Is incomplete work causing you delays? Here’s how to fix it.

The average construction project has many moving parts, with multiple trades working in parallel on hundreds of different activities. In this busy environment, it’s common for tasks to be left ‘almost done’ accidentally or intentionally – a phenomenon we call loose ends.

Loose ends happen for a lot of reasons. Sometimes, it’s because tasks are started out of sequence (e.g. installing final electrical outlets before painting.) Sometimes, it’s down to material and equipment shortages. And often, things are simply overlooked due to poor visibility.

What’s the impact of incomplete work?

Each individual loose end might be small. But the impact certainly isn’t. Loose ends can quickly pile up, leading to multiple return visits, added costs and, ultimately, project delays. This is commonly referred to as the 90/10 rule – while 90% of work on an activity is completed in the first 10% of the total time, the remaining 10% can consume up to 90% of the time. 

In fact, Buildots’ data found a direct link between return visits and project delays – as the graph below demonstrates. It shows that average project delays rise significantly for projects with higher return visits.

That’s because returning to areas they’ve already left disrupts trades’ workflow, requires additional staging, and impacts overall project efficiency. The result is a domino effect that throws timelines off track and creates unnecessary complexity for project managers.

So, how do you prevent these loose ends from becoming major headaches?

Introducing Loose Ends V2

We want to help you resolve incomplete work smoothly, keep your project on track and avoid delays. So, we created the Buildots Loose Ends feature. The latest version makes managing incomplete work simpler, faster, and more effective.
Use it to:

• Spot missing installations: Identify missing installations: Identify elements that should have been installed but weren’t, such as lighting fixtures, sockets, or pipes.

• Group unfinished work into tasks: Group loose ends into tasks at the same level and activity, assign them a deadline and share them with the relevant trades.

• Track task completion: Avoid repeated follow-ups. With Loose Ends, you can monitor whether trades have completed their tasks in the Buildots platform. 

• Streamline trade communication: Replace scattered messages and calls with a clear, organized PDF summarizing what needs to be done and by when. Share this with trades to align on expectations.
• Ensure nothing gets forgotten in the future: Can’t install something immediately due to operational or technical constraints? Create tasks with future dates, and we’ll remind you when to follow up.

With these improvements, teams can prevent unfinished work from accumulating, making it easier to maintain steady progress and stay within schedule. You can see a preview of the tool in action below.

Loose Ends and performance-driven construction management

Loose Ends is more than just a tracking tool. It’s a core component of performance-driven construction management (PDCM). PDCM is all about adopting a proactive approach to construction – identifying and resolving inefficiencies before they cause major delays.

This is, of course, precisely what the Loose Ends feature is all about. By integrating it into weekly routines, teams gain clarity on incomplete tasks, enabling predictable planning and reducing the unknowns that lead to project overruns. Instead of chasing down missing work at the last minute, teams can stay ahead and maintain project flow.

Don’t let unfinished work slow you down. Take control with Loose Ends and keep your project moving forward. Book a demo.