Written by LetsBuild
Last updated October 18, 2023
When you start a construction project it is essential that you create a DPC (The Detailed Programme to Completion) in order to save time. Let me tell you more about that here.
Starting the project
What happens is that someone fairly high up in an organisation decides they want something “constructing”. This may only be an office fit out which, technically, doesn’t involve much construction but has to be done for them by experts from the Construction industry. The Client is faced with problems from this point on!
Problems coming up
They have to put a team of their internal employees together first and these people all fall out with each other about what their own departments need! “I need more space, so your department will have to make do with fewer staff” kind of thing! Once they have been at this for a while the Client will appoint Architects and possibly Engineers to begin developing the Project Plan and coming up with the Building design. This starts another whole round of arguments with even more people involved in them!
The Architects come up with their design concept and the Engineers struggle to fit in the M&E services! Then the Client doesn’t like it and nor do the employees involved! “My lady with the bad back can’t sit under a HVAC outlet!” and “I’m claustrophobic so I need more windows putting in there!” Eventually, and it usually takes a full calendar year, some kind of agreement is reached and there are Project Plans for the Building Design which are submitted to Town Planners and Building Control for Approval. The original submission, almost, it seems, as a matter of principle, is rejected for one reason or another! Back to the drawing board, as it were, but this involves very little input from the client’s people. Just modifications from the Architect or Engineers and the Application is re-submitted and, this time, passed! Detailed Planning Permission granted – and it has only taken 18 months since that “someone” decided they wanted it!
The use of a Detailed Programme To Completion
We have Project Plans for Building design and Construction! Courtesy of AutoCAD and Plotters these are banged out, along with the BoQ and Specifications, and Tenders requested. A main contractor is chosen and work will soon commence on site. Rule of thumb the actual “construction” will be done in six months or less!
A quick mention of what I saw as “ambiguous”! Whenever I see “project”, “plan” and “construction” together what do I think of? The Detailed Programme to Completion (DPC)! Now what I can tell you is based on hard experience when I’ve had contracts working client-side. If construction clients have a “Detailed Programme”, the 18 months they waste arguing internally gets cut down to about 6 months!
CHECK OUT: WHY YOU NEED A DETAILED PROGRAMME TO COMPLETION
Summing up
Doesn’t that just go to show how clever we “muddy boot brigade” are! It is a strong argument for potential construction clients to employ one of us as their own Project Manager immediately they’ve got the idea in their heads that they are going to have to develop Project Plans for building design and construction. The only down side, again from hard experience, is that we end up by being very unpopular, because of all the toes we’ve trampled on, with everyone except the person who employed us!
