Project Behind Schedule? Here’s What to Do
Labour shortages cause more project delays than weather, materials, or approvals combined. When you’re falling behind, here’s the recovery playbook.
Immediate Actions
Assess the gap: How many worker-days are you behind? Which trades are the bottleneck? What’s the critical path? Call your recruitment agency: Explain the urgency. Good agencies can supply surge labour within 48-72 hours. Consider overtime: Existing crew on Saturday/Sunday at penalty rates may be cheaper than project delay penalties.
Medium-Term Recovery
Re-sequence trades where possible — can any work proceed in parallel that was planned sequentially? Bring in a second crew for the bottleneck trade. Extend working hours (5:30am-6pm if council permits).
Prevention for Next Time
Build labour contingency into your program (10-15% buffer). Engage recruitment agencies early — before you need workers, not after you’re desperate. Maintain relationships with reliable subbies even between projects.
The Cost of Delay vs The Cost of Surge Labour
Liquidated damages on a $5M project can run $2,000-$5,000 per day. Surge labour at premium rates for 2 weeks costs less than 5 days of LDs.
Need workers urgently? | Call 0420 958 372 — same day response