Everyone has heard the saying “you are only as good as your tools.” Choosing the right equipment is crucial to any construction venture.
Having the correct tools for a task can save time, increase productivity, and decrease the risk of accidents or damage to the tool. It can also minimize costs according to Mike Dunfee Property Management.
Right Equipment for the Job
Having the right tools for the job is essential. Trying to use tools that are not the best fit for the work at hand can be a waste of time, energy, and money. It can also lead to faulty results and even injury.
It’s also important to choose tools that are durable. Contractors and technicians need tools that are able to stand up to the rigors of day-to-day field use. That means looking for quality brands that offer a balance of durability and functionality.
It’s also worth considering the overall cost of the tool. Tools that are cheaper upfront may not be a good long-term investment as they may need to be repaired more frequently and can increase downtime due to overheating. This will have a direct impact on productivity.
Getting to Know Your Suppliers
Choosing the right tools such as a horizontal directional drill for the job takes more than glancing over a price sheet. Suppliers must be considered for their reliability, quality, and service. It’s also important to communicate needs with suppliers beyond just establishing timelines for orders. Sharing forecasts and project takeoffs with suppliers can minimize delays, increase efficiency, and help avoid costly mistakes.
The size of the job should also play a role in selecting equipment. Larger pieces of equipment can take up more space on a job site, which may hinder movement and safety. Additionally, larger equipment can add up in terms of cost as well.
Consider utilizing attachments to reduce the amount of equipment needed for each task. For example, a skid steer can be equipped with different attachments such as digging trenches, plowing snow, clearing brush, or spearing bales of hay to perform a variety of tasks.
Making Informed Decisions
In addition to the purchase price of equipment, construction managers consider expenses related to operation, maintenance, usage, and storage. This helps to ensure that the investment is a sound one and generates a high ROI.
Purchasing the wrong type of equipment can have costly consequences. For example, having equipment that’s too small for the job delays the work and requires additional manpower to operate. Similarly, having equipment with low load and lift capacities leads to decreased productivity and can be expensive in terms of materials and labor.
To avoid these costs, it’s important that contractors coordinate with estimating divisions to outline probable equipment needs and availability on an ongoing basis. This can help to minimize equipment downtime and maximize utilization rates. Additionally, effective tracking workflows can help to streamline project handover and operations.
Staying Up to Date on Trends
In an industry plagued by supply chain challenges, record inflation, and a lack of experienced workers (with many older contractors retiring), it’s important to stay up-to-date on technology. New equipment can help increase productivity and cut costs by saving time, reducing the need for manual labor, and allowing a single worker to operate equipment remotely.
A reliable construction equipment management system can also save money by delivering more data that allows contractors to improve operational efficiencies. Generic data, however, is meaningless without the right tools and expertise to translate it into meaningful insights.
Assessing Value for Money
You’ve heard the saying; “a square peg doesn’t fit in a round hole” and this is especially true when it comes to choosing equipment. The equipment that’s chosen must match the scope of the project and the type of material being worked with. Otherwise, you’re working with a less-than-ideal fit that can damage your work and cause injuries.
The right tools can also help promote a professional image and show customers and clients that you’re serious about your work. But it’s important to remember that quality tools can come with a higher price tag.
Procurement teams may be under pressure to cut costs, but using cheap tools can end up costing more in the long run. It’s important to look at all the costs associated with tool ownership, including repair, admin, battery replacement, hire, and capital costs.