The top 5 pain points in construction

Inflation

Global inflationary forces have affected construction over the last two years. Some materials have become unavailable, and others have seen significant price increases.

That affects construction margins and has made many projects unviable. Getting past this pain point means working smarter and more efficiently.

For example, you could use SPEC2SITE, our new tool for value engineering in construction. It uses smart design software to connect design specifications with the job site to enable precise installations.

It reduces the weight, cost and carbon footprint of high performing anchors and other structural connections. At a time when prices are rising, using technology that can cut your waste by up to 30% is a smart cost-saving move. 

Labour shortage

UK construction companies face a severe shortage of skilled labour which is holding the industry back, but more than two thirds of young people view a career in construction favourably according to the Institute for Employment Studies.

They are a resource waiting to be deployed, and the UK’s most progressive construction firms like Balfour Beatty, Kier Group and Skanska have strong graduate programmes to bring the best individuals into the sector and beat the labour shortage.

This is a pain point that you can avoid with good planning and a commitment to developing the best talent.

For graduates, there are some incredible opportunities in the construction sector available right now, including Hilti’s own graduate programmes.

Technology

Technology is reshaping the construction industry by cutting costs, saving time and increasing productivity. However, it’s fair to say that many in the industry at all levels can be slow to adopt new technological solutions for a range of reasons.

Fear of change, lack of experience with digital solutions and financial barriers to adoption are just three things that can lead to slow adoption on site.

However, the new generation of construction site technology is easier to use and implement than ever before. For example, Hilti ON!Track allows you to do fast, real-time inventory checks 24 hours a day, seven days a week to introduce greater accountability across the job site.

Using ID tags and the power of data, everyone on site can easily see where all your assets are at any given time, at the touch of a button. It’s a simple system that is easy to use and can be tailored to your specific needs by our team of specialists.

Systems like this not only eliminate pain points around technology, but they actually help you get past other pain points – saving you time and money. 

Regulations and compliance

Every area of construction has regulations that you need to comply with in order to successfully complete your project. However, the administration required to satisfy them can be a pain point for construction companies.

The key to getting through this is to ensure that you fully understand the regulations – but also the best practices and tools available to satisfy them in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

For example, dust and other particulate matter is a big danger on any site. Every year the HSE estimates that 500 people die each year from silica dust alone, so it makes sense that there are fines if you don’t control dust on site according to regulations.

Investing in the right M-class and H-class vacuums for your workforce is a great way to make sure you are meeting requirements and bypassing the regulation and compliance pain point. In addition, using accessories like Hilti’s Continuous Bag can also save time and increase productivity on the job site. 

Profit growth

Finally, one of the most significant challenges for construction companies is how to ensure profit growth even when dealing with all the previous pain points.

The key here is to use products and services that cut costs while also increasing productivity on the job site.

A great example is Hilti Fleet Management, a long-term tool hire solution where you pay a monthly fee for the tools you need across your projects.

The fee includes servicing and maintenance costs, loan tools to replace broken down equipment, proactive battery exchange and access to Hilti tool location tracking so that you only get the tools you need.

Fleet Management is an effective way to manage your immediate costs and help you preserve capital for other areas of the business. If you only lease what you need, there is no overbuying due to hoarding, mismanagement or disorganisation.