Sixty per cent of construction projects are not completed on time, according to new figures.
It amounts to increasing lateness, with an additional five per cent of projects missing deadlines in 2015 compared to the previous year.
The data, published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), shows client satisfaction is also falling. It has dipped three years in a row, although 81 per cent of surveyed projects are managing to win client scores of eight out of ten or higher for ‘overall satisfaction with the finished product’.
Contractors are dissatisfied too, with clients and consultancy teams in their sights. Only 69 per cent of contractors rate their satisfaction as eight out of ten or higher.
Industry people compiling the figures put project delays down to economic recovery.
“The rapid upturn in activity during 2014 put pressure on capacity, manifesting itself in rising material and labour costs and extended delivery times,” said economist Tom Crabe of Glenigan which collated the numbers with BIS, CITB and Constructing Excellence.
“Evidence suggests that construction firms have managed to keep control of costs, but delays to schedule have worsened.”
Projects are coming in on budget or better in 69 per cent of cases which matches the record set by 2014.
The government’s Construction 2025 performance targets call for project timelines to be cut by half and costs by a third.
Adam Davis, a partner at Palmers who specialises in construction matters, said: “The industry is doing its best to deliver both improved products and services to clients, but projects cannot always run as planned.
“In these circumstances, it pays to talk to people who specialise in construction law and appreciate the commercial stakes involved. We are here to help firms resolve problems through negotiation and mediation. To find out more about how we can help, please contact us.”