When the Heat Isn't On
In October of 2010, Quality Heating & Sheet Metal was awarded a project from the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee to replace a large number of furnaces. The turnaround was tight, considering another Wisconsin winter was headed our way.
With the challenging timeframe and specific hiring obligations required by the Housing Authority, Quality Heating partnered with PL Freeman to get the job done on time and on budget.
"We knew that the project was going to be fast and furious," said Matt Bub, Estimator at Quality Heating. "We had no doubts that we could get it done before the cold weather really hit. The partnerships we made between our company, the guys over at PL Freeman and the Housing Authority were really the keys to making this successful."
Gaining the Customer's Confidence
The initial project was to replace 248 units in the Northlawn Housing Development on Milwaukee's north side. Northlawn had major flooding and the furnaces were no longer working. In a matter of 25 days, all 248 units were replaced due to the Housing Authority's and Quality Heating's methodical planning and precise execution from Quality Heating and PL Freeman.
"We needed to limit the impact on the residents, so it was imperative that the furnaces be replaced quickly and efficiently," said Jim Wellman, Lead Maintenance Mechanic from the Housing Authority. "In order to give our residents accurate timelines, we needed to have the confidence that the contractors could meet the project goals.
"From the first day in October, we could tell the project wasn't going to be a problem," Wellman added. "We were relieved that everyone worked so well together and that after Northlawn was complete, we were quickly able to do the same with Westlawn, Berryland and finally Southlawn."
Coordinating a project that included 1,364 units in just over three months was no small undertaking. In order for the project to go as smoothly as possible, it was important to develop a workforce process, and Quality Heating feels it is because of being a union contractor that this task was easily done.
Additionally, the relationship Quality Heating has with Sheetmetal Workers Local 18 helped to ensure they would get the right people to work on the project.
"Working with Quality Heating and PL Freeman on this project went exactly how it's supposed to go," Mike Mooney, Business Representative with Sheetmetal Workers Local 18 said. "The stronger our relationships are with our contractors, the better we are at making sure they are confident in our members' skills when bidding work."
Seamless Project
In looking back on the work, Bub believes it was the training and experience of Quality Heating's employees — along with PL Freeman's — that allowed them to work together almost effortlessly. His staff would get to the project first, then the PL Freeman crew would follow suit. In time, they were able to do about 25 units a day, and completed the installations well within the allotted timeframe and budget.
"I realize the importance the workers' training had on getting everything completed efficiently, and I feel confident in their abilities to keep getting projects like this done," Wellman said. "We were very impressed with everyone's dedication to the project, including the assistance of Don Curtes, the owner of Auer Steel, who provided affordable pricing and ensured efficient delivery of the furnaces."
All in all, Mooney knows it's what the customers' experiences are during a project that matters the most. "Had Jerry Fink, the Outside Foreman at Quality Heating, not done all the upfront work in planning out the project, the Housing Authority's experience would have been different.
"Jerry's work along with all the other workers from Quality Heating and PL Freeman really did a great job in leaving a positive lasting impression with the Housing Authority," Mooney said.
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