diff --git a/sorc/build_all.sh b/sorc/build_all.sh
index bb3f5964b36..7d1a625be02 100755
--- a/sorc/build_all.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_all.sh
@@ -31,16 +31,16 @@ Usage: ${BASH_SOURCE[0]} [-a UFS_app][-c build_config][-d][-h][-j n][-v][-w]
     Build UFS-DA
   -v:
     Execute all build scripts with -v option to turn on verbose where supported
-  -w: 
-    Use unstructured wave grid 
+  -w:
+    Use unstructured wave grid
 EOF
   exit 1
 }
 
-script_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" &> /dev/null && pwd)
-cd "${script_dir}" || exit 1
+# shellcheck disable=SC2155
+readonly HOMEgfs=$(cd "$(dirname "$(readlink -f -n "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" )/.." && pwd -P)
+cd "${HOMEgfs}/sorc" || exit 1
 
-BUILD_TYPE="Release" # This is the default for all applications.
 _build_ufs_opt=""
 _build_ufsda="NO"
 _build_gsi="NO"
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ while getopts ":a:dghj:uvw" option; do
   case "${option}" in
     a) _build_ufs_opt+="-a ${OPTARG} ";;
     d) _build_debug="-d" ;;
-#       export BUILD_TYPE="Debug"
-#       ;;  
     g) _build_gsi="YES" ;;
     h) _usage;;
     j) _build_job_max="${OPTARG} ";;
@@ -75,24 +73,24 @@ done
 
 shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-logs_dir="${script_dir}/logs"
+logs_dir="${HOMEgfs}/sorc/logs"
 if [[ ! -d "${logs_dir}" ]]; then
   echo "Creating logs folder"
-  mkdir "${logs_dir}" || exit 1
+  mkdir -p "${logs_dir}" || exit 1
 fi
 
 # Check final exec folder exists
-if [[ ! -d "../exec" ]]; then
-  echo "Creating ../exec folder"
-  mkdir ../exec
+if [[ ! -d "${HOMEgfs}/exec" ]]; then
+  echo "Creating ${HOMEgfs}/exec folder"
+  mkdir -p "${HOMEgfs}/exec"
 fi
 
 #------------------------------------
 # GET MACHINE
 #------------------------------------
 export COMPILER="intel"
-source gfs_utils.fd/ush/detect_machine.sh
-source gfs_utils.fd/ush/module-setup.sh
+source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/detect_machine.sh"
+source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/module-setup.sh"
 if [[ -z "${MACHINE_ID}" ]]; then
   echo "FATAL: Unable to determine target machine"
   exit 1
@@ -203,12 +201,14 @@ while [[ ${builds_started} -lt ${#build_jobs[@]} ]]; do
       if [[ -n "${build_jobs[${build}]+0}" && -z "${build_ids[${build}]+0}" ]]; then
          # Do we have enough processors to run it?
          if [[ ${_build_job_max} -ge $(( build_jobs[build] + procs_in_use )) ]]; then
-            if [[ "${build}" != "upp" ]]; then
-               "./build_${build}.sh" -j "${build_jobs[${build}]}" "${build_opts[${build}]:-}" > \
-                  "${logs_dir}/build_${build}.log" 2>&1 &
-            else
+            if [[ "${build}" == "upp" ]]; then
                "./build_${build}.sh" "${build_opts[${build}]}" > \
                   "${logs_dir}/build_${build}.log" 2>&1 &
+            else  # not upp
+               # double-quoting build_opts here will not work since it is a string of options
+               #shellcheck disable=SC2086
+               "./build_${build}.sh" ${build_opts[${build}]:-} -j "${build_jobs[${build}]}" > \
+                  "${logs_dir}/build_${build}.log" 2>&1 &
             fi
             build_ids["${build}"]=$!
             echo "Starting build_${build}.sh"
diff --git a/sorc/build_gdas.sh b/sorc/build_gdas.sh
index 3b885079a49..80b66dcb345 100755
--- a/sorc/build_gdas.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_gdas.sh
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 set -eux
 
 OPTIND=1
+_opts="-f "  # forces a clean build
 while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
   case "${option}" in
-    d) export BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
-    j) export BUILD_JOBS=${OPTARG};;
-    v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
+    d) _opts+="-c -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug" ;;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS=${OPTARG};;
+    v) _opts+="-v ";;
     :)
       echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
       usage
@@ -19,12 +20,10 @@ while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
 done
 shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-# TODO: GDASApp does not presently handle BUILD_TYPE
-
-BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} \
-BUILD_VERBOSE=${BUILD_VERBOSE:-"NO"} \
+# double quoting opts will not work since it is a string of options
+# shellcheck disable=SC2086
 BUILD_JOBS="${BUILD_JOBS:-8}" \
 WORKFLOW_BUILD="ON" \
-./gdas.cd/build.sh
+./gdas.cd/build.sh ${_opts}
 
 exit
diff --git a/sorc/build_gfs_utils.sh b/sorc/build_gfs_utils.sh
index c33d63fb83c..e53f71ddcdf 100755
--- a/sorc/build_gfs_utils.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_gfs_utils.sh
@@ -18,14 +18,12 @@ EOF
   exit 1
 }
 
-cwd=$(pwd)
-
 OPTIND=1
 while getopts ":j:dvh" option; do
   case "${option}" in
-    d) export BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
-    v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
-    j) export BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
+    d) BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
+    v) BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
     h)
       usage
       ;;
@@ -44,6 +42,6 @@ shift $((OPTIND-1))
 BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} \
 BUILD_VERBOSE=${BUILD_VERBOSE:-"NO"} \
 BUILD_JOBS=${BUILD_JOBS:-8} \
-"${cwd}/gfs_utils.fd/ush/build.sh"
+"./gfs_utils.fd/ush/build.sh"
 
 exit
diff --git a/sorc/build_gsi_enkf.sh b/sorc/build_gsi_enkf.sh
index 27198488f8f..ba24cefa816 100755
--- a/sorc/build_gsi_enkf.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_gsi_enkf.sh
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ set -eux
 OPTIND=1
 while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
   case "${option}" in
-    d) export BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
-    j) export BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
-    v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
+    d) BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
+    v) BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
     :)
       echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
       usage
diff --git a/sorc/build_gsi_monitor.sh b/sorc/build_gsi_monitor.sh
index 5ed772fb158..31add1882a2 100755
--- a/sorc/build_gsi_monitor.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_gsi_monitor.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env bash
 set -eux
 
-cwd=$(pwd)
-
 OPTIND=1
 while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
   case "${option}" in
-    d) export BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
-    j) export BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
-    v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
+    d) BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
+    v) BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
     :)
       echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
       usage
@@ -24,6 +22,6 @@ shift $((OPTIND-1))
 BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} \
 BUILD_VERBOSE=${BUILD_VERBOSE:-"NO"} \
 BUILD_JOBS=${BUILD_JOBS:-8} \
-"${cwd}/gsi_monitor.fd/ush/build.sh"
+"./gsi_monitor.fd/ush/build.sh"
 
 exit
diff --git a/sorc/build_gsi_utils.sh b/sorc/build_gsi_utils.sh
index 249cdff264c..58c64e6e4a9 100755
--- a/sorc/build_gsi_utils.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_gsi_utils.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env bash
 set -eux
 
-cwd=$(pwd)
-
 OPTIND=1
 while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
   case "${option}" in
-    d) export BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
-    j) export BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
-    v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
+    d) BUILD_TYPE="Debug";;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
+    v) BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
     :)
       echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
       usage
@@ -25,6 +23,6 @@ BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} \
 BUILD_VERBOSE=${BUILD_VERBOSE:-"NO"} \
 BUILD_JOBS=${BUILD_JOBS:-8} \
 UTIL_OPTS="-DBUILD_UTIL_ENKF_GFS=ON -DBUILD_UTIL_NCIO=ON" \
-"${cwd}/gsi_utils.fd/ush/build.sh"
+"./gsi_utils.fd/ush/build.sh"
 
 exit
diff --git a/sorc/build_ufs_utils.sh b/sorc/build_ufs_utils.sh
index fe38e16670b..63ec56cb413 100755
--- a/sorc/build_ufs_utils.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_ufs_utils.sh
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ set -eux
 OPTIND=1
 while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
   case "${option}" in
-    d) export BUILD_TYPE="Debug" ;;
-    j) export BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
-    v) export BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
+    d) BUILD_TYPE="Debug" ;;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}";;
+    v) BUILD_VERBOSE="YES";;
     :)
       echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
       usage
@@ -19,13 +19,11 @@ while getopts ":j:dv" option; do
 done
 shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-script_dir=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")
-cd "${script_dir}/ufs_utils.fd" || exit 1
-
 CMAKE_OPTS="-DGFS=ON" \
+BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE:-"Release"} \
 BUILD_JOBS=${BUILD_JOBS:-8} \
 BUILD_VERBOSE=${BUILD_VERBOSE:-} \
-./build_all.sh
+./ufs_utils.fd/build_all.sh
 
 exit
 
diff --git a/sorc/build_upp.sh b/sorc/build_upp.sh
index 7d2e2b9175d..e217e171db5 100755
--- a/sorc/build_upp.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_upp.sh
@@ -7,24 +7,23 @@ cd "${script_dir}" || exit 1
 OPTIND=1
 _opts=""
 while getopts ":dj:v" option; do
-	case "${option}" in
-		d) _opts+="-d "
-                   export BUILD_TYPE="Debug" ;;
-		j) export BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}" ;;
-		v) _opts+="-v ";;
-		:)
-			echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
-			;;
-		*)
-			echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: Unrecognized option: ${option}"
-			;;
-	esac
+  case "${option}" in
+    d) _opts+="-d " ;;
+    j) BUILD_JOBS="${OPTARG}" ;;
+    v) _opts+="-v ";;
+    :)
+      echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: ${option} requires an argument"
+      ;;
+    *)
+      echo "[${BASH_SOURCE[0]}]: Unrecognized option: ${option}"
+      ;;
+  esac
 done
 shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
 # Check final exec folder exists
 if [[ ! -d "../exec" ]]; then
-  mkdir ../exec
+  mkdir -p ../exec
 fi
 
 cd ufs_model.fd/FV3/upp/tests
diff --git a/sorc/build_ww3prepost.sh b/sorc/build_ww3prepost.sh
index 4b9e2ef2650..5b527a16419 100755
--- a/sorc/build_ww3prepost.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_ww3prepost.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ cd "${script_dir}" || exit 1
 
 # Default settings
 APP="S2SWA"
-PDLIB="OFF" 
+PDLIB="OFF"
 
 while getopts ":j:a:dvw" option; do
   case "${option}" in
@@ -27,15 +27,15 @@ while getopts ":j:a:dvw" option; do
 done
 
 # Determine which switch to use
-if [[ "${APP}" == "ATMW" ]]; then 
+if [[ "${APP}" == "ATMW" ]]; then
   ww3switch="model/esmf/switch"
-else 
-  if [[ "${PDLIB}" == "ON" ]]; then 
+else
+  if [[ "${PDLIB}" == "ON" ]]; then
     ww3switch="model/bin/switch_meshcap_pdlib"
-  else 
+  else
     ww3switch="model/bin/switch_meshcap"
-  fi 
-fi 
+  fi
+fi
 
 # Check final exec folder exists
 if [[ ! -d "../exec" ]]; then
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ sed -e "s/DIST/SHRD/g"\
        "${path_build}/tempswitch" > "${path_build}/switch"
 rm "${path_build}/tempswitch"
 
-echo "Switch file is ${buildswitch} with switches:" 
+echo "Switch file is ${buildswitch} with switches:"
 cat "${buildswitch}"
 
 #define cmake build options
diff --git a/ush/module-setup.sh b/ush/module-setup.sh
index e204bae8a23..008ef7ee972 100755
--- a/ush/module-setup.sh
+++ b/ush/module-setup.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -u
 
-source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/detect_machine.sh" 
+source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/detect_machine.sh"
 
 if [[ ${MACHINE_ID} = jet* ]] ; then
     # We are on NOAA Jet
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ elif [[ ${MACHINE_ID} = "noaacloud" ]]; then
     export SPACK_ROOT=/contrib/global-workflow/spack-stack/spack
     export PATH=${PATH}:${SPACK_ROOT}/bin
     . "${SPACK_ROOT}"/share/spack/setup-env.sh
-    
+
 else
     echo WARNING: UNKNOWN PLATFORM 1>&2
 fi