Eliminate Unnecessary Features
Eliminating unnecessary features in design will give the largest savings in a project. If your client wants costs cut, look for the most costly features (in design cost and construction …
Design
Learn to Say No
You must learn to say no to some requests from clients If change requests from the client will make the design unsafe or unusable, you should refuse to change it. …
Graffiti Problems
If your project site has potential graffiti problems (or has problems) consider hiring some street artists to paint murals on those walls with graffiti problems. When painted well, graffiti is …
Clarify Terminology
You should make sure that terminology that is ambiguous or unclear is made clear with definitions. This can avoid mistakes and reduce the time necessary to re-design. For example: “Rail …
Good Change Management System
Instigate and enforce a good change management system Change management coordinators and people who have to approve changes spend a lot of time chasing signatures, putting information in to spreadsheets, …
Pipe Sizes
If you are in the water industry or an industry that deals with pipes, valves, or pumps then make sure you have a copy of the pipe sizes available, internal …
Document Design Changes and Delays
You should document (in writing) any design changes or delays caused by the client. This is very important for claiming cost or time extensions. A good change management system is …
Design Discrepancies
If your company is the design contractor but not involved in the construction phase you should instruct the client to notify you for your company’s input for any design discrepancies. …
Do Regular Design Reviews
Your company should have a set time or point that reviews of the design process are carried out. Often at stages like 30%, 60%, 90%, 100%. You should do this …
Don’t Do Blanket Approvals
Don’t get blanket approvals on drawings or designs without each one being marked as approved by the client. A client may send documentation stating that the designs or drawings are …