I don't do any building work at all until I've got unlimited food. Everyone is on research, apart from a part-time farmer. Once I get L2 in the faction I'll go for L2 restoration and train up every villager in building to at least trainee level. As each villager becomes 14 they are similarly trained in building.

In the same way as the previous two posters I delay completing the ROD and the rubble clearance to give them something to work on.