Replies

1. 
   Jason | Mar 02, 2001 12:16am | #1

   *
   Well, I guess the first thing is to really think about how much detail you want. I use MS Project, and over the past two years or so, have whittled quite a bit of my sheet down in some areas. For instance, I'm going to be everyone agrees with me that the first step is going to be the Big "P" for planning, and a lot of subtasks go under that. Everything from selecting a design and getting prints, arranging financing, and specing out your costs, to postage and office supplies goes under there. And to be honest, I don't think it's an illegal question, but it certainly bears some thought. Your location and proposed construction (e.g., NE, Midwest, home, cottage, commerical, carwash), all might affect what the sequence is. I'm certainly more than happy to help, either online or by email, but give me a structure and location and a level of detail and then let's get rolling.

1. 
   Dan_Dear | Mar 02, 2001 12:44am | #2

   *Jennings, save yourself, and Jason's time, by contacting the National Associaton of Home Builders at http://www.nahb.com, or call them at 1-800-368-5242.

1. 
   Peter_Bush | Mar 02, 2001 01:06am | #3

   *This is something I have been working on over the last couple weeks. The idea was to sketch out this outline and then fill in with explanation. Process-MappingSection I: Per-RelationshipGoals and Objectives Reason behind business structure Make money Personal fulfillment Business Plan Research & DevelopmentHuman Resources Employees Job Descriptions Pay Grades Benefits Policy Manual Development/Education Application/Interview Subcontractor Trade Knowledge Professionalism Company Policy Price Compatibility Suppliers Product Knowledge Product Availability Professionalism PriceRisk Management Insurable items Workman's Cop General Liability Errors and Omissions Key Personnel on-insurable items Bad Debt Poor Judgment Prevention Communication Regular meetings Expectations on both sidesMarketing Research Profitable job profile Demographic Image Contact Points Owner Employees Subs Projects Promotional material Past clients (The Referral) Visits Phone calls Letters Newsletters Target clients (The Lead) Brochures Promotional material Portfolio Sales Kit Mass Media Yellow pages Newspaper Interned Radio TVSection II: RelationshipProject Feasibility Identify Parameters Who - will be the team members and can they work together? Credentials of team members What - circumstances will they be brought together for? Prototype General Scope When - will the partnership take place and for how long? "Desired" start and completion dates Where - will work be taking place? Why - reasoning behind choices? How - will the project be orchestrated?Budget Investment goal/target Per-qualify for necessary financing Source(I) of moniesProject Development Design Costs Identify Life style Define Desires Design Concept Design Development Valuation Working Drawings Engineering Specifications Selection education Availability Integration viability Aesthetics Standards of qualityEstimating Database of costs Complete project information Estimate Take-off Quotes AppraisalSales Finance Contract Delineate expectations Scope of Work Payment termsPre-construction Schedule Permits Utility locations Survey Specialty item orders Staging area Weather planning LogisticsConstruction Purchasing Supervision Production Inspection Changes and modifications Change Orders Additional Work Authorization Progress communication Closing Finance Closing Transition from construction site to owner's home Thank youWarranty Warranty documents Periodical check-upsSection III: Post-RelationshipAnalysis Performance review of all divisions Recommendations for improvement

1. 
   Dan-O | Mar 03, 2001 12:43am | #4

   *Hi Jennings, There ya go mate. Mr. Bush's list. Now that's a sequence if I ever saw one! Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Or make tea. But no more dead bodies though. Here's my list; when I'm not working I'm conserving. That is an expression. Its French. Ever heard that? How about home-ec. You know, economy. We had those classes in school. They'll learn ya how its gotta be done. We dig...a hole. Now here's a typical list:Site work and excavationTemporary utilitiesFoundation preaparationInground plumbingFoundation inspectionFoundation erectionRough framingWindows and exterior doorsRough plumbingDecking and sheathingRough electricalCornice trimRoofingExterior coatings/coveringsRough heatingOpen frame inspectionInsulationBrickworkInterior wall finishingInterior trim and doorsCabinetryInterior paintCounter topsVinyl and tile floorsAppliancesPlumbing trimHeating trimElectrical trimCarpetingCleanupLandscapingFinal inspection There. A simplified version of sequential wood frame house construction. Its from a book. But when you work in the field you have to know all the details. I know. Anyone coulda done that. But you'll have to do a better job of "turd-stirrin'." Now you have something for people to pick over, mull on and otherwise question. Okay Jennings? BTW, are there more than one of you? Only kiddin'... Dan-O

1. 
   Dan_Dear | Mar 03, 2001 02:03am | #5

   *Ok guys. While you're working on this sequencing, make a separate list of every opportunity in the sequence of marketing yourself and/or company.Remember, it's a fact that every single "contact" that anyone has with the client is actually representing you. Those contacts can be bad, so-so, or a WOW experience. The bad, degrades your bottom line; the so-so does nothing for it pro or con, but the WOW! - that's another story. Use these points of contact, or "moments of truth" to your advantage.

2. 
   The_Tennis_Court_Builder_...on_t | Mar 03, 2001 04:47pm | #6

   *Sonny....I love your WOW thing...and do try to do it a bit...but even reading it so often is ovestimulating. IE..Advertising gone bad in my early years...Made up six cute lawn signs that looked like realty signs with little roofs...Well eventually I had four jobs going on one road...then I had one stored on the side of my roadside shed...Come to find out...I was pissing off a rather vocal local idle elderly neighbor who "watches the community" for any reason...She was starting to really hate whoever owned the signs, because she was tired of looking at them everyday that she drove down her road...WOW, I said...reverse advertising!!!!!So now I try not to have a sign up on road for long and do many other little tricks...The moral..I forgot why I started...but it is important to get feedback as to the effect what one does is actually having!near the stream,aj

3. 
   The_Tennis_Court_Builder_...on_t | Mar 03, 2001 05:44pm | #7

   *Dan has a good list...I'll attempt to make it mine.b Custom Home with full foundation, Eight progress payments.Price out, and sign contract. b Deposit,first payment $1000schedule and preplanSite work begins, day oneb Second paynment $10,000Site work and excavationInground utilities, trenching Footing preparation Footing inspection Foundation erection, & inspection.b Third payment $_____________install, inspect, & power underground electric Rough framingRoofing carpenters go outside...mechanics go inside.Outside...Decks, porchesWindows and exterior doors Weathertite shell...b Fourth payment $_____________trim and sidingMasonry, chimneysInside...Subs begin again...Rough plumbing subsRough heating subsRough electrical subsOpen frame inspection.b Fifth payment $____________Insulation, Drywall, Paint subsInterior carpentry begins...exterior subs...Exterior subs...DrivewaysPoolsWalks, patiosFenceslandscaping. b Sixth payment $___________Interior...Interior doors, all trim, built in cabinets Paint subs trim and final coatsFloor subsCabinetry & Counter tops Appliances Last major payment before finalb Seventh payment $_________Plumbing trim Heating trim Electrical trim Carpeting Cleanup & touch up One punch list made and signed completeFinal inspection, COAwards party for homeowners, crews and subsb Final Payment $1000 or equal to punch list.b Hand over warranty book, warranty date starts when item was installed.b Institute. 3/30/300 day letters and site visits w/ company giftsnear the stream,aj

4. 
   Dan_Dear | Mar 03, 2001 09:32pm | #8

   *AJ, I know hearing about the WOW factor gets old after awhile - or does it?"WOW" is on my dashboard, my main tool box, the back side of my black metal dust pan, my monitor, the base for my office phone, and a few other areas - all reminders. The reason is that I know I'm a mediocre trades person at best, same thing for my two sons, so the ability to command double the rates of my competitors and my sons ability to obtain 20% net profits, is due to only one thing, "client positive experiences" via the "WOW" factor.So do not minimize the importance of the WOW factor's contribution to the bottom line. It must permeate an entire company. Once I get on board with The Lykos GGroup, Inc. again, and systemize their company further, especially as a "no punch list contractor", plus working with their subs and vendors, my goal is to also allow them to raise their net profit from 20% to 25% - by going beyond the "WOW" factor to "INCREDULOUS."BTW, the WOW factor has nothing to do with advertising.

5. 
   Adrian_Wilson | Mar 04, 2001 12:00am | #9

   *I like your schedule better than Dano's, as far as it relates to my stuff.....floors, cabs/countertops/appliances, touchups. In the other list (cabinets, final paint, then tops, then floors, or something like that)....don't like that at all.

6. 
   Dan-O | Mar 04, 2001 03:04am | #10

   *Yo Adrian!! Will the Paul Winchell donut trail get us to the fest? Us bein' me and my woodchoppin' cronies from KeBeque. Also, keep Solomon Gundy close by as we're sure to be hungry. Hafta way lay @ the A.G. Bell park. And the prix fix mussel/lobster dinner; a must.Will addend const. list w/ Jennings's OK. Alert customs, we're bringing pets. Boy this is gonna be fun!!! Dan-O

7. 
   blue_eyed_devil_ | Mar 06, 2001 04:01pm | #11

   *Sonny and AJ, what in the world are you two talking about?Wow, woo or whatever?blue

8. 
   Jennings_Easterbrook | Mar 08, 2001 02:45am | #12

   *I apologize...I got sidetracked by life. I'm coming back to this as soon as I get two spare minutes to rub together. Sonny, thank you for the resource info. Jason, you sound like the guy to set the stage...how CPM works, the need to determine durations, and the relationships between tasks. Scheduling with Project is not a net sum game. Even in highly controllable environments (pure water systems development), ...50% is a good number for what procedes as planned. But, it's a plan...a baseline for purposes of detecting where your efforts to improve the process are best spent. O.K.--I gotta go because if I get caught on this screen with the exterior paint job still unfinished, I be sleeping on the couch forever! I'm tracking everyone's valuable input to date.

2. 
   Jennings_Easterbrook | Mar 08, 2001 02:47am | #13

   *
   I have a request for residential sequencing info out on the newbie board. It's been floating like a dead body for 24 hours. Nobody even wants to poke it just out of curiosity. I asked for purely academic reasons...I have to produce a schedule for a Microsoft Project 2000 class. My general impression of this board is that you're a trustworthy and sensitive lot so I'm going to throw myself on your mercy. Did I ask an illegal question? Is sequencing info the special information that separates the boys from the men in this industry? Please, take pity and at least save me from future embarassment.