From the Management Message Archive

Eliminate Construction Problems by Building
Each House Seven Times in Your Head

Written on: June 13, 2006

Message:

We at SMA Consulting believe that "best practices" homebuilders have several basic traits in common, and one of the most important is the discipline to build each home at least seven times on paper (and in their heads) prior to actually starting construction on the jobsite. If you're looking for a shorter time of construction with fewer errors... then you have to add time at the front of the job to "build the house in your head"! Here are those seven opportunities:

1 - Preliminary CAD drawings of house plan "to contract" or "as sold".

2 - Lot Inspection Meeting: Look for problems on the building site grade, utilities, house fit, standing water, etc. Redline the drawings.

3 - Pre-Construction Meeting: Buyer/Sales staff and production management meet to go over the job, tweak the plans, and complete any layout. Redline the drawings.

4 - Stage Two Drawings: Roll the results of the meetings to date back into the plans.

5 - Estimate: Use the stage two drawings to tweak or customize the base plan estimate (for a production builder) or to do the detailed estimate for a custom home.
Redline in more details as needed.

6 - Final Plans: Plans go back to the drafting department for a final edit and the third and "final plan" set of drawings.

7 - EPO Review: Estimator and project management get together to conduct the
EPO (Estimate- Purchase Order) review meeting to hand the job off to the field and finalize any last-minute details.

Every day spent in this seven step process could save you a week of time once the job starts. So what are you waiting for?

Have a great week! Bob

For additional information on this management tip or any other homebuilder management concerns call us at 407/447-5209 (Florida office) or 909/335-9100 (California Office).