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October 30, 2007

Down to the Wire, Down to the Crews

At first, the builder's crews and subs working on the 2008 HGTV Dream Home in Islamorada, Fla., saw it as just another job. But as it began to sink in that someone was going to win this fine home, they got more psyched about being involved.

Now coming down to the wire, nobody -- not a crew member, a sub, a local supplier or an Islamorada building inspector -- wants to see this project held up.

* The electricians call builder Juan Dellanos daily asking how they can help him out.
* Subs called about an unexpected need to pull someone off another job and get them to the HGTV Dream Home that day.
* Suppliers prioritize Dream Home deliveries.
* Work teams coordinate efforts to keep from slowing down anyone else.
* Subs are bragging about having worked on the HGTV Dream Home.

"I can't say enough about the subs; they've really pulled together on this job, and my crews, too," says Juan. "Everyone thinks the HGTV Dream Home is good for this area, good for the Florida Keys. For it to be here in the first place is an honor, and for all my guys to work as hard and well as they have, I'm very proud of them."

A round of applause, please, for the HGTV Dream Home subs!

Click here for a lot more information about working with subs.

Posted by Richard Wall, HGTVPro.com Staff at 10:28 AM | Comments (3)

October 16, 2007

New Skills Save The Day

Ever had to move a crew at the last minute to a task they've never done before? It can salvage the schedule -- or sabotage it.

With the 2008 HGTV Dream Home approaching completion in Islamorada, Fla., builder Juan Dellanos had to get his shell crew to handle the interior finish carpentry. Seems his normal finish carpenter -- himself -- was too busy with a ton of other things.

Four things had to happen for this unplanned adjustment to work:

• His crew had to be willing to learn;

• Juan had to adjust his schedule and others' to add instruction time and ongoing QC;

• He had to be an effective teacher in a high-pressure situation;

• His crew had to pull off quality, detailed work fast.

They ripped it. They tackled the huge staircase, they learned to return shoe rails with a 45, they added extra accents to the window trim and extended the jams. They saved the schedule.

"These guys had to come from using a hammer and a skill saw on a shell," says Juan, "to going inside and learning how to use a biscuit cutter, a joiner, and how to plane it down to the right size. That's been the best part of this job for me."

The key, he adds, is having people who like their work and who respond to new instruction by wanting to learn even more.

Check out this article on teaching new skills. And this related article on:
delegating.

What do you think? Tell us about your experiences with OTJ instruction. Have you had any experiences like Juan's, when it saved you? Or any disasters with it that taught you a valuable lesson?

Posted by Richard Wall, HGTVPro.com Staff at 11:38 AM | Comments (6)

October 4, 2007

Stuck on the HGTV Dream Home Stretch

In the construction business? Then you've got material delivery issues. Consider yourself lucky that you don't have to contend with "The Stretch," as the locals call the 18-mile section of Overseas Highway that spans Dade and Monroe Counties heading down the Florida Keys.

It's the only option to get, say, building materials for the 2008 HGTV Dream Home from the nearest suppliers in South Florida to the job site in Islamorada. One accident can block The Stretch, sending trucks laden with materials back to the warehouse -- or preventing them from even leaving.

Juan Dellanos, HGTV Dream Home builder, says there are three things Keys builders (and others, too) can do to minimize schedule disruptions due to delivery delays:

* Aggressively manage the flow. Mike Uhre, HGTV Dream Home project manager, is coordinating the delivery of materials, inspecting for flaws, and generally staying on top of suppliers to prevent problems.

* Plan for the inevitable. When a wreck on The Stretch has captured a delivery, Juan's crews shifted to already-identified alternate tasks.

* When delay won't do, do it yourself. A supplier of specialty lumber called on a Monday to say his driver was going to turn back because of an accident on The Stretch. "He said he'd bring it Thursday. I said I can't wait for Thursday, it will hold up the painters," says Juan. "So I went up and got it; the guy waited for me on the side of the road."

We want to hear about your material delivery nightmares, and sweet dream stories, too. Also, check out this related article on material flow.

Posted by Richard Wall, HGTVPro.com Staff at 5:30 PM | Comments (2)