Disagreements and disputes are important issues in construction projects and in the construction industry in general. Disputes can be costly as they can erode a company's profit margins as they accumulate. In 2023, Arcadis reported that construction disputes amounted to an average value of 26.3 million euros ($29.5 million) – lower than the global average value ($43.4 million), but it is still possible work to further reduce this value.
In its conclusions, Arcadis emphasized that while professional involvement in litigation prevention is now part of risk management strategies, “the key considerations for future projects will be to ensure that the fundamental elements of a contract are on a solid foundation and that the revisions serve as the key to preventing disputes.” Furthermore, reducing the duration of construction disputes remains a key challenge in the future, as Continental Europe deals heavily with untimely dispute resolution.
It may seem like this controversial issue is huge to resolve, however, it is also obvious to realize that just recording daily construction activities and events in any location is achievable. In this article, we'll explain how an interactive daily site log system can protect you and your construction stakeholders from disputes while helping you with your overall productivity.
When do conflicts or disputes arise?
Conflicts arise when stakeholders disagree about completing specific work. The meaning of “complete” is relative and the contractor may have a different idea than the project manager. The project manager's responsibility is to protect himself and his construction company from poor quality work and poor project delivery. The contractor, on the other hand, must guarantee that he and his team will be paid for all labor provided.
Conflicts can also occur when one party neglects its contractual obligations and avoids responsibilities and full accountability.
The problems are in the construction details
The idiomatic expression “the devil is in the details” refers to problems that result from the unforeseen nature of unexamined details. It is the problem hidden in the details, not the truth in its abstract sense. Despite the cliché, this proves to be true in construction. This is why it is important to keep a construction site diary; the key is to include as much detail as possible as well.
Just as Bread sang, pictures are worth a thousand words and are very valuable in record keeping. Images can capture and record a situation as it is, with no room for interpretation and change, which is easy for supervisors and higher administrators to evaluate and judge for any purpose.
Anyone with a smartphone can record photographic evidence of a work situation and easily retrieve it when needed.
Location, location, location
Conflicts can also arise from location mix-ups. Large construction projects may have multiple rooms of identical dimensions. Accurate location records allow for less confusion of this kind. Workers can record in their daily reports what work they will do, where they will do it, and whether the work has been done.
Under the weather
An interactive website diary can add important information automatically. Since unfavorable weather conditions can lead to delays on any given day, having the ability to add this data automatically can help everyone understand why a specific task was delayed.
Clear as crystal
In addition to the level of detail and ease of updating, a daily website log must also be readable and easy to understand. The objective is to have a website diary that is easy to understand even for those who are not familiar with it. A digital website journal can have a significant level of detail that can be highlighted for clarity.
It's written in the cloud
With cloud storage and cloud technology, record storage is no longer limited to small spaces or small memories. Having a website journal with cloud-based storage makes all your data easily accessible for retrieval. You can instantly share real-time updates with people who immediately need the information to make better data-driven decisions.
The benefits of an interactive digital construction diary
Traditional pen and paper site logs and construction logs are time consuming to keep up to date. Physical records are susceptible to physical damage and can be easily lost. Manually updating the same document can make your records confusing.
Excel, Word and PDF reports can be digital copies, but they can also be time-consuming as you have the same limited interaction with their content. Data processing and analysis takes time because you still need to perform manual data manipulation.
Modern construction project management technology offers a better and mobile way. The right digital site diary solution for you enables daily construction site records to be interoperable with an entire management system that integrates with other construction technologies. This allows daily site records to be stored indefinitely on a platform that can serve as the backbone of all your construction reports.
You can access your daily construction records from anywhere, maintain them easily and invest as little time as possible. This reduces your administrative burden, giving you time to be more productive and focus on the real and important activities on site.
For example, contractors need to submit as-built documentation for project completion. All data linked to deviations and reworks carried out needs to be compiled together. Having a solid document management system saves a lot of time and effort in retrieving the smallest details.
All things considered
It is impossible to completely eliminate conflicts and disputes, but with construction technology we are on the right path. Equipping your construction business with detailed and accurate construction documentation of everything that happens on site gives you the advantage of avoiding disputes and avoiding the high costs associated with them.
