5 Red Flags That Your Project Is Going Off the Rails (And What to Do About Them)

Gil Rosa
Oct 7
2 min read

If you're a GC trying to keep your project on track, here are five warning signs that trouble is brewing and how to fix them.

Even the best-planned jobs can drift. The trick is to catch the drift before it becomes a derailment.

If you're a general contractor or project lead trying to keep everything aligned from subs to schedules to stakeholders, you need to know what to watch for.

Here are five signs your project is going off the rails, and more importantly, what to do about them before the damage spreads.

1. Missed Milestones and Slipping Schedules

If key dates keep slipping and no one can explain why, you have a scheduling problem. Missed milestones often point to bigger issues: unclear scopes, overpromising, or poor coordination.

Fix It:

Use weekly lookaheads and trade coordination meetings to regain control. Map out critical path activities and get buy-in from those actually doing the work.

2. Budget Burn That Outpaces Progress

If your project is hemorrhaging money and the work on-site doesn't match the spend, pause. You might be overstaffed, reworking errors, or dealing with scope creep that hasn't been tracked.

Fix It:

Review actual vs. projected costs weekly. Tie each invoice and labor hour to the scope. Revisit your cost-to-complete forecast with fresh eyes.

3. Communication Breakdowns Across the Team

When emails go unanswered, RFIs stack up, and no one seems to have the latest drawing set, you've lost the signal. And when the signal drops, mistakes multiply.

Fix It:

Get everyone back on the same page, literally. Hold a clarity sync. Reinforce single sources of truth for documents, chain-of-command for decisions, and clear timelines for responses.

4. Quality is Slipping And Rework is Rising

If punch lists are growing faster than progress photos, your team may be moving forward without a clear understanding. This is often a result of rushing, vague direction, or poor supervision.

Fix It:

Tighten up your QA/QC process. Review installation procedures before work begins, walk the job site daily, and document any issues promptly. Precision is cheaper than patchwork.

5. Team Morale is Dipping or People Are Leaving

This is a silent killer. If your crew is frustrated, disengaged, or quitting, your project is already bleeding talent. And you can't build well with a revolving door.

Fix It:

Engage your team. Recognize effort. Address pain points in the field, not just in the office. Strong leadership is visible, present, and listening.

Final Thought: Don't Wait for the Wheels to Fall Off

Most project meltdowns don't happen overnight; they happen in layers. One missed sync. One poor decision. One week of silence.

But the good news? You can turn it around.

At GRPM Services, we help GCs and subcontractors read the signs early, fix the core issues, and get projects back on track before they become cautionary tales.