Keeping subs on track without losing your mind

Man, herding cats is right. I tried color-coded clipboards once - thought it’d be foolproof. Turns out, the only thing I accomplished was buying a bunch of clipboards that never left my truck. Now I just tell folks, “Email or text me by Thursday night, or your stuff waits.” Some grumble, but they get it done. If I start chasing them, I’ll never get anything else finished... gotta pick your battles, I guess.

If I start chasing them, I’ll never get anything else finished... gotta pick your battles, I guess.

That’s the truth. I tried detailed schedules taped to every wall - looked organized, but nobody read them. These days, I just set a hard deadline and let the chips fall. If someone misses it, their project gets bumped. It’s not perfect, but at least I’m not babysitting grown adults.

These days, I just set a hard deadline and let the chips fall. If someone misses it, their project gets bumped.

I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve had mixed luck with the “let the chips fall” approach. Last year, I had a framing crew that missed their window by three days, and it threw off the whole HVAC install - ended up costing me a week and a half because the next sub had already booked another job. Sometimes I wonder if I’m being too rigid with the schedule, but every time I try to loosen up, something slips through the cracks.

Ever tried using those project management apps? I’ve been experimenting with Buildertrend, but half the subs still just want a phone call or a text. It’s like herding cats. Curious if anyone’s found a way to actually get buy-in from the trades, or is it just a constant battle of reminders and crossed fingers?

I’ve run into the same issue with project management apps - some subs just won’t touch them, no matter how much you push. I’ve found that a hybrid approach works best: keep everything documented in Buildertrend for your own records, but still send out texts or make calls for the folks who prefer it old-school. It’s not perfect, but at least you’ve got a paper trail if things go sideways. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a magic bullet for buy-in. Some trades just want to do things their way, and you end up juggling communication styles whether you like it or not.

Honestly, I don’t think there’s a magic bullet for buy-in. Some trades just want to do things their way, and you end up juggling communication styles whether you like it or not.

I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually stopped bending over backwards for the subs who refuse tech. If they want the work, they follow my process - period. It took a few headaches and losing a couple guys, but now everyone’s on the same page and project chaos is way down. Sometimes you gotta draw a line.