More than ever, the world is scrutinizing every dollar. With uncertainty high and margins tight, firms can’t afford inefficiencies that erode trust.
Inefficiencies might be most evident in the rework that shows up in projects.
In the U.S. construction industry, rework drains more than $177 billion annually. It’s easy to think about re-work as just on-site mistakes, but it plagues the design process too: fragmented tools, late collaboration, and static deliverables that go stale the moment they’re exported.
Every project depends on carrying the thread of intent and data clearly from concept → detailed design → construction. Firms that do this well don’t just save money. They build trust, win work, and deliver with confidence.
"After coaching hundreds of firms, I’ve learned this: communication is the whole game. The best firms extend their expertise beyond the realm of design. They communicate their value, their ideas, and their outcomes at every step. Prioritize communication, and good things follow." - Tyler Suomala, Growthitect
Rework Begins with Broken Communication
Rework is not just an efficiency hiccup. Nearly half of all cases stem from poor collaboration, while miscommunication accounts for about a quarter more. When decision-makers arrive late, their feedback can dismantle weeks of progress.
Comments should live in context, not buried in emails, and real-time collaboration should enable stakeholders to co-create instead of red-lining after the fact
“We believe real-time collaboration is the future of our industry. Meaningful and impactful projects happen when all stakeholders are working in sync early and often.” - Bob Rayes, Principal | COO, Corgan
Early Involvement Drives Savings
Research shows 10% time and 7% cost savings when contractors and owners join early. Lean construction proves it further: tight feedback loops and shared data eliminate waste.
Firms that embrace the tools and planning necessary to do this are leading the space and can position these capabilities as a powerful selling point.
Living documentation > Static documentation
Static decks and outdated PDFs cause confusion and costly missteps.
Your deliverables should be dynamic and move with your team to support early and often communication. With this foundation teams can be confident to bring in stakeholders for earlier involvement - and early involvement reduces rework down the line of a project.
“What stood out most wasn’t just the ease of Arcol. It was the way it reshaped our rhythm. [Arcol] didn’t just help us design faster, it helped us design better, together.”
— Maria Eugenia Puppo, I/slántis
With Arcol, live-synced boards evolve with the design itself, making communication fluid, visual, and always current.
Why It Matters
Rework will always haunt construction if design is treated as static. But when design is collaborative, data-rich, and alive, it does more than just prevent mistakes.
- Teams stay aligned from day one, working from a single live model and contextual knowledge is built across the firm.
- Deliverables become living boards that tell the story, not PDFs that expire.
- Every decision is backed by real-time metrics and can be shared with confidence
Firms that minimize rework don’t just save money. They win more work.
At Arcol we're building so your design isn’t just faster, it’s smarter, more collaborative, and more valuable.
👇Check out a trial to learn more