Plan Early, Execute Right: How Off-Season Scheduling Drives Better Project Outcomes

Most of the masonry industry slows down in February. We don't. For us, winter isn't downtime — it's when we lock in project planning, engineering, and logistics so we're ready to execute the moment conditions allow. The earlier we can get a project on our schedule, the more time we have to evaluate site conditions, coordinate with vendors, and put the right plan in place. That head start shows up in the quality and efficiency of every project we deliver.

A good example: our recent Cell Tower Upgrade Project in Cedar Rapids. This one tested every standard approach in the playbook. The sloped roofing ruled out swing stages. The steep landscaping around the building made boom lift positioning a real challenge. And traditional scaffolding would have added significant time to the schedule while introducing its own set of safety concerns. On top of all that, we were performing high-elevation work directly over an active parking garage — with strict requirements to protect the client's finished landscaping below.

Each of the building's three elevations presented a different access challenge — and required a different solution.

On one elevation, we used our smaller telehandler to set Fraco ACT-8 mast climbing platforms, keeping our footprint light enough to protect the surrounding landscaping. On the second elevation — directly over the active parking garage — we installed shoring in the basement to support the load, then brought in a crane to set the Fraco units on the garage roof. The third elevation required the crane again, this time placing equipment into a tight, confined space.

The common thread across all three was the Fraco ACT-8 platform. It gave us the speed of movement we needed to work efficiently at height, with the load capacity to handle whatever materials and equipment the job required.

None of that happens on the fly. Our team of skilled installers and access experts evaluates every site well before mobilization, working through the options until we find the right solution. On projects like this, we also rely on strong vendor partnerships—particularly with Fraco, whose team provided engineered solutions tailored to our specific circumstances. On this project, that included custom wall ties that allowed us to place anchors in the limited areas where we actually had space.

This is exactly why we push to fill our schedule early. When we have the time to plan — really plan — we're not reacting to problems on site. We've already solved them. The earlier a project lands on our calendar, the more time we have to coordinate with partners like Fraco, evaluate access challenges, and put the right solution in place before the first brick gets touched.

If you're scoping work for the upcoming season, now is the time to get those conversations started. The earlier we're involved, the better the outcome.

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