Glossary
Critical path
The critical path is the chain of dependent tasks that sets your finish date. If any task on it slips, the whole job finishes later.
Some rehab tasks must happen in order: you cannot hang drywall before rough-in passes inspection. Other tasks can run alongside, like landscaping. The longest chain of must-happen-in-order work is the critical path.
On a flip, every extra day on the critical path is a day of carry: interest, taxes, insurance and utilities. Knowing which tasks are on it tells you where to push.
How it works
Tasks off the critical path have slack, meaning they can slip a little without moving the finish. Tasks on it have none. In Run The Deal's project schedule, red bars on the desktop chart are the critical path, and the schedule shows days behind with the extra carry cost.
- Demo
- 3 days
- Rough-in
- 5 days
- Inspection
- 2 days
- Drywall
- 4 days
- Paint
- 3 days
- Critical path total
- 17 days
- Landscaping, in parallel
- 4 days, has slack
- Rough-in slips 2 days
- Finish moves to 19 days
What to watch
- Inspections and permits often sit on the critical path. Book them early.
- Long lead items like windows or cabinets can quietly become the critical path.
- A slip on a slack task does not matter until the slack runs out.
A rough-in failure or an approved change order with extra days often lands here. Plan the timeline when you estimate rehab costs.
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