Forecasting cost to complete every month
Forecast a job's final cost each month from cost to date, commitments and the work that remains, and explain what changed since last month's forecast.
Budget control, labour productivity and forecasting
Most budget overruns are visible weeks before they are expensive. These lessons show what to measure in the field, how to forecast the final cost honestly, and when spending more saves the job.
Tracking labour productivity with installed quantities
Measure labour productivity as hours per installed unit, compare it with the estimate every week and turn the gap into hours gained or lost.
Spotting labour overruns early
Recognize the site signs of a labour overrun, such as stacked crews, waiting and open areas, and act while enough work remains to recover the hours.
Cost codes that field staff can actually use
Design a short cost-code list in site language, with a definition for every code and separate codes for extra work, so foremen code time correctly.
Earned value for construction teams, without the jargon
Use planned value, earned value and actual cost to tell whether a construction job is over budget or behind schedule, and know what the indices miss.
Controlling consumables and small-tools costs
Set up simple controls, from named buyers and tagged tools to a monthly allowance and statement checks, that keep consumables and small tools on budget.
Standby and idle time: recording it so it can be recovered
Record standby and idle time the same day, with cause, crew, equipment, notice and a signature, so the cost can be claimed or explained later.
Reading a job cost report: five numbers to check weekly
Check five numbers on a job cost report every week (budget, period cost, commitments, labour hours and progress) to see where the money is going.
Managing contingency without spending it early
Tie contingency to named risks, draw it down only with a recorded reason and approval, release what has passed and keep enough for the risks ahead.
Overtime decisions: when paying more saves the job
Weigh the premium and lost output of overtime against the cost of finishing late, and set limits that keep crews productive and safe.
