What should I look at in a renovation contractor’s project scheduling system?

Sit with the person who runs the schedule and ask them to explain a current project from demolition to final walkthrough. You are looking for clear sequencing, realistic gaps between trades and a way to show what slips when one step runs late. A wall chart can be fine if it is kept up to date.

Compare plan with outcome on completed jobs. Where did the dates move, and why? Common causes include material delays, permit waits, change requests and a subcontractor who double-booked. If the owner can explain each slip and what was learned, the system is working, even if the jobs ran late.

Check who holds the information. If the schedule lives in the owner’s head or on a personal phone, a handover will be hard. Ask how customers are updated, how subcontractor commitments are recorded and whether the data holds personal details that need protecting. A buyer should be able to take over a live project the day after closing. Ask also how the schedule copes with a sudden cancellation, since a gap in the calendar can leave a crew idle and a subcontractor unhappy.

Key takeaways

• Compare planned and actual dates on several finished projects.
• Ask who updates the schedule and what happens when that person is away.
• Check that subcontractor bookings and customer updates are recorded somewhere shared.
• Ask how the schedule copes with a cancelled or delayed project.