THE TEAM 247 MANTRA
READ IT. USE IT. GET BETTER.
Key Numbers (Memorise These)
Baseline
10m per person per day. Minimum. Non-negotiable.
Demo cuts
Count 8 palings = 800mm. 3 cuts per 2.4m panel.
Rapid set
2L water per 20kg bag. Mix in hole.
Hole depth
1.2-1.8m fence = 600mm. 2.1m+ = 700mm. 200mm wide.
Caterpillar gap
10mm between rail leapfrogs. Always.
Colorbond rail span
1810mm outside-out. Sheet 1790 sits ~30mm INTO each rail channel (75%+). The 10mm at the back is clearance, not lap.
Timber 3-rail spacing
100 / 800 / 800 / 100mm.
Rail lengths
Oxworks 2400. Ourtown 2370. Timber 2390. Check docket.
Sleeper cut (Colorbond)
Rail length minus 20mm. Sits between posts.
Sleeper cut (Timber)
Post centre to post centre. Face-fixes.
Sleeper depth
20mm BELOW ground level. Buried. Low side in first.
Disposal $
Demo $350/t. Concrete $40/t. Green $80/t. DON'T MIX.
The 247 Way. All Principles
Question · Cut · Simplify · Speed · Tools
The Musk 5-step method. Order matters. Don't skip ahead.
10m baseline
10m per person per day. From today. Non-negotiable.
Anchors first. Then the line.
End posts → string → THEN intermediate posts. Get the order wrong and you'll move posts twice.
Rake the line. Don't step the fence.
Panels follow the slope. Looks better. Builds faster.
Plumb left-right. String does the rest.
Plumb across the fence. NOT in line direction. Two tools, two jobs.
Build it loose. Eye it. Then lock it.
LHS rail screws only. Sheets slotted. Walk both ends. THEN lock off.
Snug. Not tight.
Over-tightening kills it. Screws snug. Sheets lap tight. Gate closes gently.
Leave it better than we found it.
Customer judges us on what we LEFT BEHIND, not what we built.
Walk your own work first.
Before the Crumb List. Before the customer. Find it. Fix it.
No Crumb List = no invoice = no pay.
Office can't bill until you submit. Press the button.
Don't over-justify. Stay carefree.
Job went to plan. We're happy. Any questions ring the office.
5 minutes at the tailgate.
Daily Drill every day. Beats 5 hours of confusion tomorrow.
The Morning (Chapter 1)
Be early
5 mins before. Sort yourself in the ute. Knock at agreed time.
Park smart
Trailer close to where demo lands. Not the front of the house.
Kickoff: 4 roles
Front (door knock + 3 questions). Dilap. Tools. Demo prep. All in parallel.
Three questions
Power point. Tap. Toilet. Lock these in at the door.
Dilap
Photo every crack, pot, plant. Both sides. Upload to ServiceM8 with notes.
DBYD
Dial Before You Dig. 1100. Office books 5 working days ahead.
Utility colours
Orange power. Blue water. Yellow gas. Purple/white comms. Green sewer.
RCD board
No RCD = no power. No exceptions. Ring me if missing.
Variation?
Customer wants something not in the quote? RING ME. Don't agree on the spot.
Suppliers & Pickups
Ourtown
Colorbond. Working rail 2370mm (stock 2365).
Oxworks
Colorbond. Working rail 2410mm (stock 2400).
Bunnings
Daily bits, timber fence stuff, timber sleepers, rapid set when CB suppliers don't have it.
Pickup timing
Bunnings 6:30am. Ourtown/Oxworks 7am. Tip first? Call ahead so they don't pack up before you arrive.
Who orders
Tom, Te or Sarah. Day before. Small items can be pre-ordered or picked up.
Mid-job runs
Message Tom first. Think ahead. Snag anything else we need while you're there.
Demo (Chapter 2)
PPE always
Eyes. Ears. Gloves. Steel cap boots. No exceptions.
Recip blades
2-3 spares in the demo apron. Never the trailer.
800mm cuts
Count 8 palings. Cut. 3 cuts per panel. No measuring.
Cut between posts
Never INTO a post. Wrecks the blade and the hole.
Stack flip-and-interlock
Layer 1 rails UP. Layer 2 rails DOWN into the gaps. Alternate.
Two ratchet straps
Minimum. Every time. Even a 5-minute trip.
Same hole? Dig out.
Wet the ground 10 mins first. Crowbar + shovel + breaker.
Different spot? Cut flush.
50mm below ground. Cover with dirt. Customer can't see it.
Footing bigger than basketball?
STOP. Ring me. Could be retaining, gate motor, or load-bearing.
Concrete at the BACK
Always. Drops at concrete depot. $40/t separate vs $350/t mixed.
Install (Chapter 3). 12 Parts in Order
1. End posts in
Always first. Anchors the whole run.
2. Concrete posts
Rapid set bag-in-hole. 2L per 20kg bag.
3. Bottom string up
Walk it. Mark transitions. Sleeper zones.
4. Caterpillar set-out
Rails end-to-end, 10mm gaps. Spray post centres.
5. Bottom string OFF
Take it down. Dig middle post FIRST.
6. Both strings + eye-trick
Between 3 posts. Lift sag mentally. Tie off at middle.
7. Intermediate posts
From middle outwards. Two teams. Plumb LEFT-RIGHT only.
8. Sleepers in
Colorbond slots between, Timber face-fixes. Low side first.
9. Rails
Colorbond LHS-only screws. Timber both sides. Colt cut for cuts.
10. Sheets / palings
Colorbond hook trick L→R. Timber nail to string line.
11. Eye it. Lock it off.
Walk both ends. Adjust. THEN screw RHS + sheets.
12. Gates, capping, finish
Hinges first. Drop bolt + PVC sleeve. Latch last. Cap with sealant.
Pack-up & Handover (Chapter 4)
Site clean
Every screw. Paths swept. Driveway hosed. Plants tidy.
Walk YOUR work first
Before Crumb List. Before customer. Fix what you find.
Crumb List = invoice
14 items at crumblist.netlify.app. Submit triggers office to bill.
Photos to ServiceM8
Full coverage + key feature shots. Upload BEFORE leaving site.
Customer walk
If invested. Start at one end. Finish at the gate. Stay carefree.
Don't over-justify
"Job went to plan. We're happy." Same fence. Different memory.
Questions to OFFICE
"Great question. Give the office a ring." Stay in your lane.
Daily Drill. 4 columns
What worked. What didn't. Tomorrow. Charge & Check.
When to RING ME (Tommy)
Variation
Customer wants extras not in the quote. Don't agree on the spot.
Boundary unclear
No survey pegs. Neighbours not home. Old line ambiguous.
Hit a service
Pipe, cable, anything unexpected. STOP. Photo. Ring.
PPE missing
No glasses, no boots, no gloves. Don't crack on. Ring.
RCD board missing
Can't plug in. Ring.
Massive old footing
Bigger than a basketball. Could be retaining, gate motor, load-bearing.
Site different to quote
Extra height needed. Retaining wall in the way. Tree removal.
Customer demanding extras
Take ALL the green waste. Touch up paint. Anything not quoted.