The Top 5 Issues We Come Across When Starting a Job – and How to Avoid Them

At Rapid Slabs & Precast, we pride ourselves on delivering quality foundations and precast work on time. But to do that, we rely on building sites being ready when we arrive. When we start a job, it’s not uncommon to run into issues that cause delays, extra costs, and frustration for everyone involved.

The good news? Most of these problems are completely avoidable with a bit of planning and clear communication. Here are the top five issues we see on site—and what you can do to help us keep your project moving smoothly.

1. Incorrect Ground Prep or Heights
One of the most common issues is when the site hasn’t been prepared to the correct levels or the ground hasn’t been compacted properly. This can mean rework, extra machinery time, or even having to push the job out completely.

How to avoid it:
Make sure earthworks are fully completed by the right contractor. Provide cut/fill certificates, compaction reports, and double-check final levels match the engineer’s plans before booking us in. A quick pre-start walk-through with your site manager also makes a big difference.

2. Missing or Damaged Survey Pegs
Survey pegs are small but extremely important. If they’ve been pulled out, knocked over by machinery, or buried, we can’t set out our work correctly, meaning we have to pause until the surveyor can come back.

How to avoid it:
Protect the pegs once they’re in. Use markers or barriers, keep heavy machinery away from pegged areas, and if anything looks out of place, let the surveyor know early so it can be fixed before we arrive.

3. Out-of-Date or Incorrect Plans
It’s not uncommon for us to turn up and find we’ve been sent an old set of plans, or plans that don’t match the latest changes from the architect or engineer. This creates confusion and can stop work immediately.

How to avoid it:
Always check that the plans you send are the most recent revision. Make sure architectural, structural, and slab plans all line up, and send everything to us at least five working days before we start. A simple plan check early on avoids a lot of headaches later.

4. Site Not Ready for Trades
Sometimes we arrive ready to go—but the site isn’t. There’s no power, no access, other trades are still working, or materials are left where we need to excavate or cast.

How to avoid it:
Before we start, double-check that power is connected, access is clear, and the area is ready for foundation work. Make sure other trades know our start date and have finished what they need to do. Having a clear and organised site keeps everything running smoothly.

5. Consenting or Documentation Issues
We occasionally find that work can’t start because the building consent isn’t approved, engineering details haven’t been issued, or inspections haven’t been booked. These hold-ups delay the entire project.

How to avoid it:
Confirm all consents and approvals are complete before we’re scheduled. Have all documents—PS1s, engineering details, and slab specs—ready and shared with us. Staying ahead of council timelines helps keep your project on track.

Working Together to Keep Your Project Moving
We understand that building sites are busy places and things can change quickly. Our goal is to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. That’s why we carry out a pre-start inspection before we begin any job. This gives us a chance to check the site, confirm levels, review plans, and make sure everything is ready for work to start.

When the site is fully prepared and all information is up to date, that pre-start check becomes a quick confirmation step—allowing us to get straight into the job and deliver the quality foundations and precast services you expect from us. Working together at these early stages helps keep your project moving and avoids unnecessary delays for everyone involved.