Assignment - Creating a WBS for the Construction of a House

Steve Rogers was busy making supper with his wife, Natasha, and they were discussing the house that they had decided to build. They had made the decision that Steve would act as the general contractor and oversee the building of their dream home. As neither Steve nor Natasha had ever worked in the construction business, this was going to be quite an undertaking. Natasha suggested that they could use an approach she had learned about in her MBA program called a work breakdown structure diagram; this would help them identify and organize the work that would have to be done.

After much discussion, Steve and Natasha decided that the construction process could be broken down into three major areas: Foundation, External, and Internal. Each of these could be broken down further into greater levels of detail. They decided that Foundation could be broken down into Excavate (pour concrete, cure forms), Framing (columns, beams, and joists); External could be broken down into Masonry (lay masonry, install roof drains, install tile, and roofing) and Landscaping (preparation, irrigation, and sodding); and Internal could be broken down into Electrical (rough-in, install, and HVAC), Plumbing (rough-in plumbing, set fixtures, and test / clean) and Finishes (paint walls, ceiling tile, hang wallpaper, carpet, and hardware).

Steve and Natasha realize that this may be an incomplete representation of the work that needs to be done, but feel that this is a good starting point.

Tasks:

1. Using Microsoft Word, create a work breakdown structure for the house build that contains at least three levels of detail. Be sure to use proper labeling and numbering.

2. Where can Steve and Natasha find additional information to help them develop a more complete WBS?