Construction Forensic Delay Analysis: A Comprehensive Overview

Introduction:

Schedule delays are an unfortunate and harsh
reality in the world of projects. As project professionals, no matter what we
do, it seems that things don’t always go according to plan, and we often end up
facing delays in our projects.

This is no surprise since there are so many
uncertainties and realities on the ground that keep changing. These factors
continue to create a ripple effect even today, and projects are facing more
unprecedented delays than ever before.

With delays mounting, Extension of Time
(EOT) Claims and disputes have become the new normal for projects worldwide. To
prepare EOT claims, one must analyse delay events and employ suitable
methodologies to create a well-drafted claim.

Unfortunately, without proper knowledge of
recommended practices and delay analysis methodologies, the claims lead to
rejection and often ending in disputes.

This is where Forensic Planning and Delay
Analysis come into the picture to tackle claims and perform schedule delay
analyses to quantify and determine the extent of the claim and help resolve
them.

Construction Forensic Delay
Analysis

Construction forensic delay analysis refers
to the process of analysing and identifying the causes of construction delays
and determining the extent to which each delay event contributed to the overall
delay to the project completion date.

Forensic delay analysis is undertaken in
order to resolve disputes between contracting parties, and to help project
owners, contractors, and other stakeholders to assess the impact of delays on
the project schedule and budget.

The analysis typically involves the review
of project plans and documents, identification of significant delay events, and
the quantification of the impact of each delay event on the project timeline.

Types of Forensic Delay
Analysis:

According to the Society of Construction Law
(SCL), there are six types of forensic delay analysis as more detailed in
following table:

Conclusion:

The output of the forensic delay analysis is
a detailed report that outlines the causes of the delays, quantifies the delay
impacts, and identifies any potential construction defects or design issues
that may have contributed to the delays.

Further, there is no single best method to
analyse a project as each case is unique dependent on the circumstances and the
information available. Any analysis needs to be fair and reasonable providing
an independent balanced view as a conclusion which what our seasoned
consultants are experts in.

This report is typically used in legal
proceedings, such as litigation or arbitration, to demonstrate the reasons for
the delay and to support claims for additional time and costs.

Overall, construction forensic delay analysis plays a critical role in the successful completion of construction projects by enabling stakeholders to effectively manage delays, mitigate project risks, and ensure timely project completion.