Project Planning (Breadth)
Planning versus scheduling
Planning establishes the what, who, and where: work breakdown structure (WBS), site layout, sequencing logic, permits, temporary facilities, and constructability. Scheduling later converts the plan into dates. A WBS should be deliverable-oriented, not a list of activities, and should decompose until a work package can be estimated and assigned. A common rule of thumb is the 8–80 rule: a work package should take between 8 and 80 labor hours to control.
Site layout and permits
Locate cranes, laydown, batch plant, haul roads, and temporary utilities to minimize double handling and maintain fire access. Check crane reach and swing against power lines and adjacent property. Identify environmental permits early: NPDES/SWPPP for stormwater, Section 404 for waters of the U.S., local grading and traffic-control permits. Utility coordination and relocation often drive the early sequence.
Traps
Questions blur planning with scheduling; a WBS is not a schedule. Delivery method (DBB, DB, CMAR) changes when the builder is involved, not the physical sequence. Temporary facilities are usually paid in general conditions, not a bid item. Constructability reviews reduce cost and change orders; they are not value engineering, although the two overlap.
Worked example
A 24-month project is planned with a 3-level WBS. If a concrete package is estimated at 600 labor hours, it should be split into at least 8 packages to satisfy the 8–80 rule (600/80 = 7.5, round up to 8), giving packages of about 75 hours.