For me, it’s poorly prepared bid packages. You get sent hundreds of documents that all say different things. Then you spend 10 hours going through them to work out what the client wants. Unfortunately AI is making it even easier to produce hundreds of pages of junk for someone else to read. What’s yours? What part of working in construction do you wish someone would sort out? I’ve been working on a new product. And yes, this is one of those annoying product research surveys where I ask what your problems are and how I can help. If you’ve got five minutes, I’d really appreciate you filling it out. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdILOUFSeoYJRJOfY5g5BHnI8ZLPHcfZhiL78nOE0AFOpRdTQ/viewform?usp=header

I believe AI is going to fundamentally change how we plan construction projects. The recent advances of models like Opus 5.5 and GPT-6, particularly at interpreting construction drawings and building 3D models, equips us with new capabilities. What you used to only be able to do with a team of BIM modelers and computer programmer's. The capabilities that were reserved for billion dollar projects. Is it perfect? No. But how quickly and cheaply we can do things unlocks a wave of new planning applications. Want to create 20 different simulations of how a crane is installing structural steel? Sure, no worries! Want to simulate 10 different crane size options and determine where it has to set up and pack up? Easy! I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of this topic. There is so much more to come. This week I’m going to talk about 5D planning and the unified work breakdown structure. As always, it will be structured around News, Inform Work. News Gemini 4 Argon: good at counting, weaker at the rest. I ran Google's new model through my construction tests. It scored 52% on the take-off test, level with Opus 5.5 at about 53%. Its estimate, procurement and programme outputs were weaker.. Watch the Gemini 4 Argon test ChatGPT dots: a personal agent with its own computer. OpenAI's dot runs in the background on a virtual computer, so your laptop does not need to be on. You message it, or call it like you would a person. It can also use your ChatGPT and Codex skills, so you can start a workflow from your phone. Watch the ChatGPT dots walkthrough Inform: what the evidence says Last week I covered two academic studies on BIM, and their results were mixed. Here is the contractor side, and where AI is up to. - Contractors report less rework. In McGraw Hill Construction's 2012 North American study, 74% of contractors were using BIM. They ranked reduced rework and fewer document errors and omissions among its top benefits. In the 2014 global study, around half of the contractors most heavily engaged with BIM reported a return above 25% on their investment. These are surveys of BIM users, so they are self-reported and likely to favour BIM. - 4D planning on one project. A 2026 case study of a dormitory project in Indonesia used a 4D model to reschedule the work. The planned duration dropped from 133 to 116 days. That is one project, but it shows the mechanism: when you can see the sequence, you can test better ones. - AI is improving but still unreliable. AECV-Bench (January 2026) tested leading models on 120 floor plans. They read text and answered document questions with up to 95% accuracy, but counted doors and windows correctly only 40–55% of the time. BIM-Edit (June 2026) asked models to make 324 edits to IFC building models. The best model averaged 49.5%, and none fully completed more than 3.4% of the tasks. On my own take-off benchmark, Opus 5.5 leads at 53.1%, with GPT-6 Astra at 46.2%.

It’s one of the most common reasons business owners put off hiring support. And honestly, it makes sense. When you’re already managing clients, leading a team, and keeping daily operations moving, training someone can feel like one more responsibility. But here’s the trade-off: You can keep spending time doing everything yourself, or invest in helping someone learn to take some of that work off your plate. The answer isn’t to spend weeks documenting every process before you hire. It’s to start with a few clear responsibilities, explain what good work looks like, and give the person a structured way to learn. A practical onboarding process should make three things clear: What they own: The tasks and outcomes they’re responsible for. How to do the work: The tools, instructions, and examples they need. When to ask for help: The decisions they can make independently and the situations that need your input. You don’t have to transfer everything at once. Start small, give feedback, and expand responsibilities as the person gains confidence. Having someone guide the onboarding process can make a big difference, especially when you’re already juggling everything else in the business. The goal isn’t just to hire help. It’s to build the kind of support that becomes more independent over time. For those who’ve hired their first VA or team member, what made the onboarding process easier for you?

Hello Everyone! I’ve joined this community to learn practical construction management techniques, exchange experiences, explore innovative technologies, and connect with professionals worldwide. I look forward to learning from you all and sharing insights from my work in Rwanda.

Hi guys!, I was hoping to ask for some advice on breaking into construction management / project management roles. My background is in Law / Economics and I worked as an Accountant before taking a role in cost control in my States major project infrastructure office (mainly $700m + rail and road projects). Had a lot of exposure to project management - but from a programe management position. I have been applying for Project Management roles but finding it hard to break in as I dont have a construction or engineering background. Wondering if anyone else has had a similiar "non traditional path" into Project Management and if they would like to share their journey and/or tips. Also if there was some key accreditations you recommend for bridging the experience gap (outside of the goldmine of Tim Fairley content). Thanks in advance.