A New Dawn in Construction Continued From Page 11
moratorium. The initial ban had a ripple effect with delays not only with starting new projects but also with completing ones already in progress.
Permits and Inspections Fall Behind
Early in the pandemic, many governmental offices were closed to the public as their staff worked remotely. This led to delays in permit intake, review, and issuance. Building Department inspections became backlogged and added a chokepoint to projects that had been previously approved.
Backlogged inspections added a chokepoint to building projects that had been previously approved.
In some instances, contractors were forced to hire third- party inspectors at their own cost or pass those costs on to the client. Now, contractors are calling the building department for inspections well in advance of need, in an attempt to keep the project on schedule.
Remote Meetings Prove a Lasting Asset
Advances in technology over the past few years have led to greater efficiencies in project management. One of the greatest technological impacts to construction has been online audio and web conferencing which allows for remote participation at meetings. Zoom is one such popular platform. The team can attend pre-bid walk-throughs and pre-construction meetings via online participation. Large gatherings such as homeowner project information meetings are being held online to reduce overcrowding and to encourage social distancing. Remote weekly project meetings with the project team allow for real-time decisions as if everyone was in the room. Zoom meetings have been such an asset, they will be here long after the threat of COVID has gone.
Some contractors are using drones to develop more accurate bids, survey the project site to determine the best staging areas, and identify safety concerns. Management systems can eliminate the need for paperwork to pass
12 Community Associations Journal | January-February 2022
through multiple hands. Documents such as short interval schedules, submittals, RFI’s (requests for information), change orders, and inspection reports can be uploaded into a central cloud-based platform and shared.
Agree in advance on how to handle COVID-19 work delays.
Enhanced Safety Protocols
Contractors are recognizing potential health risks and planning accordingly. There is no argument that the construction industry is indeed a “critical essential service.” Many contractors have implemented enhanced safety protocols to comply with regulatory requirements for COVID-19 exposure prevention, readiness, and response. To reduce the risk of delays, contractors are implementing some new procedures on project sites such as: ` Requiring all workers to remain masked to prevent the possible quarantine of a project.
` Providing easy access to hand sanitizer on the job site, in addition to providing handwashing stations.
` Assigning dedicated site supervisors to monitor workers for signs of illness.
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