How clean do you keep your job sites?
I expect all debris to be picked up daily and all drink cups and such in the dumpster at the end of the day. Yet I am having trouble reaching that goal with all the subs.
Am I being too picky?
If you get that to happen, how do you do it? I remind the guys each day but almost each day there are things that don’t get picked up.
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Replies
True confession: I do a lot of cleanup myself. It fits in pretty well with my routine when subs are working, where I come thru the job once or more per day, check everything out, bring and remove tools and materials, etc. Most of my subs will do a good job of cleanup if I ask them but they won't do it as well as I will. If I get to the point where I have a f/t laborer then it will become their job. I usually only hire journeymen so it's not likely, but maybe on a large job.
Get more cooperative subs! Seriously, you need to have a conversation with the owners of the co's you are using and lay out some criteria that is reasonably easy for their guys to follow.
Our subs are pretty good. They'll pick up and maybe sweep, but nothing beyond that.
Two things that have been difficult for our crews and subs as well is keeping food garbage and butts out of the co trash.
We cart most of our waste back to the office to put in a dumpster. Often me or the boss will be picking up garbage pails as we make our rounds. Nothing like the smell of old wet buts or a three day old half eaten sandwich in the back of your van. Not to mention some unidentifiable liquid seeping throught the whole in the pail and running up into the cab.
Big no no now, we give them hell. Tell 'em it's like a stste park. Trash out your own stuff.
Some guys never learn. They have to go. That can set an example for others.
One electrician I had to school by catching him at the door every end of day, with a broom in my hand and ask, did you clean up after yourself yet? Another guy got his lunch garbage thrown back in his face after he belligerently threw it on the floor after being reminded. He never did that again. even started to clean up after other guys.
Most follow a good example by the leader though.
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Yeah, I do alot of the cleanup myself too. Everyone that come to the site after I have been there will comment on how immaculate it is. I guess you can't expect others to do it like you would.
The bad part is many of the subs I use are also "one man" shows so they know they importance of keeping clean but they still don't seem to care as much as I do. I guess because its my name on the job.
The ridiculous part of me wanted to issue cups with everyone's name on them and then I could tell who didn't pick theirs up.
Yeah, nuts...I know.
.
Amen
Yell more. Yell louder. Yell more often through out the day. Yell directly at them. Let them know you clean up after yourself and not after anyone else more than once.
Have more garbage cans available on site than you think is necessary and have a clean path to the dumpster. Have clear terms in your subcontract contracts that everyone will clean up after themselves. Back charge when necessary. I've seen it done where the back charge was held out of the last check, and this same amount as paid in full the very next day when the sub's returned to the job site and put their debris in the dumpster.
I've been asked "Do you really want ME to charge YOU for the time it takes to clean up, isn't having your helper clean up after I'm gone cheaper?"
My answer, "Maybe, maybe not. But I'm not your personal cleaning service , include it in the bid and I'll decide if YOU charge too much for a full service job, which includes not working like a pig". Or words to that effect.
Sometimes you simply have to use better subs. Sometimes better subs cost a little bit more. Vic
Does stuffing everything in the wall cavities count as keeping things clean :-)
I am not touching that one after that thread with the 1,008 replies!!!!! ;)
Only unwanted van seats apply
If guys want to keep their jobs,they'll listen. If you're looking for a fast way to clean up try a gas powered leaf blower. They work great! Another great tool to have at the back of a trailer is a 24" magnet,clients love it.
Dumpster handy, 55 gal. cans scattered around site.
First day on the job every sub gets the lecture.
No Trash!!!
I then walk the site and conspicuously pick up as I tour the site.
See something I can identify as one guys or one trade's it gets handed to him/them with a reminder.
I am death on this on my sites.
Quote: "Am I being too picky?"
Yes, you are being too picky.
But it is your job to be picky (quite literally).
I do both general contracting and subcontracting. I clean up after myself almost all of the time. One time I didn't because the general just kept telling me to hurry up whenever he saw me with a broom, then he always left an hour or two before the days end. His jobsite was a mess and the more I was there, the less I cared. The other time I didn't was because the general hired cleaners. I still did some pick up because I knew they were getting paid peanuts and being treated like morons by the general.
Heres a tip: don't yell at people (as someone else posted) they will only resent you and do poor work quickly in order to get away from you quicker. Better to make friends (true friendships) then those people are the ones who go out of there way for you.
When I general, I make a clear point up front that the job is to be clean every night; trash in the trash, tools consolidated. So far so good...as long as I realize that my version of "clean" is much different than theirs.
I do a lot of clean up, in fact I enjoy it. It helps to find errors or potential problems as you are all alone at the end of the day pushing the broom around, picking up the scraps of others. It lets you know what's been done and sometimes makes you say to yourself "hmm, why are there 14 ga. wire scraps here when this was all supposed to be 12 ga. wire?". Possible catastrophe averted.
I do a lot of clean up, in fact I enjoy it. It helps to find errors or potential problems as you are all alone at the end of the day pushing the broom around, picking up the scraps of others. It lets you know what's been done and sometimes makes you say to yourself "hmm, why are there 14 ga. wire scraps here when this was all supposed to be 12 ga. wire?". Possible catastrophe averted.
I don't know how long I have been saying that! Thinking cap time!
Big me too on that. My broom time was a time for discretely inspecting the work without making somebody nervous that I was looking over their shoulder..For years, I would broom things up first thing AM and that gave me the time to organize the job, the schedule for the day, and my own psyche before the crews showed up.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
That's exactly what I do. Sweep the same room 4 or 5 times in a row so you can see what someone's doing...
I just DIY, so am own worst customer.
Literally just let stuff pile up till I cant stand it anymore or cannot find something (something big, like a compressor even), then finally clean. <G>
Yeah, well now, my own shop and office is another story from my jobs...;)
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I have a piano lost somewhere out in my shop.
Mine is right over there, next to the filing cabinet, under the pile of payroll reports and bank statements, with the box of extra printer ink on the seat.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Interesting this broom time thing.............I like it at the end of the day when all are gone. I keep a pad and pencil handy and make notes as the thoughts come.
This has been an issue for me for a while, and it gets more annoying every time I have to clean up after somebody.
I work on many of my own properties and use my own workers whenever possible. Whether they are mine or subs doesn't seem to make much difference, 'tho I did have one electrician that actually borrowed a broom and knew what to do with it! I just keep going back over and over it, reminding them. Effective? Some days yes, some days no.
My worst offender is my laborer. I love the guy, but he can find more places to leave soda cans and cigarette packs than you can imagine. I told him this week - every soda can I have to pick up is $1 out of his pocket. We'll see if that works.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
we have alot of jobs where at the entrance to jobsite there will be a sign "All subs are required to removed their trash, Gc will do it for $45 a hour, five hour minimum" and the GC will back charge. He will call labor finders and turn in a bill, back charge the electrian or plumber. they complain, not my trash. doent matter. all sub get hit for $45 a hour. It in the contract.