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10 Top Tips to Project Success
- Start at where you want to be and work back to where you are.
- Stick to budgets by spending a long time planning and a short time building (never the other way round).
- Most building projects involve services so start with these when you are planning your layout. Services may well be expensive, not readily available and the source of extended delays.
- Low carbon emissions, green policies, disabled access and traffic are a big bone of contention with the local authority who are there to help you interpret the law and enforce it if you ignore them. Don't wreck a great project with a bad attitude. Confine your opinions to the ballot box and get professional help to avoid an issue.
- Neighbour disputes are very common. Never launch into a project without checking it out with your neighbour, and if you don't know what they do find out before your insurance company does and you have wasted your money or worse.
- Don't ever build for 5% of your demand, if it is not forecast it won't happen, it will be disproportionate on budgets and you are unlikely to see a return on it, there are always lots of cheaper alternatives to the 100 year wave - particularly if you live in the mountains! Most people never solve 60% of their problems and would be thrilled if they did, so keep it standard, it is always the best first choice.
- Engineers design and build sheds, but architects are a consideration if you want limited fee involvement as they are specialists in materials and aesthetics. A good engineering project manager will weld this part of your project together and save you considerable sums of money. Things like storage systems and handling equipment are generally poorly understood by this end of the professions with frequent and expensive oversights on key sizes, foundations and access needs. In 38 years I have yet to come across a project that got it completely right. Employ seasoned, experienced, industrial professionals, I guarantee it will save you a lot of heartache and headaches. We are rare, but worth finding.
- A project is simply a special business venture with a measured life. It is not for the inexperienced, you won't get two shots at it and there is no room for "if onlys". I am sure B.P. can think of a few ways to have avoided the Deep Water Horizon disaster ....If only...... All engineering equipment, especially load bearing and dynamic structures, has a legislative implication. If you don't think this applies to you then you have probably missed something. It will be either invisible to you or obscured in minute detail. Continge for it, you must have plans A to C or get a professional to check it before one is appointed for you! I guarantee you will get your money back. The cost of wisdom usually starts with a two for the price of one offer in ignorance.
- The brief if you are going to get help is the hardest bit, especially if you don't know what you want. Don't worry most people don't, but take a keen interest in the process. Give yourself plenty of time. Go and see similar installations, take your time. The delete button is mightier than the hammer! If you don't have the time to do it properly now, where are you going to find the time to put it all right later!
- Plan for the project completion date, celebrate it and have a party. Force the participants to turn up and be proud of what you all did and remember to get as much publicity as you can for all the right reasons.
Planning and building regulations
are not for the inexperienced
are not for the inexperienced
You can split projects but you must
comply with safe working practices
comply with safe working practices
Don't give industrial projects to
those who don't major in industry
those who don't major in industry
Plan what you want to do.
Before and after values matter
Before and after values matter
Little projects are 10 times more
likely to go wrong than big ones
likely to go wrong than big ones
