At the beginning of 2019 netlogx handed each employee a small silver bucket and challenged each person to complete something on their bucket list. To assist in doing so, the company generously provided a financial bonus to help the dreams become a reality.
Many of my co-workers chose travel as their bucket list item, and a few brave souls went sky diving, hang gliding, or climbed mountains. I, however, chose a different dream: to build a house. This had long been a shared dream of mine and my husband to design and build our forever home. We chose to be the general contractor on the build going through the U Build It program.
Project management is one of netlogx’ core competencies. Although I’m the compliance and bid manager and work in-house, I’ve learned some things about project management along the way and I think I’m an organized and detailed oriented person. Additionally, I had achieved my Six Sigma Green Belt certification. All of this is to say I felt I was prepared to be an active partner and handle the responsibilities of managing the construction process.
Time for the kick-off meeting. I had color coded project schedules by construction trade, 3-ring notebooks filled with tabbed dividers filled with checklists, bids, budget and draw schedules, material information and more. I was ready! That meeting included all of the construction trades we’d be working with. Each representative went around the table and offered some words of wisdom for us about what to expect. One contractor said we would need to have lots of patience as it always takes longer than you think it will. I remember smiling and nodding at him. Little did I know how prophetic that statement would be.
A sunny day in early June, ground was broken and gradually over the next couple of weeks the foundation and basement walls took shape. Despite some rainy weather that made me question whether we were going to end up with an indoor pool in the basement, things went relatively smoothly and the first contractor actually finished ahead of schedule. Yay! My optimism was high that we’d be in by Halloween as predicted at the kick-off meeting.
Then the framer and plumber came on site. At least sometimes they were on site and then we wouldn’t see them for days at a time until we made multiple phone calls, left messages and texts were sent. Other contractors would say they’d be there on a certain day and then not show up or call. It took 3 months to get the utility companies to trench, install and connect all of the utilities. Doors were ordered and delayed and then when arrived were not the right ones. After several delays with the concrete contractor and promises of a driveway, it snowed the day concrete was to be poured, causing yet more delays. Halloween came and went. Thanksgiving came and went. Patience came and went.
December has rolled around and the house is finally done except for a few touch ups and cleaning off of the construction dust. Now to project managing the packing and move!
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