Handling the Christmas rush

How do you manage your workflow over the Christmas holidays?

Firm: Deane Fluit Building Ltd
Principal: Deane Fluit
Location: Wanaka
Staff: 9

I don’t buy into rushing to get things done before Christmas. You’re building someone’s biggest asset, and, generally at that time of the year, subcontractors are so busy that it affects the quality of the finish.

It’s about disclosure and making sure everyone, including the client and subbies, know what’s happening. I think the worst thing you can do is give people false expectations. 

Obviously, if something needs to be done, we’ll get in and do it. Some of the guys are keen to work through the Christmas break, because Wanaka gets flooded with people during that time. I think it’s important to keep your workers happy, so if there’s work on I’ll let them work through. It also means they can take time off later in the year: you live in a place like this to take advantage of the life style.

Some of the other guys are from out of town, so they stop working for a couple of weeks over Christmas, to spend time with their families.

Firm: Progressive Building Ltd
Principals: Dean Mattson & John Horsfall
Location: Auckland
Staff: 8

We always shut down around 23 December and come back around 19 January. If we have a job that is going to run over that period, we write it into the contract, so that the client knows that we’re closed for that time. It makes sure everyone’s aware.

If we have to concentrate on a particular area, such as a roof, we focus on that in the lead-up to Christmas. We also secure all our sites for the break; they’re fully fenced and gated.

I believe that everyone needs a break, so I won’t let people work through. Otherwise, you lose your edge and aren’t as keen anymore. That said, we need to be flexible with things like variations and delays, but we just manage those on a job-by-job basis.

In terms of work starting in the New Year, I try to organise those jobs ahead of time. We’re starting a job in January, so this year I’ll organise to get all of the scaffolding in place ahead of the start date, so we can just turn up on site and start work straight away.

Firm: John Creighton Builders Ltd
Principal: John Creighton
Location: Christchurch
Staff: 30

December is always busy, regardless of the building climate. People often set their own expectations and milestones they’d like to happen before Christmas, whether it be getting the roof on, or putting the kitchen in. 

I’ve found the best way to manage it is to communicate with them clearly and give them realistic expectations. You need to make sure you don’t commit to too much.

When we’re starting projects scheduled to end later in the year, and we realistically don’t think we can move someone into their house before the end of November, then we won’t promise to get them in before Christmas.

We have crews that like to work over the holidays, but we don’t encourage it; I like people to have a break.

A lot of our January planning happens in November, because we’ll have all our holidays mapped out by then and know when people are starting back. The other consideration is that our suppliers take breaks as well, so we need to work in with their timetables, particularly when they’re supplying materials that are critical to a job.

Do you carry out exempt work under schedule 1? What are the pros and cons?
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