This is a rookie question but I think the pros can share some insight.
I’m a Habitat for Humanity house leader. This means I’m responsible for volunteer work assignments, having enough materials on site and eventually work on the house. Leads are usually responsible for only one house. This fall we are building almost 15 houses in 8 weekends and the leads are being asked to manage multiple houses at once.
What tips can the pros share on how to increase capacity and manage multiple builds at once? What tips or techniques do you have for dividing work assignments, dividing materials and generally handling the chaos of 50+ workers.
I’m not a builder by trade, yet. So any advice would be helpful.
Thanks,
Replies
I cannot imagine one person being asked to supervise two sets of violunteers at the same time, unless the houses were adjacent. Doing it during the week with the professional subs would not be difficult. Course that also depends on what work is happening at each of the houses. Certainly wouldn't want to be framing two at the same time.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I run 3-4 jobs at one time.
The only way I can do it is to have good subs and good lead men.
I have not had good experience with volunteers being dependable and an eight week time frame ios very tight to say the least, so I sympathize with you.
Dependable people and delegation with an ironclad scedule that ignores the weather ....
I feel sympathy for you
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Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I built my Church with 10 volunteers, and im a carpenter, never again all i did was explain to someone then they left, maybe 3 helpers at the most if i could even trust someone to use the saw, I admire people wanting to help dont get me wrong maybe im not good at being a manager. I dont go to where everyone else works and stand around messing things up, My neighbor who passed away told me in the Army everything is broken down to where a sarge may have 4 people under him. Ok im not wanting to sound mean at all its just what i found out, Good luck i dont know you it sounds strange to me your the leader with no experience its hard being a builder
mrjames,
Been there. Though with only 4 houses. Difficult if not impossible to achieve.
Here is a short list of what I learned.
Start Now!!!
1) Get all the volunteers together well in advance for classes/meetings.
At the meetiong pass out required reading material about framing, insulation , drywall , roofing etc. Also about tools and how to use them .
Next meeting go over the tools usage and safety .. with live demonstrations.
Test for who actually read the material.
You are actually running a teaching class/site with these volunteers.
2 )Use the meetings to figure out who knows what in what areas. Pick "crew leaders" each one will have just a few people under them and one focused task to complete. Same as construction elsewhere, delegate to the most knowlegable and have them be responsible for the people under them.
Have those crew leaders drill their volunteers and the tasks and methods of achieving the needed work accomplished.
Do not get yourself involved in onsite teaching.. find another volunteer with the knowledge and delegate it to them. Distraction from your task of running the show will be your biggest enemy. I found myswelf doing 1/2 the work by myself because it was quicker and easier. That detracted from me doing what I was supposed to be doing , as well as didn't help the volunteers learn for the next house.
Remeber that they are there for "community " they are not employees. Do what it takes to give them that .
Good Luck , you have my prayers...
You need some pros helping. The Habitat homes I've worked on have been framed by pros doing the layout, cutting and nailing with volunteers doing grunt work. I've supervised the volunteers installing roofing and there was at least one pro overseeing each of the other trades. You need lots of help.
http://grantlogan.net/
I should have mentioned that I do have help. We have an all volunteer construction committee with various years of Habitat experience. Several members are assigned to each house with one designated the lead. The problem with this build is our members will be stretched thin.The advice given thus far is what I am planning to do. Rely more heavily on other C.C. members. I have been working with the same crew for the past couple of years and each has their specialty. I'm going to be asking them to take on more responsibility. Dovetail made some good points about passing out reading material. Additionally the house is built with premade panels. The volunteers get to do the grunt work on the framing, roof, siding, doors, windows and paint. Electrical, plumbing, hvac and sheetrock is handled by the pros.I appreciate the advice thus far!
mrjames,
I have wondered if FHB wouldn't step up and offer sets of reprints of their articles on the basics of framing, roofing , drywall etc.,
Or better yet donate the mags of "How to...." to Habitat as learning aids. be a hint there ....
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Dovetail,I like the way you think!!