The construction department is responsible for all aspects of building homes including the scheduling and management of a timeline for each property rebuild.
During the initial phase of your organization, construction will likely consist of one person scheduling and coordinating partial – and full – rebuild projects, once incoming funds and basic infrastructure is set up.
It’s important to become immediately familiar with the local zoning ordinances, permitting requirements and building ordinances or laws. Initiate contact with a local construction materials vendor, such as a Home Depot and local lumberyards, to acquire supplies and tools.
You will need to establish an estimating procedure and system for forecasting the damages and materials needed for the project. This will allow you to ensure you have the appropriate funding in place to initiate the project and complete the work with no delays.
As your organization grows and grants come in, you will have additional members of your team to assist, but it’s important that you start the appropriate tracking and recording of information from the very beginning, this will be imperative for the organization when you are starting up.
Properly managed volunteers bring down the cost of residential rebuilding after a disaster allowing more people to be impacted. Volunteers are not simply do-gooders, they are the engine to the SBP model.
Construction output is maximized when volunteers have clear goals, ample work, proper supplies and strong supervision.Volunteers are an incredible force for good, but need clear structure and support to maximize output. The site must be properly prepared with the right tools and materials in the right quantity. Training must be thorough but brief enough to maximize hands – on construction time. Most importantly, there must be adequate work for the volunteers on site. There is plenty of work to do post-disaster. Do not let volunteers sit idle.
Project duration matters. There is a human toll to delay.Delays in for-profit construction projects (like public works projects or even home remodeling) are often accepted as status quo. After a disaster, however, a delay is not simply an added expense or an inconvenience, it’s another barrier to a family returning to their home. Delays must not be accepted – they tangibly harm clients.
It’s important to balance speed, cost and quality alongside the interests of current clients and all future clients.Running a volunteer-driven construction company is a balancing act. Each construction decision has tradeoffs. Hiring subcontractors will outpace volunteers, but subcontractors cost substantially more than volunteers, increasing the project cost and reducing the organization’s ability to help future clients. The construction team could work to ensure all work is cosmetically flawless, but this pushes the next projects further into the future. All of these decisions matter and will impact the wellbeing of current and future clients.
It’s critical that each home repair project has a clear end point defined by completing a list of repairs. This is called the project’s scope of work. A complete scope of work should undo damage caused by the disaster and bring the house to a safe and functional state. It should not aim to replace what existed before the disaster, nor should it be used as an opportunity to remodel or upgrade a home.
For example, if a disaster destroyed a kitchen that had an island in the middle of it, a suitable scope of work includes adequate cabinets, but will not likely include the island, as its omission doesn’t affect the safety or functionality of the repair.
While repairing the floor of the kitchen, the repair crew realizes the floor is inadequately reinforced and in danger of collapse. While this wasn’t caused by the disaster, it should be repaired because it undermines the safety of the home.
Outside the home on the porch, the posts supporting the roof have been chewed on by the homeowner’s dog, causing surface damage. These posts should not be included in the scope because the damage isn’t related to the disaster and their cosmetic damage doesn’t impair safety or functionality.
All construction projects must have schedules to keep them running smoothly toward completion. These schedules should be made available to everyone in the organization, and should be plainly visible on the construction tracking whiteboards and present at the jobsite. By sharing the schedule, the organization can work in unison to meet the completion goals for each project. The volunteer team will better see the urgency in recruiting and placing volunteers, the client services team will be able to better communicate construction progress to the client, and the development team will be able to clearly demonstrate progress to current and future funders.
Schedules should be created aggressively, meeting the pressing needs of homeowners following disasters. There’s a human toll of delay in rebuilding. Every day lost, is one more keeping a family from their home.
Invariably, projects will experience delays because of inclement weather, volunteer turnout, or material availability. In these cases, do not discard the original completion deadline. Instead, marshal more resources (more or higher skilled volunteers, extended workdays, non-sequential construction) and implement a countermeasure to ensure the project stays on target.
The SBP model brings together people of all skill levels into the construction process. Each is well-suited to a different task and requires different management for success.
Volunteers range in skill level from masters of the building trades to having no prior construction experience. It’s important that each be provided the tools, work, instruction and supervision to maximize their ability to advance the construction projects. When volunteers are provided these things, they are able to advance construction and keep the project on schedule.
Skilled volunteers can be employed to do anything that they have an appropriate level of skill and/or licensure to perform. Careful screening of volunteers who report to be highly skilled will yield talented individuals who can save the organization substantial time and money. However be aware some also overestimate or overstate their abilities. Unskilled volunteers can be used in a variety of roles including the beginning stages of construction, such as gutting and mold treatment and again from insulation through completion.
Under the SBP model, the construction department is vertically integrated. That is, the organization employs specialists including electricians, plumbers and carpenters whenever possible, reducing reliance on subcontractors. This is because the organization can more tightly schedule in-house labor, can more readily control construction standards and remove the profit margin from the work – reducing cost. These skilled tradespeople meet the vast majority of the organization’s rebuilding needs, but occasionally subcontractors are also needed.
While the model minimizes the use of subcontractors, they still are an important part of the model. Some tasks are too specialized, difficult, or time-intensive for the in-house trades teams. These tasks, such as framing new construction projects, site work, foundations, HVAC and roofing, are left to subcontractors. Early on, find subcontractors that will meet the organization’s needs in terms of cost and scheduling. Do not compromise. The organization is paying the subcontractor a substantial amount of money and should be treated as such. When good subs are found, keep using them!
Having to redo work kills productivity, ties up construction staff and breaks project budgets. Rework is any time a task is completed twice or an additional trip is made to a site because a task was not completed at the appropriate time. When a plumber installs the water on the wrong wall for the kitchen sink or a poorly supervised volunteer creates sloppy drywall seams, another construction professional has to fix these problems. From the start, it’s important to track and systematically eliminate the causes of rework. This information should be tracked in a public space and discussed in meetings with the entire construction team. “Right the first time” should become a mantra for the construction team. One way to reduce rework is to standardize processes, materials and instruction as much as possible. Rigorous use of checklists, created by the organization’s in-house construction professionals, can help with this process.
Government is an important stakeholder for a volunteer-driven post-disaster construction company. While standards may be loose immediately following a disaster, the standards quickly return to their pre-disaster stringency, and typically become even more so. Disasters are used as an opportunity to revisit building code requirements, so it’s important to develop a good relationship with the local city building inspection department.
The standard for rebuilding after a disaster is often unclear. This is when you can leverage your relationship with the building inspection department to gain clarity. The city will likely provide conservative advice, or sometimes no advice at all. In these times, it’s essential that organizations are bold and begin rebuilding even when the standards are unclear. Remember, there is a human toll to delay. Do what is right for disaster-affected people.
As the organization uses grant funds, and Federal funds in particular, higher standards will apply to construction work. A clear and comprehensive scope of work is the best way to keep grant inspectors satisfied. Agree to a scope up front and then rigorously complete it. These inspectors are an important ally.
Building supplies account for the largest single expense for a rebuilding organization. An organization in the SBP model is typically the largest or one of the largest customers for building supply companies. This volume of purchases is both a logistical challenge and a major opportunity to leverage relationships with suppliers.
Many suppliers will deliver materials directly to the worksite, reducing the amount of staff time spent on delivery. Other suppliers are willing to inventory the organization's warehouse and bill for supplies replenished. SBP has found that ordering materials using a method that carries a written record (like email) is best for the sake of accountability. Even if vendors do not typically receive orders by email, leverage the volume of business the organization will provide as well as the organization’s mission.
Home Depot has served as a major supporter of the SBP model and is a key vendor for the organization at each of its locations.
A warehouse is both a location for housing goods, and also the nerve center for obtaining and dispatching materials to worksites.
The center of warehouse operations is the construction kit. Each phase of construction has its own specialized kit that contains all the tools needed to complete that phase of construction. Flooring, insulation and texturing are just a few of the many kits that exist. The kit system ensures all the tools needed for a given task are on-site, minimizing delays and human error in ordering tools.
It’s important not to purchase more stock than is necessary. Whenever possible, materials should be purchased using a “just-in-time” approach where replacement supplies arrive right as current stocks are expended. This keeps the organization’s funds from being tied up in stock that’s not currently needed.
The SBP model works with two warehouse models – kitted and deconstructed. Both aim to provide timely delivery of the right tools and supplies to the worksite, but they illustrate different approaches. With a kitted approach, kits are kept in the warehouse fully assembled. There is a finite number of each type of kit. This approach requires the least amount of floor space and manpower in the warehouse. The disadvantage is less flexibility when additional tools are needed at a specific job site.
With a deconstructed approach, all kits are disassembled when they are returned to the warehouse. When the next kit is needed, it’s assembled from the array of stored tools and materials. This approach allows for the most flexibility, but requires more manpower to assemble and more floor space to store unused tools and supplies in an orderly way.
While the client services team is the primary point of contact for clients seeking services under the SBP model, the construction team will also have contact with the homeowner throughout the rebuilding process.
It’s important to be clear, honest and understanding when communicating with homeowners. Recovering from disaster is a deeply emotional and draining process. It’s important to step back and remember that the organization’s mission is not to be thanked or appreciated, but to move disaster-impacted families back home. Remember that these homeowners are deeply thankful, but may struggle to express their thanks during times of stress.
Working to bring disaster-impacted people back home can be tremendously rewarding. It can be tempting to take on side projects like building fences or installing special shelving when asked by a particularly nice homeowner. While these projects will no doubt help the homeowner currently under construction, these projects delay starting on other jobs.
Build fast
Build affordably
Build safe and functional
Build according to schedule
Base flood elevation: Established by FEMA, this is the height the “base flood” will reach and is commonly used by authorities to create elevation requirements.
Builder’s risk insurance: Insurance carried by the organization against major damage that results from the construction process such as collapse, theft, or fire.
Estimate: A monetized version of the scope of work, showing exactly what materials and the number of man hours will be required to complete the scope of work, along with their costs.
Lead-risk assessment: An initial evaluation of a home’s lead hazards, most commonly lead- based paint.
Rework: Any task during construction that must be done twice or that was omitted and requires another trip to the jobsite to complete. These kill productivity.
Rough-in: The first part of wiring or plumbing a home. The in-wall wiring or piping that is the basis of a home’s utility systems.
Scope of work: A clear and comprehensive plan of what the organization will do as parameters for the rebuilding project. This should be established and signed off on by the homeowner prior to starting work.
Trim out: The last part of wiring or plumbing a home where fixtures are installed.
Workman’s lien: A lien that can be placed by any person who completed work on a home. This process safeguards workers from non-payment by a general contractor or homeowner.
The best way to overcome a lack of clarity in the rebuilding process is by taking time to understand a comprehensive scope of work before starting. At a pre-construction meeting or “start file meeting,” the construction team should clearly explain the scope to the homeowner and take time to answer any questions. Throughout the project, reference the scope of work when answering questions from staff or the homeowner. It’s critical that the scope of work isn’t deviated from.
Construction projects sometimes go over budget. This could be because the project manager doesn’t care about budgets or the organization’s finances. In that case, a discussion of how such spending impairs the organization’s mission is in order. More likely however, is the project manager isn’t effectively using job cost reports to understand how much money remains in the project budget.
Talking about problems is not easy in any work setting. Talking about them in a construction setting can be especially challenging. Candidly discussing problems and working together to solve them is critical to the success and continuous improvement of the organization. If there is resistance to open discussion, explain there will not be any repercussions for constructive discussion of even the biggest workplace problems. When workers share problems, be sure to listen and help solve them. Never put the burden of solving a problem on the person who identified the problem. While they may have a solution, this pressure will discourage future discussion of problems.
Some subcontractors will not perform on time, on budget, or to the standard the organization expects. In these situations, exercise muscle as a consumer. Clearly explain expectations to the subcontractor, explain the possibility of future business and if they will not meet expectations, discharge them and find another subcontractor.
It’s common after a disaster for building standards to change and remain unclear for months. Quickly leverage relationships with municipal building inspectors to determine the new requirements for construction. If standards are not available, proceed cautiously – but do not delay. Make smart construction decisions that are consistent with the organization’s values of safety and a commitment to people affected by disaster.
The SBP model uses a variety of methods to track and expedite construction, but most involve dry erase boards. While dry erase boards might seem like a rudimentary tool, they provide a highly visible snapshot of various processes in a way that a spreadsheet cannot. Because they are dry erase, they can be quickly modified to meet changing business processes.
The other main system employed by construction is Salesforce. Salesforce is a unified database of clients, volunteers, donors and staff. Construction uses the system to record milestones in the construction process such as dates of inspections, changes between phases of construction and warranty information. While Salesforce is not a full-fledged construction management system, its greatest strength is its ability to record data and create reports.
Construction staffing will change significantly from the time the organization begins operating to the time it’s at peak capacity. What remains constant is the need for a construction leader who can mesh together volunteers, skilled tradespeople and subcontractors. Initially, this individual could be the sole member of the construction team, but as the number of simultaneous projects grows, the number of project managers, construction coordinators and site supervisors must increase.
Hiring the right people to lead the construction team can be difficult. Many candidates will have the construction skill necessary to rehabilitate damaged properties, but the right candidate will also be an adept teacher and willing to deviate from standard construction practice to fully use volunteers. In short, this is not the typical construction foreman.
Construction coordinator (CC): Depending up on the size of the operation, one or two CCs may be needed. They act as runners and liaisons between the project manager, site supervisor, tool crew and drivers. They review the process for each home under construction and verify that all projects are on track. Visual tracking boards are updated daily, based on what the process document states. They verify that inspections are scheduled and completed, apply for licenses and permits, acquire dumpsters, portable toilets and coordinate excavation and roofers when needed.
Construction director: Oversees the department staff, licensing, permits, all projects and building process. This position should be held by a licensed general contractor.
Estimator: This position is responsible for compiling estimates of how much it will cost to build/rebuild a client’s home. The job involves assessing material, labor and equipment required – and analyzing different quotes from subcontractors and suppliers.
Lead electrician: As grants are obtained and additional funding comes in, it’s recommended that you obtain a full time master electrician on staff. A master electrician is required to certify electrical installations meet code requirements.
Lead framers: Construction framers are largely responsible for constructing what is essentially the skeleton of a building. They assemble the floors, walls and ceilings.
Lead plumber: As grants are obtained and additional funding comes in, it’s recommended you obtain a full-time master plumber on staff. A master plumber is required to certify that plumbing and gas installations meet their code requirements.
Project manager: Oversees the site supervisors, construction training, assists with licensing and permits, verifies safety on all sites and confirms that all inspections are completed. The project manager works to verify that each site supervisor is following the proper building process, training the incoming volunteers and staying on track with the schedule for the property.
Site supervisor: Oversees the training and supervision of the short-term volunteers. The site supervisor must ensure they stay on course with the plan for the property. They must verify that all required inspections are completed before moving on to additional items. They must stay in contact with the client, keep them updated and notified regarding the status of the build.
It’s important to remember the mentoring relationship and training relationship that must exist between the project manager and the site supervisor. This is atypical from the relationship that generally exists in construction. This is a mentoring and facilitating relationship, as the project manager will likely have to train the site supervisor fully from no knowledge of construction to managing volunteers during the construction process.
Estimation
Start up
Pre-construction (trades)
Rough-in inspections
Volunteer construction
Trim outs
Final inspections
Walkthrough and closeout
Once a project is scheduled and ready to be initiated, the information must be placed in the plan. The plan is both an electronic and visual (white board) representation of exactly what each site should be doing versus what is actually being done. Coding is used and should be posted next to the white board as a legend to represent what tasks are being completed.
As discussed under, “white boards”, it’s imperative to daily operations that the information recorded in the electronic copy of the plan be placed on a white board. This visual representation is a constant reminder of the current stage of construction, the tasks required for each home, and what needs to be done to restore your clients life to normal.
When scheduling properties for repair or rebuild, be sure to stagger start dates. Starting too many projects at the same time may result in a lack of proper equipment or a delay in production. This could cause issues if volunteers are on-site and ready to work.
You can access a blank copy of the construction scheduling form here.
You can access of copy of the construction codes used here.
Each project requires a cost tracker. This is the responsibility of the project manager and construction coordinator. Receipts from any purchases must be coded to the project and accounted for by subcategory so you can determine the exact cost to reconstruct the home.
Timesheets from each project must also be calculated along with the current average labor costs so that a full review of the rebuild cost can be evaluated.
Tracking each project cost allows for forecasting future projects based on current funding, and is a necessary step in preparing for additional grants and donations. Often this information must also be provided to the local government as requested as well.
W-9 forms must be completed for all paid subcontractor work and tracked along with the cost to rebuild the home.
Each home should receive a one-year warranty on the building. Upon completion of your rebuild, one person will need to remain available to assist at least one year past the closing of the office for the final build’s warranty.
