Your team is handling the project scheduling for Acme Construction. Today you need to analyze some schedule information for a brick house that Acme will be building starting the first of next month in Dearborn. All activity relationships are Finish$-$to$-$Start. The sequence of activities and time estimates is as follows:

Activity ID Description Predecessor Estimated Duration $($in days$)$

a Start $0$

b Excavate and pour footers a $4$

c Pour concrete foundation b $2$

d Erect wooden frame including rough roof c $4$

e Lay brickwork d $6$

f Install basement drains and plumbing e $1$

g Pour basement floor f $2$

h Install rough plumbing f $3$

i Install rough wiring d $2$

j Install heating, ventilation and AC d$,$g $4$

k Hang dry wall, mud, tape and finish i$,$j$,$h $10$

l Lay unfinish hardwood flooring k $3$

m Install kitchen fixtures l $1$

n Install finish plumbing l $2$

o Finish carpentry l $3$

p Finish roofing and flashing o $2$

q Fasten gutters and downspouts p $1$

r Install French drain c $1$

s Sand and finish flooring o$,$t $2$

t Paint interior m$,$n $3$

u Finish electrical work t $1$

v Finish grading q$,$r $2$

w Pour walks and complete landscaping v $5$

z Finish s$,$u$,$w $0$

INSTRUCTIONS

Create a MS Word document to store your work including your diagram $($can be an attachment$)$ and your written answers.

Draw a network diagram $($using the Precedence Diagramming Method as shown below$)$ showing the ES$,$ EF$,$ LS$,$ LF dates assuming the project starts on the first of next month and observes a $5-$day work week. Include the activity ID and duration for each activity. You can draw the diagram in PowerPoint or on$-$paper and take a clear, readable picture with your phone. If using a different drawing package, convert your diagram to a $.$pdf for attachment to your MS Word document.

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Determine the critical path and mark it $($with thicker arrows$)$ on your diagram. What is the number of days in the critical path and the expected finish date?

If the actual duration of activities a to g is exactly the same as the planned duration but activity h$-$Rough Plumbing takes $2$ days instead of $1$ day, how will this impact the expected completion date of the project?

What is the free float of activity v$-$Finish Grading? How did you calculate this?

What is the total float of activity h$-$Rough Plumbing? How did you calculate this?

To shorten the project, the chief contractor on the project has suggested assigning more carpenters to activity d$.$ This would reduce the duration of task d from $4$ days to $2$ days. Will this help or not? How will it change the project schedule?

Part of the reason that task k takes $10$ days is because the drywall mud $($also called joint compound$)$ has to dry after it is applied before it can be sanded. The project could switch to a fast drying mud that would reduce the duration of task k by $2$ days for a new duration of $8$ days. But the fast dry mud will cost a extra $$500.$ Under what conditions would it make business sense to make the switch to fast drying mud?

What would the finish date be if using a $6-$day work week instead of a $5$ day work week?