College - Author 1
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Department - Author 1
Construction Management Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Construction Management
Date
4-2022
Primary Advisor/Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Bryan Knakiewicz, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Construction Management Department
Abstract/Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new severe supply chain bottlenecks in the construction industry. These bottlenecks reduced the availability of a wide variety of critical construction materials, which created a scarcity that has raised material prices at an unprecedented rate and extended lead times for some materials by months. This poses new challenges for contractors with pressure from owners to deliver ongoing contracts with fixed, pre-pandemic contract pricing and for estimators seeking to bid new projects with unforeseeable future material pricing. The objective of this research to focus on contractors operating within the state of California and their primary challenges in navigating a volatile materials market, and to discover trends and changes in preconstruction processes throughout the industry as this material price escalation event has transpired. Seven industry professionals from different contracting companies and manufacturers were interviewed for this case study from which a variety of challenges were identified and methods to reduce risk in preconstruction were explored, including expanded contingency, development of internal price forecasting systems, and increased focus on value engineering and alternative materials.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cmsp/548
Poster Board