If you’re building or renovating a home, you’re probably concerned about work slowing down in the colder months. Rain, snow, sleet, and ice can bring construction to a screeching halt. However, there are several things that you can do to ensure that workers are still on the site and getting things done, even in inclement weather. Here’s what they are.
Get Temporary Heating or Temporary Cooling
Temporary heating for construction crews can be vital for keeping a project moving. The same could be said of temporary cooling. If there’s no HVAC system installed, you should provide an HVAC rental or some other type of climate control. That’s because the temperature, especially in the winter months, can affect many different factors.
Temporary heating for construction can keep paint and putty from freezing in the winter months. Temporary heating for construction can also thaw the ground, cure concrete, and dry everything from the walls to the floors. A rental heater can even improve worker efficiency. In fact, a Cornell University study found that productivity levels are highest at a temperature of 71.6 degrees. So, if you want your crew doing their best work, make sure to get some rental heaters to keep them comfortable.
Plan Ahead
While it may seem that more often than not the weatherman is wrong, it can be prudent to plan ahead according to the forecast. If three days of rain are expected, try to arrange indoor tasks to be completed those days. Set the schedule to allow a little wiggle room in case there’s a blizzard and no one can get to work. It’s always a good idea to estimate a slightly later deadline if work has to be done in the winter months due to the unforeseeable. You should have a backup plan for day-to-day operations in case weather gets in the way.
Communicate
One of the biggest challenges in construction is keeping everyone in the loop. It’s important to communicate regularly to make sure that everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Create a detailed schedule of what work should be done on what day, and always check in to see that everyone is on track. Use staff meetings, group emails, or conference calls to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. Sure, all of the different players it takes to build a house can make things difficult—the electrician might not show up or the cabinets might not be delivered on time. However, even if things don’t go according to plan, communicating what is causing a delay can keep tempers from flaring.
Consider a Pre-Fab
One of the quickest ways to build a house is to use a pre-fabricated home or use pre-fabricated shells. Entire homes or shells (the walls) are pre-built in a warehouse and then put together on site. The homes or shells include many of the finishes so that weather can’t affect the construction on site. That means there’s no waiting for a break in the rain or snow. If you choose to use pre-fabricated shells, all that’s left is work on the interior, which can be done rain or shine.
Take Advantage
The winter months are some of the slowest in the construction industry. Take advantage of the time by saving some of the harder-to-get-done work for those months. There is less competition for labor resources and schedules are more flexible.
Building or renovating a home doesn’t have to come to a halt just because of winter. If you have the right team and do things a little differently, it might even be the perfect time to complete a project.
