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Preconstruction
Constructability Reviews, Scheduling & Estimating
Most schedule slips start before mobilization: a missed clash in the drawings, a transformer ordered too late, a budget that skipped a scope. AAAT3 checks the drawings, builds the critical-path schedule and tracks long-lead equipment so your job starts on facts.
- CPM schedules
- Constructability reviews
- Long-lead tracking
- Budgets & bid packages
- USACE format
By the numbers
Why preconstruction pays for itself
Large capital projects typically take about 20% longer to finish than scheduled.
McKinsey & CompanyThe same projects can run up to 80% over budget.
McKinsey & CompanyShare of U.S. jobsite rework caused by miscommunication and poor project data.
FMI / PlanGrid, 2018Lead times for large power transformers, longer than most building schedules.
POWER Magazine / Wood Mackenzie, 2025$177.5 billion a year: the labor cost of U.S. construction teams spending more than 14 hours a week on non-productive work such as fixing mistakes, looking for project information and resolving conflicts.
Constructability review
Find the problem on paper, not in the field
A constructability review walks the drawings, specifications and site the way the crews will build them. We look for the issues that turn into change orders, rework and lost weeks.
- Clashes between electrical, mechanical and structural work
- Equipment that won’t fit through doors, up ramps or onto pads
- Phasing problems in occupied or energized facilities
- Missing scope between trade packages
- Access, laydown and crane locations that don’t work
How we build your schedule
Six steps from drawings to a schedule that holds up
Review
Drawings, specs, contract and site constraints.
Long-lead list
Transformers, switchgear, generators, UPS, chillers. Order dates first.
Baseline CPM
Logic-tied activities, durations and a clear critical path.
Budget
Estimate, bid packages and subcontractor scopes.
Look-aheads
Three-week plans the field actually uses.
Update
Progress, delays and recovery plans, in the required format.
Rule of thumb: on power-heavy jobs, build the schedule backward from the equipment delivery dates. If the gear arrives late, nothing else on the critical path matters.
What you get
Deliverables
Baseline CPM schedule
Native file plus PDF, with the critical path marked.
Three-week look-aheads
Field-ready plans for superintendents and foremen.
Procurement & long-lead log
Order, submittal, fabrication and delivery dates tied to the schedule.
Constructability report
Issues found, impact and recommended fixes.
Risk register
Schedule and cost risks with owners and due dates.
Budget & bid packages
Estimate and clear scopes for subcontractor pricing.
Standards
Codes and standards we work to
18 standards in 4 groupsFederal government requirement or guideIndustry recognized best practice
Contract requirements
3- FAR Part 36
Federal construction and architect-engineer contractsFederal
- FAR 52.236-15
Schedules for construction contractsFederal
- FAR 52.211-12
Liquidated damages for late completionFederal
Scheduling
5- UFGS 01 32 01.00 10
USACE project schedule specificationFederal
- ER 1-1-11
USACE progress, schedules and network analysis systemsFederal
- GAO-16-89G
GAO Schedule Assessment Guide: best practices for reliable schedulesFederal
- DCMA 14-Point
Schedule health check: logic, float, constraints, leads and lagsFederal
- EM 385-1-1
USACE safety requirements built into the scheduleFederal
Estimating & bid packages
6- GAO-20-195G
GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment GuideFederal
- UFS 3-701-01
DoD Facilities Pricing GuideFederal
- AACE 56R-08
Estimate classes for building and general constructionIndustry
- AACE 18R-97
Estimate classes for process and industrial projectsIndustry
- CSI MasterFormat
Organizing specifications, bid packages and trade scopesIndustry
- ASTM E1557
UNIFORMAT II building systems for early estimatesIndustry
Site conditions & delays
4- FAR 52.236-3
Site investigation and conditions affecting the workFederal
- FAR 52.236-2
Differing site conditionsFederal
- AACE 29R-03
Forensic schedule analysis of past delaysIndustry
- AACE 52R-06
Time impact analysis for delay and extension requestsIndustry
Where we do this work
Behind schedule already? We can review your current schedule and give you a recovery plan.
Request a schedule reviewFAQ
Common questions
Can you schedule a federal job to USACE requirements?
Yes. We build the network analysis schedule and submittals to the contract specifications, including UFGS 01 32 01.00 10 when it applies.
Do you estimate for small contractors?
Yes. Many of our clients are small or new contractors who need a clear budget and scope before they bid.
When should long-lead equipment be ordered?
As early as the design allows. Large power transformers have been running two to three years, so the order date often decides the power-on date. We put every long-lead item on the schedule with its order deadline.
Can you fix a schedule that is already behind?
Yes. We update the schedule to actual progress, find the true critical path and build a recovery plan with the options and their cost.
Get a quote for Constructability, Schedule & Estimating
Tell us about your project, location and start date. We reply with a plan and pricing.
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