How to Manage Subcontractors in Construction: Reducing Rework

Subcontractors carry out most of the work, making them responsible for the majority of rework on construction projects. 

If you're serious about reducing rework, your subcontractors must improve their ability to "build it right the first time". 

But is this really achievable?

The Rework Myth: Why Project-Specific Management Matters

Some industry detractors claim that to reduce rework, the entire construction industry needs a quality overhaul before subcontractors can improve. 

This simply isn't true. 

You probably already know that some projects experience significantly less rework than others—because they’re managed better. Certain superintendents consistently deliver projects with minimal rework, and some project managers run smoother operations. The reality is that rework reduction is highly dependent on project-specific management practices.

High-performing projects have key personnel who understand what it takes to build it right the first time. Their experience enables them to anticipate what could go wrong and proactively prevent issues. However, these high-performing individuals are not easy to come by and are becoming scarcer. For growing companies, they are spread thinly across multiple projects. When they retire, the industry loses a wealth of intelligence.

A Digital Solution for Reducing Rework

The path forward lies in leveraging digital technology to embed the best practices of high-performing personnel across all your projects. 

Digital systems and procedures can codify these practices, making them accessible to every team member, and providing managers with the visibility needed to monitor adherence and intervene when necessary.

Implementing Digital Systems to Minimize Subcontractor Rework

Years of on-site learning have helped experienced personnel build their expertise. Digital systems can capture these best practices and standardize them, ensuring every project team has access to the same knowledge base. 

Additionally, digital tools give managers a consistent way to track, monitor, and support field operations to keep rework at bay.

Here’s how digital systems and procedures can help reduce subcontractor rework:

Document and Control Deficiencies with Precision

Using digital work-to-complete punchlist reports to document and track rework issues at every stage of construction. This ensures that problems are identified and resolved as early as possible, preventing costly rework later on.

Monitor and Communicate Project Progress Consistently

Digitizing daily progress reports offer a consistent method to document project status with visual tours, making it easy to share updates with all stakeholders.

Ensure Accurate Field Reporting

Replacing paper forms and scattered spreadsheets with a single platform to streamline the capture of critical data, from personnel logs to test results. This eliminates gaps in reporting and ensures field data is both accurate and complete.

Verify Compliance with Project Specifications at Every Stage

Experienced personnel rely on mental checklists built from years of practice. Digital checklists capture this experience, turning it into structured verification procedures so that every team member can inspect with the same precision and thoroughness.

Plan and Execute Specific Inspections

Project teams that establish a clear list of required inspections are more likely to conduct necessary inspections. Digital QAQC plans can automate the scheduling and tracking of these inspections to ensure nothing is overlooked.

Anticipate and Prevent Rework Proactively

Digital systems aggregate and classify rework data from across your organization, allowing project personnel to identify trends and proactively address risks before they escalate into costly problems.

Reducing Rework: The Way Forward

Rework is not just a subcontractor issue; it’s a project-specific management challenge that can be effectively addressed with the right systems and processes in place. By leveraging digital technology, you can make the best practices of your high-performing personnel accessible to all and drive consistent quality across every project. 

With the right digital tools, your subcontractors can build it right the first time—every time.