Most construction pain is preconstruction pain — the unresolved items ambushing the project after mobilization. Here's the checklist.
Entitlements and permits (1-6)
1. The building permit (issued — not applied; the conditions understood)
2. The trade permits (the MEP's — the deferred submittals scheduled)
3. The off-site permits (the right-of-way, the DOT, the utility — the parallel jurisdictions)
4. The environmental (the wetlands, the hazmat — the clearances)
5. The zoning compliance (the conditions of approval — the documented)
6. The neighbor agreements (the easements, the access — the recorded)
Ground and site (7-12)
7. The geotechnical report (the final — the foundation designed to it; the GBR for the underground)
8. The survey (the ALTA — the boundaries, the easements, the utilities located)
9. The differing conditions (the baseline — the DSC clause understood)
10. The dewatering (the permit — the discharge; the design)
11. The shoring (the engineered — the adjacent structures protected)
12. The hazmat (the Phase I/II — the remediation planned)
Design completeness (13-18)
13. The 100% CDs (the issued-for-construction — the bulletins minimized)
14. The coordination (the clash detection — the MEP resolved; the structural openings)
15. The submittal schedule (the long-lead — the procurement started)
16. The commissioning plan (the owner's — the BECx and the MEP Cx scoped)
17. The testing plan (the special inspections — the geotechnical observation)
18. The as-built protocol (the documentation — the BIM's maintenance)
Contracts and money (19-23)
19. The GMP/lump sum (the executed — the allowances minimized)
20. The contingency (the protected — the 5-10%; the VE not consuming it)
21. The cash flow (the schedule of values — the front-loading policed)
22. The insurance (the builder's risk, the OCIP/CCIP — the certificates)
23. The liens (the preliminary notices — the process)
Team and logistics (24-27)
24. The superintendent (the named — the resumes checked)
25. The safety plan (the site-specific — the orientation)
26. The logistics (the laydown, the crane, the deliveries — the plan)
27. The communication (the meeting cadence — the RFI/submittal workflows)
The bottom line
The checklist is the project's immune system — the 27 items each preventing a class of failure. Walk it before mobilization; the project that starts complete finishes close to plan. The cheapest schedule insurance is the preconstruction no one wants to fund.