-
How to save money by working on a clean construction site?
- Gary Kadlec
I have never had a builder tell me precisely how much money is spent on cleaning up the jobsite but all admit to paying "quite a bit" because they send a crew out periodically. Flooring subs admit they are forced to add time and expense to their bids for site prep, one said "More than 20 cents per square foot," and they hate cleaning subfloors. They want to get their flooring installed, get out and get paid. But if they don't do enough site prep, their risk of expensive callbacks goes up significantly and by then the homeowner and builder are very unhappy. The same is true for HVAC subs if they have to come back to clean "ductwork" that has been used as a "dustbin." And painters probably hate a filthy, dusty home more than anyone else, especially when using spray equipment.
Builders who create an expectation with their subs that they will clean up the jobsite when they are finished with their work are way ahead of the problem, and the competition. Mess creates more mess, but a sub who shows up on a clean jobsite is going to leave it clean when finished because they will be recognized as the one who made the mess. Every quality sub is willing to clean up their own mess, but no sub wants to clean up after someone else.
Can a clean jobsite sell a home? It just might. Many prospective buyers walk through homes under construction in the evenings and on weekends. The vast majority do not know construction, but they are looking to buy their dream home and to them "cleanliness equals quality." Walking through a clean, recently drywalled home just might be the hook that brings them back when the sales office is open.
Building a spec home? Keep those subfloors clean and builders won't have to make guesses about finish flooring and invest thousands of dollars just to cover up the filth the subs left behind. Leave the decisions up to the very happy buyer.
Related Content
Features
News
Blogs
Latest posts by Gary Kadlec
User Comments