Because Nobody Flags the Bottleneck They Create
Project timelines don’t usually fail all at once—they unravel quietly. And one of the earliest signs? A late material approval that no one wants to take responsibility for. For PMs, late approvals signal a communication failure they didn’t plan for—and now have to manage around.
What Late Approvals Look Like in Glass Projects
Alternate spec for IGUs gets submitted after the coordination window closes.
Hardware documentation delays final design lock.
No RFI follow-up on finish compatibility—until site teams are staging.
What PMs Say (But Won’t Write)
“We were ready—but they weren’t.”
“They blamed the client, but never flagged the risk early.”
“This one delay screwed up our entire curtainwall sequence.”
Why It’s a Communication Problem
Vendors assume the PM is chasing approvals when they’re buried in subs and GCs.
Delay notifications come without new delivery implications.
Material readiness is reported as “green” without accounting for doc sign-off.
How to Handle Approvals Without Losing Momentum
Tag approvals to a delivery-based timeline: “We need X by Y to ship on Z.”
Offer ready-to-go approval packets: full documentation, alternates, stamped details.
Escalate once—not when—timelines are missed.
Conclusion
Late approvals aren’t just a formality—they’re a reputational risk. If you can’t flag approval gaps and drive closure, the PM starts managing your job—and looking elsewhere next time.
