It has been a long while since my last entry to “Cornerstone in the work zone.” This is because I have been in the field with the crews performing various tasks such as delivering and setting up scaffold, helping with grout pours and filling in where needed. In all honesty this has been a regular thing off and on for the last couple of years and has proven to be a positive in seeing how we operate in the field. I have been able to define and refine our operating model; how we approach, set up and run and finish jobs. Even though every job is different our goal is to be a “low maintenance masonry subcontractor.”
This begins with a high energy in organizing our start. We want to be well prepared, to get a clean fast start. This means getting as many brick or block in the wall on the first day as we do on the last day. As the job progresses we insist on keeping the job site conditions clean and organized as well as keeping the promised projected schedule. When we are coming to the end of the project we want to finish well so our focus shifts to clean up, tear down and putting a lot of energy to patch and repair to minimize the punch list. This high energy approach is a formula to being a “low maintenance high performance masonry subcontractor.” We don’t want the General Superintendent to feel they have to motivate or watch over us during our scope of the project.
I have talked to several of our repeat clients and they all say the same things; you show up on time, stay clean, do what you say and finish well. We like working with a sub that does clean work with minimum supervision. “Low maintenance high quality output.” This approach has helped us not only survive this construction holocaust, but has allowed us to continue to grow and improve on our model for performing the masonry portion of these projects.
I would like to encourage you to look at your operating model and see where you can limit high maintenance procedures that may be labeling you as a high maintenance masonry subcontractor. Look at it this way; we all know there two kinds of people, high maintenance and low maintenance. Which do you like to be around or work around? Your clients feel the same as you and we have found they choose low maintenance over high maintenance when they have a chance. So with high energy, good planning and challenging your crews to finish well, I want to encourage you to focus on being a “Low Maintenance Subcontractor.” Start today it may change how your potential clients view you as their choice for a mason contractor. Until next time, plan your work and work your plan.
Sincerely,
Larry Bonife, President