What is Full Kitting?

What is Full Kitting?

Tips on how to ensure a smooth construction experience

BLOG POST : 9 Dec 2020 | Vivian Vickers | Director Landscape & Construction NBMA 

One of the BIGGEST challenges faced by owners when getting construction / repair work done at their homes or offices is management of information, material and supervision at site.

How can we solve this problem? 

In a previous blog we have spoken about tips on how to appoint a suitable  contractor for your project. Depending on the nature and scope of your work, and your timelines, you could go with a turnkey agency, a main contractor, a number of sub contractors or a project management agency. If you appoint independent contractors, you would choose between an all inclusive ‘with material’ contract or a ‘labour rate’ contract.

Let’s talk about two main causes of worry and delay at site – 

1. material procurement

2. Availability of drawings / construction information

Often projects are given out on a labour-rate basis to contractors. Sometimes even in “with-material” contracts the client retains the procurement of some items within his own scope (e.g. bathroom fitting, decorative light fixtures, etc.). In such scenarios the client often asks the contractor to let him know a few days in advance of the requirement of the materials so that the client has time to do the procurement. Despite having done this, often the materials do not reach the site at the right time causing numerous small delays which all add up to a significant overall delay and cost impact to the project. 

Also this phenomenon is not limited to materials but extends to drawings from the architect, availability of workmen, tools, machinery, seasonal weather conditions etc. 

This is where FULL-KITTING comes into the picture. It is understanding ALL the conditions that need to be fulfilled to complete a project or sub parts of a project within the scheduled time and planning such that those conditions are fulfilled…and (this is the important part…) not commencing executing on the project (or sub project) till the conditions are fulfilled. 

For micro projects it may be as simple as having all the material required to execute the job available at least 2 days prior to start of work delivered to the project site. 

For projects using customised products it may mean factoring in the lead time for manufacturing and delivery of those customised components. 

For projects which can be adversely affected by weather, necessary precautions will need to be taken to mitigate unfavourable weather conditions. 

The drawings from the architect and consultants must be available to the contractor well in time to enable him to plan the execution of the job smoothly.

Full-kitting will go a long way in keeping your project progressing in a smooth and timely manner.

Have you tried working with full-kitting?

What are the problems you have faced while getting construction work done?

Has this article helped you?

Do let us know in the comments below.