Masonry Magazine April 2010 Page. 21
There's no arguing the fact that crank-up-type scaffolding increases production by at least 20 percent. Even life-long frame users agree, they've just been put off by the perceived cost. The extra production comes from removing the reasons bricklayers have always worked slowly on frames stopping repeatedly to hop planks to the next level, working slowly around their ankles and their shoulders, and reaching high and low for materials. Slow bricklayers are not the problem. Making them work fast on frame scaffolding is the problem, because it can't be done.
A U.S. governmental study showed that keeping masons waist-high to the wall, keeping their materials at the same height, and eliminating the frequent stopping and starting during the day naturally increases the number of units going in the wall a minimum of 20 percent, and, depending on the type of material, sometimes a lot more. They're not really working faster, just continuing to lay brick during the time that used to be downtime, or slow time, on frames. Laying at an ergonomically correct height all day gives even more extra production. It's amazing how fast even average bricklayers become when their backs don't hurt.
Higher efficiency shortens job duration
IF YOUR BRICKLAYERS are putting in 20 percent more units, you can finish a 100-day job in 80 days, with the same crew size. Twenty days worth of labor money for the entire crew turns into additional profit earned.
What does a 20 percent production increase do to your profit, increase it by 20 percent? No. Amazingly, it doubles your profit! Here's why: In the average masonry bid, the labor number is typically five times higher than the profit number. A 20 percent reduction in labor saves an amount of money equal to the profit. Since the contractor gets paid the bid price regardless of how much he pays out to his men, any labor money not paid out flips over to additional profit earned.
Should you buy labor-saving equipment in this economy?
BECAUSE MASONRY WORK is so labor intensive, the answer is "yes." It's all about the payback time, and one of the biggest surprises for the contractors at the show was the short pay-back time for elevating scaffolding. For the crank-style scaffolding, the payback time can be anywhere from three to six months, depending on your pay scale. For the new, smaller scaffolding for short walls (See sidebar), it can pay back in as little as six weeks.
A contractor in Texas who invests in $50,000 worth of elevating scaffolding can have his money back in less than six months. His eight-bricklayer crew will produce just as 10 or 11 bricklayers would on frames. He saves about $9,300 a month in real dollars he used to pay out to two extra masons on frames. On future projects, he can keep the leftover labor money for himself, or use it as an edge to be competitive at bid time.
It turns out that no other piece of masonry equipment can reduce labor costs as much as elevating scaffolding, One manufacturer even offers a rent-to-own plan structured so the scaffolding pays its own way until it's paid off. The fast payback time means it's definitely a good buy when times are tight. This is when
www.masonrymagazine.com
NEED PLANK?
TAKE
ADVANTAGE
• Quality Scaffold Plank
• Competitive Prices
• LVL or Solid Sawn
• Full or Partial Truckloads
• Rod-Clip-Custom Branding
• Service Available 24-7-365!
ADVANTAGE
LUMBER CO.
READER SERVICE #274
CORPORATE OFFICE
phone 877.612.3656
fax 337.662.3116
email: advantagelumber@yahoo.com
RIC FONTENOT
phone 337.480.6532
fax 337.480.6582
cell 337.540.9847
email: ricfontenot1@suddenlinkmail.com
ELRIDGE SCHWARTZENBURG
cell 337.351.2932
FILL BLOCK WALLS
WITHOUT A CONCRETE PUMP OR FORKLIFT
PumpMaster
Model PG-25
AIRPLACO
EQUIPMENT COMPANY
Northeast
513.321.2950
1.888.348.2950
Southeast
281.468.7102
1866.468.7102
West
626.256.8310
1.888.383.8635
www.airplace.com
READER SERVICE #296
April 2010
SINCE 1946
MASONRY 19