Getting off schedule for a roofing job can be a major setback for yourself, your crew, and your company. If you don’t meet your deadlines, you risk losing valuable business, along with a lot of time and effort. Many roofers strive to stay ahead of schedule and complete their jobs without any complications. However, it’s rare that you finish a job without dealing with any challenges that delay your progress. The key to staying on schedule is proper organization and preparation. To help make your job as easy as possible, here are 10 tips we have to keep your roofing jobs on schedule:
1) Create A Budget
Your budget will influence how long your roofing job will take to complete. For example, a larger job will require you to consider how many people will be working on it and how many hours will go into it. Try to factor in unforeseen expenses in your budget. It’s important to have extra funds to support your project in case problems do arise.
2) Consider the Weather
The weather has a huge impact on keeping roofing jobs on schedule. Although you can’t control the weather, you can still prepare for it. Because roofing is an outdoor activity, you will need to study your area’s weather patterns and schedule your jobs on days with good weather. Bad weather is unsafe for roofers and can damage your progress.
3) Order Materials in Advance
The availability of materials will determine the duration of a roofing job. Be sure to know what materials you need and what their delivery timeframes are. You can expect expensive high quality materials or specialty orders to take a few days or even weeks before they ship. On the other hand, common materials such as asphalt shingles generally have higher availability, which can help reduce planning time.
4) Secure Permits Ahead of Time
Nearly all roofing jobs require you have a permit before you begin your project. You will need to apply for the necessary building permits ahead of time so you can stay on schedule and start your job immediately. It would be a pain to have to set your project back due to a minor technicality.
5) Know Your Teams’ Availability
You won’t be able to stay on schedule if not everybody is there for the job. Knowing your teams’ calendar will allow you to assign roofing jobs and schedule people for the days they’re needed. This will let you plan out your project and not have to worry about pushing it back due to a lack of workers.
6) Make Detailed Timelines
The sooner you work up timeframes for your crew and customers, the sooner your project will move along. Doing so will help you and your team reach goals and meet expectations. Timelines allow you to stick to your original schedule so you can accomplish exactly what you need to by a specific time and do a quality job.
7) Organize Contacts
Organizing your contacts and relating them to jobs can help you save time and quickly access information. By labeling your contacts, you can keep your related files together all in one place and view specific requests and comments from the customer. New customer information will help you and your crew make the necessary adjustments right away and stay on schedule with the rest of your work.
8) Track Progress through Photos
Photo tracking can help you stay on task and do a quality roofing job. Because conflicts are bound to happen, documenting your progress through photos can help you see exactly where problems occur and let you solve them before they get worse. This allows you to keep to your schedule and effectively communicate with customers so you can give them the best results.
9) Provide Thorough Job Details
Compile all deliverables for your team so they have a tangible work plan to turn to. This includes photos, material orders, notes, measurements, instructions and more. Proper communication and accessibility to job details will help your team stay focused and on schedule throughout the roofing job process.
10) Choose a Good Project Management Software
A roofing project management software can help you schedule jobs, receive updates, and more. Overall, PM software offers several tools that can help you stay on track and easily manage tasks and deadlines. A good PM software will improve teamwork and give you the best resources to manage your projects efficiently online.
You can never predict what challenges you’ll face in your next roofing job, but by preparing yourself for the things you deal with regularly, you’ll be able to stay on schedule. Remember to create a budget, consider the weather, order materials, secure permits ahead of time, and know your teams’ schedule. You should also make detailed timelines, organize contacts, track progress, provide job details, and use PM software. If you’re looking for a project management software that makes staying on schedule as easy as ever, check out JobNimbus and start your free trial here today!
