Construction’s Most Underestimated Risk: Miscommunication

It’s Not the Economy. It’s Not Materials. It’s Miscommunication.

Ask most contractors what threatens a job the most, and you’ll hear:

• Rising costs

• Labor shortages

• Supply delays

• Bad weather

But there’s one problem that costs more and happens more often, yet gets the least attention:

Miscommunication.

Whether it’s a misunderstood instruction, a language gap, or an update that never got passed along, miscommunication is quietly wrecking timelines, shrinking margins, and creating chaos on jobsites everywhere.

The Stats Don’t Lie

According to FMI and PlanGrid:

• Construction professionals spend over 14 hours a week dealing with miscommunication

• Poor communication contributes to over 50% of all rework

• Miscommunication costs the industry tens of billions of dollars annually

And it shows up everywhere:

❌ Framing in the wrong spot

❌ Safety warnings missed

❌ Materials installed before inspection

❌ Crews standing around waiting for direction

❌ Updates that never reach the field

Why It Keeps Happening

The jobsite moves fast. Crews are multilingual. Supervisors are juggling updates, client calls, and subs. Most communication still happens through:

• Verbal instructions

• Handwritten notes

• Untranslated documents

• Reliance on bilingual crew members

And when that breaks down? You don’t always know until it’s too late.

The Domino Effect of One Missed Message

Let’s say a layout update doesn’t reach the field. Just one crew member misses it.

What happens?

• Wrong install

• Tear-out

• Schedule delay

• Crew confusion

• Finger-pointing

• Overtime

• Lost trust with GC or client

That’s the cost of one missed instruction. Now think about how often that happens per job — per crew, per week.

BuilderComs: The Client Communication Hub for Construction

Keep your clients updated, protect your time, and deliver better projects, all in one place.

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Real-World Impact: Averted $4,000 Rework

A contractor issued an urgent change order to shift electrical rough-in by 6 feet. The update was shouted across the jobsite, but a Creole-speaking electrician didn’t catch it.

They installed boxes in the wrong location. By the time the mistake was discovered, drywall was up.

With BuilderComs, the instruction would’ve been translated, logged, and confirmed. Rework averted. $4,000 saved.

Miscommunication Is a Risk You Can Eliminate

You can’t control the weather. You can’t always control supply chains. But you can control clarity.

And clarity is what BuilderComs delivers, in the exact language your crew understands, when they need it.

What You Avoid with BuilderComs

• ❌ “I thought he said…”

• ❌ “That wasn’t clear…”

• ❌ “Nobody told me…”

• ❌ “We’ve got to rip it out…”

You replace all that with:

✅ One message

✅ Instantly translated

✅ Universally understood

✅ Actioned right away

Miscommunication Is Not Just Costly, It’s Dangerous

Poor communication doesn’t just kill productivity. It also increases risk:

• Safety protocols skipped

• Hazard warnings missed

• PPE instructions ignored

• Emergency procedures misheard

One misunderstood word can put someone in the hospital or worse.

BuilderComs helps ensure every safety instruction is delivered clearly and understood completely.

Stop Overlooking the #1 Risk on Your Jobsite

Miscommunication isn’t just a problem. It’s the problem and it’s hiding in plain sight.

BuilderComs: The Client Communication Hub for Construction

Keep your clients updated, protect your time, and deliver better projects, all in one place.

Get Started Free, Start Communicating Smarter Today