Recovering a late schedule: crashing, fast-tracking and resequencing
The update shows the job twelve working days behind, and the owner's letter asks for a recovery plan by Friday. The superintendent wants a second drywall crew. The estimator wants ceilings to start before the corridor walls are finished, and a foreman suggests building the two wings in the opposite order.
Only time recovered on the critical path brings the finish date back; speeding up anything else costs money and moves nothing. Crashing adds resources — crews, shifts, equipment — to shorten critical activities, and it always costs more, so start with the activities that cost least per day saved. Fast-tracking overlaps activities that were planned in sequence, which saves time but raises the chance of redoing work. Resequencing changes the order of the work so the part that is stuck comes off the critical path.
Choosing the method
- Confirm the delay and its cause in the latest update: which critical activities slipped, by how much, and why.
- List the critical and near-critical activities of the next six weeks. Only these are candidates.
- Price crashing activity by activity — a second crew, a second shift, overtime, more equipment — as cost per working day saved, and take the cheapest days first. Overtime work is more prone to accidents and quality problems, so name the supervision each option needs.
- Test each possible overlap with the two foremen involved: what would have to be redone if the first activity changes, and who would pay for it.
- Look for a resequence — another area first, temporary works, a different delivery order — and confirm the new logic with the trades before drawing it.
- Check the physical limits: space, hoisting, supervision and inspections. Two crews in one corridor can finish later than one.
- Put the chosen plan into the schedule as revised logic and durations, and track it weekly against the days it promised.
Action list
Before you send the recovery plan
- List only critical and near-critical activities
- Price each crash option per day saved
- Name the rework risk of each overlap
- Confirm resequenced logic with the foremen
- Check space, hoisting and inspections
- Put your position on time in writing first
Check your understanding
Why might adding a second crew to a non-critical activity not bring the finish date any closer?
