There are many functions a good general contractor must perform. A few of the most important:
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Financial controls (bidding, estimating, invoice approvals)
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Scope-of-work control (assigning tasks to individual trades)
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Relationship management (for both the customer and subcontractors)
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Schedule management (need I explain more?)
Let’s focus on schedule management. While any of the above can be a “make-or-break” for a project, scheduling is one area where software can really help. After all, a construction schedule should be a (somewhat) linear process, sequential, and rule-based, which are all right up software’s alley. So why don’t more GC’s really utilize scheduling software?
A quick search of Google for “construction scheduling software” gives 2 million results, so it seems choice is not an issue. For custom builders, the big issue is commonly flexibility. On many custom projects, words like “linear” and ”sequential” are frequently replaced with “changed” and “unexpected”. I know of some builders who sometimes spend hours every week just updating their schedules. With 12-hour workdays, a constantly-ringing cell phone, and seemingly endless interruptions, who can spare the hours needed to keep an updated schedule? But who can afford not to?
A few tips that we’ve used at Ruvin Bros to help keep schedules manageable, whatever system you use:
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Keep an appropriate level of task detail. I have seen some schedule templates that are downright funny, like breaking down Insulation into twelve sub-tasks. Unless you’ve got a project that has some really funky insulation details, two or three sub-tasks (like Insulate Walls, Blow-in Attic, and Spray Foam) will probably suffice. Many builders can probably just use Insulation on its own.
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Be realistic about time detail. If you’re on a eight-month job, tracking tasks by the hour is definitely overkill. However, on a two-week project, each hour counts. Some of the projects we work on can span multiple years; for those jobs tracking time by week is just as effective as by day, and can be updated in as little as 15 minutes a week.
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Focus on the critical path. A lot of times, good schedules get derailed by tasks that aren’t on the critical path (major tasks that cannot be done out-of-sequence). For example, exterior painting typically doesn’t hold up other trades, and if it gets done a little sooner or a little later the overall schedule usually isn’t impacted. Contrast that with pouring the foundation; if that happens later, then every other task gets pushed back. So, spend your time on those critical path items, and don’t sweat the stuff that’s not.
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Think of the future. Maybe this one is the most important. All too often, schedules are updated
retroactively (“let’s see what we got done last week!”). This defeats the purpose of a schedule, which is too look ahead to make sure the correct resources are notified and in place. Our guideline at
Ruvin Bros is look ahead at least 20%: If you’re on a 10-month project, be looking out at least 2 months in advance.
Remember: the goal is to set-up trades to be successful, not to scramble to put out fires!
What are your tricks for a good schedule that’s easy to update? What software or system do you use? How do you communicate the schedule to a customer? Let us know your thoughts – this is an area that we’ll be sure to discuss again.
