Learn how to build, track, and use construction productivity rates to plan jobs, price accurately, and finish faster without burning your crew.
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If you've ever wondered why a “simple” job eats an extra week, it usually comes down to productivity rates—how much work your crew completes per labour hour. Get them wrong and your programme slips, your margin thins, and tempers flare. Nail them and everything gets easier: schedules behave, pricing lands, and crews go home on time. In this guide, we’ll break down what productivity rates are, how to build realistic baselines, how to plan and track them day to day, and how to use them to price and win work without guesswork. Practical steps. Real examples. No fluff.
Productivity rates tell you how fast work gets done. They’re expressed as either units per labour hour (preferred for planning) or labour hours per unit (handy for costing). You can measure per person or per crew—just be consistent.
In general, straightforward work in open spaces produces higher rates; complex layouts, height, and rework lower them noticeably. Many contractors find weather and access alone can shift rates by a clear margin across a week.
Pick units that match the trade and are easy to measure:
A common mistake is mixing units (e.g., counting boards one day and square metres the next). Keep it consistent so your numbers tell a clean story.
The problem: Guesswork-based rates blow up programmes and bids. The solution: Build baselines from short, real observations and adjust for conditions before you price or plan.
In general, a foreman can capture 5–10 quick timings across a day in under 10 minutes total without disrupting the crew.
You don’t need clipboards and stopwatches all day. Time two or three representative cycles in the morning, mid-day, and late afternoon. Many contractors report a small learning curve on day one—often noticeable enough to justify a modest adjustment when starting a new building or phase.
Flag the usual suspects and set multipliers or notes:
| Task | Baseline Rate (Units per Labour Hour) | Noted Factors | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blockwork, straight run | 8–12 linear metres | Ground floor, good access | Stable baseline |
| Drywall, simple partitions | 14–20 square metres | 1st floor, moderate congestion | Trim 2–3 square metres from baseline |
| External paving | 6–10 square metres | Tight plant access, wet ground | Plan for lower end of range |
The problem: Schedules slip because crew sizes and rates don’t match site reality. The solution: Use your baselines to set durations and right-size crews.
Scope: 400 square metres of drywall across two floors.
If access is poor and congestion high, drop the rate to 12 square metres per labour hour:
In general, building in a small, declared buffer is smarter than silently overpromising and missing by a full day.
The problem: You planned well, but small daily losses compound into missed weeks. The solution: 15-minute daily tracking and immediate fixes.
A 15-minute daily review with the foreman and lead hand keeps the plan live. Many contractors find this light routine alone prevents losing 1–2 days per month to avoidable drift.
In general, crews lose 20–40 minutes per day hunting materials or waiting on small decisions. Fix it fast:
If a blocker will repeat tomorrow, change the sequence today—don’t wait for the weekly meeting.
The problem: Pricing without real rates invites margin bleed. The solution: Convert your baselines into costs, price with clarity, and present proposals that win fast.
Many contractors find that even modest productivity gains translate directly to margin protection. A small uplift in units per labour hour can be the difference between “tight” and “healthy” on a fixed-price job.
Use tools that cut admin so you can spend time planning the work:
Measure a clean, repeatable unit (e.g., square metres), record the time and crew size, and compute units per labour hour. Example: a 3-person crew hangs 120 square metres in 6 hours. Labour hours = 18. Rate = 120 ÷ 18 = 6.7 square metres per labour hour. Document conditions so you can reuse or adjust the rate next time.
Adjust the rate before you schedule or price. Note the constraint (e.g., no lift, third floor, heavy congestion) and reduce expected output accordingly. In general, poor access and congestion together can reduce output noticeably. It’s safer to plan at the lower end of your observed range and declare the assumption in your proposal.
Right-size to the space, logistics, and supervision. Beyond 5–6 people in a tight area, productivity often dips due to interference and waiting. Two smaller crews working in sequence can beat one large crew if materials and supervision are set up correctly.
Daily. A 15-minute end-of-day check on quantities installed, hours spent, and blockers keeps you on track and enables same-day corrections. Most foremen can collect 5–10 quick observations without slowing production.
You can start with a paper foreman’s log and a simple spreadsheet. Software helps you move faster. For proposals, Donizo lets you capture scope by voice, create branded PDFs, secure e-signatures, and turn accepted proposals into invoices in one click—reducing admin and speeding cash flow.
Productivity rates are the backbone of reliable programmes and profitable bids. Build them from real observations, adjust for site conditions, right-size your crews, and track daily so you can correct early—not after the damage is done. Then put those rates to work in your pricing and proposals. If you want to cut admin while staying professional, try Donizo: speak your scope, generate a proposal, get e-signature, and convert acceptance to an invoice instantly. Less typing, more building—and better productivity where it counts.
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