This month, as we finish up our Employee Profile on Construction Foreman Chuck Helm, we thought it would be good to focus on one of the most important parts of the job: coordination.
To be clear, we don’t mean hand-eye coordination, though that is also important in this line of work. What we mean is the level of effort that goes into seeing one of our jobs from start to finish. Large grain bins do not build themselves, nor do they get constructed on an unplanned whim!
Why Coordination is Vital for Chuck & His Team
Chuck is matter-of-fact about the importance of coordination on the job site: “Good planning upfront is helpful for us when we get to a site and begin working.”
But make no mistake, the sheer number of parts, prep work, and planning that goes into constructing a grain bin is significant. This is why Chuck’s longstanding working partnership with Jarrett and Nathan on the inside has been so critical to his success over the years – their familiarity with each other and with their work ensures that jobs get started on time.
In Chuck’s words, “Nathan has everything very well mapped out before we get to a job site. That really helps eliminate or minimize any issues. If there is something missing or needed for a project, we just get in touch with Jarrett or Nathan at the office and they take care of it for us. They’ll get it and run it out to us!”
Because the level of coordination is significant and many of the parts aren’t something you necessarily run to the store to grab, Chuck also spends a lot of pre-build time working with the client to make sure everything is to their liking.
“Clients will ask us a lot of questions about the best place to put items, doors, stairs, etc.,” Chuck shares. “We map out all the particulars. Sometimes we are making a change on the fly, but that is really minimal, maybe one in 50. That’s because we really have everything planned out before we get to the site.”
Let Our Coordinated Team Help You Out
When all is said and done, all the planning and communication make for smooth builds and happy customers, which is always Chuck’s goal. Or, as he says, “We’re here to help them out.”
If you have any grain storage, grain handling, or grain drying needs, please let Gateway FS Construction Services know. Give us a call at 866-551-3454 and let our specialists help you find exactly what you are looking for. We look forward to providing you with the best client-focused service experience!