Keep a job site clean for best results

Keep a job site clean for best results
Tags: Building Green
January 30, 2012 - Gary Kadlec

You only get one chance to make a first impression. While this is a familiar and seemingly obvious statement, think of the times you have walked into a store, dental office or restaurant and the sights, sounds and smells you first notice are less than positive.

All home buyer prospects walk through beautiful model homes, but remember that either before or afterward, as they narrow their home builder options, almost all will visit homes under construction.

Probably 95 percent know little or nothing about construction, relying on building inspectors to make sure homes meet minimum framing, plumbing, HVAC and electrical standards. But they will make quality judgments about the builders based on what they do understand, and for most people "cleanliness equals quality".

Most of the filth is dirt, mud, drywall compound, spray foam insulation, adhesive and other contaminants caked on and embedded in the subfloors and dust, drywall and wood scraps in HVAC ductwork.

Prospects looking for their dream home, making a decision on the largest investment of their lives, do care what remains under their beautiful new floors and in their ductwork. Covering the floor and cold air vents and protecting the subfloors goes that extra step for a builder that can make all the difference turning a prospect into a buyer.

People signing a contract to build a new home should insist on it. They know ultimately they pay for everything and want it done right. Plus builders will save on cleanup and flooring contractors can get right to work rather than spend time on site prep that the builder and buyer have to pay for and also enjoy reduced risks of callbacks.

And HVAC contractors won't have to schedule and charge for a return to clean out the ductwork. Cleaner jobsites means better indoor air quality, healthier homes and reduced strain on HVAC equipment, too. A clean jobsite just makes sense ... and saves money.