5 Mistakes in Preconstruction Planning—And How ConCntric Solves Them

Here are the five most common mistakes made in preconstruction planning, and how ConCntric can help to avoid them. All of these common pitfalls can slow down your progress, introduce new, unnecessary risks, and make collaboration far more difficult than it needs to be. With ConCntric, there’s a better way. Keep reading on to learn how ConCntric can streamline your workflows, improve your communication, and keep your projects on track from start to finish.

In the high-stakes construction world, planning is absolutely essential. The decisions made during the preconstruction process lay the foundation for a project’s success. From timeline and cost control to collaboration and client trust, precon paves the way for the rest of your project to follow. When teams rely on outdated methods and broken data, they leave themselves vulnerable to risk, budget, and design misalignment, and countless missed opportunities to optimize the project. 

At ConCntric, we’ve seen firsthand the most common mistakes made in the precon process. More importantly, we’ve built a platform designed to solve these problems. 

Mistake #1: Relying on Outdated Data

The Problem:
The preconstruction phase is full of information, but far too often, that information is unorganized and unstructured. The information you’re gathering is likely scattered across multiple spreadsheets, hundreds of old emails, and outdated legacy systems. Teams make decisions based on old data, which ultimately leads to inaccurate estimates, misaligned scopes, and added unnecessary risk. 

How ConCntric Solves It:
At ConCntric, we’ve created a structured system of record that stores and contextualizes all of your project data with the convenience of one central platform. From referencing historical cost trends, tracking budget changes, and forecasting project outcomes, our platform helps ensure your team is always working with the most accurate and up-to-date information. We offer features like Calibrate to make capturing and utilizing data effortless. 

Mistake #2: Lack of Team Visibility

The Problem:
When several different departments, stakeholders, or individuals work in isolation, the probability of misalignment is increased tenfold. When you operate without clear visibility of a plan or what other team members are doing, you overlook critical details and lose time trying to get on the same page with one another. 

How ConCntric Solves It:
When using ConCntric, everyone on your team is looking at the same source of truth. ConCntric provides portfolio-wide visibility and real-time updates across all preconstruction workflows, helping your team stay aligned and reducing miscommunication among members. Stakeholders can easily track project status, view changes as they occur, and collaborate with our embedded communication tools, like Vision, Foresite, and Portfolio.

Mistake #3: Poor Communication Between Stakeholders

The Problem:
Many voices need to be heard in the preconstruction process, from owners, designers, general contractors, and trade partners, to internal groups such as operations and executive reporting. When these voices are not aligned, information does not flow freely, and misunderstandings, stalled decision-making, and costly errors increase.

How ConCntric Solves It:
Every stakeholder has the ability to engage with project data in a visual and intuitive format through our collaborative delivery platform. Whether presenting cost scenarios, reviewing design alternatives, or discussing value options, ConCntric ensures constant transparent communication from start to finish. ConCntric doesn’t just help you share data; it helps you drive informed dialogue between people. We help bridge the gap between preconstruction and operations through features like Risk Register and our communication & reporting function.

Mistake #4: Unclear Cost and Scope Alignment

The Problem:
If you can’t budget it, you can’t build it. Your team spends valuable time chasing down accurate numbers and updated documents when scope and cost are disconnected. All of this results in delayed work and frustrated stakeholders.

How ConCntric Solves It:
ConCntric connects your design decisions directly to your project budget. Our tools, Vision and Target Value Design, help you align scope with cost from the start. We also allow you to track changes in real time to help ensure everyone understands the financial impact of the decisions being made. Our integrated approach helps minimize rework and keeps your project on track. 

Mistake #5: Not Using the Right Software

The Problem:
Most software wasn’t built with the preconstruction team in mind. There are countless generic tools out there, and none of these support the intricacies of the work the precon team does. All of this results in inefficiencies, fragmented workflows, and higher risk.

How ConCntric Solves It:
Unlike construction-phase software trying to overhaul their processes to fit precon, ConCntric was built with the preconstruction phase in mind first and foremost. Our platform addresses the multiple workflows that preconstruction professionals are dealing with on a daily basis–estimating, scheduling, risk management, and so on. All of this at your fingertips in one cohesive place. ConCntric provides modern software to meet your team right where they are.

The preconstruction process is too critical to leave up to chance (or spreadsheets). If you’re still trying to overcome the same hurdles with each project, it’s time to rethink your approach. ConCntric was built by preconstruction professionals, for preconstruction professionals.

Stop making the same mistakes and start building better from the very beginning.

Book a demo with ConCntric today to see how our platform can streamline your workflows and help to set your projects up for success.