Challenges with Subcontractors – Contractors & Consultants
The main contractor and the consultant ‘s ability to achieve a project within the stipulated time and within cost, is largely dependent on the subcontractor ‘s performance.
Looking at study in the University of KwaZulu Natal in 2020, the qualitative data of the research showed that quality, technical performance, and functionality, lack of communication, poor collaboration, time delays and conflict, deceitful practices and safety compliance as being the challenges that main contractors agree to encounter when working with inexperienced or emerging sub-contractors.
Quantitative data found that quality, shortage of skills, poor planning skills/management, low communication levels, risk to health and safety risk and the lack of understanding of construction contracts as being among the most significant challenges of working with inexperienced sub-contractors.
Other challenges faced by emerging sub-contractors include contractual issues, the ability to develop long term strategies and the issue of experience with executing works.
Among the biggest issues that main contractors call out the lack of capital, poor management and lack of financial management training is considered as most challenging and disturbing.
Challenges vs Desired Outcomes
| Challenges that main-contractors face in working with sub-contractors | Desired Outputs |
|
•Communications
•Poor management
•Safety
•Schedule and planning
•Financial management and training
•Quality
•Conflict
•Lack of contractual knowledge/understanding
•Performance |
•Improved communication between parties
•Improved project management skills
•Improved safety standards from sub-contractors
•Improved quality work from inexperienced sub-contractors
•On-time hand-over of works
•Better understanding of financials |
