If you’ve watched the news of late you will see a lot of natural disasters including hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and other powerful forces that take their toll on us. In some cases we are given a few days to prepare but there really is only so much you can do. Hurricanes have especially forced changes in the way we look at construction. You have to build houses and businesses to withstand heavy winds but also to handle flooding if possible. These are all precautions that need to be taken but they do take a toll on builders as they need to stay up with the latest regulations as well as technology to keep structures safe and durable.

As a builder, how do you plan for these problems and how can you make sure that you minimize the impact storms have on your projects? It really comes down to being prepared, having a plan to deal with hurricane damage and knowing that you can get back to work as soon as possible. Here are a few things you can do to keep construction in Virginia going:

• Stock up on supplies: Obviously, you will have personal supplies you need to stock up on but there’s a good chance that you and your crew will be back to work before other businesses, whether there’s power or not. Make sure that you have food, water and gas for your crew to work for at least a week. The good news is that it will be used whether you have hurricane damage or not.
• Keep your equipment protected: Every builder relies on subcontractors whether they are renting a crane, hiring a plumber or something else. That doesn’t matter because you still have your own equipment that needs to be kept in a safe place and protected. Any damage to your machines can cause even more delays.
• Keep jobsites clean: One of the biggest problems with storms that have a lot of wind is that they cause debris to fly around everywhere. This is an even bigger problem for construction in Virginia because nails, plywood and other materials are not secure and could become projectiles. Make sure that you are storing or strapping everything down you possibly can.

Obviously when a big storm is coming, your first and main focus needs to be your family. Once you have taken care of them, it’s time to focus on cleaning and getting back to work. While these storms can have a major impact on your community, contractors are usually the first ones back to work. That’s why whether you are renting a crane, pouring concrete or doing anything else, you want to make sure that you are ready to go as quickly as possible.