Effective Communication and attention to detail makes or breaks!  I just happen to be in the middle of a complete bathroom re-model.  I'm talking rip out everything down to the concrete and the bare walls and start all over again.  OK, I admit, it looks like my criterion for selecting a contractor did not serve me as well as I would like, and there have been a few (nasty) bumps along the road.  Bumps that easily could have been avoided if there had been effective communication throughout the contractor's "Project team".  Let me give you a few examples:

1)      The missing tile selection.  After signing off of the contract price and moving forward, my first selections were to be tile and cabinetry due to the long lead time.  Within one month of the contract execution, I had completed tile and cabinet selection, having gone so far as to take samples of the wood and tile home to see them in the light of the space.  I returned them to GC with instructions that they were my final selections for tile and cabinets and to write them up for my signoff.  Over the next two weeks I shopped and picked out all of the fixtures required, wrote them all out with part numbers and delivered them to the GC, requesting that when they were written up for signoff that I expected a date of demolition of the old bathroom.  After 1 month I received a call that the GC had not documented the tile and cabinets, and that I had to come back into their showroom to go through the process again – the samples had apparently been moved out of the GC’s office and now he was unable to remember what I had selected.  Result – delay to start - 6 weeks.

 

2)      The misplaced outlets.  I have the “team” show up every day – whomever that might be and whenever that might be, to complete whatever they can complete in between smoke, coffee and lunch breaks.  The “Project supervisor” shows occasionally, and is to provide direction to the team.  Last week we discussed the mirrors that will be hanging over my newly centered vanities.  I showed the supervisor the mirrors that are sitting in another room of the house, and we measured them both at 45” x 35”, agreeing that they will be mounted landscape.  At the end of the day, the crew shows me the work that they completed.  The new outlets were pulled and framed in the wall, directly behind where the mirrors will hang.  Result – schedule adjustment, 1 day of re-work, 2 men.

 

3)       Missing diverter coupling.  Day one of demolition the contractor brought all of my fixtures, including the new corner tub, to the house and took over half of my garage.  As parts were needed the boxes were opened and installed into the Project as the critical path would allow.  The day came where the plumber was to install my new dual shower head, and when the box was opened, it was discovered that a critical diverter coupling was missing.  The part required ordering and shipping to the house before they could continue the Project.  Result – 2 delay push on the critical path.

Amazingly enough, as the bathroom progresses it is coming together nicely, although the above items are only a few of the issues encountered so far.  However, I hope that the above gives some insight into how communication and following up on the details matters as it inevitably affects the Project schedule and therefore the budget.  Could all of the above issues been avoided?  Absolutely.  I would say that Projects that are run without structure, as my bathroom remodel obviously has been, give us better insight as to why Project Management excellence deserves not only recognition, but standards of performance and certifications such as the PMP provides.  I know if I had been running the Project, I would be sitting in my 12 jetted tub with a glass of wine right now!