...Organizing your project permits.

If you open your project permit’s folder, does it look like this?

Well if you or your team needs a permit number they will be looking around for 15 minutes to find what they need. After going through that 15 minute search a few times I learned to organize my permits.

I created an excel spreadsheet with all the permit information on one sheet:

1. The General Contractors master permit numbers
2. All my permit numbers
3. The individual inspection codes.

Now when I open my project permit folder I can get the information I need immediately.

This is what my permit folder looks like now:

Remember to give a copy of this to your supers!

I'd like to hear from you. What do you think about this method? What method do you use. I'm always open to improving my organization.

…The absolute best way to set up your notebook for ultimate organization and productivity.

Over the last 6 years of working as a mechanical assistant project manager then mechanical project manager I have developed the best way to set up a notebook to stay organized.

I use to just grab whatever notebook was lying around and take notes and make to-do lists. I ended up with 3 of 4 notebooks scattered around with information. This was not organized. I tried several different methods, tweaking things here and there. Here is the simple but very effective way to keep your notes organized.

Here is my method:

You’ll need:
1. A one inch binder.
2. Divided with 5 tabs
3. Filled with loose leaf paper.
4. A monthly planner.

Here is a photo of my note book:

The 5 tabs are:
1. General Notes
2. Short Term Action List
3. Meeting Notes
4. Misc.
5. Quick Contacts
(You can either hole punch the monthly planner and keep it in the very front or keep it in the front pocket of the binder.)

General Notes - The General Notes section is where I write anything and everything that comes up during the day.

Short Term Action List – The Short Term Action List section is the place I use to write the most important items I need to address the next day.

Meeting Notes - If you’re like me you attend a boat load of meetings. This is where I take the meeting notes.

Misc. – I use the misc. section for two main purposes. I want to be the best in my profession so anytime I do anything I make notes in this section about what I did right and what I could improve on. I label it, “How can I be the best!!!!!!!” Another thing I use this section for is people watching. I make notes about what qualities I see in other people that make them seem more professional or unprofessional so I can learn from them.

Quick Contacts – I’m always getting people’s names, phone numbers and email addresses. I need a quick place to jot this information down so I created a spreadsheet in excel, printed a few copies and inserted them in this section of my notebook. Later if I’ll need the information, I’ll have it transferred to my Outlook contacts.

Here is the Quick Contacts sheet I use:
Quick Contacts


Here is the mothly planner I use:

I like the monthly planners that are folded over and binded with a staple rather than the type that have the metal rings. The type that are folded over are much thinner and fit in the notebook with ease.

I'd like to hear from you. What do you think about this method? What method do you use. I'm always open to improving my organization.

...Figuring out the P-Trap depth for an Air Handler.

The superintendent came to me today asking what depth the P-Traps should be for the condensate leaving the air handlers.

The P-Trap for an air handler is not a one depth fits all kinda deal as it is in plumbing. The positive and negative static pressure has to be taken into account. If it's not, then the trap could be blown or sucked dry (no phun intended)
Our AHU supplier provides a simple formula in their submittal data shown below:

AHU Trap Depth Calculation

One issue we have now run into is the p-trap depth is below the finished floor. Soooo it looks like some hole coring will ensue to fix this issue.

Have any of you ever bumped into this?

...What Does Your Email Font Say About You?

Today I received an email from a supplier with whom I’m about to do business. The email was in a font that gave me an unprofessional vibe. Here is the font:

So I did a little research. I was interested in how the font I use affects my image because I want to project a professional image in all my professional interactions . I found this study conducted last fall by Wichita State University.

This study found that the choice of font can impact the impression you make on your email readers.

The study tested several popular fonts for "appropriateness" in a business communication.

Depending on your choice, you may come across as youthful, rebellious, unstable, less trustworthy or less professional. Not exactly what you intended.

Here's how the fonts stacked up, from most appropriate to least:

1. Calibri - highly appropriate
2. Corbel
3. Candara
4. Cambria
5. Verdana
6. Arial
7. Times New Roman
8. Constantia
9. Georgia
10. Century Gothic
11. Comic Sans - moderately appropriate

The fonts that rounded out the list as "least appropriate" were Gigi, Rockwell Extra Bold and Impact.

The lower a font ranked in appropriateness, the more likely a reader was to assume the writer was a lower level trainee employee, and less mature.

The takeaway from the study: Your font choice may create an unprofessional first impression if you're not careful. Steer clear of playful, "novelty" fonts that may not truly represent your level of experience.

Source: http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/91/POF.html

...How a piece of furniture reinforced the practice of laying out material for increased labor productivity?

I went to Ikea Sunday to buy a wardrobe for some extra storage space in my apartment. Of course it had to be assembled. Jen was helping me with the project.

Here's a photo of the wardrobe partially assembled, oh and Jen taking any oportunity to pose.

As I was assembling the pieces, she was reading the instructions and would have the parts laid out in front of me. I would not have to think about what piece went where, I just had to assemble. This made the assembly process go FAST. However, there were times when she didn't have the parts ready. I'd have to stop, look at the directions, get the parts, then go back to work. When this happened it took me 5 times as long to complete that process when compared to having the parts laid out.

This is a process frequently discussed between project managers, executives and superintendents.  The superintendent should make sure the plumbers and mechanics have all the material laid out in front of them. However, I don't see this process of laying out material followed through as much as it should. 

It bothers me to no end to see installers walking around the job looking for material. After my little furniture assembly project I can only imagine how much more productive the labor would be for a huge hospital construction project if this process was closely followed. It seems this could drastically improve labor productivity.

From now on I'm going to make the process of laying out material a priority. I can do this by:
1. Keeping it on the minds of the supers and foremen.
2. When I walk the project, verify that material is laid out.
3. Show examples of how this increases productivity for skeptics.
4. As always: Inspect what you Expect.

…What is this mess? Keep your project drawings up to date!!!

Keeping your project drawings up to date with revisions should be a priority. I’ve taken over several projects where the drawings and revisions were a disaster. How can you do your job if you don’t know if you’re building off the most recent revision? You can’t!

I keep a half size set of drawings , updated with all the revisions in my office.

I also keep a full size set of drawings updated with all the revisions, for “community use” is a “Plans Room.”

Most of us work out of construction trailers so the “Plans Room” is just a place that’s NOT in my office.

Here’s a quick method on updating your project drawings with revisions.

1. Remove the staples from your project set of drawings and from the new revision.

2. Place the project set of drawings facing down to the left and the revised drawings facing down to the right leaving enough room in between the two to combine them right side up.

3. Start combining the drawings right side up in the middle with the most recent revised drawing over the old drawing. Simply mark a red “X” over the drawing number of the older drawing to show that drawing has been revised.

Personally, I give the superintendents a copy of the revisions and let them do with them as they please. It’s probably a better practice to help your superintendents stay organized by updating their drawings for them. Have your assistant take care of it as your super has better things to do with his time.

...Save thousands. Don't buy factory insulated chillers.

We're currently installing three (3) 900 ton chillers. I've found that most projects, including this one, require the chillers to be factory insulated. However, because the insulation almost always get damaged during construction, we requested to insulate the chillers at the end of the project. This will save us several thousand dollars in reinsulation costs.

Here is a photo of the 900 ton chillers wrapped in the factory plastic before the insulation has been applied.