Scheduling

Onarooftop

Let's say you have 20 jobs signed on.

Anything from replacement roofs, new construction, repairs, punchlist items, etc.

Let's say you have 8 people working for you.


How do you efficiently schedule the guys, daily. What guys going to what jobs, etc.

Their has to be some sort of form or system to make this task more efficient.



Any thoughts?

Onarooftop

Tinstaafl

There is. It's called a General Contractor.

I honestly don't know if such a thing exists for a business on that scale. The variables are so complex and difficult to quantify that even GC's with decades of experience often have a hard time with it. For instance, how many of those 8 men are balls-to-the-walls framers? And of those BTTW framers, how many are just as good, or really lousy shinglers? Trim carpenters? Electricians? Plumbers?

I'm sure that there are usable systems for very large-scale operations, where statistical averaging becomes much more applicable. But I'd be very surprised to find that such systems scale down effectively.

Remodel Bud

I agree that there isn't a uniform answer that fits your situation. Who is making the service, who can handle what job etc, etc. Impossible for us to know your outift. with that said, let me tell you what I did.

First of all a Production Board" Flow Chart" on the office wall about 8ft in length that I used to visibly update job status and it makes it helpful having it all in front of me. We had nine boards in all. Some of the boards were color coated for various meanings & a calendar to see our time frame for the crews. Just make it organized and clean with pertinent dates.

Production meetings with managers constantly updating everyone and reviewing reports. coaching and training them in what direction to focus on.

Hired a full time service gentleman that we scheduled his day to satisfy customers, tie up loose ends and keep the crews busy.


Just small examples. I could go into much more detail if you want.

rbsremodeling

A short answer would be my subs and my guys.

This may sound strange but I go over new and potential jobs with them weeks in advance and have them give me dates they think they can fit the work in.

I then take there napkins and 2x4's and add or days as needed an work out a potential schedule that is revised a few times of course.

There are also some ways of pushing back start dates that are justifiable such as delays for permits and material availability and delivery.

If you take the time and explain to clients up front what needs to happen for a job to start and be ran effectively, I find that my schedule usually works out to my and their best interest.

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Remodel Bud

and if I remember right, you keep a mobile office to stay organized

rbsremodeling

That is correct I visit my sites twice a day. For me it is easy in the city 1-2 hours and I have visited 4-8 jobs.

It is obsessive but I like being in the field I make notes and take pictures so that If asked a question I can usually answer from the office because I know what they are talking about.

Your schedule has to be realistic and flexible. I don't say plumbers on Wednesday but plumbers the week of Oct 1-6. We all need flexibility subs and myself. Plan and schedule smart and you always finish on time.

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Remodel Bud

thats the best way to manage, being on the sites!

Remodel Bud

Someone once said there needs to be a system to plan, gather information and the information needs to be accurate. "How can we make good decisions, without good information." Planning is a necessity.

AtlanticWBConst

It's all a skilled juggling act for some of us.

Who goes where, depends on the kind of jobs that you have at the moment, and the skill level of each worker.

I lay my schedule out on Friday for the following week. I do that with a computer made spread type sheet.

However, that schedule ends up being completely changed around, starting that Monday. We get emergency repair calls almost daily, so that always tosses the original plans right out the door.

I still make a plan, even with that possibility. As stated, you need a plan, and you need to work that plan, with some flexibility....no matter what gets thrown at you on a daily basis.

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- Build Well -

genecarp

I usually make a good solid plan , THEN WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOSE, I THROW THE PLAN OUT, and shoot from the hip, its been working for 25 years...

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woodworkbykirk

with my experience, the project managers have tried to keep the same guys doing the same tasks so they get into a rhythm, also keep the guys who work well together paired up. have one crew handling framing and demo + siding, another crew handling trim and built-ins, when one crew is getting caught up have one or two guys help the crew whos behind, or send one to the repairs or prepping the next job to start

by having the crews change modes every day they have to not only change mindsets, but even deal with the pain in the ass of switching up the tools they carry in their vehicles.

i told my general a few weeks ago that i dont mind using my own gear but im getting sick of carrying every piece of equipment in my car all the time, either let me have my trim gear in the car or my general carpentry tool bags in the car. im working handy to which means im good for 2 weeks on a tank of gas, but with everything in the car im getting 4 days, plus the extra strain on my suspension and even worse higher risk of breakin

Mike Finley

If you store your own materials, order every material required for each job and have it stored/staged in advance.

Take each job and create a gross schedule for now. A gross schedule just breaks the job out into days to complete.

Job #1 -7 days
Job #2 -5 days
Job #3 -12 days

When you sell our jobs make sure you don't promise start dates only give them a time frame- we are 6-8 weeks away from starting.

Divide you guys up into teams. 1 team 2 teams 3 teams you decide.

Start Job #1 and assign the team, Start #2 and assign the job

as job #1 gets toward the end contact client for job #3 arrange a window to start Tues, Wed or Thur? As job #2 gets toward the end do the same for job #4

Finish job #1, activate job #3, finish job #2, activate job #4

repeat

The details inbetween all this you have to manage and work out. Only you know all the details and know your guys.

The important thing is to always have materials ready for jobs before they start so you never get caught by a supplier. The other important thing is to always have customers prepped for their job so they don't suprise you when you try to call them and you find out they are now on vacation.