COVID-19 has impacted every community across the country, but how do the new coronavirus restrictions affect home building?
The Department of Homeland Security has deemed housing a part of our nation’s “essential critical infrastructure workforce”.
The local authorities have always had strict guidelines for builders to abide by. Today, in a world impacted by COVID-19, these rules have been enhanced in order to protect everyone on the construction site, as well as our clients.
At Collins Builders, we didn’t wait for the government to give us the word. Even before the “shelter in place” ordinance from the COVID-19 outbreak, we made it a priority to take all the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe, from our team of employees to our subcontractors, to our clients.
We recognize our responsibility to the community, which means preventing further spread of COVID-19. We have rolled out training sessions and adapted policies to be in step with the current climate, ensuring that we’re keeping everyone as safe as possible.
The Steps We’re Taking
Jobsite Safety
Our job sites are following the recommended safety protocols and continuing to closely monitor safety, as we always have.
Virtual Meetings
We are offering virtual meetings with new clients, as an option, to discuss their projects from the safety of wherever they may be. Since we typically use technology for many aspects of our business, the only thing that has changed is that we are speaking and seeing each other more often through a computer instead of in person. Everything else is the same.
Our Trade Partners
We are reaching out to our trade partners to make sure that they are okay and training them on the help they can get to keep their businesses operational.
Perfect Time for Planning
It is actually a great time to meet with us to discuss your project because we have more time right now to devote to each client.
Construction companies have quickly ramped up their safety measures. Building sites have been orchestrated with precision – mandatory social distancing, regular washing of hands, and the methodical scrubbing down of all of the surfaces are just a few things that Collins Builders is doing to keep everyone safe.
So, if the question you’ve been wondering is whether you can hire a building contractor to take on your project, the answer is yes. We will continue to design and build new custom homes, just with stricter measures in place.
It’s always important to do your research on any custom builder before hiring them, but now it’s even more important than ever. So, when moving forward with your build, there are a few things that you’ll need to keep in mind when considering a building company that not only meets your requirements and standards but also takes extra precautions to keep health and safety first.
- Take more time. The pre COVID-19 era was a time when everything was rushed. This included the pre-construction phase, mostly because clients are naturally excited about their project. The good news is everything in this stage can be done remotely from the initial designing right through to finalizing budgets. This is a great time to slow down a little bit and review and finalize things, which of course will reduce the chances of mistakes or change orders down the line.
- What are builders doing to stop the spread of coronavirus? We will always work to ensure that the right social distancing practices are taking place. For example, we will allow only one team on the job site at a time – if the windows are being installed, the laying of plumbing will have to wait. We understand that this slows down the process, and it may be frustrating at first, but a good builder will always advocate that prioritizing health and safety is the only way to go.
- Consider how the builder operates. You’ll probably notice that builders are trying to do as much as they possibly can off-site. Everything considered to be non-essential from staff to tasks has been temporarily stopped. The regular face-to-face meetings that previously took place have moved online to meeting platforms like Zoom.
Although we are adding a little space between ourselves these days, we are still working with our clients through virtual meetings, which can easily be set up by appointment. Our dedication to communication hasn’t changed at all – the only thing that’s different now is that we may meet virtually instead of face to face.
As well as looking out for our own employees and clients, we are in constant contact with our trade partners to ensure that everyone on their teams is fit, healthy and doing well. In addition to this, we are also advising them on ways that they can keep their businesses operating and making health, safety, and wellness their priority.
If you’ve been dreaming of designing and building a new custom home for a while, and you’re worried that your plans may be put on hold, don’t worry. This is the perfect time to get in touch with our team to discuss your project visions, because, for now, we have a little more time to work through the planning and design phases to turn your dreams into reality.
