Building an OB Schedule

[setsailsoon]

Folks,

A couple days ago I got a PM from a member asking if I would send him my OB schedule file using the open source software I had mentioned in the OB house project. A number of things delayed my moving forward on the pool until this week so I haven't actually started it yet but it's next on the list for me. Since I don't have one yet I suggested we do this as a thread instead of PM exchanges. Others may benefit and may wish to contribute. Building a schedule for any project is actually pretty simple:

• List the activities
• Establish duration for each one from experience or quotes from vendors
• Configure the logic (what is a predecessor of what activity and)
• Determine the critical path (one day delay causes the project to delay) and optimize where possible
• Confirm duration and logic for critical path activities
• Baseline the schedule. Which just means we use this to track actual project progress and make changes to execution where it makes sense.

It turns out Dave ( @Schwimmbad) is an IT project manager that knows a lot about scheduling so this should be helpful to all contemplating an OB pool. He's started a pretty good list of activities that I'll add here later today. Then we'll develop this into a schedule on this thread as we gather the data from bidding an procurement activities.

Chris

 

[kimkats]

Chris I am jumping in to say THANKS! to you and @Schwimmbad ! I bet many a OB will love this AND many a PB will love it just for the flow information.

Make sure to note if y could happen before OR after x depending on availability of trade people or materials.

I am getting this could be ANOTHER wonderful wiki article!

 

[setsailsoon]

Chris I am jumping in to say THANKS! to you and @Schwimmbad ! I bet many a OB will love this AND many a PB will love it just for the flow information.

Make sure to note if y could happen before OR after x depending on availability of trade people or materials.

I am getting this could be ANOTHER wonderful wiki article!

Thanks Kim! We'll be doing this live for our own pools so it should be relevant and helpful... I'm sure we'll learn as we go on some things as well.

Chris

 

[kimkats]

Let me know if you want me to edit/merge/change anything from my side of the curtain.

 

[setsailsoon]

Let me know if you want me to edit/merge/change anything from my side of the curtain.

Will do and thanks much. I'm sure this will help a lot as this progresses.

 

[setsailsoon]

Initial Activity List

Folks,

Below is the initial activity list that will go into the schedule. One of the first items is Contracting Strategy Evaluation. There a LOT of ways to slice this job up and they all work. But there are only a few that are optimal for your project. The best for you involves decision making around the following characteristics of your specific project:

• Contractor supply
• Contractor capability
• Owner time and availability
• Owner expertise

The more you take on a builder role the more you can save. But offsetting this is risk that you don't perform as well and this can cost you more than you save if you're not careful. As an OB you have to assess your skills carefully if you want to do part of the work yourself. This is not a great time to learn craft skills. I personally have managed billions of dollars of construction work but I've never welded an inch or installed one foot of pipe and never made one electrical connection. But I have installed two complete automation systems so if I perform any work at all that may be where I insert myself into the schedule. Also, the more we sub out directly the more interfaces are created. These have to be managed by you the builder. This takes more time and effort than you can imagine and it's even where most of the worst builders fail. You can optimize this with your contracting strategy optimization. For example, you can have separately contracted services for forming, rebar, shotcrete. Or you can hire one concrete contracting to manage all of this. Voila you just eliminated 3 interfaces! The cost you bare at this level is minimal and probably offset by the contractors existing relationship with the subs that are used to working together. If you don't proactively determine the contracting strategy up front it just kind of happens to you as you progress. Often the consequences are bad because you find out who can do what during the job as subs are not clear on their role's beginning and end or what they start with from the prior contractor. This can snowball into a big mess with a lot of finger-pointing. Bottom line: Determine your optimal contracting strategy for your project. Decide it and manage it in your best interest, don't just let it happen to you.

You will see in the activity list below that I intend to let subs manage many of their detailed interfaces. This requires a level of capability that will be a key factor in the sub-contractor selection process. A lot of this activity list came from Dave - much appreciated! Next I'll incorporate any input and take a first-pass on duration's.

I hope this is helpful, and please feel free to offer suggestions, comments, suggestions.

Chris

Select and Hire Pool Design Company Submit Initial Design Preliminary Design Design Revisions Final Design for review Appove Final Design Complete Engineering Building Permit Application Submittal Meet with Building Permit Authority (learn process, expectations, establish relationships) Work through comments and conditions Receive Final Building Permit File Notice of Intent to Start Work Submit Plans for HOA Approval Contracting Strategy Analysis Request for Proposals Prepare Packages: Excavation Forming, Concrete, Penetrations Plumbing Electrical Equipment Plaster and Finishing Paving Enclosure Surveying Geotech (soil borings and concrete testing) Solar Heating Controls and Automation Prequalify and Select Bidders Issue RFP's Evaluate, Clarify, Select Bidders Select and Order Equipment Expedite Equipment (if needed) Construction Kick-Off and Coordination Meeting(s) Survey and Layout Marking Location Services (800 dig or similar) Excavation Construction Barriors (if by others) Coordinate with Plumbing Contractor Mobilize Plumbing Coordinate with Electrical Contractor Mmobilize Electrical Mobilize Forming, Concrete, Penetrations Contractor Mobilize Plaster and Finishing Contractor Equipment Installation Solar Heating Equipment Hookup Initial Testing (leaks and electrical) Fill and compact Coordinate with Paving Contractor Coordinate with Enclosure Contractor Mobilize Paving Mobilize Controls and Automation Mobilize Enclosure Initial Fill Begin Circulation and Chemical Addition Initial Performance Test Final Performance Test Enjoy and Celebrate!

 

[setsailsoon]

Test to link to project schedule file

Updated version of activity list and link to live file in Google. It seems I can't attach an Excel spreadsheet file so I've converted the current version to pdf. For those that want to play around with the file or modify it I've published it in Google Sheets in the link.

 

[kimkats]

okay so the PDF file worked for me. The google one wanted me to sign in to see it. I have to look for my google sign in as I can't see to find it right now.

 

[setsailsoon]

*** Edit *** This method of sharing files isn't working out so well. I'll try an alternate... stay tuned.

Here's where I've added a first pass at duration's and tweaked some of the activities.

 

[ajw22]

Here's the latest version where I've added a first pass at duration's and tweaked some of the activities.

That link gives me this. You want everyone to be requesting access?

 

[setsailsoon]

That link gives me this. You want everyone to be requesting access?

That link gives me this. You want everyone to be requesting access?

View attachment 467558

No, not what I intended... kind of learning as I go. There are some limitations on file types that I'm working around. Let me try something else.

Thanks for letting me know

Chris

 

[setsailsoon]

Activity and And Duration's List for Schedule Development

Ok, this is a little clunky but I've created an Excel spreadsheet here. I'm hopeful you can at least see and copy this or maybe even download. I've pasted the contents below. This is very much a work in progress. Duration's are WAG's at best right now.


Chris

Activity	Duration (Days)
Select and Hire Pool Design Company	20
Submit Initial Design
Preliminary Design
Design Revisions
Final Design for review
Appove Final Design
Complete Engineering
Building Permit Application Submittal	40
Meet with Building Permit Authority (learn process, expectations, establish relationships)
Work through comments and conditions
Receive Final Building Permit
File Notice of Intent to Start Work
Submit Plans for HOA Approval	20
Contracting Strategy Analysis	5
Request for Proposals
Prepare Packages:
Excavation	5
Forming, Concrete, Penetrations	5
Plumbing	5
Electrical	5
Equipment	5
Plaster and Finishing	5
Paving	5
Enclosure	5
Surveying	5
Geotech (soil borings and concrete testing)	5
Solar Heating	5
Controls and Automation
Prequalify and Select Bidders	10
Issue RFP's	3
Evaluate, Clarify, Select Bidders	15
Select and Order Equipment	2
Expedite Equipment (if needed)
Construction
Kick-Off and Coordination Meeting(s)	5
Survey and Layout Marking	2
Location Services (800 dig or similar)	5
Excavation	3
Construction Barriors (if by others)	5
Coordinate with Plumbing Contractor	2
Mobilize and Complete Plumbing	5
Coordinate with Electrical Contractor	2
Mobilize and Complete Electrical	5
Mobilize Forming, Concrete, Penetrations Contractor	2
Complete Forming, Concrete, Penetrations	5
Mobilize Plaster and Finishing Contractor	2
Complete Plaster and Finishing	10
Equipment Installation	2
Solar Heating	2
Equipment Hookup	2
Initial Testing (leaks and electrical)	5
Fill and compact	1
Coordinate with Paving Contractor	2
Coordinate with Enclosure Contractor	2
Mobilize Paving	2
Mobilize Controls and Automation	2
Mobilize Enclosure	2
Initial Fill	5
Begin Circulation and Chemical Addition	3
Initial Performance Test	3
Final Performance Test	3
Enjoy and Celebrate!	Forever

 

[AQUA~HOLICS]

Dig alert = 811 in my area

 

[kimkats]

I was able to open it and see it! Making good progress with this!

 

[setsailsoon]

I have to travel a couple of days so may not update more 'till then. But I thought a peak of where we are headed may be a good idea. Once we get activities and duration's close (doesn't need to be perfect yet) we start to populate the input for the schedule. Here's a peak of the first few activities after tweaking them a little and starting input to the scheduling software. We'll need to get more real data to complete but we'll soon have a look at the first-pass critical path on the project. There are very expensive tools for this that are much easier to work with but as Dave said to me you can't beat Project Libre for the price! Please note I've set this up to begin the project 06 Feb and I've completed the design work already. That will all be corrected later.

Chris

 

[Schwimmbad]

Wow Chris, excellent job getting this started! When I PM’ed you I was simply hoping to take something I thought you had already done and use as a guide to build my own schedule. You had a larger vision to create a resource for others to use. I hope we can put together a template schedule that can be a great roadmap for those taking on the OB role.

I downloaded the file from dropbox into Excel but don't see how to provide input. I can edit the file locally but then what? Is your thought to provide feedback via posts in this thread or is there some other way to contribute?

For example, one thing I was thinking was to add a taskid to each of the activities so folks can refer to the activity taskid and provide their feedback. Let's stay away from building a WBS (work breakdown structure)!

 

[setsailsoon]

Wow Chris, excellent job getting this started! When I PM’ed you I was simply hoping to take something I thought you had already done and use as a guide to build my own schedule. You had a larger vision to create a resource for others to use. I hope we can put together a template schedule that can be a great roadmap for those taking on the OB role.

I downloaded the file from dropbox into Excel but don't see how to provide input. I can edit the file locally but then what? Is your thought to provide feedback via posts in this thread or is there some other way to contribute?

For example, one thing I was thinking was to add a taskid to each of the activities so folks can refer to the activity taskid and provide their feedback. Let's stay away from building a WBS (work breakdown structure)!

Dave,
Thanks for the kind words and your "starter file" actually made this way easier. I took your PDF activity list from the PM and pasted it into Excel where it was easy to extract the activities into the first column then modified to match a more generic approach and also made it a bit higher level to match the contracting strategy I intend to use. I plan to discuss contracting strategy and how it affects the schedule soon.

Yes I think getting feedback and questions that we address here will result in a thread that anybody could use to develop their own schedule. If time permits and there's interest we may be able to expand this to cover other parts of the project management functions that an OB will need to perform like execution planning, construction management, contracting, contract administration, quality etc.

Inputting the activity list and duration's is actually very simple:

• Start Project Libre
• Highlight the Activity and Duration columns then just paste it in
• It helps to set up sub activities so I added activities such as Permits and Approvals above the permit activities then indented the ones I had on our list. This has to be done in Project Libre not Excel.

Take a look at the pdf in my last post, I think you can just use the number on far left of the input data as the task ID. I'll upload the Project Libre file from that post this morning to the drop box folder. Definitely agree on WBS. For a simple project like this cost tracking and schedule can be managed separately.

This should be a fun way to move our projects along and provide a resource for others all at the same time. Thanks much for your help and participation as we move this along.

I hope this is helpful and all please feel free to comment/ask specific questions.

Chris

 

[Newdude]

This should be a fun way to move our projects along and provide a resource for others all at the same time

It will also help pass the time. SO much waiting and anticipation throughout.

And you guys will get plenty of eyes to help. I missed many little things staring me in the face while I was preoccupied frying bigger fish at those moments. Other folks weren't frazzled and easily pointed them out.

Keep. Us. Posted.

 

[setsailsoon]

Folks here's a link to the .pod file you can open with Project Libre. It's pretty good open source scheduling software available to all. You can find Project Libre here. Just press the download link. I've used it off an on for personal projects and it works pretty well. Interface and ability to customize output is very limited even compared to MS Project but it does work and it is free.

If you've never used this software there are some good tutorial videos on YouTube. Also, duration's default to "1?" meaning 1 day. Default duration is work day. As you update the duration by pasting it in from a spreadsheet or manually change it in PL the question mark dissappears. So if you want a two week calendar duration make the duration 10 days. There are all kinds of options on customizing the work week and many other features you can learn about. Also you can double-click any activity to bring up the information box about that activity. You can do a lot of standard scheduling techniques such as putting lead and lag times... we'll go through all this as we build the schedule. Dave, I think you're more competent on the schedule software side than I am so please do chime in as you see fit. Or anybody else for that matter. All questions welcome. I'm hopeful the questions and answers will help make this more useful for other TFP members in the future. One last thing I want to add is this thread's main purpose is to take the activities Dave and I are undertaking to do our OB pools and make them available to TFP members. So there's a lot more to learn about some of the tools like PL but that's not our intent with this thread.

I hope this is helpful.

Chris

 

[Schwimmbad]

Schedules can quickly grow to so many tasks and relationships it can get overwhelming and even a little confusing.

Let's break this down into chunks, starting with construction activities. This is for my planned IG gunite pool (30x16).

The tasks below represent durations for on-site work only. The sequence and task durations are my guesses, based on reading many build threads here, but never having built a pool. Are any tasks out of typical order? Should any additional tasks be added? Are the durations decent?

Layout Pool, Equipment Pad, Plumbing Runs 1 day
Call Arizona 811 to Dig 5 days
Review and confirm layout 1 day
Excavation 3 days
Rough Plumbing 3 days
Steel/Rebar 2 days
Rough Electrical 2 days
Shotcrete 1 day
Masonry Water/Fire Features 3 days
Waterline & Accent Tile 2 days
Fencing/Barriers 2 days
Finish Electric 2 days
Finish Plumbing 2 days
Coping (paver) 3 days
Clean-up & Prep for plaster 2 days
Plaster 1 day
Initial Fill 1 day

There are lots of other activity groupings to deal with design, permitting/HOA approval, bidding, equipment, coordination, that we can address in later posts.