As temperatures plummet and snow blankets the Durham Region, construction crews must adjust their operations and working schedules accordingly. To cope with the challenges, companies are often prepared in advance to ensure current and future projects move as smoothly as possible.
One company, in particular, shares its methods and plans regarding the requirements and steps taken to prepare employees, materials and equipment for the upcoming challenges of the season.
“The biggest challenge that we face is that everything freezes. Material and also your body,” said Roberto Conforti, 55, the business owner of Concrete Nation.
Conforti has been working in the construction industry since 1991, starting at the age of 22, before founding his own company in 2021. With over 30 years of experience in the field, he notes that delays are often unavoidable due to harsh temperatures and inconsistent weather patterns. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean the work needs to be put on hold.
“We schedule for a better day,” said Conforti when asked what would happen if the weather starts affecting the work environment. “I would call the site’s super and we have a talk on which days is going to be better for us to pour or to prep.”
Durham Region winters are generally cold, with the coldest days generally plunging between -15C to -20C, but they are milder compared to cities further north in Ontario. Mario Conforti, 23, who started working for his father’s company during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizes the extra care required for equipment and materials in winter conditions.
“There’s a lot more prep work that has to go during the winter time,” Mario said. “Based on my work, there’s a lot more preparation that goes on, such as pouring a basement floor, I have to close up all the windows, apply heat in the basements.”
Roberto also addressed the expenses related to concrete and the necessary additives during the season.
“They put additives in the concrete, which is called calcium,” he explained. “Plus, in the basements, they put heaters so the actual concrete doesn’t freeze. We tarp up the area that we’re supposed to work at and we put a heater in there. Sometimes the heater might stay up for twenty-four hours before I do anything or even thirty-six hours.”
Despite winter forcing construction companies to put more effort into their work compared to the summer seasons, they continue to keep operating their businesses. However, Conforti and his son agree that things do slow down during this time of the year.
“With the weather getting worse, I’m currently off right now,” said Mario. “I’m currently on a layoff because the work is so slow, because of the cold, and there’s not much work out there at the moment.”
Canadian winters present tough challenges for construction companies. Western Built Magazine, a publication specializing in industry insights, reports that winter projects can face cost overruns of 10 to 20 per cent due to heating, specialized materials and overtime labour.
Productivity can drop by up to 50 per cent in extreme cold, with shorter daylight hours further shrinking the workday and driving up costs for lighting and shift work.
As seen with Concrete Nation, businesses must adjust their schedules and take precautionary measures to protect materials and equipment from the cold. Although work slows down and delays are common, careful planning and adaptability are key to keeping projects on track.