How Do We Build Better?
Rethinking the foundational issues that hold the construction industry back
The construction industry is trapped in a cycle we don’t seem willing to break. According to How Big Things Get Done, a study of 16,000 major global projects found that 91.5% fail to finish on time or within budget—and only 0.5% finish on time, on budget, and within scope. Meanwhile, the average construction dispute now drags on for 14–15 months, costing over $42.8M per case, with expectations that 2025 figures will exceed $43.1M as inflation and risk pricing continue to climb.
Despite the availability of powerful platforms like Procore and Autodesk, adoption remains superficial. The C-suite and risk managers rarely use project management tools. Instead, stakeholders operate in silos, and rework, scheduling delays, and finger-pointing remain the norm.
Strategic Framing: Construction’s Inconvenient Truth
Construction hasn’t changed—but the world around it has. Projects have become more complex, procurement is harder, and contractors are navigating historic labor shortages and supply chain volatility. Interest rates are high, and capital is harder to deploy. While some verticals like data centers and infrastructure are booming, traditional private work has slowed, and sectors like new office construction are in decline...
Core Issues Breakdown: The Hidden Costs of Doing Business as Usual
1. Schedule Delays: The Industry’s Open Secret
Rework. Weather. Labor shortages. Material delays. Poor field communication. Every contractor knows the culprits. Yet somehow, no one owns the problem...
2. Rework & Non-Conformance: The Gray Zone Nobody Tracks
Rework is rarely defined—and even less often tracked. Yet its cost is staggering...
3. Siloed Workflows: It’s Not a Tech Problem—It’s a Communication Problem
Every major function—precon, field, risk, legal, accounting—operates in its own lane...
4. Litigation & Risk Transfer: The Business of Shifting Blame
Litigation is no longer a last resort in construction—it’s baked into the business model...
5. Contractual Imbalance & Subcontractor Exploitation: The Quiet Extraction Machine
Payment terms have become a weapon. Upstream parties use them to control subs—withholding cash to maintain leverage...
Stop Talking About What's Broken. Let's Fix It.
The issues in this article aren't theoretical—they're actively costing you money. Schedule a complimentary discovery call to see how our data-driven approach can protect your project margins.
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