FREE WORKSHOP Week 6: Lack of Periodic Check Points

Hi Guys and Girls,

How did everyone go last week with Negative/Reactive Attitudes and their Implications? Don’t forget to send your comments through.

This week we will be going through the Lack of Periodic Check Points and its importance with previous weeks as a stepping stone in regaining your control as foremen on your projects.

Over the weeks, we have been going through the various workshops in preparing and developing our mindset and daily techniques on site, towards a Productive Foremen. With todays workshop based specifically on Periodic Check Points as a means in quality and productivity control of the project and individual contractors’ tasks.

This reminds me of one instance, where the location of the plumbing for the bathrooms surrounding the suspended basin/bench and the toilet where incorrectly installed for 30 rooms of a hotel renovation and it wasn’t discovered until completion of tiling during installation of the suspended vanity units. And the unfortunate thing here was that the project was already 3 weeks behind and by the time they corrected the  plumbing, replaced wall lining and tiling, they had already installed the carpet and finished painting.

To further complicate things because the project wasn’t checked by the foremen through Periodic Check Points throughout the different stage and trades of work being done, they also had to relocate down lights because they were either in the wrong location or wouldn’t fit due to ducting or joinery that was in the way.

So as you can imagine he had plasterers, electricians and painters going throughout all the 30 rooms patching, relocating and repainting averaging 6 or so down lights per room. Keeping in mind, that this was being done over the newly laid carpet, in the lead up to handover and in view of the clients.

In addition to this, the carpet wasn’t even being covered or protected at all. So you can imagine the frustration and intensity of the situation between carpet layers and contractors as well as the foremen, builder and client. The whole situation was a complete nightmare and continued over the following weeks in accommodating all the issues that had accumulated at the end of the project.

Now I’m sure a lot of you may disagree with me, and state that the issues and errors a squarely on the contractors themselves. But I disagree, since it’s up to you to set an maintain the standard/level of quality (accountability), as detailed in Week 1 – Lack of Accountability, MUST remain with the foremen for he/she must ask themselves whether they “Are willing to give your control and any chance of turning the situation around to someone else, preventing you becoming a Productive Foremen“..

And as you can imagine the foremen handed over to the client a Defect Ridden Project, which required weeks or months of rectification works, that he/she would need to come back to over and over again in fixing up all these issues until they stop.

On the other hand, if the foremen had checked once the plumber or electrician had done their works, the issues would of been picked up and rectified immediately. Especially if done daily, each group of rooms being completed would enable early detection and prevention from other rooms in future being affected from same issues, since the same contractors would of rectified them.

Resulting in faster turnaround, minimisation of potential defect ridden issues being ironed out early in the projects as they unfold and furthermore, superior quality, faster turnaround and minimal delays, defects at completion date, in maximising the outcome and effectiveness/efficiencies of the foremen and contractors alike.

So as you can see, Periodic Check Points to the project are an important way in ensuring you become a Productive Foremen.

Post your comments in sharing your experiences.

Till next week,

Nelio