Scheduling is the backbone that supports the entirety of electrical contracting projects from beginning to end. But like your spine, most people don’t consider its importance until you sleep wrong and have a crick in your neck (AKA materials weren’t ordered at the correct time and you’re waiting three weeks for international shipping delays).

 

This is why we at Wilson & Cofield strive to keep our schedules at the forefront of project planning from the very beginning. The following six areas are where we exert the most effort to keep the project adhering to the established timeline.

 

Accurate Estimates with Defined Scope

Scheduling starts in the bidding process when we assess jobs. Creating bids that include an accurate estimate for time and labor with the defined scope for what we will be completing on the job sets us up for success. The schedule’s building blocks start here and we seek to put a solid foundation down in every estimate so that, when our bid is won, we have an excellent launching point.

 

Open and Proactive Communication

One thing we always emphasize is that we partner with our clients. We aren’t just hired to do a job and leave. We want to establish a strong partnership built on trust and communication. That communication includes all shareholders, our partners, and the GC with whom we are subcontracted with. To have that transparent line of correspondence provides the accountability that we are true to our word and will go above and beyond to complete the project in the agreed upon timeline. If there is a hiccup anywhere, we can rely on that established point of connection to update everyone involved.

 

Skilled Workforce

Projects can only be completed if we have people working on them who are proficient in their craft. When we send out our technicians to finish jobs, we are confident in their knowledge of electrical code, their practical skills to complete the scope of work, and their competency to execute the job to the highest of standards. Only with competent, skilled technicians can we adhere to a project’s schedule.

 

Informal & Internal Communication

Regardless of a technician’s skill, communication throughout the project with our entire team is essential. From the project manager’s overview of the entire schedule to the foreman’s two-week lookaheads, there is a constant line of informal updates that let us know where we are on a project. If an unforeseen weather anomaly causes a three-day delay, our internal updates allow for us to adjust as needed. Or, if we finish phase two a week early, we can adjust for that too. The constant flow of communication between field and office allows us to remain attentive to the timeline.

 

Unwavering Commitment to Safety

Above everything, however, is the adherence we have to safety. If our safety standards aren’t at the forefront of every project, it won’t matter how good our communication is. The schedule will fall apart because someone will get hurt. This is why it is essential that we complete job safety analyses before each phase of the job and put in place every precaution to keep our technicians safe and the project moving along.

 

Flexibility to Accommodate Changes

Finally, we don’t live in a perfect world so there will delays that are out of our control and things that will need to change. When these events occur, we maintain a flexibility that allows for accommodation to a project and adjust accordingly.

 

Scheduling is the unsung hero of electrical contracting projects and its importance cannot be understated. We at Wilson & Cofield recognize that importance and will go above and beyond for our partners to honor the established timelines. Give us a call or send an email to connect with us for your upcoming commercial, industrial, or infrastructure electrical projects!

 

We service Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, the Triangle Area, and the Triad. We look forward to speaking with you soon!