Preventing Renovation Delays With Effective Waste Management
Building renovations can be exciting, but they can also be taxing for the building’s occupants and users. For as long as construction is underway, it’s reasonable to assume there will be disruptions to daily activities, bottlenecks, excess waste, and other inconveniences. Of course, such friction points are worth it in the end, when a beautiful new space is finally unveiled. Even so, building managers naturally want to keep their renovations as streamlined as possible.
To keep renovations on schedule, it’s important to anticipate potential slowdowns, particularly those over which facility managers have some control. A prime example is waste. During the course of any renovation project, there is bound to be a pileup of drywall and other debris. If this waste is not managed efficiently, it can potentially lead to significant project delays.
More Waste Means Less Space
There are several ways mismanaged waste can slow down a renovation project. First and foremost, the more waste that accumulates within the building or on the worksite, the more difficult it is for workers to complete their tasks safely and in a timely manner.
Excessive amounts of discarded waste, old furniture, or other debris can quickly cause congestion, blocking access to critical areas. This congestion may make it more difficult for workers to maneuver equipment or to discharge their project duties. When even one team member is slowed down, it can trigger a domino effect, causing the pace of the entire project to slow.
It’s not just employees within the building who may face these obstructions. When waste overflows outside the building—such as waste or recycling bins that overflow due to infrequent pickups—it can prevent trucks and other machinery from accessing the jobsite quickly and easily. Traffic jams can contribute to further delays.
Cleanup Becomes More Cumbersome
Cleaning up a jobsite is always a big task, but when it’s deferred or done haphazardly, it can become increasingly cumbersome, complex, and potentially hazardous. In other words, it’s important to address cleanup throughout the renovation project
Ideally, roll-off dumpsters are secured before the project begins and are correctly sized to match the scope of the renovation. Regular pickups should be scheduled to prevent waste from spilling out and causing congestion on the jobsite, and workers are briefed on the most efficient ways to sort and discard their waste or recyclables.
When this doesn’t happen, it just creates bigger messes to deal with sooner or later. As a result, renovation crews will have no choice but to devote a large chunk of time to cleanup, as opposed to focusing on the renovation itself.
What’s more, certain materials, including many forms of paint, along with hazardous materials, can require specialized pickup and disposal procedures. These items cannot simply be dumped. Waiting to determine which products can legally be put into a dumpster and which require more careful handling can be another big project delay; it’s more efficient to address these issues as the renovation progresses than letting them pile up.
Compounding Inefficiencies
There are still further examples of how the accumulation of waste can slow the progress of a major renovation. Consider how mismanaged waste can increase the risk of a jobsite accident or injury, potentially leaving teams with diminished productivity.
Construction debris that is allowed to collect on a jobsite can create safety hazards and raise the risk of injuries to workers. Federal and state regulations require employers to provide a workplace that is free from known hazards that pose a risk to employee safety. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines or other liabilities.
Poor waste management can even affect the stockpile of available materials. Anyone who lives with a messy office knows that clutter makes it harder to find things and easier to misplace them. It’s little wonder that excess waste and material mismanagement can go hand-in-hand. When essential materials need to be reordered, it can delay the project and extend the timeline, potentially a major unforced error.
Proactive Waste Management Prevents Project Delays
Such errors and disruptions can be avoided—and project timelines met—when building managers prioritize waste removal and routine dumpster servicing. Coordinating dumpster services before demolition begins is a crucial step toward effective waste management throughout the project and an important way to complete the job as quickly as possible.
