The Essential Elements of a Pre-Construction Meeting
Pre-construction meetings are a key part of the pre-construction process. Here’s a look at how to ensure success, according to two experts.
July 23, 2024
Twenty years ago, pre-construction wasn’t really a thing for concrete projects. However, Contractors “are starting to recognize that if we spend time up front, we can save money in the long run,” said Kristy Willis, professor at Bradley University, as she kicked off her 2024 World of Concrete session “Preconstruction Checklist: Ensuring Project Success.”
Willis, along with co-presenter Bryan Birdwell, president and principal of Structural Services Inc., emphasized the importance of pre-construction planning to project success. Pre-construction reviews and meetings help all parties grasp owner expectations and needs, construction scope, budget and schedule, as well as ensure each person understands their role.
Contrary to what many people think, pre-construction is not just estimating. It’s value engineering—looking at new ways to do things through estimating, scheduling, site analysis and design review—and doing so by talking to the people managing and doing the work.
The first step is reviewing pre-construction documents. Get familiar with estimating, contracts, specifications, prints, codes, testing requirements and payment schedules for familiarity, accuracy and understanding. For example, are the specifications consistent? Is there language that doesn’t match, items that are out of date? Understand who is responsible for what in the contractual requirements.
“Be careful that you’re actually reviewing things and that they’re coordinating, in order to protect yourself,” Birdwell, former chairman of the American Concrete Institute, said.
Request for information is critical here. This is not the time to feel timid, the presenters noted, so do your due diligence and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Set up a pre-construction meeting
In an ideal world, the pre-construction conference should include all involved parties: the owner, architect/engineer, geotechnical engineer, general contractor, concrete paving contractor and subcontractors, soil/earthwork contractor, concrete supplier, testing agency and material suppliers.
It’s important to have the right people at the table. For example, the geotechnical engineer often isn’t called until there’s a problem. But concrete is only as good as the ground it’s sitting on. Having the geotechnician in the meeting makes them part of the solution, not the enemy.
Including the owner is a helpful way to remind them of inevitable aesthetic challenges that will arise due to the innate properties of concrete; while you are experienced in concrete, they likely aren’t and won’t understand things they witness as they happen. Being proactive and ensuring they know what to expect can help protect you.
Prepare a pre-construction meeting agenda
Birdwell has an agenda for each pre-construction meeting, and includes necessary documentation, such as references from ACI describing what to expect and the behavior of concrete. “Be proactive and have everything in a document,” he said. “Share it and get notes back.”
During the meeting, some of the items to review include:
Plans
Site conditions and boundaries
Utilities
On-site storage
Contracts
QA/QC
Safety
Document handling
Communications plan
This is the time to review, ask questions, fill in holes, look for discrepancies, seek efficiencies and make sure information is up to date.
For example, you may ask:
“Are there any changes you want to make?”
“Do you have any questions about finishes or materials?”
“Do you know who to contact for updates on the project?
“Are you happy with the plans as shown?”
“Is the budget still as planned?”
“What are the main project milestones?”
“Who is the main person to contact for each project?”
This is also the time to discuss logistics, such as how crews get on the site, what permits or permissions are needed for night pours, do streets need to be shut down, etc.
Send out the agenda and the questions in advance and request any additions.
The pre-construction meeting is just one component of the pre-construction process, the presenters said, but is a critical step to opening the lines of communication from each of the players from start to finish. Other steps include productivity analysis, verifying estimates, jobsite layout and visits, schedule review, schedule tracking, reviewing contract documents and records control.
By tackling these elements early on and taking a proactive approach, you can help increase communications and head off issues before they happen, helping to improve efficiencies and avoid obstacles that can cause delays or increase expenses.
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