Construction is complex. From start to finish, there are a number of twists and turns even the most meticulously planned job can take. Having a strategic template in place can both streamline and standardize the build process to keep teams on track. The seamless approach to construction management resulting from using the right construction template can set you up for success now and in the future, no matter how complex a project may be.
While you might feel you have a good system for planning a build, using a construction template can help keep you organized when it comes to the many different types of forms and documents to be submitted throughout a project’s lifecycle. From RFIs to change orders, field updates to safety reports, a number of important details can get lost in the shuffle of the typical construction paper chase.
Without sufficient standards for inputting and receiving information, data can get siloed, misplaced, or lost altogether. This can lead to poor project outcomes and could even leave you exposed to legal action, should something go awry. Construction templates provide an easy solution to avoid this, as they keep information storage both standardized and optimized throughout the course of a project. Moreover, using a template helps you gain better control over your project by organizing the most relevant information in the best possible format. Read on for a look at the top construction templates to use during your next project.
When it comes to the RFI (Request for Information) process, much could be improved about the protocol for organizing your supporting materials. Although RFIs can feel like a heavy lift initially, they are crucial to showing the strengths of your process by providing clarity on a project’s trajectory. What’s more, the questions and answers included in the RFI process can ultimately improve the quality of project outcomes.
Using a template for the RFI process helps ease the pain points of identifying and submitting requested data, and in turn, offers improved consistency and transparency for how you handle RFIs in the future. Quality RFI templates don’t have to be time-consuming or costly to find, in fact, you can download our free template here if you’re looking for ways to optimize your RFI process to make sure all questions get answered, improve your efficiency, and, ultimately, better position your projects for success.
Every piece of equipment, all material types, and even the tiniest details like a list of paint colors must be reviewed and approved via submittals before construction can begin. That means that enhancing your submittals process is vital to getting your project kicked off on time and on budget.
Because this process can include thousands of different items, from shop drawings to color charts, material data to samples, staying organized with the right template is essential to showing the project at the most detailed level, and thus, allowing design professionals to make their approvals in an efficient manner. Beyond the quantity of details you must provide in the submittals process, the quality of this information matters immensely. The more detail you provide, the better chance you have of arriving at an accurate budget and schedule, which will ultimately set you up for overall project success.
Providing this much information, and making sure it’s both accurate and comprehensive, requires a meticulously organized submittal log. Without one, it would be nearly impossible to confidently navigate the submittal process. Using a tool like our free submittal log template can help ensure the quantity and quality of the details you provide throughout the submittals process exceed even the highest industry standards.
It’s hard to argue that one of the most important resources for any construction project is the site safety checklist. This document helps prevent accidents and injuries, and can even be the difference between life and death. Construction safety resources are even more vital than ever before with the rise of COVID-19, when enforcing proper job site protocols in response to the global pandemic can have broad implications for the health of your team members and whether your project can even get up and running.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new normal for safety in the construction industry, one that will continue long after the virus is mitigated or eradicated. Building in the COVID-19 era comes with a number of new regulations and responsibilities placed on project leads to ensure worker safety. Keeping a safety checklist, like this downloadable template, of all up-to-date government measures and guidelines for building during COVID-19 will ensure your team can stay safe and stay working, even in the most challenging times.
When you’ve got the finish line in sight, the last thing you want to do is slow down. But making sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row as your job comes to a close can make or break a project. Your construction closeout plan is vital to ensuring your job’s progress isn’t derailed at the last minute. Through detailed coordination, paperwork, and tracking, closing out your project well can include everything from accounting for subcontractors’ work and returning rental equipment to making sure facility systems are up and running and passing critical inspections before your client can take occupancy. Following a construction template for a comprehensive closeout checklist is helpful for keeping you on time and on budget, with happy clients at the project’s end.
Using the best construction management software is widely shown to supercharge productivity and project success. When you pair this software with the use of construction templates, you’re optimizing efficiency, organization, and even the success of future projects due to the standards these templates can put in place around gathering and storing project information. Certain construction software provides built-in templates for critical phases of a project, including safety checks, daily reports, punchlists, closeout, and more.
Utilizing the construction templates above, especially in combination with quality project management software, can improve your projects’ safety, efficiency, financial health, and success outcomes.
