Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Getting things done

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 8/22/2003 12:49 PM, "Cheryl Charis-Graves" <ccharis [at] earthlink.net> 
wrote:

> Time from identification of problem to repair: 6 weeks
> Number of comm'ty people involved in repair: 7
> Number of communication "exchanges" to accomplish repair: estimate 20-30,
> including phone, email, in person
> Comm'ty person hours consumed: about 8, spread out among several people
> Electrician's hours: (bill not received yet) < 2 hours @ $65/hr

This is a very nice breakdown of time required to do a fairly simple repair.
Thank you for taking the time to do this.

I think it would add up to more far more than 8 hours, however. We far
underestimate how much time all the consultations between people take. The 8
hours would have been consumed the physical investigation of the circuit
breakers and crawling through ceilings. Each of the communications would
also take time -- I figure each one takes minimum of 15-30 minutes because
they interrupt what I'm already doing and it takes time to get back to work.
(Another email follows on this.

Without looking at our "official" list of things that need to be done to
maintain our 43 unit "condo" in good repair, this process would put us in
the dust and bankrupt if it is followed on each item (and at the moment it
is). An excellent example in my view of why we all feel so tired and
frustrated. (And blame consensus.)

I would have just checked the light bulbs and then called an electrician.
Preferably one our Board had already approved but failing that I would get a
recommendation from our neighborhood email list, call to check to be sure
they are licensed and insured (which most homeowners don¹t care about), call
to make an appointment -- 30-60 minutes over 2 days. One person.

Perhaps the lack of preparatory exploration would have cost another hour of
work by the electrician but usually electricians figure this stuff out much
faster than non-electricians. In any case, the additional $65 would have
been worth it.

But the sum total if you just called an electrician might be 4 hours of
work, 1 for the work arranger and 3 by the electrician, and 2-3 emails to
let the community know what was going on instead of 8+ hours, 7-8 people,
and 20-30 exchanges.

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

 

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