ForConstructionPros.com

A few years ago the Center for Construction Engineering and Management at the University of Michigan conducted a time study to determine the amount of time construction workers are simply waiting to work. The average time lost waiting for equipment, materials, tools, and information varied among the construction disciplines.

Bricklayers waited on average about 45 minutes, carpenters about 62 minutes, roofers about 75 minutes, electricians about 80 minutes, and plumbers about 83 minutes. While these times are not necessarily indicative of the time pavement maintenance people may spend waiting for materials, equipment, or directions everyday (hopefully not!) this time study does raise an important issue. Waiting can and does cost the contractor and the customer.

Consider how much time each day your crews are simply waiting. What are the causes for such waiting? Let's examine a few causes in this article and calculate a possible cost for the waiting period. We'll then offer some time management tips.

First, let's consider possible reasons that would cause anyone in an organization, directly involved with completing work, to be found waiting:

• Equipment breakdown
• Employees late to work
• Gassing up vehicles
• Late delivery materials
• Jobsite not accessible or prepared
• Owner didn't unlock premises
• Emptied inventory of supplies
• Employee forgot important tool or equipment
• No directions to jobsite
• Crew waiting for supervisor to return from lunch

While the reasons for any work delay can vary from day to day the costs incurred remains painfully in place. It is easy to state that you can never replace lost time. "Downtime" in construction, for any reason, normally costs you money and is not recoverable from the customer.