Welcome To:
To teach Project Managers how to read, manage, and lead from the construction schedule — not chase it.
By the end of this class, PMs will understand:
How to identify and protect the critical path
How to forecast delays before they happen
How to communicate schedule changes with confidence
How to use the manual’s schedule tracker to stay on course every day
A schedule isn’t just a timeline — it’s a map of dependencies.
“If one trade slips, the next one stumbles.”
Your goal isn’t to memorize every date — it’s to understand which tasks control the outcome of the job.That’s the critical path — the series of steps that must stay on time or the project finishes late.
When you master that, you move from reacting to controlling.
Open the Schedule Overview section in your Digital Manual.
Every project should include:
Start and finish milestones
Key trade durations
Inspection checkpoints
Material delivery timelines
Buffer zones (built-in contingency days)
Your job is to translate that schedule into:
Daily site actions
Trade handoffs
Inspection readiness
Pick one phase — for example, Framing.Ask yourself:
“What can stop this phase from finishing on time?”
“Who depends on me finishing this phase?”
Record those two answers in your Schedule Awareness Notes.
The critical path is the lifeline of your project.If something on it is delayed, everything after it moves.
Typical critical path sequence:
Earthwork
Foundation
Framing
Roof Dry-In
Rough-In MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing)
Insulation + Drywall
Interior Finishes
Final Inspections
Non-critical items (like landscaping or paint color changes) have float time — some room to move without delaying the project.
Your manual’s “Critical Path Tracker” highlights these items automatically when updated weekly.
List three tasks from your current project that have zero room for delay.Then mark what trade controls each one.Example:
Trusses → Framing subcontractor
Roof Dry-In → Roofing subcontractor
Rough Electrical → Electrician
Once you can identify the critical path instinctively — you’ll never be surprised by delays again.
Elite PMs don’t say, “We’re behind.”They say, “If this inspection slips by Thursday, framing moves two days and paint shifts one week.”
That’s forecasting.
Use your manual’s Weekly Forecast Sheet to:
Compare “Planned vs. Actual” start/finish
Note any pending delays (material, manpower, weather)
Assign a recovery action before the impact compounds
If window delivery is delayed 5 days:
Log delay in the Forecast Sheet
Note impacted phase: Drywall (due to open rough-ins)
Action: Temporary protection and shift trim crew forward
That’s how you turn small delays into manageable adjustments.
Schedules fail when silence wins.As PM, you are the translator between office plans and field execution.
Every Monday:
Send a “3-Minute Weekly Update” → highlights key risks, upcoming inspections, and deliveries.Every Friday:
Update your Manual Forecast Section and sync it to the company’s master schedule.
Ask your team:
“What’s one delay you could’ve prevented if it was communicated earlier?”
Log that insight into your PM Communication Notes.
Your Digital Manual connects to:
GoHighLevel task reminders (daily and weekly)
Google Sheets / shared schedule dashboards
QR-coded progress updates (subs scan and confirm completion)
Use automation to stay informed — not overwhelmed.The goal is clarity, not complexity.
Schedule management is about teamwork.Hold people accountable without blame by sticking to facts:
Show the date it was due.
Show the date it happened.
Ask what’s needed to recover.
When everyone sees the same data — emotion leaves, results stay.
Open your Project Schedule Overview and identify your current critical path.
Update your Weekly Forecast Sheet with real progress.
Send your “3-Minute Weekly Update” to office leadership.
Note two proactive actions that will protect your next milestone.
“What does proactive schedule leadership look like for me — and how will I communicate it differently starting this week?”
Record your answer in the Schedule Management section of your manual.
Thank you for completing this Session!
Home Building Master Class | The Contractor Checklist
Anyone can read a schedule.A great PM knows how to steer it.Your manual is the cockpit — not a clipboard.When you track, forecast, and communicate clearly, you become the person who keeps the entire operation on time.
Video Explanation
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