At a high level, there are three main stages of a construction project: project planning, design, and construction. As an owner, you can call for value engineering services at any time throughout the construction process. However, the pros and cons of making changes vary from stage to stage.
VALUE ENGINEERING DURING PROJECT PLANNING
In most cases, the planning stage of your project is the best time to value engineer. The cost to implement these changes will be the lowest, and it will have the least effect on the project’s schedule.
At this stage, your value engineering team will take a close look at the facility and work with you to flush out your vision and objectives for the project. Armed with this information, they’ll be able to offer you alternatives that will fit your project. Then, they’ll seamlessly work them into the project plan.
While this requires more preparation upfront, it will save you from costly change orders that can push back your project’s schedule down the road.
VALUE ENGINEERING DURING THE DESIGN PHASE
For most traditional projects, value engineering happens during the design phase. The owner works with an architect to develop construction documents, and those documents are then used by contractors to develop estimates. When those estimates come back too high, the project team goes back to the drawing board (literally) and starts looking for ways they can save you some money.
However, it’s worth reiterating that value engineering shouldn’t just be about lowering construction costs. The value engineering team needs to look at costs long-term and the value of the project as a whole and make suggestions that align with the owner’s objectives.
One of the downsides of doing most of your value engineering during the design phase is that you can incur redesign costs.
VALUE ENGINEERING DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Just because boots are on the ground and construction is underway doesn’t mean your project team should stop looking critically at the project. Value engineering can continue as work is put in place with suggestions from contractors through value engineering change orders.
However, because construction is already underway, changes to the plans can be costly and may alter the project schedule. All value engineering suggestions during this phase need to be looked at critically to understand the full impact the change will have on the project.
That’s why it’s important to partner with a construction firm that’s committed to doing the right thing and being good stewards of your resources. At Value Engineering Malaysia, we’ll be an engaged team member from the second we become involved throughout the entire process.
We’ll never stop looking for ways to add value to your project.
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