How do you recover a project in delay?

  1. Schedule Crashing

This is the classic “throw more at it” approach. Crashing means increasing resources on critical path activities to drive down their duration.

•  In practice: You spend more to go faster.

•  Typical actions:

•  Approving overtime or extended shifts.

•  Bringing in additional labour or specialist teams.

•  Mobilising extra plant: for example, a second crane to remove bottlenecks.

•  The reality check: There’s a point where it stops being effective. Too many people in a confined work area can slow progress rather than speed it up

2. Fast‑Tracking

Fast‑tracking is about running activities in parallel that were originally planned in sequence.

•  In practice: You start the next activity before the previous one is fully complete.

•  Example: Beginning internal works on the lower floors while the roof package is still being wrapped up above.

•  The risk: You increase the likelihood of rework. If the upstream activity changes, whatever you’ve done in parallel may need to be undone and redone.

3. Lead and Lag Adjustments

This is a more precise, planning‑led method. By adjusting leads (starting earlier) and lags (waiting periods), you can tighten the programme without wholesale changes.

•  Negative lag (lead): Bringing a task forward ahead of its logical start.

•  Reducing lag: For example, switching to high‑early‑strength concrete to cut curing time from seven days to three.

4. Resource Levelling and Re‑sequencing

Sometimes the issue isn’t manpower, it’s logic. Re‑sequencing involves reviewing the critical path and shifting non‑critical activities to clear the way for the real blockers.

•  Scope reduction: Parking non‑essential elements for a later phase for instance, completing the main office but deferring landscaping until after occupation.

•  Alternative methods: Changing the construction approach, such as moving from in‑situ concrete to precast to save weeks of formwork and curing.

In the UK, construction delays are governed by specific standard forms of contract—most commonly JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) or NEC (New Engineering Contract). The terminology and legal obligations differ significantly from other regions.

Here is how you handle the first steps of a delay within the UK framework:

1. Categorise the Event (Relevant Events vs. Compensation Events)

In the UK, you don’t just call it a "delay." You must identify it using the specific language of your contract:

• JCT Contracts: You are looking for a "Relevant Event." This entitles you to an Extension of Time (EOT) to move the Completion Date and avoid Liquidated and Ascertained Damages (LADs). If it is also a "Relevant Matter," you can claim loss and expense (money).
• NEC Contracts: These use the term "Compensation Event" (CE). A CE generally covers both time and money simultaneously. If it’s not on the list in Clause 60.1, you likely aren't getting covered.

2. Issue the Contractual Notice

UK contracts are very strict about "condition precedent" if you don't notify within the window, your claim is dead.

• NEC4: You must notify a Compensation Event within 8 weeks of becoming aware of it (Clause 61.3). Fail this, and you get nothing.
• JCT: You must give notice "forthwith" or whenever it becomes "reasonably apparent" that the progress of the works is being delayed.
• The Letter: It must be a formal notice. An email to a site foreman doesn't count. Address it to the Architect/Contract Administrator (JCT) or the Project Manager (NEC).

3. Mitigate the Loss (The "Best Endeavours" Rule)

Under most UK JCT contracts, the contractor has a statutory and contractual duty to constantly use their "best endeavours" to prevent or reduce delays.

• Action: Even if the delay is 100% the Client's fault, you cannot simply sit back and let the clock run. You must demonstrate that you tried to re-sequence work or move labour to other areas to minimize the impact.
• Evidence: Keep a "Mitigation Log" showing the steps you took to try and save time.

4. Assess Liquidated and Ascertained Damages (LADs)

In the UK, "Penalty Clauses" are generally unenforceable, but LADs are standard. This is a pre-agreed weekly rate (e.g., £10,000 per week) that you pay the client if you finish late.

• Action: Immediately calculate your potential exposure. If the delay is 4 weeks and your LADs are £5k/week, you are looking at a £20,000 liability. This dictates how much you should spend on "Crashing" the schedule to catch up.

Our Services: Project Delay Recovery & Strategic Mitigation

We are here to ensure you don’t drain the project contingency on claims lawyers and expensive litigation. Once a project slips, appointing expert witnesses often becomes a "sunk cost" that serves the dispute, not the building. We offer a proactive alternative.

1. Free Initial Project Assessment (The "Triage")

Before any formal instructions, we conduct a high-level diagnostic of your current position. We provide straightforward options for time recovery to all parties. Our goal is to get the Employer, Contractor, and Sub-contractors back around the table focusing on the Completion Date, not the blame.

2. Forensic Situation Analysis

If more intervention is required, we establish an accurate "Line of Balance" by reviewing the core UK construction bottlenecks:

• Design & Information Release: Tracking the RFI/Information Release Schedule.
• Procurement & Lead Times: Assessing the impact of global supply chain volatility on UK site deliveries.
• Labour Productivity: Identifying "Trade Stacking" and resource constraints.
• Commercial Friction: Resolving cost disputes that are stifling site progress.
• Sequencing Logic: Identifying "Critical Path" failures.

3. Bespoke Scheduling & Data Visualization

We move away from "one-size-fits-all" planning. A 2,000-line Gantt Chart (Primavera P6 or Asta) is a powerful tool for a Planner, but it can be "white noise" for a Site Foreman. We translate complex schedules into:

• Short-term Look-ahead: For site-level execution.
• Visual Milestones: For stakeholder reporting.
• Lean Dashboards: Highlighting blockers in real-time.

4. Collaborative Recovery Workshops

Once a (re)starting position is agreed, we facilitate intensive workshops. This isn't just about moving bars on a chart; it’s about securing buy-in. We use these sessions to create a Recovery Programme that is realistic, achievable, and contractually compliant (aligned with JCT/NEC notice requirements).

5. Progress Monitoring & "Health Checks"

A recovery plan is a living document. We offer regular site visits to ensure the plan survives "first contact" with daily site realities. By tracking Planned vs. Actual progress weekly, we prevent the "drift" that leads back to square one.

6. The "Gold Standard" Training

We leave your team stronger than we found them. We provide one-on-one mentoring for Project Managers and Site Leads on:

• Effective Change Management: How to track and communicate schedule changes.
• Contractual Awareness: Managing Early Warnings (NEC) and Notices of Delay (JCT).
• Schedule Re-alignment: Teaching them the skills to reschedule and mitigate without external help in the future.