Communicating with the builder

[Bancroft]

We're using a main contractor to do the slab, ICF and roof skeleton of our build.

 

Like many builders he's spread across a few sites at any one time and, Sod's Law, is usually away when something comes to mind that I want to speak to him about.

 

At the moment I'm just noting them down then ambushing him the next time we talk.

 

But I'd like to formalise this a little.

 

Ideally, I'd like to be able to make notes/ask questions and put them into a 'system' that he can see.  We can then either discuss them next time we're face to face, or he can answer on the system.

 

By doing that, he will have a heads up of the questions rather than me ambushing him and it will also start to create a history/timeline.

 

Any thoughts on what might be the best system to use?

 

It needs to be a simple system we can both read/write to, ideally not complex to set up, and easy to use for the IT challenged.

[SteamyTea]

We use MS Teams at work.

While I never bother to read any off it at all. Workmates do.

Seems to me it is just a way of grouping notes and messages by different criteria i.e. timeline, subject, recipients etc.

 

I think there are a number of different collaborative tools available, but most seem to be way to large and complicated for small projects.

Have you thought of a large whiteboard with dated notes scribbled on it?

[Russell griffiths]

Ask him. 

[BotusBuild]

I'm presuming you mean a computer system? Is the main builder computer literate? If so, do they use something already? If so, use that.

 

If the answer to any of the above is No, then I suspect you will be fighting a losing battle trying to get them use something.

 

Next time you speak with them, explain what you'd like to be able to do, and see what the reaction is to the idea. It may be a simple as use of email, which I am presuming they do use already in this day and age.

[Tony L]

Why not email him?  He can reply whenever he has time; you have a record of everything you've asked him.

[saveasteading]

WhatsApp for messages and queries.

[Bancroft]

15 hours ago, Tony L said:

Why not email him?  He can reply whenever he has time; you have a record of everything you've asked him.

Already emailing and WhatsApping and that works ok but still seems clunky.  Email is fine but doesn't tend to get looked at much while on his phone on site during the day.  WhatsApp gets seen more often but isn't really conducive to longer messages (in my mind).  

 

And with both, although they record everything, you end up scrolling back and forth trying to piece together the invariable mosaic of information.

 

I'm trying to find a system that will keep all information on each topic in the same place, that we can both add to, and that we can also highlight red/amber/green status and when things have been closed off.

15 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

I think there are a number of different collaborative tools available, but most seem to be way to large and complicated for small projects.

Have you thought of a large whiteboard with dated notes scribbled on it?

Yes, it's finding the sweet spot between ease of use and usefulness for the task.

 

A whiteboard would be fine but doesn't work if he's away at another site for a few days.  similarly, I've thought about a diary/logbook of some sort but that would mean the builder finding a pen and sitting down to write stuff!

 

15 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

Ask him. 

I did.  His response was 'whatever' which was far from helpful!

[saveasteading]

If it is complex, your average builder won't use it.

[SteamyTea]

52 minutes ago, Bancroft said:

whiteboard would be fine but doesn't work if he's away at another site for a few days

Would his lads not read it, they would need to know the difference between Will, Must, Can and Shall.

 

52 minutes ago, Bancroft said:

thought about a diary/logbook of some sort but that would mean the builder finding a pen and sitting down to write stuff

We have two diaries, one for stuff that needs to be done, ordering, bookings etc, the other is the EHO (environmental health office) one that must be filled in daily.

The last 4 chefs we have had have ignored it, they no longer work for us.

In my experience, when it comes to getting a message across, I mention it constantly, I bore my co-workers to the extent they just do it eventually.

I do make the paperwork as easy as possible to fill in i.e. day of week and date, rather than either day or date, saves the retards having to think.

I put a pen nearby as well.

Edited 4 hours ago by SteamyTea

[SimonD]

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

Would his lads not read it, they would need to know the difference between Will, Must, Can and Shall.

 

That could be a bit of a challenge. Quite some time ago I was involved in a large litigation against a big company and some relatively new law (as in it had come into effect only about 12 years prior so case law still maturing). Part of that case involved debating whether the use of 'may' in the legislation actually meant 'must' or 'shall.' And if legislators and judges don't even know the meaning......

[Mr Punter]

Email and WhatsApp seem popular.  I prefer email as it is much easier to sort, forward etc.  WhatsApp good for sending site photos.  The desktop version is useful too.  I don't think you will find your ideal system.  Try to resist frequent contacts as they can get ignored if it is several times a day.  Can you do a meeting / phone call maybe twice a week and send a note of what was discussed / agreed?

[Bancroft]

11 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Try to resist frequent contacts as they can get ignored if it is several times a day.

Agree, which is why I'm looking for a more passive/structured system that he can look at when it suits him rather than be bothered at random times during the day.

13 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Can you do a meeting / phone call maybe twice a week and send a note of what was discussed / agreed?

This should be possible once his other project(s) start to wind down and he is on site here more often.

 

One other thing I'm looking at is Trello.  It looks like it does all I think we need and, after another discussion with the builder, he seems willing to look at other options.