What size crews do you run?

[Mbella]

I stick to two man crews. I find that to be the most efficient.

On larger jobs, we might double up crews if space and the construction process allows.

[GreenMonster]

That's essentially what we did this year.

We had a part time guy as well that would work with whichever crew needed him the most a couple days a week, and then he worked with our maintenance crew a couple days a week also.

[-EGLC-]

How do you have the two crews setup? Do you have a set of guys who are better at walls & then another crew for the guys better at pavers?

[cgland]

This year we went w/ a 4 man crew for our installations and it worked out pretty well. On smaller jobs where 4 guys was too much I would pull one of the laborers onto the maintenance crew. My ideal crew size is 3 guys. 1 real knowledgeable guy, 1 pretty good guy, and 1 laborer. This also promotes a good training atmosphere, because lets face it, If your guys are not training they will become stagnant and disgruntled and will do you no good if someone leaves or is out for a period of time.

Chris

[Mbella]

How do you have the two crews setup? Do you have a set of guys who are better at walls & then another crew for the guys better at pavers?

I have two hardscape crews, crew A and crew B. Crew A can literally be handed a plan and complete our most complicated jobs without much, if any help from me. For example: Crew A recently finished a $60,000 raised patio with built in grill/firepit/plantings, etc. I designed and sold the hardscape. Crew A took the plan and completed the installation. Also, Crew A foreman designed and sold the softscape package and a couple of other extras. Crew A foreman handles most of the communication with the homeowner after construction begins, orders materials, schedules sub, etc.

Crew B, does all masonry work and is capable of doing dry applications as well. This crew is the type of crew that you need to asssist with layout, check on everyday (once a day), handle all communications with customer, order materials, schedule subs, etc.

Both crews do the same quality of work and have the same abilities with regard to performing dry applications.

[Colonial]

We run 3 man crews, 1 knowledgable, 1 on his way up, and basically a beginner.

[kris]

3-4 man crew size ..sometimes 7-8

The issue I have with sticking with a very small crew is that it costs too much to set them up. Use lose a little bit of efficiency with a larger crew but you make up for it in volume. I try to train the foreman to look ahead at the next job and if site conditions allow, order material etc ahead of time ... leave a few guys to finish up the last job and get in there and start the next ... usually there is no use having 6 guys on a job at startup. It really comes down to how good your foreman is. I have proved over and over to the guys that i can run a large crew(8-9) on a small site... I dunno .. Just something I was very good at.