Fast-track construction

Fast-track building construction is construction industry jargon for a project delivery strategy to start construction before the design is complete. The purpose is to shorten the time to completion. Since it overlaps the processes, it might better be called telescoping—but "Fast-Track" carries a sense of action and movement and has become a popular term.

Shorter schedules are desirable for reasons that vary with building owners. A shorter schedule may reduce a manufacturer's time-to-market, a school district's need to reduce overcrowding or simply provide a new home for a family sooner. Shorter schedules may also reduce the cost of construction financing and reduce overhead costs for the design and construction organizations. Shorter schedules may also reduce the impact of inflation during construction. The fast-tracking of the project is therefore achieved through the integration of design and construction phases.

But Fast-Track is more difficult to manage than the traditional design–bid–build process. It requires detailed knowledge of the process, effective planning, integrity and close coordination among the organizations executing the work.

The final cost of the project is uncertain when construction begins because design is not complete. With the traditional design–bid–build process, a complete set of construction documents and specifications describes what the builder agrees to build and serves as the heart of the contract. On Fast-Track projects, the design, construction documents and specifications are incomplete, so setting the final cost presents problems. To deal with this difficultly, owners typically use a cost-reimbursable contract with the builder (a construction manager or a general contractor). The contract may include a cost estimate with no guarantee or there may be a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP). However, even with a GMP, there can be argument over the scope of work covered by the GMP since the design was incomplete when the contract was executed.

There is also a risk that work built in an early phase of the project may not suit later design decisions. For instance, if the building shape changes after the foundations are built, there is increased cost and delay to modify the completed foundations. Or an item of equipment that is selected late in the process may require drains or water and power connections that were not anticipated early in the project. Furthermore, the interpretation of the design brief from the contractor may differ from the owner which can result in a conflict of interest.

If time is not crucial, owners may take a prudent approach to finish design and get a fixed lump-sum price before starting construction (the design–bid–build process). However, if there is a reason to speed project delivery, Fast-Track can be used with any project delivery strategy, such as CM at Risk and Agency CM (see Construction management), design–build, bridging and integrated project delivery. Even the traditional design–bid–build process can use Fast-Track concepts by bidding separate general construction contracts for phases of the work.

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