Property development2 min readUpdated July 2026
Why Construction Programmes Slip — and How to Read a Delay
Permits, utilities, weather, supply chain and labour: the real causes, and which ones signal a badly run project.
Normal versus abnormal
Utility connection dates, authority inspections and imported material lead times are outside a developer's direct control and slip everywhere. Unpaid subcontractors, repeated design changes and a site with no visible activity are not normal and mean something else.
What to ask for
A revised programme with a named critical path, not a new hand-waved date. Any developer running the job properly has one already.
Contractual protection
Delay penalties, a long-stop date and a right to terminate beyond it convert good intentions into obligations.