A company’s successful coordination of subcontractors is central to an efficiently planned modular construction project. However, coordination faces challenges. Organizations can see this through the disconnect between offsite and onsite teams. Scheduling complexity or changes that ripple throughout the process can ultimately impact delivery, including installation delays, cost overruns, reduced quality, and increased safety risks.
An array of digital solutions are available to improve coordination. Tools and resources, such as project management platforms, real-time communication tools, and building information modeling integration, help reduce errors and shorten timelines, tackling common challenges.
We discuss common coordination challenges in modular construction below:
Schedule Alignment
Factory and field operations often run on different timelines. Suppliers, site crews, fabricators, and transporters are inherently on different schedules. Some modules may arrive too early, while others may arrive too late, impacting storage and installation times.
Quality Control
With the abundant materials in modular construction, ensuring consistency between modules can be hectic and cause installation issues or rework.
Communication Gaps
Various subcontractors and teams, including design, production, transportation, and installation, play crucial roles in modular construction. This can lead to miscommunication, such as missed updates, duplicated efforts, safety risks, or outdated information.
Documentation Issues
Manual or siloed documentation contributes to lost time tracing records and resolving disputes.
Here are a few digital management solutions for managing subcontractors:
Real-time Tracking
Real-time tracking is essential to closely and precisely monitor the status of tools, materials, and personnel throughout processes and project lifecycles. This enhances visibility and collaboration across the factory and field for various teams and stakeholders throughout the company. Equipped with the latest information, companies face fewer delays.
Documentation Tools
Digital tools centralize all documents into an easily accessible location for all relevant subcontractors. Whether it’s blueprints, change orders, or inspection reports, personnel can access pertinent, accurate documents whenever and wherever they need them.
Quality Control Systems
Quality control systems standardize and automate quality checks through mobile apps, sensors, or integrated software, regardless of the team. Personnel can spot and report defects in real-time.
Leveraging Digital Solutions for Subcontractors
Implementing digital solutions for subcontractors in modular construction starts with organizing the process. Managers must define and standardize team workflows, as well as select integrated tools.
Next, team members should attend hands-on training to ensure seamless onboarding and to understand their roles. Managers should also provide team members with support resources.
Lastly, companies can track performance through KPIs, such as module delivery time, defect rates, and rework frequency. Real-time dashboards help visualize performance, and closing feedback loops help refine implementation.
Best practices for facilitating subcontractors in modular construction include incorporating a centralized and unified communication platform with clearly defined channels for specific updates on a regular cadence. Companies must pay attention to quality standards, such as standard operating procedures and automated alerts. Teams can monitor progress through real-time dashboards and integrated reporting for straightforward insights.
Managing subcontractors is made easy with the right tools. Real-time tracking, documentation tools, and quality control systems are just a few ways to counter miscommunication, schedule misalignment, and documentation issues.