Download eatonfield homes used clip to significantly cut the

EATONFIELD HOMES USED CLIP TO SIGNIFICANTLY
CUT THE TIME TAKEN TO START BUILDING AFTER GAINING
PLANNING CONSENT, AND TO IMPROVE SITE MANAGEMENT
AND PLANNING PROCESSES.
THE CLIENT: TAI CLWYD
THE CONTRACTOR: EATONFIELD HOMES,
A MEMBER OF EATONFIELD GROUP PLC.
CHRIS LEWIS, CONTRACTS COORDINATOR AT EATONFIELD
HOMES, EXPLAINS HOW CLIP HELPED THE COMPANY TO
MAKE TIME AND COST SAVINGS BY INTRODUCING CLIP
MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
B A C K GR O UN D T O PR O J E CT
Eatonfield Homes is a rapidly growing commercial and residential property
developer based in Mold, North Wales. During this growth period we are looking
to improve productivity and reduce costs, both on and off site, by implementing
effective and efficient working practices. These can then become our ‘best
practice’ approach and be spread to all projects in the business.
work and waste methodology. We then mapped out a process that would give
us the shorter pre-construction lead times we were looking for – for example by
using standard ways of informing departments when planning consent has been
achieved, and what date to start on site.
V I S U A L M AN A GE M E NT
Lack of project status visibility had been identified as an issue early in the CLIP
W H A T A T T RA C T ED U S TO TH E C L I P P R O G RA M M E
When we wanted to increase our efficiency between two key stages of
construction – from when planning consent is granted to when work begins on
site – we decided to get in touch with CLIP because we had heard that they
were particularly good at doing this. We also thought that they could help with
streamlining our processes and improving control over key phases to reduce
waste and improve the distribution of resources.
W H A T O U R A I M S A N D E XP E C T A T I O NS W E RE
We expected to be able to significantly reduce and stabilise the time it takes to
get from planning permission to working on site.
Being a young company, we also wanted to experience a number of different
management techniques and thereby increase not only the visibility of the build
phases, but also the control we had on them. Given CLIP’s reputation in this area,
we expected them to be able to help deliver and probably expand on these aims.
process; so having set targets for the pre-construction phase, and communicated
them to the team, we outlined the tasks we needed to monitor, and set target
dates for them.
C O L L A B O RA T I V E PL A N NI NG
CLIP uses a structured approach to the planning activity that includes everyone
involved. Establishing the Meliden Project programme together helped us to fully
utilise the team’s skills and experience, identify problems and opportunities at an
early stage and more accurately predict completion times. Using this approach at
Meliden helped us to tighten up the build schedule and reduce its duration by a
month – bringing significant savings on site manager, scaffolding, cabin and
plant hire, etc costs.
We made widespread use of techniques such as these on site at Meliden. For
example, weekly planning schedules – produced in a format designed to meet our
particular needs – were prepared the previous week and displayed on a board in
H O W T HE CL I P P R OC E S S W OR K E D F O R U S
the canteen where it could be added to by the site operatives. A paper copy was
With the help of the CLIP engineer, we focussed on two main areas – the
pre-construction process and the site management and planning processes.
also used in the office where progress could be monitored and assessed at the
end of the week, and the schedule then archived, and information used for further
improvement. The weekly schedule helped to ensure that everybody knew what
We were introduced to a number of CLIP techniques including:
P R OC E S S MA P PI N G
We visually represented our processes and identified who does what – and when,
why and how they do it. This gave everyone involved a shared understanding of
how we work, and opportunities to spot elements that could be improved using
Construction Lean Improvement Programme (CLIP) BRE,
Bucknalls Lane, Watford, Herts WD25 9XX
T 01923 664 638 F 01923 664 789
E [email protected] W www.bre.co.uk/clip
needed to be done, that the project stayed on schedule and that any problems
were quickly highlighted, and addressed.
In addition to formalised techniques such as these, discussions between our team
and the CLIP engineers provided other helpful advice and ideas that have been of
benefit to the firm.
‘CLIP helped us to reduce the overall time we spend
on our projects and, as they say, time is money!’
Chris Lewis, Eatonfield Homes
H O W W E B EN E F I T E D F R O M T H I S I N I T I A TI V E
Collaborative Planning by the Eatonfiled team facilitated by a CLIP engineer
Several of the techniques and ideas that we encountered during the Meliden
Project have now been incorporated into the systems used by Eatonfield Homes.
As a result we have met one of our key targets, by reducing the period from
planning consent to starting on site from 20 to 14 weeks.
It is early days yet, but there is already evidence that the new process, planning
and progress monitoring measures that we have introduced, are increasing the
efficiency of our processes and reducing the occurrence of problems. We think
that the CLIP activity has been good value for money and would recommend it
to others.
K EY L E A R N I N G P O I N T S
KEY SA VIN G
• establish a clear map of the company’s processes so that everyone
The period of time between two key stages of construction – the granting
has a proper understanding of how its projects are carried out.
of planning consent and the start of work on site – was reduced by 30%,
• include all of those involved in the project planning phase so that
from 20 to 14 weeks.
problems can be rectified before they create difficulties, and
opportunities can be identified when there is still time to take
full advantage of them.
• establish a means of monitoring the project’s progress by identifying
F U T U RE U S E OF C L I P
The CLIP techniques, such as maintaining highly visible records of the status of a
each task in the process and attaching completion date targets
project (notable in the pre-commencement stages), will continue to be used on
to them.
future projects and we are confident that they will keep working for us.
‘In addition to formal techniques we learnt during the CLIP
programme, the discussions between us and the CLIP engineers
This project has been delivered with support from Construction Skills
provided other helpful advice and ideas that will be of benefit
Management and Supervisory Development Programme. The fund provides
to the firm.’
financial backing to encourage innovative ideas that deliver management
Chris Lewis, Contracts Coordinator, Eatonfield Homes
training benefits across the industry.
AN I N TR O D U C T I O N T O C L I P
The Construction Lean Improvement Programme, or CLIP for short, is a new approach that aims to boost performance and profitability.
Over the last four years CLIP has been adapting lean tools and techniques for use in the construction industry. CLIP has worked successfully with more than 100
construction companies across the construction supply chain, with most achieving productivity improvements of up to 50% in key processes.
CLIP works by focusing companies on improving the quality, cost, efficiency and delivery of a product or service, to achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction.
It provides the knowledge and practical skills needed to take the highly theoretical topic of lean construction, and turn it into a practical tool that they can
implement effectively.
The heart of each company’s CLIP programme consists of a tailored improvement activity built up of our core Masterclass modules. The programme is designed
so that a company can pick and choose the range of tools and expertise available in the modules that it needs. In this case study we feature the use of ‘the Lean
Processes Masterclass’. This looks at ways of improving quality, cost and delivery by looking in detail at key processes during a 3-9 month programme of intensive
improvement activities. Plans are then put in place to roll out improvements through the company.
Construction Lean Improvement Programme (CLIP) BRE,
Bucknalls Lane, Watford, Herts WD25 9XX
T 01923 664 638 F 01923 664 789
E [email protected] W www.bre.co.uk/clip