What types of projects tend to be scheduled in terms of working days? Why?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Projects that are most susceptible to the elements (namely the weather) tend to
be scheduled in terms of working days. Examples would generally include the
construction of engineering projects (those specifically including the services of an
engineer but not an architect) such as highways, bridges, dams, airport runways, canals,
and utility installations. The specific durations of projects conducted in the elements are
difficult to quantify in calendar days. Rainfall at the very beginning of a project can stall
the entire work effort. In fact, large amounts of rainfall at any time during the
construction of engineering projects will generally have a significant impact on the
construction effort. This problem can be best addressed by defining construction duration
in terms of working days. This is regarded as the most equitable way to define duration
when weather can hamper progress. The use of working days permits the duration to be
defined in terms that are fair to the contractor. If calendar days were used to define
duration on such projects, the owner would be faced with numerous requests for time
extensions. Requesting time extensions can be adversarial and this would occur far too
often on engineering projects defined in calendar days.

On the other hand, building projects are generally only severely impacted by adverse
weather in the early stages of construction. In some regions of the country, building
projects are begun in the spring months when weather conditions are most conducive to
construction work. Once a building is "dried in", the elements can still compromise the
work effort, but progress can generally still be made.