10 Ways Construction Cameras Can Save You Money
A shrewd construction manager is always looking to save money by increasing profit margins and eliminating unnecessary costs. Wisely managing a project is the lifeline of being successful in the industry. Construction cameras are one of the best ways this can be done.
This is even more important with rising material costs and labor shortages which have eaten away at profit margins. Not to mention developer expectations on project price increases can often be difficult to manage.
As a Project Manager, you must do everything possible to keep clients happy so that you foster an environment where sustainable repeat business is possible.
In the same way, being in the General Contracting business opens you up to a lot of risk. You are the point man if something happens and take on a lot of responsibility for the success and failures of the project.
What are you to do as factors continue to intensify on both sides of the equation?
As a construction supplier, we believe one aspect to the solution is implementing technology and processes and help you stay lean. In this brief article, I am going to lay out 10 reasons why construction cameras will allow you to do just that.
1. Avoid Unnecessary Trips to the Jobsite
Construction cameras allow you to monitor the site remotely. While you absolutely should make periodic trips to the jobsite, it is unrealistic to run from jobsite to jobsite checking up and making sure progress is being made.
As a former Project Manager, construction cameras gave me peace of mind as I knew exactly what was happening 24/7. Instead of wild fire-fighting, construction cameras helped me triage different situations.
Simply put, time is money. If you are spending your time as a Project Manager running around and putting out fires, you are losing on the backend. Not to mention the extra overhead of paying for overly priced flights and hotel bookings.
2. Show Proof of work
Every once in a while (really all the time), mistakes are made in construction or an inspection is missed. Maybe it is just me, but throughout the project, a daily photo saved me huge heartache and project delays.
Photos serve as a contingency plan and Project Managers should use them as a preventative measure. For instance, most inspectors are willing to work with photos if it can be proven that work was done properly.
But if you don’t have the photos, the metal panels come flying off the walls or dirt needs to be dug back up to prove the water line was placed below the frost line.
3. Reduce Risk
Correcting and solving problems as they arise is a key aspect of the Project Manager’s job. Maybe it is a big project milestone that you don’t want to miss or the excavator misinterpreted the plans and brought the incorrect aggregate on the jobsite.
As is well known, there are so many moving parts on the jobsite which allows for a margin of error. Construction cameras help you get out in front of problems before they occur.
Subsequently, your project margins are kept safe and make your company more profitable.
4. Avoid Horror Stories and Legal Fees
You never want to end up in the courtroom. Thankfully, arbitration is written up in most subcontracts but even that is a laborious and an undesirable outcome. If you haven’t been part of a horror story, then take it from someone who has… don’t go there.
Having good documentation is one of the key ingredients to avoiding a mess altogether. Even more, photos will help prove your case and dispense any dishonesty. Pictures tell a true story even when your subcontractors don’t.
Even if honesty is being pursued on both sides, good photo documentation will keep the record straight and all parties happy.
5. Be More Efficient With Construction Cameras
Operational effectiveness is when your jobsite is hitting on all cylinders. The project schedule is being adhered to, subcontractors are doing what they said they were going to do, the project budget was executed to perfection, etc.
Unfortunately, this is really difficult to do as people are people and management can’t be replaced by robots. Construction cameras allow you to keep tabs on completion percentages, hold subcontractors accountable for the work they perform, and hit project milestone dates.
Similarly, the quicker you can execute on a project and wrap up closeout, the less you drain costs. Efficiency will pay dividends.
6. Collaborate with Team Members and Communicate Effectively
Save time on documentation and team meetings by allowing a photo to speak for itself. Trying to visualize the depth of a lag bolt embedment as you’re sitting in the office is way more difficult than receiving a photo from your site superintendent.
Furthermore, make communication seamless by sending automatic updates to your developer or client. Our AI Time Lapse videos will save you time on creating and sending progress reports.
7. Systematize Construction Draws and Progress Payments
Construction loans are a necessary evil. They give the project legs but they can also cut you off at the knees. Generally speaking, business is built off of trusting relationships but requires checks and balances. As the saying goes: “trust but verify.”
As a result, construction draws can often get backed up due in part to the bank verifying if percentage milestones measure up to a progress payment request.
If pay is getting backed up, subcontractors can often get restless and migrate to work that doesn’t take months to receive a return on investment.
Repeat business is key to long term success. Keep subcontractors happy and your projects won’t suffer. Construction cameras can help build trust with developers and lenders, and can paint a true picture of actual progress.
8. Find a Solution for the Labor Shortage
Finding quality labor is a continued challenge for the construction industry. As labor prevents more and more contractors from delivering projects on time and on budget, technology will play a significant role in reducing these inefficiencies.
Leverage construction cameras so that you can manage more jobs efficiently. During this time of high inflation, being lean and agile will help you effectively adapt to the challenges of the time.
9. Manage Subcontractors
“I was on the jobsite at 8 A.M. and had 6 drywallers for a full 9 hour day.” To verify the story, you check the photos from the previous day and note that the drywallers showed up at 10:30 and left at 3 P.M. and there were only 3 individuals that showed up. If you develop a reputation of being the Project Manager that is “super chill,” the downstream consequences begin to stack up.
We care about our subcontractors, and can be cordial, but we are in the business of turning a profit and serving our stakeholders. Build processes and implement technology that serve your end client and make you more proficient at your job.
10. Be Punctual on Project Closeout
Enough of the “he said she said” communication that often occurs at the end of the project. Project Closeouts are one of the most difficult aspects of delivering a project on time and on budget.
Give yourself a fighting chance. From beginning to end, photo documentation will be key in closing out a project with punctuality. Dragging the project on will bleed costs and end up hurting the bottom line. In other words, know who is on site and what actually gets done.
Conclusion: Construction Cameras Save Money
Nobody wants their project to go belly up because they didn’t bake contingency plans into their processes. On the flip side, every Project Manager wants to run their project as smoothly as possible. As a review, here are the 10 ways construction cameras can save you money:
- Avoid Unnecessary Trips to the Jobsite
- Show Proof of Work
- Reduce Risk
- Avoid Horror Stories and Legal Fees
- Be More Efficient
- Collaborate with Team Members and Communicate Effectively
- Systematize Construction Draws and Progress Payments
- Find a Solution for the Labor Shortage
- Manage Subcontractors
- Be Punctual on Project Closeouts
Construction cameras provide so many benefits to solving both of these problems. As profit margins continue to get tighter and tighter, utilize technology to stay ahead of the curve and win more business.
As noted before, leveraging technology to do a job better will keep customers happy and repeat business coming your way. The biggest thank you a client can give you is an invitation to perform their next job.