Project Schedule and Critical Path

Build the schedule backwards from the set

List design approval, financing, permits, factory slot, long-lead materials, foundation work, cure time, route permits, crane booking, utility work and final inspections. Assign a responsible party to each milestone.

A promised factory completion date is not the same as an occupancy date. Site finishing and inspections can continue for weeks or months after the set.

Protect the critical path

Late design changes can affect procurement and module sequencing. Late foundations can force storage, while early foundations may sit exposed if factory production slips.

Include decision deadlines for finishes and owner-supplied items. Allow weather and approval contingencies instead of presenting the fastest possible sequence as the baseline.

Use release gates

Production, transport and final payments should depend on documented prerequisites. A release checklist can confirm approvals, measurements, access and insurance.

Update the schedule whenever a milestone changes, and show the downstream effect rather than silently compressing inspections or finishing work.

Apply this guide to a real project

For project schedule and critical path, create a dated project note tied to the destination address and current drawing revision. Identify the authority, designer, factory or contractor responsible for each unresolved item. Attach the written evidence for ‘What date must each approval be complete to protect the factory slot?’ and ‘Which long-lead items can delay production?’ rather than recording a verbal assurance.

Before a deposit, production release, shipment or final payment, convert every open question into a named action with an owner and deadline. Keep superseded drawings and decisions in the record so later inspectors, lenders, insurers and future owners can understand why the completed house differs from an early sales plan.

Questions to resolve before proceeding

• What date must each approval be complete to protect the factory slot?
• Which long-lead items can delay production?
• What happens if the foundation or modules are ready first?
• How much time remains after the set for completion and occupancy?