Time is money, especially in multi-family construction projects, where delays can mean lost revenue. Using the right scheduling method can improve construction efficiency and productivity, facilitate communication among project team members, and define resource requirements and allocations, leading to higher-quality projects and fewer delays.
The critical path method (CPM), resource-oriented scheduling, and Gantt charts are three common construction scheduling tools that are used to improve project outcomes. They help project teams identify tasks that can significantly affect completion timelines, so they know when to add resources and how much to add to meet deadlines. They also provide a visual representation of the entire project and how each activity relates to those before and after it.
By combining these tools, project teams give themselves the best chance of completing projects on time while maintaining affordability.
The CPM for construction scheduling identifies the tasks or activities that are critical to meeting project completion milestones. It recognizes tasks that could affect these milestones through their relationships.
The process of creating a CPM schedule includes:
CPM scheduling is best used on large, complex projects, such as multi-family developments. Identifying critical activities helps ensure that they aren’t delayed and highlights when additional resources are needed, such as money or personnel. It’s also used for fast-track and design-build projects, when critical activities can be overlapped to help shorten the schedule.
Resource-oriented scheduling can be used alone or in combination with CPM to track the use of key resources during a project. It helps ensure that the required labor, equipment, and materials are available when they are needed and that a lack of resources doesn’t delay completion.
Line of balance tracks the flow of work for specific resources (a crew or subcontractor) over multiple, similar locations, such as multi-family housing units, to help ensure a continuous flow of work and reduce downtime. It tracks when multiple parties need access to the same resources at the same time or when resource levels aren’t enough to meet milestones.
When resources are stretched thin and have more work than they can handle, resource leveling is used to better align the schedule with the work that can be realistically performed. This is done by extending the duration of tasks performed by a specific resource. For example, if a framing crew is short-staffed, the duration of their work is extended to account for this. This delay is then reflected in the overall completion date.
When critical tasks fall behind, resource crashing can help facilitate earlier completion. Crashing involves adding resources to tasks on the critical path. While this is effective in shortening completion time, it does increase costs. An example is when a crew works overtime to complete their work when the schedule has fallen behind. Crashing can also include expediting the shipping of key materials to speed up production.
While not a scheduling method per se, Gantt charts are widely used for displaying construction project schedules. Each task or activity is shown as a bar across a timeline. Related tasks are joined with arrows showing predecessors and successors. These charts provide easy-to-read visual summaries of all project tasks, helping keep team members better informed.
Using Gantt charts can help:
For maximum effectiveness, most projects use a combination of methods to accurately represent the work, resources, and time necessary for completion. Accurate, realistic task descriptions, durations, and resource assignments help keep projects on time and on budget.
Schedule assists with project management by:
James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corporation uses all three of these multi-family project scheduling tools to help ensure that its clients’ projects hit their target dates and budgets. By identifying critical activities, managing resources, and clearly communicating schedule impacts, its team provides the client with all the information needed to make informed decisions about every aspect of the project.
By choosing James E. Roberts-Obayashi Corporation’s cost-estimating solution, project managers gain a powerful tool to navigate the complexities of multi-family housing construction. It helps anticipate cash flow needs, support lender and grant planning, and reduce mid-project surprises. Its team’s commitment is to provide reliable, market-aware cost data that enhances project success and stakeholder confidence. Discover how this solution can streamline your project management process and ensure that your affordable housing initiatives stay on track and within budget.