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Our little two year old has learned two new songs over the past several weeks: “Rain, Rain, Go Away!” and “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring…”.  Her cheerful recitations of those songs are about the only thing that’s brought a smile to my face when it comes to the weather lately. The most common question I’m answering right now is “Does this rain slow you down at all in the building business?”  At this point, that question seems about as rhetorical as “How ‘bout this weather?”  The answer is undoubtedly, “Yes, it slows us down.”  It’s almost mind-boggling how many ways it affects construction, some of which are obvious, while others not so much. In our construction processes at Jeff Click Homes, the first half of building a house is most-affected by less than ideal weather conditions.  Beginning from grading the lot, to building the foundation and framing, these phases all take place within the elements of weather.  So the first effect we deal with when facing extended periods of wet weather is in this phase.  If the ground is muddy, we can’t adequately grade the lot into a flat pad, nor can we dig and pour the footing, install plumbing, and often can’t pour the slab.  However, if the slab is poured, framers can sometimes work when conditions are wet, so long as it’s not actively raining during their work.  Since most of the work takes place on the concrete slab, they can work immediately after it stops raining, and in between days of rain.  However, it does get messy! Once a home is framed and roofed, we then split our processes into two different, somewhat independent schedules: interior and exterior.  When the roof is on and windows are installed, interior work can continue, from plumbing top-outs, to HVAC installation and electrical rough-in.  For projects already past these phases, insulation can installed, and sheetrock can begin.  However, when sheetrock is being taped, bedded, and textured in these conditions, more time must be allowed due to the humidity, which slows down the drying process, a crucial need between each step of this part of construction.  Additionally, tile and trim can be installed, as well as painting, and all of the final installations of products beyond the paint phase.  We do have to take extra steps to care for and maintain reasonable cleanliness within homes being built under these conditions.  Oklahoma red dirt makes for some pretty heavy duty mud that is known to create a stain or two. That’s the good news, which often provides some consolation to clients who are anxious to see their home completed on schedule.  That’s something we take very seriously.  The bad news, though, is that as the rain continues, while interior progress can be made, exterior progress is at the mercy of the weather.  I’ll cover how extended rainy weather affects exterior construction phases in my next post this week. Until then, I’ll be singing along with my daughter and trying to smile about it.  »Updated 06.22.07: »Part two of this series can be found here… http://www.jeffclickhomes.com/36/