HusCompagniet uses LetsBuild to standardise processes and increase predictability

Established in 2010 with the merger of Interbyg and FM-Søkjær, HusCompagniet is a volume housebuilder based in Denmark. With 40 years of experience altogether, HusCompagniet has delivered more than 20,000 houses and operates in Denmark, Sweden, and Germany.

No basements or 3-storey houses

To HusCompagniet, it is extremely important to drive efficiency through standardising work processes. They do not build basements and 3-storey houses because of the complexity that would add. They have a standard structure but no two houses look the same because future homeowners are given a multitude of design and layout options to choose from.

“We know exactly what we do and what we don’t do. Some of the big construction companies are struggling because they do big swimming pools one day and one-family houses the other day but we have limited ourselves. We have architects in-house; we have engineers in-house. We sort of cover the whole value chain,” says Morten Chrone, Deputy Group CEO at HusCompagniet.

In the long run, we are estimating that we will save between 5 and 10 percent of the cost. So it’s substantial. We hope we can harvest that in the future.

Morten Chrone
Group COO, HusCompagniet

Subcontractors arriving on site in vain

HusCompagniet do not employ blue-collar workers but use external subcontractors with whom they have maintained a close working relationship for the past 10 years. In HusCompagniet’s experience, subcontractors will often arrive at the construction sites only to turn back as previous work has not been completed.

“Whenever the carpenter doesn’t show up, the next in line is going to be delayed as well. So there’s a lot of downtime. There’s a lot of waste in that industry. So by connecting them into one community, which we have done with LetsBuild’s product GenieBelt, they’re notifying each other. So at least they don’t need to drive to the building site and waste their time,” says Morten Chrone.

Working together using the live schedule in the GenieBelt product has made it possible for construction teams on site to know when and where to arrive.

Lack of collaboration with suppliers

At any given time, HusCompagniet has multiple suppliers visiting the construction site with their deliveries. Before LetsBuild’s product GenieBelt, the materials would often be delivered at the wrong times and left at random locations.

“We have multiple suppliers coming to the site. They drop supplies wherever they find space. Incorrect location of deliveries then causes confusion on site, reorders, waiting time, production and so on. This is a logistics issue and we have fixed that with LetsBuild,” says Morten Chrone.

With the plan updated in real time, subcontractors and suppliers know when to arrive on site and when to make deliveries. This collaborative approach of working helps HusCompagniet ensure that projects are finished on time, which is important as they are not paid by their customers until handover.

LetsBuild’s product Geniebelt brings efficiency gains through predictability

As a volume housebuilder, HusCompagniet has made a strategic decision to improve efficiency by standardising processes and increasing repeatability. In that way, they have created a well-oiled machine that delivers 6 to 7 houses daily. GenieBelt has helped to identify gaps in their work processes and drive process improvements.

“In the long run, we are estimating that we will save between 5 and 10 percent of the cost. So it’s substantial. We hope we can harvest that in the future,” says Morten Chrone.

With instant data capture from construction sites, HusCompagniet has a better understanding of what happens at the site level. By using LetsBuild’s on-site planning and progress reporting product Geniebelt, they have managed to push the responsibility for information sharing and reporting to the workers on site.

“When we use GenieBelt, it’s almost like we’re pushing the responsibility down to the people on site. So now, suddenly they are taking more responsibility, because they know if they don’t notify the next in line, the other team are going to turn up and waste their time. Now suddenly they feel more like a community, like they’re colleagues,” ends Morten Chrone.