It’s finally the new year and we’re sure that, like us, you were extremely glad to see the back of 2020! In the spirit of fresh starts and new goals and projects, this blog outlines the five phases a new construction project will typically go through on its way to completion. With the excellent news that construction sites can continue to operate during the latest lockdown, many exciting new projects will be kicking off, including furniture giant Ikea’s second bid to crack the UK housing market and the UK’s first zero-carbon hospital.

Initiation

Before planning can even begin, the initiation phase looks at whether or not the project is actually feasible. During this phase, the project owner will first come up with a concept (i.e. a new multi-storey carpark) and identify and consult with the various stakeholders who will be involved in or affected by the project. They will undertake discussions such as whether the proposal makes good business sense and whether the build is likely to be approved by local authorities, before either giving their approval or recommending that the idea be scrapped altogether.

Planning phase

During this phase, the work involved is broken down into distinct stages, with the project manager identifying human resource needs, mapping out estimated costs and timelines, and carrying out a thorough risk assessment.

This is also the stage at which the project manager will start the tendering process, asking interested contractors to submit bids for the work. Or, for small projects, the project manager may simply choose to hire recommended contractors or companies, or those identified through research. This can be a time-consuming – but vital – part of the process, as the chosen contractors and companies will be instrumental in the success of the project.

Implementation

This is, of course, where all the planning gets put into practice – it’s at the third stage that the bricks and mortar finally come out. A successful implementation phase relies on close communication, with all teams submitting regular progress reports to ensure the project continues to progress on schedule. It also relies on close monitoring, so that deviations to the original plan (e.g. with regards to budget, schedule and resource allocation) can be quickly rectified before they derail the project.

Performance and monitoring

Carried out concurrently with the implementation stage, as described above, this phase is absolutely vital to ensure the plan is progressing according to schedule. Without monitoring, the project could miss vital milestones resulting in severe delays, construction materials may fail to be ordered, and vital steps such as risk assessments and inspections could be missed out.

Project close

Months, years, or even decades later, the project will come to an end. All that remains is to complete the final round of inspections and approvals, before the project is handed off to the client for final payment and approval.

A huge investment

Undertaking a construction project is a huge investment – of both time and money. That’s why it’s so vital to take out adequate insurance to cover risks such as damage to works or neighbouring property, as well as legal liability for any accidents that may befall workers or the public.

That’s where we come in. Focus is proud to offer a full range of specialist Construction Products with competitive terms and premiums – take a look here. Or, if you’d like to speak with one of our friendly underwriters about a risk you’re looking to place, simply call 0345 345 0777 or email sales@focus-insurance.com.