Job Schedules

[Alwayslearningelec]

So something I have a hard time figuring sometimes is the amount of time to figure a NON WORKING foreman on a job.

What I mean is that say a GC says the schedule is 1-1/2 years then I figure my crew size and look at total hours sometimes it comes out to be less of a duration than the GC is saying the job is. In this case it may be 14 months. But I'm not sure if the job will still require us to be on the job for the entire duration the GC is providing, even if smaller crew, but then I need to make sure I account for the NON working foreman for the entire duration along with other monthly expenses such as trailer, storage container etc.

How does one approach this for the INDIRECT costs(supervision, trailer etc.) just always figure whatever schedule the GC provides?

Thinking there's more to figuring this out than that.

 

[Sberry]

This is something you are going to have to figure out.. There probably is not a formula to plug in considering the variables. Resi, commercial, 3 men or 100? Drive time, there are dozens of other potential factors.

 

[Alwayslearningelec]

This is something you are going to have to figure out.. There probably is not a formula to plug in considering the variables. Resi, commercial, 3 men or 100? Drive time, there are dozens of other potential factors.

I know . I’ve hear guys say you need to figure the entire duration GC gives you but then I’ve heard guys say there could be a real in the work where no men would be needed. But not sure how to know that it f you have job that has demo, temp, roughing , pulling wire and devices, maybe feeders and gear install , maybe even telecom work. How they heck can you determine if your crew would have anytime during the job where they’d not be required onsite ??

 

[petersonra]

There is no way to predict the future. Part of the foreman's job is to smooth over the bumps in the workload by being on top of what is going on at the job site and adjusting for that. If he can't do that you need to get a new foreman. He needs to be thinking a few weeks or even months down the road and he needs to be on good terms with the GC and the other contractors so they tell him the truth about what is going on.

 

[Sberry]

I just did/doing 1 now. 2 days of work, wait. I am watching the phases so I dont miss, again a week of work and will have our end rock ready. There with the customer as well as others to make sure the changes are at a minumum and to avoid some "can I haves" after the fact and help them make good location decisions. Talked them out of a couple can lights and into a couple separate 2x4 boxes vs a quad or 2 and work around to take advantage of a couple switch loops in hard to get places.
I am the estimator and ramrod and done it enough I can schedule common work in phases where I dont bottleneck myself. Had one scheduled for 3 weeks out, I did manage to prep it , was on wait and ready enough that when it got moved up was only in it for 3 hrs during a change over even though I was busy elsewhere.
If you are working with "will do it later " types that is another matter. If we do not have a "working" foreman lay him off and get one does. Keeping it in order and supervision is work, there are guys that can make it look easy, some got to be on the run with sweat dripping.