As a general rule, when something goes wrong on a construction project, the immediate focus is on restoring the physical damage.  I tell people to call me immediately after a major loss event that will trigger a delay in completion or in a soft cost insurance claim.  In the case of a construction project where there will be a significant delay in completion, I also advise them to call a professional construction scheduler who has solid experience documenting and supporting insurance claims. Here are some critical reasons why it’s imperative for contractors and developers to get a professional construction scheduler on site sooner rather than later:

• The construction scheduler needs to look at the critical path method (CPM) schedules and make sure that they are accurate with regard to the completion level at the time of loss.
• The construction scheduler needs to survey and document the extent of physical loss.
• The construction scheduler must begin to account for delays resulting directly from the loss as well as delays due to other related factors.
• The construction scheduler will monitor the ongoing CPM schedules related to the project to make sure that the schedules are not manipulated. This will help to prevent accountability issues that may happen at a later time, by parties who are causing delays.

The construction scheduler’s tasks are critical to ensuring that the delays related to the incident are captured and documented.  For these reasons, and hundreds more, contractors and developers should make sure that one of the first calls made, following an incident that will delay a construction project, is to a qualified and experienced construction scheduler.  Your forensic accountant can refer you to highly qualified individuals with a proven track record of supporting soft cost and delay-in-completion insurance claims.