Masonry Magazine October 1978 Page. 25
It's time to get serious
about cold-weather construction
By JOHN A. HESLIP
Executive Director, Masonry Institute of Michigan
This is the time to get serious about winter construction practices. Both Michigan and northwestern Ohio are now experiencing a long-awaited surge in construction activity-both residential and nonresidential. Whenever we get such a boom, we also seem to run into manpower and material shortages.
But there's a measure that can and must be taken if we're to alleviate construction delays. And that is to lengthen the construction year by adopting all-weather construction practices.
That would allow us to provide 50% more skilled manpower. The average bricklayer now works just 1,000 to 1,100 hours per year. We could increase that to 1,500 to 1,600 hours annually by extending his working year through the winter months. But that can be done only with the cooperation of the architect, the construction manager, the general contractor, the mason contractor, and the material suppliers.
Cold Weather Technology Readily Available
The technology is there. It's summarized in Recommended Practices and Guide Specifications for Cold Weather Masonry Construction by the International Masonry Industry All Weather Council. We know that masonry can be laid at lower temperatures than were formerly thought possible-as long as certain precautions are taken. This publication outlines the construction and protection requirements that are necessary. This means we now have a basis of determining how to protect the job and how much we can expect that protection to cost.
We believe it's imperative that architectural specifications provide winter protection for masonry.
There should be a cash allowance stated in the specifications to cover this protection, just as is allowed for other items such as testing for quality control. This would assure that adequate protection is provided with the costs borne by the owner (instead of penalizing the mason contractor, the one who now usually has to pick up the tab). All trades on the job benefit, since the project keeps moving, and the extra costs for protection often can be canceled out by the savings achieved through faster construction.
We also need full cooperation from the construction manager and general contractor. These parties must be dedicated to keeping the job moving. They must not consider taking "low ball" bids from mason contractors who have no intention of enclosing for winter. In other words, put the protection requirements in the contract so that everyone knows what's expected and can bid properly. Then, see that those requirements are enforced.
By using an allowance for protection, full use can be made of the recommended practices for cold weather construction, and weather variations can be easily accommodated. Accurate accounting of actual costs is necessary. The mason contractor cannot pad the costs. If the weather is milder than normal, the cost for protection could be less than allowed. If the weather is more severe, the cost may run over. All in all, the owner will get what he pays for because the job will be completed sooner. The work year will be extended for all trades, and the costs will be fair.
A word to the material suppliers: The most important factor in winter masonry construction is to have dry masonry units available. The brick and block must draw water out of the mortar before detrimental freezing can occur. If the units aren't dry, the entire process breaks down. So the units must be shipped dry-and covered to the job site. There are many areas of the country where covered units already are standard practice. We can't afford not to have it here.
Longer Work Year Is the Goal
Mason contractors must realize that the high cost of unemployment goes right into job costs now-it's reflected as part of the cost of doing business. If we can increase manhours 50%, we'll decrease unemployment and overhead costs significantly. We've got to commit to this.
If we can specify winter protection, develop cost allowances, demand bids to cover those costs, and demand masonry work to proceed accordingly, the entire construction industry will benefit. It's going to take a team effort, but it will produce handsome dividends for all concerned.