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Establish TimelineThe timeline for completion of each task should allow for enough time to complete all the aspects included in the scope of work. Provide enough time between contractors for delays, scheduling problems, and weather. Since you do not know when the work will start, do not assign calendar dates to the work. But construct a weekly list of tasks. Each page can represent a week of work.Sure, you will leave out critical details due to inexperience. But add what ever is missing to the timeline as soon as you know about it. Be sure to include scheduling inspections, ordering and delivery of materials, notifying contractors, and on and on.Do not schedule weekend work. Contractors do not like to work weekends since it usually means overtime which they have not budgeted for. And even you will need time away to unwind before getting back to the grind the following week. If you do happen to need to work on a weekend day, then fine. But it should not be part of the scheduled timeline of work to do.Publish the timeline on a white board on the job for all to see. Point out the day of the week when the work of each contractor is to be completed. This sharing of information will keep everyone in the timeline loop. That is a good thing. No surprises works best.A tip: Scheduling is the most important aspect of the project. Scheduling and coordinating all workers will be a huge challenge. No one is perfect at this task. From time to time problems present themselves which were not known in advance. So the timeline will likely have to be modified daily. Yet the thrust of the entire timeline should be followed with all the effort required. To be safe, you may want to build into your timeline a scheduled hold. This is like a few scheduled free days for catch up if that should become necessary. NASA does it with a rocket launch. Learn from them.
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Prepared 2006-2011 David Ullian Larson
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