Did your football stands get installed or updated on time this year, or find yourself mired in delays? Were people filing into the stands while workers were still putting on finishing touches and cleaning up? If so, you’re not alone!
It’s a common problem, and happens year after year. The reasons for delay can be many — an extended streak of bad weather, mistakes by the manufacturer, poor installers/contractors… but the main problem when it comes to late finish dates is usually present right at the beginning.
Here’s a typical scenario:
- Owner does due diligence and gets a firm budget quote or quotes anywhere from September through January.
- Owner receives “tentative approval” for the project, pending approval of the budget.
- A new fiscal year rolls around on June 30th-July 1st and project receives official approval.
- Owner or project manager meets with purchasing to try to get the project out to bid quickly, which takes another two weeks or so.
- Once the apparent low bidder has been met with, the owner then must wait for the next board meeting to approve. If your facility is lucky, this happens by the end of July. Often, it’s much later than that.
- Only now is the owner able to actually contact the successful bidder to tell him a po is on the way. The contractor, now dealing with supply backups due to demand at this time of year, must tell you a delayed start date, different from the original estimate. If you send the po right away, he can give you a start date of 30 days from now.
- The bleachers finally arrive! Now add 2-4 weeks for assembly and updates.
At this point, a project that should have been done before the beginning of a new school year has run all the way into September. Games must be moved, coaches and principals register their displeasure loud and clear, and all the owner/project manager did was follow the system!
Here’s an alternative:
- Go ahead — do your due diligence and get budget quotes as before, along with that ‘tentative” approval.
- However, instead of waiting, go ahead with the bidding process during the season instead of in the summer. September or October are ideal times for this. Use current fiscal year bunds budgeted.
- Work with a project start date in November through January (if you’re in the South), or between March, April, and May. Since construction will now take place during the “off season”, you can be sure your bleachers will be ready for that first game.
Charron Bleachers has worked with customers mired in the first scenario, and find that the second way is definitely the easiest on everyone! Vendors and manufacturers aren’t backed up, contractors aren’t trying to juggle multiple jobs, and your facility may even be able to negotiate a lower price! If your facility is looking to install or repair bleachers (or need your current bleachers inspected), Charron Bleachers is the right choice! We’d love to speak with you about your facility’s needs and what we can do to help. You can reach us by phone at (800) 745-0465 or contact us online today!