, and this can
spawn an impressive number of issues. The only viable solution for these kinds of problems, aside from
getting steady cash flow (which may not be feasible in some cases) is to have a line of business credit
open for “worst-case scenarios” or to get through periods that are financially challenging for the
company.
Financial issues are not the only ones you have to deal with when working on a construction project.
Another relatively frequent problem comes from people’s unwillingness to take responsibility for
anything.
4. The problem of “pointing fingers”
It is statistically impossible for construction projects to always go smoothly and without problems. And
when a crisis happens, the finger-pointing begins, more often than not. For example, the contractor
points fingers at subcontractors, the client blames the contractor and gets reprimanded by the project
manager.
A solution to this issue
This kind of finger pointing (the “blame game,” as it’s sometimes called) is completely pointless and only
prolongs the time frame for resolving the issue. A specific policy – a builder’s risk policy – can help with
the problem.
A builder’s risk policy is a type of property insurance that covers the majority of possible problems that
may happen during the construction process – from vandalism and theft to natural disasters and
extreme weather conditions.
This policy can also be elevated to cover more questionable actions, such as the client claiming that they
do not like the work after it is done and citing a contract breach. In these cases, the combination of a
liability policy and faulty workmanship coverage can protect your side of the deal from paying extra for a
project with a pre-established price tag.
5. Irregular equipment maintenance/replacement
One thing that many companies tend to skip over is construction equipment costs, or
maintenance/replacement costs, to be specific. It is also one of the biggest reasons for project overrun
costs, since replacing your equipment mid-construction means additional expenses. These expenses
easily lead to less revenue from a project, as construction equipment tends to cost a lot of money.
A solution to this issue
Some of the means of trying to fix this problem include keeping a close eye on equipment that begins to
show signs of malfunctioning all of a sudden and being quick on your feet if your equipment breaks
down mid-construction (replacing it as soon as possible, whether via an equipment loan or by using
funds on hand).
That is not to say that equipment costs are the entirety of project overrun costs. They may also be the
result of the client “changing their mind” at the last minute.
6. “Forgetful” clients
This issue is somewhat similar to what we’ve discussed in the context of “pointing fingers,” since it is a
similar type of client behavior. One of the most common cases here is for a client to request a change
mid-project and then pretend to “forget” it when paying for the completed project.
A solution to this issue
The only way to avoid this situation is to get a signed change order for every change in your project if
anything is requested after the initial plan is finalized.
Unfortunately, this questionable behavior is not limited to clients or owners, and the number of
unreliable contractors is far more significant.
7. Keeping up with compliance regulations
Technology constantly changes and evolves, and the various rules and regulations must keep up.
Keeping up with all this is challenging, especially since companies are affected by different levels of
restrictions. This includes worldwide compliance rules and country-specific laws and regulations, or even
things that are extremely local and specific for a single state or city.
It is not uncommon for regulation update messages to get lost and unnoticed in the daily flood of work-
related mail. And yet, compliance breaches due to unnoticed changes can turn out to be disastrous for a
company.
A solution to this issue
It is a good practice to try and reroute regulation-related messages to a specific place where you can
find them more easily. Additionally, some people dedicate a part of their day to catching up with
regulatory updates and rule changes.
8. Construction safety
The construction industry is well-known for its high risk of on-site injury. An essential part of any
construction project is the stage where the building is physically created with the help of heavy
machinery, weighty materials, and many construction workers. The nature of the work in the industry
implies a significant possibility of an injury happening sooner or later.
A single on-site injury can be a massive problem for the company overseeing the construction project.
The fact that the damage itself is often quite severe is an even bigger problem with factors such as
lawsuits and insurance compensation. Depending on the position of the injured person, there may also
be delays to the entire project if there is no ready replacement.
A solution to this issue
Most on-site construction injuries are entirely random, making it difficult to predict and counteract them
beforehand. The best way to approach this is to adopt a more safety-focused attitude toward on-site
work, investing more in protective equipment, safety training programs, and even safety protocols for
when something happens or is about to happen.
9. Working on a schedule
While experience does matter, it is not uncommon for even the most knowledgeable of professionals to
make mistakes when scheduling is managed manually. This is a problem that modern-day technology
can mitigate to the highest degree with various automation systems, project management applications
for different devices, and virtual task boards.
A solution to this issue
This is one of many problems that modern technology and its advantages can solve partially or entirely.
However, this list would not be very long if it were not for another massive problem that the entire
construction industry has been dealing with for a while now.
10. Communication problems
A surprisingly high percentage of problems within a construction project are directly related to the lack
of timely communication between different teams and departments.
A solution to this issue
This is another massive problem that is easily solvable by modern-day technology in multiple ways. For
example, your workers’ smartphones can make communication much faster (since billions of people
worldwide have access to personal smartphones) – via emails, regular messages, or even various
construction-related apps.
This approach can easily prevent most minor problems in the project from becoming more prominent
and challenging, and it is also another example of technology bringing massive potential benefits to
construction companies. On the topic of technologies, we are missing one more major field of work with
the same possible solution.
11. Lack of a skilled workforce
The lack of a skilled workforce might be one of the biggest problems in the construction industry today,
and it is one that also gets worse every year, with fewer and fewer young people interested in working
in the construction industry and older employees being closer and closer to retirement.
The demand keeps growing regularly, and the problem is not specific to a single country or continent.
While some initiatives have been attempted on that level to fix this problem, it is also possible for
construction companies to try and mitigate the effects of the issue for themselves.
A solution to this issue
Two of the most significant potential approaches to this are mentoring and construction staffing
agencies. Mentorship can work for inexperienced students/college graduates and existing skilled labor,
allowing more potential employees to be brought in. On the other hand, staffing agencies are tasked
with covering most of the recruiting and pre-screening, offering the workforce exactly when you need
them.
12. Insufficient productivity
Productivity and efficiency have been some of the industry’s most prominent issues for a long time.
Many technological advancements have been made in recent years to make most industries more
productive, but the construction industry is not among them, and the overall stagnation of productivity
is something everyone knows about already.
Customers’ expectations grow over time, and construction companies that do not want to evolve and
change will sooner or later fall into obscurity, incapable of competing with other players on the market
regarding budgets and deadlines.
A solution to this issue
Productivity is an extensive topic, and there is no single solution to this massive issue. In a way, the issue
is similar to the problem of the slow adoption of technology that we mentioned above. Both of these
issues have a relatively simple yet complicated solution: investment in the adoption of new technologies
and methods. Transforming an existing company structure to enable the implementation of BIM is an
excellent example of such an investment.
13. Issues with supply chains
The supply chain has never been a simple topic in this industry, and the arrival of the COVID-19
pandemic made it several times worse than ever before. With companies closing left and right, it was
not surprising to see shipping times getting longer and prices rising all over the planet. The problem
persists to this day, although it is better than it was just two or three years ago.
A solution to this issue
This problem may be one of the most difficult on this list because there has yet to be a simple solution
to something that has plagued the entire planet for several years. There may be partial solutions to the
problem, such as researching and investing in local material sourcing, using more efficient inventory
management solutions, or optimizing a company’s supply chains by adding new potential suppliers.
14. Vandalism/theft on site
Theft and vandalism are issues that are not typically associated with the construction industry, but it is a
problem that has existed for a long time and shows no signs of stopping. It is terrible for construction
companies, since every missing or unusable piece of material decreases the overall margin of a project.
A solution to this issue
Fixing this problem requires some investments in regular surveillance equipment, such as fences,
cameras, alarms, more lighting on-site, and more closed containers to store materials in.
15. Lack of reliable subcontractors
This construction issue is the one that hinges the most on networking and recommendations. The
number of subcontractors on the market, in general, is massive, and it might take some time to pick one
for the job without in-depth knowledge.
A solution to this issue
One excellent way to avoid picking an unreliable contractor is to ask your vendors or material suppliers
for recommendations. Asking subcontractors you have worked with before also works wonders in
finding reliable connections.
It is also recommended to check subcontractors’ licenses and general liability insurance and list yourself
as additionally insured on their insurance before finalizing the hiring process.
The future of the construction industry
This industry has been around for a long time, changing and evolving multiple times before becoming
the way it is now. Despite its setbacks, construction is still one of the most critical parts of the global
economy. Even industries as conservative as the construction industry will have to evolve and improve
sooner or later because of rising demand, rising quality standards, and shorter deadline expectations.
Trying to do everything you can to get ahead of the competition in the industry is a given, and turning to
new technologies might be the competitive edge some smaller companies need right now.
The construction industry is old and has been through a lot. Some of its problems are ancient, while
others have become more prominent in recent years and were not a problem before. In this article, we
have tried to go over the most significant construction issues on the market and some of the means of
avoiding or eliminating them.
Reference
C.D. Torres and [Link]'s Infrastructure:A continental perspectives,pp,5_8,(2011).
D.D Boko_Y.[Link], C.R. Yao,S.Z. Liu and Q.Q. [Link] and bridge infrastructure development issues in
Benin Republic: analysis and perspectives. American journal of civil Engineering.5(1), pp.9_15, (2011).