QuickStart Guide

7 Ways to Boost
Productivity in Heavy
Civil Construction
Boost Productivity and Start Completing Jobs
on Time with Construction Productivity Software
QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

What’s Inside
3 Introduction 8 4 Features that Will Improve Heavy Civil
Construction Productivity
4 The High Cost of Low Productivity
in Heavy Civil Construction There’s An Easier Way

5 How to Boost Productivity Across Heavy Civil Field Reports

Construction Sites
Markups
Step 1: Bring (the Right) Technology on Board
Issue Tracking
Step 2: Better Data for Better Planning
and Risk Mitigation Documents

Step 3: Training and Experience 10 Case Study: PlanGrid in Action in California

Step 4: Partner with Government Agencies Granite Construction Moves Highway

Step 5: Optimize Tracking for 11 Conclusion

Unit Price Contracts
12 See Live Demo
Step 6: Go the Extra Mile for Safety
13 About PlanGrid
Step 7: Improve Communication

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Introduction
The infrastructure of the world is essential To bring the rating up to a B or a “good”

$3.3 trillion per year

and grows more critical every year. rating by 2025, an estimated $4.6 trillion
Investing in the infrastructure means will need to be spent on projects designed
boosting the economy. Infrastructure
projects help to create good jobs and
to enhance and improve our nation’s roads,
bridges and ports. will need to be spent
promote economic recovery. These
projects serve as the base for a healthy Even if the country doesn’t want “good” on infrastructure
economy and influence the economy’s
ability to grow. Without roads, airports
infrastructure, it will still cost money. In
order to meet humanity’s most basic through 2030.
and ports, goods and supplies cannot needs, $3.3 trillion per year will need to
reach the places they are needed most. be spent on infrastructure through 2030.
Without water and sewer capabilities, The amount required to repair this vastly
communities face the danger of deadly impacted infrastructure can vary. One of
illnesses. If schools were not free from the influencing factors is the companies
safety hazards and overcrowding, the themselves.
nation’s future workforce would be
inadequately prepared and at risk. The ability to curtail costs and complete
projects within a budget is key to fixing
In fact, the infrastructure across America a growing infrastructure problem. When
is failing and needs updates and companies are able to work efficiently and
improvements. The American Society of affordably, they can simply handle more
Civil Engineers gave the US infrastructure tasks and are better able to complete the
a D+ or “poor” rating in 2017.1 Their projects they are given in a timely manner.
extensive report gives insight into areas Since delays are costly in more ways than
facing critical trouble in virtually every one, the ability to work productively and
state in the nation. stay on schedule will allow the nation’s
roads, bridges and other important pieces of
infrastructure to be repaired and accessible
to citizens more rapidly.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

The High Cost of Low Productivity in Heavy and Civil

Engineering Construction and Infrastructure

Productivity in Heavy and Civil It’s no secret that heavy civil projects are
Engineering Construction can be a often over budget and completed late.
troublesome constraint; the amount of
paperwork, communication and even
The IHS Herold Global Projects Database2
estimates 80% of large infrastructure, 80% of large
infrastructure,
a language barrier can be seemingly mining and oil projects cost more than
insurmountable obstacles. Gaps of predicted.2 This startling figure means the
information between jobsites make it even vast majority of infrastructure projects run
more difficult to make decisions and get
supplies where they are needed most.
well past their anticipated timeline -- only
the minority 20% actually complete as mining and oil
projects cost
Issues with tracking and accountability expected. Even worse, according to the
mean problems often go unresolved or database, some projects take up to 20
unnoticed until they cause delays. months longer to complete than initially

Reports and communications are often

agreed upon or do not function or operate
as they should and need to be redone. more than
predicted.
complicated by the realities of horizontal
jobsites—varying weather conditions, All of these delays and issues cost money.
teams physically spread out over long
distances, inconsistent or complete lack of A lot of taxpayer money.
connection to the internet in remote areas.
Weak technology in the field historically
limited options around these problems.
When the teams in the field are unable
to communicate needs or get real time
feedback from engineers and designers,
entire projects suffer.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

How to Boost Productivity Across Heavy Civil Construction Sites

With so much obvious room for Step 1: Bring (the Right) Step 2: Better Data for Better
improvement, the first question is Technology on Board Planning and Risk Mitigation
where to begin. It’s estimated that the One of the easiest ways to increase Understanding completely what a
construction industry loses $15.6 billion productivity to a construction jobsite is job entails allows teams to better
each year3 by not using technology to incorporate technology that enhances prepare for their individual parts. Exact
platforms that make communication both collaboration and communication. measurements will affect how pieces fit
and data sharing easier. This figure This step helps with workflow and together, what tools need to be used,
represents rework, lost time, updated communication, and improves the and who is the best person for the job.
plans, and unnecessary trips back environment by cutting down the use of Advances in technology can help in this
to the office. While the construction paper. Using a technology platform, such area. More and more things are digital
industry is not always quick to take on as a system for sharing reports and keeping and offer more precision than previously
the latest technological advancements, documents, can help alleviate some of the possible; for example, digitally tracking
making some changes in the way the stress and lost time often associated with daily field reports, or project issues and
industry manages information can construction sites. Having a virtual way for punch walks makes it easy to find trends
improve productivity and lower costs. owners, clients, suppliers, and contractors and uncover useful insights that could
to communicate quickly can efficiently be leveraged on future projects. The
A lack of understanding of just how resolve issues that can lead to downtime more accurate and detailed your plans
much a technology based solution and lost profits. A solution that makes and data are, the easier it will be for
can help, worries about complexity it easy for your team to collaborate can your team and subs to understand what
or difficulty and resistance to change eliminate many of the time-wasters that you need them to do.
are all barriers to accepting the very happen on a typical worksite.
advancements that would help a brand
or firm move forward. Here are 7 simple
steps you can take to start improving
heavy civil construction productivity.
$15.6 billion each year by not using
technology platforms that make
communication and data sharing easier.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Step 3: Training and Experience Step 4: Partner with Government Agencies Step 5: Optimize Tracking for Unit
With so much dependent on manual Government agencies are eager and Price Contracts
labor, a project is only as good as the incentivized to adopt modern processes Unit price contracts are common in
employees. Better-trained employees and technologies, and you can help them infrastructure construction, and when
will likely know how to handle while improving project efficiency for working with government agencies
unexpected situations safely and yourself. Under its Accelerated Innovation on contracts financed with public
efficiently and will perform daily tasks Deployment (AID) Demonstration program, funds, any variations or unexpected
more swiftly than their lesser-trained for example, the Federal Highway costs must be justified with careful
counterparts. By training employees in Administration (FHWA) has awarded nearly documentation—at least if you want to
productivity, the team as a whole can $48 million in grants since 2014 to agencies get paid for them. By using technology
benefit and keep the project moving for innovations such as Slide-In Bridge to digitally track quantities and as-
along. Training can also help skilled Construction, e-Construction (paperless builts from anywhere in the field, you
workers with buy-in and ensure they technology), and more.4 Partnering not only capture a transferable record
feel like important parts of your team. with agencies to use new technologies of the work that was done, but you
These soft skills may not seem like and processes not only improves make it easier for owners and agencies
much, but turnover is costly, and if you communication and productivity on the to quickly confirm any claims that need
show your team you value them, they job site, but according to the FHWA’s own to be made and pay you more quickly.
are far more likely to stick around. findings, it has proven to save an average
of 1.78 hours per day per person.5

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Step 6: Go the Extra Mile for Safety Step 7: Improve Communication

In the heavy civil construction area, Better communication is essential in just
there are approximately 200 fatalities about any industry, but it is especially
each year.6 The rate of injury and illness crucial for construction. Communication
is about 2.8 percent. That adds up between the project design team, the
to a lot of lost time and lost profits. construction site management, the
Keep employees working by making owners, and the clients are all critical to
sure safety equipment is adequate completing the job quickly and efficiently.
and all employees are trained to use Lack of communication between
it. Encourage employees to use safety parties slows down progress and is a
equipment and think about any other roadblock to timely completion. Poor
ways to make sure everyone returns communication can also result in having
home in one piece that night. For to redo the work, costing more money
example, reduce trips across busy and bringing more frustration.
highways or other dangerous areas by
giving teams access to software that
stores all project documents right in their
tablet or makes it easy to share updates
from the field. Construction software
that enhances communication can
actually improve the safety level of your
job sites if you hire workers who aren’t
fluent in English.

200 fatalities each year. The rate of

injury and illness is about 2.8 percent.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

4 Features that Will Improve Heavy Civil Construction Productivity

There’s An Easier Way Field Reports Markups
Field technology and software can With the forms already loaded into the Instead of requiring paper documents
help improve communication and PlanGrid system, everyone is using the same for markups, they can all be completed
increase productivity. PlanGrid, a documentation. Select the people with in one digital system using PlanGrid.
software used on more than 500,000 access to complete and submit the forms. Highlight sections for review, draw
projects around the world, can increase Consistency makes the reviews easy. arrows or designs to bring something
productivity by connecting personnel, to attention, or use the built-in
owners and agencies, engineers, and Having the digital forms means employees measurement tool to take linear, path,
clients. PlanGrid can expand the don’t have to carry around paper and pens, and area dimensions for immediate field
ability to communicate and manage only to lose them before turning them in. estimation. The marks can stay on the
activity with the crew and the project, With PlanGrid, you can click on a form, document and be shared with the entire
making projects flow more quickly and complete the form, and submit all from the team, or can be removed or edited
efficiently whether on the other side tablet or mobile device. The field reports when the items have been addressed.
of a highway or working offline in a are convenient, efficient, and manageable,
remote area. Having a system that can making everyone’s job easier. This is an ideal
provide a smooth flow of information example of better communication working
will increase productivity across all on the jobsite.
aspects of a heavy civil project.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Issue Tracking Documents

Employees can enter and track issues Having access to any plan or document in • Geotechnical Report:
and punch lists in real time with the field is a major time saver. Instead of A detailed listing and assessment
of on-site conditions and expert
PlanGrid. Management can see a having to hunt for the materials needed, only
recommendations to enhance safety
breakdown of outstanding problems to realize you left them somewhere else, your and efficiency on the worksite.
and who is responsible for the fixes, team can save time, money, and frustration Investigations and reports can cover
all represented in graphs for easy by having the documents in one location rock, subsurface soil and water
conditions, prepared by a geotechnical
viewing. This measure of accountability that can be accessed from anywhere. Some
engineer. This report needs to be
is essential to monitor results and to of the documents that you can have access detailed and comprehensive to make
notice ongoing personnel issues. to, even offline, with PlanGrid include: the most of the information and to
attain optimal results for the project.
• Job Hazard Analysis:
A pro-active way to review projects and tasks
• Pipe and Structural Details:
Discovering a pipe, manhole or
to discover potential hazards so steps can be
other structural piece once work has
taken to prevent injuries to your team.
commenced can lead to costly damage,
• Traffic Control Plans (TCPs): downtime and delays. A pipe and
Internal Traffic Control Planning can help structural detail report can alert you
reduce injury and damage on the workplace to existing conditions and ensure your
by minimizing the amount of exposure team is aware of what to expect and
workers on site have to equipment and allow you to make plans to work around
vehicles in motion. A plan can help optimize or replace troublesome structural details
traffic and procedures and protect your on- and artifacts.
site team.

• Standard Details:
The documents, drawings or renderings that
are detailed enough and specific enough to
be used on a variety of worksite projects.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Case Study: PlanGrid in Action in California

Communication on such a massive project is $40,000 mistake by using PlanGrid. He
always challenging. With multiple revisions noticed the road wasn’t graded properly
and complications, the idea of managing to the latest specifications and was able
Any way to save time and money on the the sheer amount of information can be to correct the situation before it became
jobsite is valuable. Using PlanGrid can daunting. Prompted by the Department of a problem.
save both time and money by allowing Transportation’s requirement that inspectors,
instant access to documents and engineers, and field personnel have mobile Granite Construction also opted to use
information. One construction company devices for easier communication, Granite PlanGrid for the Folsom Dam Spillway.
in California discovered just how much Construction went one step further and The company estimates that using
that access matters: provided field personnel with PlanGrid. PlanGrid saved five hours per person
each week and saved $500,000 in rework
Granite Construction Moves Highway The results were immediate and impressive. on this project alone. Heavy construction
Granite Construction is a premier heavy Having all the documents needed, when projects like these require the best
civil general contractor headquartered they were required dramatically sped up possible data and collaborative tools
in Watsonville, California. They began the communications. Meetings with field to reduce errors and make the most of
working with a plan to move part of a inspectors didn’t need to be put on hold so the time allotted for the job. The more
highway in Fresno, California to allow someone could run back to the office to prepared your team is for a job, the more
space for the new high-speed rail system. get a document. Plans and revisions were effective they will be. When your team
The Highway 99 Realignment project immediately available. knows not only the work they need to
started in late 2015 and will continue until perform but what surprises could be
2019. Moving several miles of highway PlanGrid helped day and night shifts stay lurking under the surface, from pipes and
approximately 80 feet from the railroad in contact easily. It even helped catch manhole covers to old structures and
tracks will cost roughly $150 million minor mistakes before they turned into debris, you are able to prepare for any
dollars and includes relocating multiple major problems. In the case of the Highway issues that could arise.
local streets and utilities, and replacing 99 Realignment Project, the lead project
three bridges. engineer found what could have been a

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Conclusion: Boost Productivity and

Complete Jobs on Time with PlanGrid
PlanGrid can help repair a broken If you work on infrastructure projects,
system by improving communication you can’t afford these costly but
and providing team members with common interruptions—you need to
the latest information as soon as it is be able to get in, do your work and
available. PlanGrid puts everything in finish up if you expect to produce a
one location, saving time, money, and profit and garner a reputation for on-
frustration for everyone. time, on-budget delivery.

Giving your team the ability to Stop losing time and money and start
communicate in real time ensures that communicating more effectively with
if a problem is discovered, you’ll know PlanGrid; you’re just a single call away
about it and be able to take action right from a transformed, low stress way of
away. You won’t have to worry about running your jobsites.
the typical heavy construction delays
pushing your project further and further
from your intended deadline when you
can communicate instantly and see real
time images of any issues that arise.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

References
1
2017 Infrastructure Report Card.

2
The IHS Herold Global Database2

3
Full Stack Modular. “Industry Background”.

4
FHWA. “Accelerated Innovation Deployment Demonstration”.

5
FHWA. “e-Construction and Partnering: A Vision for the Future”.

6
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction: NAICS 237.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

See a Live Demo Try PlanGrid for Free

or give us a call at +1 (415) 429-1227
App Store Google Play Windows
PlanGrid construction productivity software
is the easiest and most cost-effective
way to get substantial return on your There is a reason why PlanGrid is not only the #1
investment in construction mobile apps. By construction app, but also the highest rated. With
PlanGrid construction productivity software, you
using PlanGrid you will:
can streamline document management, access all
project information from any device, and seamlessly
• Complete projects faster: 90% of project
collaborate within teams.
costs occur in the field not the office and
most can be attributed to time waste or
delays. With PlanGrid, you can reduce
wasteful trips to the trailer and time delays
while eliminating costly rework with faster
collaboration and communication.

• Reduce costs: PlanGrid allows you to

optimize productivity in the field, which
eliminates time waste that causes project
overruns. By completing projects early
or on time with Plangrid, contractors will
benefit from reduced costs.

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QuickStart Guide: 7 Ways to Boost Productivity in Heavy Civil Construction

Used on more than 500,000 projects

around the world, PlanGrid is the first
construction productivity software
that allows contractors and owners
in commercial, heavy civil, and other
industries to collaborate, collect, and
share project information from any
desktop or mobile device through the
entire project lifecycle.

PlanGrid increases project efficiency by

streamlining document management,
providing construction teams with easy
access to all project information from
any device, and enabling seamless
collaboration within teams.

Guide Author:
Lynn Langmade
Director of Content Marketing, PlanGrid
@llangmade

Connect with PlanGrid

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