Method to Implement Delayed Product Differentiation in Construction of High-Rise Apartment Building Projects

Abstract

The customization of apartments can add value and increase clients’ satisfaction. However, companies offering such a strategy often face problems in managing the construction process. Delayed product differentiation—postponing the tasks that customize a product as much as possible—is a principle applied in manufacturing that enables companies to better cope with customization. Yet, it has not been widely explored in the building industry. This paper proposes a method to implement this principle in the construction of high-rise apartment building projects using the line-of-balance technique. First, the method is described, followed by its application in a project developed by a construction company. A comparison between the long-term plan devised using the proposed method and the initial plan shows a postponement of the decoupling point (namely, the first task that customizes an apartment) of approximately 42 weeks. At the end, the potential benefits and difficulties in creating such postponement and adopting the proposed method are discussed.