Engineering Problems That Kill Construction Projects (And How to Fix Them Faster)

Most construction delays aren’t caused by labor.

They aren’t caused by materials. They’re caused by communication failures between engineers, contractors, inspectors, and municipalities.In this episode of Construction Champions, Ron Nussbaum sits down with Daniel McCaulley, founder of Ultimus Engineering, to reveal the real bottlenecks, slowdowns, and misunderstandings that cost contractors time, money, and sanity. Daniel shares how engineering firms traditionally bottleneck projects, why design-build is massively underrated, and why contractors and engineers often feel like they are “speaking different languages.” From permitting nightmares, to inspectors changing positions last minute, to engineers handing projects off to the “B team” halfway through, Daniel breaks down how to eliminate the chaos and communicate clearly so projects can actually move. This is a masterclass in engineering communication, construction leadership, and building processes that prevent rework, frustration, and delays.

What You’ll Learn

Why engineering is often the #1 reason jobs get delayed

How to communicate with engineers so neither side gets lost

Why design-build speeds up projects up to 40%

How wrong drawings, missing as-builts, and old buildings create disasters

The truth about inspectors, plan reviewers, and code interpretation

How engineering firms “bait-and-switch” their teams (and how Ultimus avoids it)

How to get clarity early so projects don’t fall apart late

Why contractors and engineers must learn to speak each other’s language

About Daniel McCaulleyFounder & CEO of Ultimus Engineering. Licensed professional engineer with a background in oil & gas, manufacturing, aquatics design, and ground-up + remodel engineering. Known for solving engineering challenges with speed, flexibility, direct communication, and a “concierge-style” service model many firms avoid.

Website:

https://ultimus.engineering

Email:

info@ultimusengineering.com

Phone:

972-825-7741

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/ultimus-engineering

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmccaulley/

Why This Episode Matters for ContractorsIf you’re tired of delays, wrong drawings, rework, missed details, and communication nightmares, Daniel breaks down exactly how to fix it.

Most contractors will save time and money just from watching this episode.

Helpful Resources for Construction Champions

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-nussbaum

BuilderComs — Better Client CommunicationBuilderComs helps construction teams keep all client messages in one place. No more missed calls or lost messages. Clear, simple, and built for construction.

https://www.buildercoms.com/

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