The pre-construction and planning phase is the foundation of any successful rehab or building project. At The Rehabber’s Playbook, we emphasize this phase to ensure clarity, understanding, and a streamlined process. In this blog, we’ll share a flowchart illustrating how all the pieces fit together, along with a detailed breakdown of the various pre-construction and planning tasks.

Why the Pre-Construction & Planning Phase Matters

We cannot stress enough the importance of this phase. Think of it as setting up dominoes. Once you’ve carefully placed each one, the construction phase is simply about knocking them over and managing their performance. In other words, if you set everything up correctly during the planning phase, the execution will flow smoothly.

In our experience, most problems rehabbers and builders face could be avoided by focusing more on the planning and pre-construction phase. Missteps here can lead to missed deadlines, budget overruns, and unforeseen complications down the road.

Separating Pre-Construction from Planning

You will notice something unique about how we teach planning and pre-construction. We divide this phase into two key components: Pre-Construction and Planning. At first look, this may seem more complicated, but it actually allows for:

• More efficiency: Many tasks can be done simultaneously, allowing you to save time.
• More flexibility: Each project is different, and this separation ensures that varying requirements are accounted for.
• More clarity: You’ll be able to clearly define the purpose and goal of each task, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

Pre-Construction

This is where you focus on the practical and logistical preparations. Tasks include creating a detailed scope of work, setting a realistic budget, bidding and hiring contractors, and establishing a project schedule. These are the nuts and bolts that will keep your project running smoothly and efficiently.

Planning

Planning, on the other hand, deals with the technical, regulatory, and design aspects of your project. This involves building plans, engineering documents, surveys, and obtaining necessary permits. It’s also where you finalize decisions about selections and design—elements that are crucial for aligning with your vision.

Take a look at the flowchart below for a visual breakdown of how we organize these tasks. This chart will guide you through the pre-construction and planning phase efficiently, ensuring no steps are missed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even seasoned rehabbers and builders can overlook key aspects of this phase. Here are a few pitfalls to watch out for:

• Creating a budget before the scope of work is defined.
• Delaying permit applications, which can set your entire project back.
• Waiting too long to request bids, risking contractor availability.
• Failing to decide on selections before the construction phase begins.

Final Thoughts

The pre-construction and planning phase is the bedrock of successful project management. Overlooking or underestimating its importance can lead to costly delays and unnecessary stress. By breaking it down into two separate components—Pre-Construction and Planning—you can manage these tasks with greater efficiency, flexibility, and clarity. Set up your dominoes correctly now, and you’ll find that the rest of the project flows seamlessly.