July 11, 2025
What are construction delays?
Construction delays are unwanted additions or interruptions in project schedules that prevent work from being finished on time. Such delays can be the result of any number of factors, such as weather, material shortages or disagreements between stakeholders and workers, to name but a few.
Types of construction delays
Construction project delays are so commonplace that classification systems have been developed to illustrate each issue and evaluate the impact.
Critical vs. non-critical
A critical delay clearly affects the project completion date and cannot be recovered. A prime example is a failure to acquire essential permits, which can push out the start date by several months.
By comparison, a non-critical delay affects the conclusion of certain activities that are not on the critical path, indicating that the lost time can be made up with no impact on the entire schedule. An instance might be the re-trimming of a structure’s interior, which can be completed together with other finishing activities.
Excusable vs. inexcusable
As the name suggests, an excusable delay is one in which the contractor has little or no control and, as a result, isn’t answerable for the financial fallout. This might consist of events completely out of the contractor’s hands, for example, vandalism.
Inexcusable delays point straight to the contractor with no credible reason or justification. An example might include the hiring of ill-equipped subcontractors who then execute the work the wrong way, without the proper vetting or license reviews by the general contractor.
Compensable vs. non-compensable
Compensable delays occur when the affected party will be provided added time or resources to complete their tasks. Excusable delays are nearly always judged compensable, making the prior distinction noteworthy. A weather event would definitely be compensable, while delays triggered by mistakes or negligence by the contractor are expected to be non-compensable.
Common reasons for construction delays
There’s little doubt that weather events, natural disasters, vandalism and other such circumstances will lead to project schedule holdups, but many types of construction delays are clearly attributable to either the contractor, a subcontractor or the client.
Chief among these issues are:
Poor communication
A familiar reason for delays in construction projects is poor communication concerning crucial tasks, when stakeholders don’t realize where one task fits priority-wise in relation to another. For instance, they may make decisions that don’t line up with the client’s larger picture, bringing about unforeseen uncertainty and delays.
Permit approvals
When a project design phase is finished and contractors are aboard and itching to break ground, a delay in acquiring permits is a genuine irritation to the entire project team. Whether the permitting process lingers owing to neglecting to deliver applications on time, extensive jurisdiction review or a multitude of more likelihoods, a delayed starting date can drastically hold back the entire schedule.
Lack of money
Not having sufficient funds for materials, equipment or personnel can produce considerable project delays. Familiar sources include:
Inferior subcontractor performance
Occasionally, delays in construction projects are the result of a subcontractor’s inability to deliver on time. When other portions of the project count on subcontractors finishing their work on schedule, this could produce a domino effect and push the entire project beyond its original timeline.
Material delivery and supply chain shortages
The pandemic years offered unique challenges to the construction industry. The global shortage of materials during COVID-19 hampered contractors’ abilities to complete projects on time. We discovered that delays due to such shortages and supply chain pressures can rapidly destroy a project schedule, leading not only to significant delays, but also a boost in overall costs.
Labor shortages
One more possible cause of delays is labor shortages. It’s not simply about having bodies present. It’s about having the right skilled workers who know precisely what they’re doing.
Envision forming a team sport minus any skilled players. You could have bodies on the field, but if they simply can’t play the game, it’s going to be a disaster. The same goes for construction lacking skilled labor.
Unexpected delay reasons
While many construction delays are associated with the likely problems we’ve mentioned above, such as lack of funding, a boost in costs, labor deficiencies and delays due to poor communication can also be due to unforeseen conditions. These circumstances are somewhat unusual but when they do happen; they can be disastrous and lead to more widespread delays and other downstream impacts, including broken equipment, injuries and added costs.
Impact of delays on projects
Delays in construction can seem like an unexpected storm popping up on a clear day. These setbacks have substantial impacts that affect the project in a variety of ways.
Extended project timelines
Most delays nearly always bring about a push in project timelines further into the future. For example, if there’s a delay in securing materials or acquiring essential permits, the entire project can be thrown off schedule. This extension affects different aspects of the project, from resource and labor distribution to general progress.
There can also be ripple effects. If a certain stage is delayed because of unexpected conditions, all contingent activities will be delayed as well, producing a cascade effect that demands rescheduling and fine-tuning.
Increased costs
What’s more, extended project timelines frequently give rise to a boost in costs. When a project exceeds its intended timeline, extra expenses pile up, including additional labor costs, extended equipment rental fees and a boost in overhead expenses.
Generally, unexpected delays can amount to a 10-15 percent rise in project costs thanks to the added time needed to complete the project.
Client displeasure
This snowball effect not only affects the financial part of the project but also includes emotional and relational consequences. Delayed timelines can result in client frustration and harm contractor-client relationships. An astonishing 80 percent of clients describe displeasure with delayed projects, which emphasizes the crucial importance of sidestepping unanticipated delays where possible.
Delivering repeated updates about the circumstances, being frank about any challenges encountered and enthusiastically including clients in the resolution of problems can help increase satisfaction.
Legal implications
Lastly, unexpected delays can occasionally have legal consequences, leading to disputes and claims. These legal skirmishes can result from breaches of contract or failure to deliver according to the timeline. They not only hinder current projects but can also sully a company’s reputation and produce financial losses from legal costs and settlements.
Strategies & remedies to overcome the causes and results of delays
Okay, we’ve seen what causes delays and their effect on the project outcome. So, what can you do to mitigate these delays? Here are several of the strategies demonstrated to help overcome the origins of delays and get around them.
Communication is key
It’s been said time and time again. The most essential characteristic of construction management is communicate, communicate, communicate! Not a single person wants to be the deliverer of bad news, but overlooking a would-be schedule issue only inflames the problem. Encouraging open and transparent communication empowers participants to notify the team of an issue as it pops up, helping everyone handle a delay before it escalates out of control.
Flexibility and understanding
Unexpected delays demand flexibility and understanding. In most instances, the odds that the project will get back on schedule are slim and none. So, rather than working to get the project back on schedule, concentrate on focusing on the impending issue, demonstrating empathy for those involved, and transferring that empathy to the client to bridge the gap.
Set reasonable expectations with everyone concerned around how long it will take to be up and running again, how the unforeseen delay will impact the project budget and timeline and what you’re going to do to help.
Clarify the project scope
It’s not unusual for unanticipated scope changes to occur during a construction project. For instance, if the project owner changes his/her mind about something, the remainder of the project could suffer major setbacks. No doubt, many of these changes could be out of your control, but you can still urge the team to have a clear picture of the project scope before any work begins. Then, if changes must be made, make sure reasonable timelines are created ahead of time.
Contingency plans
Construction contingencies are pre-established amounts of money established on a percentage of the overall budget, kept back to cover unexpected circumstances. Well-planned and sufficient contingencies lessen the impact of delays by helping projects adjust to unscheduled events with negligible impact on the schedule.
Patience during delays
The single most significant trait you can exhibit during a calamity is patience. When illness, loss, injury or another such misfortune has delayed a project, it’s essential to give each stakeholder the time needed to recuperate. Pressuring the team to get back at it before they’re truly prepared can result in disengagement, lowering the quality of work, fueling the likelihood of injury and eventually driving costs up and pushing out the timeline even further.
On the opposite side of the coin, patience and empathy can create solidarity that drives stakeholders to deliver as soon as feasible, leading to a positive outcome.
Accurate estimates and take-offs
When materials, labor and other resources, plus their costs, are accurately forecast in the project’s initial stages, it helps avoid delays caused by shortages later. Software-based quantity takeoff and estimation systems make sure all information is current to escape downstream cash flow concerns or long waiting times for more materials.
Utilize software tools
Construction software created for essentials such as schedule management, project tracking takeoff and estimation, plus procurement, offer the visibility and reporting skills necessary to minimize setbacks while producing a great opportunity for stakeholder cooperation. BIM management software also enhances outcomes by catching issues such as clashes or design weaknesses in the virtual realm.
Build supplier partnerships
Suppliers are pivotal in dodging project delays since missed shipments, inaccurate materials or low material quality can certainly disrupt a project schedule. Solid supplier partnerships and construction purchasing strategies help reduce material-related issues’ rate of recurrence and impact by tweaking response time and allowing for joint problem-solving.
Plan ahead
A bit cliché? Perhaps. True, some delays are beyond a contractor’s control, but most result from insufficient planning and poor management. A skilled construction management team takes a hands-on approach in all project phases. Proper planning and risk management during the permitting process, plus sound budgeting and material procurement will usually lessen the number of times a delay will rear its ugly head.
Improve management methods
Mismanagement is a crucial element in construction projects, leading to project delays and stoppages.
Bottom line: Exceptional project managers are at the heart of successful projects, putting together wide-ranging project plans including all the necessary elements, and then making sure projects stay on schedule and within budget.
When successful project management is in the lead, costly delays are reduced, ensuring the delivery of the construction project at or even before the project deadline.
PDDM Solutions can help
Do you need some help with your construction management plans? At PDDM Solutions, we excel in construction management strategies. As a trusted partner, we provide comprehensive project management solutions to our clients, ensuing successful project delivery for inception to completion.
Construction delays are unwanted additions or interruptions in project schedules that prevent work from being finished on time. Such delays can be the result of any number of factors, such as weather, material shortages or disagreements between stakeholders and workers, to name but a few.
Types of construction delays
Construction project delays are so commonplace that classification systems have been developed to illustrate each issue and evaluate the impact.
Critical vs. non-critical
A critical delay clearly affects the project completion date and cannot be recovered. A prime example is a failure to acquire essential permits, which can push out the start date by several months.
By comparison, a non-critical delay affects the conclusion of certain activities that are not on the critical path, indicating that the lost time can be made up with no impact on the entire schedule. An instance might be the re-trimming of a structure’s interior, which can be completed together with other finishing activities.
Excusable vs. inexcusable
As the name suggests, an excusable delay is one in which the contractor has little or no control and, as a result, isn’t answerable for the financial fallout. This might consist of events completely out of the contractor’s hands, for example, vandalism.
Inexcusable delays point straight to the contractor with no credible reason or justification. An example might include the hiring of ill-equipped subcontractors who then execute the work the wrong way, without the proper vetting or license reviews by the general contractor.
Compensable vs. non-compensable
Compensable delays occur when the affected party will be provided added time or resources to complete their tasks. Excusable delays are nearly always judged compensable, making the prior distinction noteworthy. A weather event would definitely be compensable, while delays triggered by mistakes or negligence by the contractor are expected to be non-compensable.
Common reasons for construction delays
There’s little doubt that weather events, natural disasters, vandalism and other such circumstances will lead to project schedule holdups, but many types of construction delays are clearly attributable to either the contractor, a subcontractor or the client.
Chief among these issues are:
Poor communication
A familiar reason for delays in construction projects is poor communication concerning crucial tasks, when stakeholders don’t realize where one task fits priority-wise in relation to another. For instance, they may make decisions that don’t line up with the client’s larger picture, bringing about unforeseen uncertainty and delays.
Permit approvals
When a project design phase is finished and contractors are aboard and itching to break ground, a delay in acquiring permits is a genuine irritation to the entire project team. Whether the permitting process lingers owing to neglecting to deliver applications on time, extensive jurisdiction review or a multitude of more likelihoods, a delayed starting date can drastically hold back the entire schedule.
Lack of money
Not having sufficient funds for materials, equipment or personnel can produce considerable project delays. Familiar sources include:
- Errors in the course of the construction estimating process, inducing stakeholders to underestimate the amount of money the project will cost or, on the other hand, overestimate the amount one project will cost, meaning insufficient funds to be used for an additional project.
- Poor cash flow management
- Inadequate change order management leads to scope creep that pushes the project even farther from its original specifications
- Financing issues, i.e., concerns with loans.
Inferior subcontractor performance
Occasionally, delays in construction projects are the result of a subcontractor’s inability to deliver on time. When other portions of the project count on subcontractors finishing their work on schedule, this could produce a domino effect and push the entire project beyond its original timeline.
Material delivery and supply chain shortages
The pandemic years offered unique challenges to the construction industry. The global shortage of materials during COVID-19 hampered contractors’ abilities to complete projects on time. We discovered that delays due to such shortages and supply chain pressures can rapidly destroy a project schedule, leading not only to significant delays, but also a boost in overall costs.
Labor shortages
One more possible cause of delays is labor shortages. It’s not simply about having bodies present. It’s about having the right skilled workers who know precisely what they’re doing.
Envision forming a team sport minus any skilled players. You could have bodies on the field, but if they simply can’t play the game, it’s going to be a disaster. The same goes for construction lacking skilled labor.
Unexpected delay reasons
While many construction delays are associated with the likely problems we’ve mentioned above, such as lack of funding, a boost in costs, labor deficiencies and delays due to poor communication can also be due to unforeseen conditions. These circumstances are somewhat unusual but when they do happen; they can be disastrous and lead to more widespread delays and other downstream impacts, including broken equipment, injuries and added costs.
Impact of delays on projects
Delays in construction can seem like an unexpected storm popping up on a clear day. These setbacks have substantial impacts that affect the project in a variety of ways.
Extended project timelines
Most delays nearly always bring about a push in project timelines further into the future. For example, if there’s a delay in securing materials or acquiring essential permits, the entire project can be thrown off schedule. This extension affects different aspects of the project, from resource and labor distribution to general progress.
There can also be ripple effects. If a certain stage is delayed because of unexpected conditions, all contingent activities will be delayed as well, producing a cascade effect that demands rescheduling and fine-tuning.
Increased costs
What’s more, extended project timelines frequently give rise to a boost in costs. When a project exceeds its intended timeline, extra expenses pile up, including additional labor costs, extended equipment rental fees and a boost in overhead expenses.
Generally, unexpected delays can amount to a 10-15 percent rise in project costs thanks to the added time needed to complete the project.
Client displeasure
This snowball effect not only affects the financial part of the project but also includes emotional and relational consequences. Delayed timelines can result in client frustration and harm contractor-client relationships. An astonishing 80 percent of clients describe displeasure with delayed projects, which emphasizes the crucial importance of sidestepping unanticipated delays where possible.
Delivering repeated updates about the circumstances, being frank about any challenges encountered and enthusiastically including clients in the resolution of problems can help increase satisfaction.
Legal implications
Lastly, unexpected delays can occasionally have legal consequences, leading to disputes and claims. These legal skirmishes can result from breaches of contract or failure to deliver according to the timeline. They not only hinder current projects but can also sully a company’s reputation and produce financial losses from legal costs and settlements.
Strategies & remedies to overcome the causes and results of delays
Okay, we’ve seen what causes delays and their effect on the project outcome. So, what can you do to mitigate these delays? Here are several of the strategies demonstrated to help overcome the origins of delays and get around them.
Communication is key
It’s been said time and time again. The most essential characteristic of construction management is communicate, communicate, communicate! Not a single person wants to be the deliverer of bad news, but overlooking a would-be schedule issue only inflames the problem. Encouraging open and transparent communication empowers participants to notify the team of an issue as it pops up, helping everyone handle a delay before it escalates out of control.
Flexibility and understanding
Unexpected delays demand flexibility and understanding. In most instances, the odds that the project will get back on schedule are slim and none. So, rather than working to get the project back on schedule, concentrate on focusing on the impending issue, demonstrating empathy for those involved, and transferring that empathy to the client to bridge the gap.
Set reasonable expectations with everyone concerned around how long it will take to be up and running again, how the unforeseen delay will impact the project budget and timeline and what you’re going to do to help.
Clarify the project scope
It’s not unusual for unanticipated scope changes to occur during a construction project. For instance, if the project owner changes his/her mind about something, the remainder of the project could suffer major setbacks. No doubt, many of these changes could be out of your control, but you can still urge the team to have a clear picture of the project scope before any work begins. Then, if changes must be made, make sure reasonable timelines are created ahead of time.
Contingency plans
Construction contingencies are pre-established amounts of money established on a percentage of the overall budget, kept back to cover unexpected circumstances. Well-planned and sufficient contingencies lessen the impact of delays by helping projects adjust to unscheduled events with negligible impact on the schedule.
Patience during delays
The single most significant trait you can exhibit during a calamity is patience. When illness, loss, injury or another such misfortune has delayed a project, it’s essential to give each stakeholder the time needed to recuperate. Pressuring the team to get back at it before they’re truly prepared can result in disengagement, lowering the quality of work, fueling the likelihood of injury and eventually driving costs up and pushing out the timeline even further.
On the opposite side of the coin, patience and empathy can create solidarity that drives stakeholders to deliver as soon as feasible, leading to a positive outcome.
Accurate estimates and take-offs
When materials, labor and other resources, plus their costs, are accurately forecast in the project’s initial stages, it helps avoid delays caused by shortages later. Software-based quantity takeoff and estimation systems make sure all information is current to escape downstream cash flow concerns or long waiting times for more materials.
Utilize software tools
Construction software created for essentials such as schedule management, project tracking takeoff and estimation, plus procurement, offer the visibility and reporting skills necessary to minimize setbacks while producing a great opportunity for stakeholder cooperation. BIM management software also enhances outcomes by catching issues such as clashes or design weaknesses in the virtual realm.
Build supplier partnerships
Suppliers are pivotal in dodging project delays since missed shipments, inaccurate materials or low material quality can certainly disrupt a project schedule. Solid supplier partnerships and construction purchasing strategies help reduce material-related issues’ rate of recurrence and impact by tweaking response time and allowing for joint problem-solving.
Plan ahead
A bit cliché? Perhaps. True, some delays are beyond a contractor’s control, but most result from insufficient planning and poor management. A skilled construction management team takes a hands-on approach in all project phases. Proper planning and risk management during the permitting process, plus sound budgeting and material procurement will usually lessen the number of times a delay will rear its ugly head.
Improve management methods
Mismanagement is a crucial element in construction projects, leading to project delays and stoppages.
Bottom line: Exceptional project managers are at the heart of successful projects, putting together wide-ranging project plans including all the necessary elements, and then making sure projects stay on schedule and within budget.
When successful project management is in the lead, costly delays are reduced, ensuring the delivery of the construction project at or even before the project deadline.
PDDM Solutions can help
Do you need some help with your construction management plans? At PDDM Solutions, we excel in construction management strategies. As a trusted partner, we provide comprehensive project management solutions to our clients, ensuing successful project delivery for inception to completion.