b'PRESIDENTS LETTERChris Walker30,000 feet up, or how to avoid being the proverbial Whack-A-MoleManycommercialprojectsstartwhere they put the board back. The withpre-constructionmeetingsatdrainsareburiedortoolow,the the job site. The general contractorwalls are not plumb or square, there andtilecontractorsprojectman- is gypsum mud and paper tape in ager,fi eldmanagerandavarietythe showers. The project is already ofotherplayersusuallyarethere.projecting liquidated damages and Thesemeetingstypicallyoccurworking from a recovery schedule months before the tile activities arethat you had no input into creating. scheduled to start.You get the ideaYou have not laid Ilovethesemeetings:theinitialthe fi rst tilenow what to do?posturing,theformalityofanorga- Ifyouarenotpreparedandif nized meeting to discuss ideal con- you do not have your documenta-structionprocessesthatfi togethertion organized, be ready to be thet perfectlyonpaper.EverybodyisWhack-A-Mole. To protect yourself, gettingalongwithhighhopesthatyou need to be the one armed with accompany high expectations. At thatproperdocumentationandahigh time,thereisplentyoffl intheleveloforganization.Whenyouoat schedule and adequate time for youare, you cannot be rolled because to do what you need to do. Everyonethe schedule or issues beyond your has clear direction and expectations.control have overtaken the project You have identifi ed all the activitiesandprohibitedyoufromproperly and tasks and who owns them. It alldoing your job. It will be your bur-makes sense. Its perfect. It looks greatdentoprovewhyyoucouldnot from 30,000 feet. meetthescheduleordoyourjob Then the work is fi nally ready toproperly, especially if you are ask-start. The project is already monthsingtobepaidforthedelaysand behind. There is no fl oat and yourdisorganizationcausedbyothers. durationsarebeingcompressed.One of the frequent sayings in our There are stacked trades and activi- offi ceis,Ifitdidnthappenin ties in the same room while you arewriting, it didnt happen. And, pic-supposed to do the tile. Things liketures, pictures, pictures! They need blocking were missed in the showerto be carefully organized and cat-walls. They are tearing out cementegorizedjustincasethejobgoes board,thencreatinggiantbumpssideways. Your exposure is real and 20 TileLetter | May 2019'