# Crew efficiency.



## curtis2kul (Sep 14, 2008)

I was wondering if you guys had any tips or tricks for running a bigger size crew on jobs. Maybe come in 30 mins early and get all the cords, ladders, and tools laid out? What do you guys do?


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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

curtis2kul said:


> I was wondering if you guys had any tips or tricks for running a bigger size crew on jobs. Maybe come in 30 mins early and get all the cords, ladders, and tools laid out? What do you guys do?


Work each task as it's own job. Be realistic in goals, communicate their tasks clearly, and be available for questions. You're only as strong as your weakest link, so cut dead weight ASAP. 

As far as coming in early... You mean you or the guys? I think as long as you clearly state tasks and goals, check in and set a standard... Good crews make the work easy.


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## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

Bull whip and megaphone works well. Lol

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## luv2plum (May 16, 2012)

When I was running big commercial jobs I found it was good to find the strengths of the guys and keep them at one job. Eg. If one group of guys is good at pulling tees and brazing, that's all they did for pretty much the whole job. Same with DWV, pipe fitting, gas lines, fan coils, etc. If you bounce guys around from one task to the next it slows the whole process down. Might mean sending guys home for a day or half a day when one task is caught up but you will save $ on the total project when it's done.


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## SSP (Dec 14, 2013)

luv2plum said:


> When I was running big commercial jobs I found it was good to find the strengths of the guys and keep them at one job. Eg. If one group of guys is good at pulling tees and brazing, that's all they did for pretty much the whole job. Same with DWV, pipe fitting, gas lines, fan coils, etc. If you bounce guys around from one task to the next it slows the whole process down. Might mean sending guys home for a day or half a day when one task is caught up but you will save $ on the total project when it's done.


Your logic is flawlessly correct and the standard large company methodology. But sadly this large business style mantra primarily benefits the company not the apprentice . I recall in my 3rd year of school meeting some jetco savants that worked residential groundworks for 3 years... And were lost with stacks, venting, gas-lines, waterlines and never installed a fixture. Saw Ben & Gerry at the wholesaler last year and they finally got J-man tickets ... But no other experiences in plumbing 😳...

How do these poor chaps get another job with entry level experience in every other field? I hardly consider these guys "plumbers" but they are "entitled" to the same journeyman wage i am anywhere else. Is it the employee or employers responsibility to expand the educational horizon? 

I also know another plumber that is equally as unskilled and useless... He started a HWT and toilet replacement company. He can't do much else, but Home Depot keeps him busy and he does much better than the average jman


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## leakfree (Apr 3, 2011)

Have specialists at one thing,have the layout done before the crew gets there,biggest waste of time is guys wandering looking for material,I make SURE every little fitting is at it's location before they get there,I order my material from the wholesaler boxed and tagged by the floor or room number where it goes(why waste my time and manpower sorting fittings when the wholesaler will do it at no extra charge).I get a delivery and anybody can read the box/delivery ticket and know exactly where it has to go.The less the guys have to think the better off you are.Lastly productivity always goes up when the first new guy gets layed off for some reason.I don't expect anybody to be running around just stay busy and work at a constant pace,make sure they have all the material they need is there and it get's done in good time.


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## Team BP (Feb 12, 2011)

leakfree said:


> Have specialists at one thing,have the layout done before the crew gets there,biggest waste of time is guys wandering looking for material,I make SURE every little fitting is at it's location before they get there,I order my material from the wholesaler boxed and tagged by the floor or room number where it goes(why waste my time and manpower sorting fittings when the wholesaler will do it at no extra charge).I get a delivery and anybody can read the box/delivery ticket and know exactly where it has to go.The less the guys have to think the better off you are.Lastly productivity always goes up when the first new guy gets layed off for some reason.I don't expect anybody to be running around just stay busy and work at a constant pace,make sure they have all the material they need is there and it get's done in good time.


We do the same thing all stock orders get sent in by building and delivered labeled. That way you already know what your getting and if something is back ordered or Mia you know who is missing it. That way all the guys stay busy and nobody is looking for anything.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

curtis2kul said:


> I was wondering if you guys had any tips or tricks for running a bigger size crew on jobs. Maybe come in 30 mins early and get all the cords, ladders, and tools laid out? What do you guys do?


there is no need for you to do the crews work. You are task with keeping them working in a orderly manner. One of the most wasteful things to watch for is cluttered material,keep the material organized and in front of the crews. Don't let it get scattered you will lose track of amounts and placement. If it is a multi story building keep material stocked one floor ahead of the crews. Tools can be a waist of manpower to cords and power tools should be spaced similar to the material. If you have one without the other you will have men standing around. Also look for natural talents some men are more suited for some tasks let them lead they will help the other men grow in there talents.


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

luv2plum said:


> When I was running big commercial jobs I found it was good to find the strengths of the guys and keep them at one job. Eg. If one group of guys is good at pulling tees and brazing, that's all they did for pretty much the whole job. Same with DWV, pipe fitting, gas lines, fan coils, etc. If you bounce guys around from one task to the next it slows the whole process down. Might mean sending guys home for a day or half a day when one task is caught up but you will save $ on the total project when it's done.


n And by doing so you prevented any of them from getting any other skills, as well as made their jobs more mundane and repetitive. That will sure foster advancement & encourage staff to stick around


Take a page from My Miyagi: "No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher"


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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

CaberTosser said:


> n And by doing so you prevented any of them from getting any other skills, as well as made their jobs more mundane and repetitive. That will sure foster advancement & encourage staff to stick around Take a page from My Miyagi: "No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher"


I agree with this, you don't make a plumber by having a guy good at running storm drains and nothing else. I work guys in crews, a JM and his AP may work in one area, but from the ground up they do it all. Having a guy that is good a copper, then laying him off when the copper is done, only teaches that guy to slow down.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

Something I remember my old man saying back in the 60's is "the work fills the time". I make sure when scheduling that there is enough work to fill a day on any given day. Those 5 hour tasks always seem to turn into 8 hour jobs. As far as the men are concerned, "it all pays the same".


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## luv2plum (May 16, 2012)

Flyout95 said:


> I agree with this, you don't make a plumber by having a guy good at running storm drains and nothing else. I work guys in crews, a JM and his AP may work in one area, but from the ground up they do it all. Having a guy that is good a copper, then laying him off when the copper is done, only teaches that guy to slow down.


I see where you are coming from, and agree that if someone were going through their whole apprenticeship on one job doing one task, it would not be a good thing. When I worked on jobs like this as an apprentice though, I appreciated having a few months to work at getting really good at a particular skill. On the next job it would be a different skill, and it is up to the foremen to make sure that this need gets communicated to each other. Within the trade there are so many skills to be honed that I would rather have/be an apprentice that has some exposure to a wide range of things but is focusing on being very good at a few at a time. I see this as being a positive technique for the company and the guys as opposed to a detriment to learning the trade.


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## luv2plum (May 16, 2012)

Flyout95 said:


> I agree with this, you don't make a plumber by having a guy good at running storm drains and nothing else. I work guys in crews, a JM and his AP may work in one area, but from the ground up they do it all. Having a guy that is good a copper, then laying him off when the copper is done, only teaches that guy to slow down.


As a real-life example, a few days ago we had a small job that needed a carrier installed and a bit of rough in work done. Most of the guys had installed one or two carriers in the last few years but one guy had been on a job where he spent several weeks just installing carriers. That was many years ago, but he was still way better at it than any of us were. After he was done installing the carrier he did the rough in and water lines for that same urinal and a few other fixtures. Is a good overall plumber, but because he was given the time to develop particular skill sets, he has gotten very good at those specific things and continues to add to his repertoire. This has helped him to be a good plumber and it also helps improve quality on each job.


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