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HEADLINES ADDED: March 31, 2008
I-35W Bridge Collapse - Week 33
The National Transportation Safety Board released photographs of the I-35W bridge from 2003 that showed at least two bent gusset plates located in the bridge’s connecting beams. NTSB investigators believe the gusset plates ...... Read More
Public Seminar Schedule for Spring, 2008 - Stevens Construction Institute, Inc.
Public Seminar Schedule.pdf... Read More
National Trade Contractors Coalition of Canada adopts Vancouver Regional Construction Association’s best-practices guide
The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) best-practices guide for trade contractors has gone national.... Read More
The Lighter Side
Contractor's Definitions: Government Contractor: A gambler who never gets to cut, shuffle or deal the cards. Bid Opening: A poker game in which the losing hand wins Low Bidder: A contractor who wonders what he or she left out of their bid Engineer's Estimate: The cost of construction in Heaven Project Manager: The conductor of an orchestra in which every muscian is in a different union Critical Path Method Scheduling: A managment technique for losing your shirt under perfect control Strike: An effort to increase golden egg production by... Read More
Repose and Limitations Periods
Time deadlines are clearly an important part of construction claims. Additionally, States impose limitations and repose periods on the time frame to bring a legal action. The difference between a repose period and a limitations period is that the repose period begins to run from a specific envent set forth in a statute, such as completion of the work. Furthermore, the statute of limitations can bar a claim even if the repose period has not expired. Likewise the repose period can bar a claim even if the limitations period... Read More
Appeal of Administrative Agency's Decision Affirmed
On January 7, 2008, Michael W. Siri successfully argued on behalf of a firm client – a construction bonding agent – in a case that concerned the issuance and servicing of construction bonds for a Federal project. The Baltimore City Circuit Court upheld the decision of the Maryland Insurance Commissioner that the firm’s client had not acted fraudulently when it obtained or serviced the bonds. Vincent M. Guida wrote the brief and Matt Hjortsberg tried the case before the Office of Administrative Hearings.... Read More
Qatar construction group floats on AIM
Qatar construction group Panceltica today becomes the biggest company to list on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) this year.... Read More
Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 14th Edition with CD
By AIA. Wiley and Sons. Price: $250. Publish Date: 03/2008... Read More
World's tallest tower planned for Saudi Arabia
Plans for a mile-high tower near the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah have been unveiled by the billionaire owner of London's Savoy Hotel.... Read More
Thousands of new homes planned for countryside
Thousands of low-cost homes are being planned for the English countryside, in what would be the biggest rural housebuilding programme in a generation.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 30, 2008
£11.5m Rochdale bus station out to tender
Tenders are due to go out this autumn for a scheme to build a new £11.5m bus station in Rochdale, now that the government has stumped up £10m towards the project.... Read More
Benford's Law
A practical law also called the first digit law, first digit phenomenon, or leading digit phenomenon. Benford's law states that in listings, tables of statistics, etc., the digit 1 tends to occur with probability, much greater than the expected 11.1% (i.e., one digit out of 9). Benford's law can be observed, for instance, by examining tables of logarithms and noting that the first pages are much more worn and smudged than later pages (Newcomb 1881). While Benford's law unquestionably applies to many situations in the real world, a satisfactory... Read More
The Best Industry in the United States
My child is in college. She is starting to ask about industries and careers. Olivia has made me think further about what construction contracting has to offer her. I have concluded it is the best career a young person could choose. You may not believe it, but the facts will show our business is unmatched. It offers participants long term tangible benefits. However, many people will argue that point. Let me show you the many virtues our industry has. You be the judge. The Industry is Not Going Away... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 29, 2008
Internal Control: A Preventive Maintenance Program
You read about this in every newspaper in every town in the entire country: Some bookkeeper, trusted by the owner of a small business, embezzles thousands of dollars. If the theft doesn't put owner out of business, it certainly causes a major headache.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 28, 2008
Government set cowboy builders in its sights
The government is planning a major crackdown on cowboy builders under proposals revealed by Housing Minister Caroline Flint today.... Read More
DeWalt Blueprint Reading Professional Reference
By Paul Rosenberg. Delmar Publishers. Price: $19.95. Publish Date: 04/2006... Read More
New York Expands Oversight of Tower Cranes
Until further notice, a Buildings Department inspector must be present on a construction site whenever a tower crane is raised or lowered in New York City.... Read More
Make sure everything is in order BEFORE you start the job . . .
Got a phone call recently from a contractor doing a job in the $150K range. Everything is fine, contract signed, and the job is going great. Problem was he asked for his down payment (after the job started) and the owner said, “Well, ummm, the bank hasn’t approved the loan yet.” I told him to shut that job down right away. Or sooner. The longer he works, the more money he has to lose if he isn’t paid. He can explain to the owner the job will start again... Read More
Twenty Large Upcoming Retail and Hotel Construction Projects – March 2008
The accompanying table shows 10 of the largest upcoming retail construction projects in the U.S. and 10 of the largest hotel projects. They are all in the planning stage and are mainly new projects, but may also involve additions and/or alterations. Shopping centers, hotels, office buildings, medical buildings, educational buildings, libraries and museums, sports and entertainment complexes, industrial projects and government buildings will all be covered on a rotating basis.... Read More
Crane Training Vital for Safety, ASSE Member Says
Coinciding with the recent fatal crane incidents in New York City and Miami, American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) member and certified crane operator trainer Greg Peters noted that to avoid fatalities and injuries involving cranes and derricks, crane operators must receive comprehensive training and should be required to obtain national certification.... Read More
Foundation Engineering, 1st Edition
By Robert Day. McGraw Hill Book Company. Price: $120. Publish Date: 11/2005... Read More
Environmental Engineering Solved Problems, 2nd Edition
By R. Wane Schneiter. Professional Publications. Price: $80. Publish Date: 06/2006... Read More
Buildingtalk busiest ever week with 75,134 visitors
Buildingtalk had its busiest ever week with 75,134 visitors accessing 412,328 pages on the website in the last seven days, giving an annual visitor rate of over 4 million. We also passed another milestone with the 25,000th story being added to the site on Thursday. This happened to be a drywall technology story about [...]... Read More
Streamline Your Website Pages
Squeezing the most efficient performance from your web pages is important. The benefits are universal, whether the site is personal or large and professional.... Read More
Cream of the Cropp
“Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better. Just having satisfied customers isn’t good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans.” — from the book Raving Fans, by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles... Read More
Inventory of U.S. Housing at 9.9 Months
The U.S. housing market is well-captured in the three graphs that accompany this report. Success has been achieved in lowering the number of unsold homes. The problem, however, has been with respect to sales, which are down even more. Sales of new single-family homes were -2.8% month to month and -33.9% year over year in the latest month. As a result, the number-of-months inventory (i.e., number of unsold homes divided by the monthly sales rate) has kept on climbing. It now stands at 9.9 months.... Read More
Virtual Construction - Part 1
We are at the age of Virtual Construction. If you are younger, you are not surprised. You suspected that computers were a "solution looking for a problem" for many years. Why shouldn't you have seen and believed this. Computers work at the speed of light. They can process billions of pieces of information and the cost of this is more reasonable than ever. It is interesting to note that Virtual Construction marries one of the oldest businesses with one of the newest business trends. This marriage has the possibility... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 27, 2008
Cool, Calm, Protected
HVAC product warranties bring peace of mind to customers, but must be explained and managed correctly. Contractors, manufacturers, and a waranty provider offer commentary on the benefits and caveats of extended product warranties.... Read More
A different kind of rock garden
The Chicago Tribune recently ran a fun article on using concrete in your garden. It touts decorative concrete for use in large or small garden projects, and talks about concrete’s versatility andlongevity. Have you seen an increase in customer requests for outdoor decorative concrete applications in gardens, outdoor kitchens and the like?... Read More
CanaData’s Latest Square Footage Forecasts – March 2008
The accompanying table shows CanaData’s latest square footage forecasts for ICI (industrial, commercial and institutional) construction in Canada, by region, out to 2010. The 2008 commercial starts figure has been bumped up a bit since the last forecast in January and institutional starts have been cut by the same amount. The net result leaves the total square footage forecast for 2008 at 79.5 million, down from 89.1 in 2007. A further decline is expected in 2009 (73.0 million) before recovery in 2010 (76.5 million).... Read More
Tower-Crane Fears Drive Regulations
Miami-Dade County commissioners reacted quickly after the March 15 crane collapse in New York City, passing strict rules for crane erection and inspection.... Read More
U.S. “Real” Retail Sales are in Decline
The current malaise in retail sales is part of the general weakness that will hold down consumer spending in the first half of this year. In turn, consumer spending is the major sub-component (about 70%) of total U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As for the non-residential construction sector, the outlook for the total economy impacts on the confidence to proceed with investment plans. At the moment, that confidence factor is being put to the test.... Read More
Builders Find Custom Installers’ Work to Be Most Satisfying
Builders get the most satisfaction from working with custom installers than with any other type of contractor, outpacing security installers, electrical contractors, retailers and utilities.... Read More
Construction industry listens to London mayoral candidates
Developers and industry bosses gathered to hear what changes London’s mayoral candidates have planned for the construction industry at a forum held this morning.... Read More
Six things you need to know about construction insurance
Arranging risk and insurance cover can be daunting for the construction industry, with many variables to consider. David Johnson and Andreas Dracoulis of Boodle Hatfield's construction team answer the key insurance law questions.... Read More
Miami Crane Collapse Kills 2, Injures 5
A 20-foot section of a crane fell 30 stories in Miami on March 25, killing two construction workers and injuring five others.... Read More
How to Expand a Builder-based Business
When marketing to builders, you don’t always need the level of brand identification and marketing materials that you need to establish trust and credibility with end-users.... Read More
Polygon Homes’ Branches condo project takes root in Lynn Valley
The owner and general contractor of Branches, a $22-million condo project in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver, is Polygon Homes Ltd.... Read More
For Sale: Reclaimed Wastewater
It is not a news flash that there has been a drought in North Carolina and many other regions in the country. Construction companies use a great deal of water, so the drought conditions and water restrictions have been a challenge to many contractors working in drought areas. According to an ENR Digital Wire report on February 3, 2008, Union County outside of Charlotte, NC is offering relief at $1.82 per 1,000 gallons of water as long as you don’t drink it.The Monroe Water Resources Department will be selling... Read More
Nonresidential Construction Economic Environment Begins to Weaken
The economic environment has soured quickly for commercial buildings. While the latest reading on rental rate trends in positive, this is lagging 4th quarter data. The only other positive market driver is the declining 10-year T-Bill rate, the benchmark for commercial loans. But at this point in the cycle, lowering credit costs is like pushing on a string — nothing happens at the other end of the string. Cheaper credit will help the market return to growth, albeit modest, at the end of the year but now the weak... Read More
PFI road deals worth £1.2bn get green light
A trio of local authority Private Finance Initiative roads maintenance deals in Hounslow, the Isle of Wight and Sheffield worth a total of £1.2bn have been given the green light.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 26, 2008
Next Saturday with Michael
Last Saturday morning, Dan Baumann and I hosted a free online discussion on the topic of “It’s Not All Doom and Gloom”, looking at what is actually occurring in the construction industry and what you can do to help your business survive. We had over 80 contractors attend. Next Saturday, March 29, we will be hosting a follow-up discussion. Topics include: Overview of construction industry trends Polling questions & discussion Cost cutting measures you can make right now Some hot marketing tips you can use in your company Interview... Read More
New Home Builders Moving into Remodeling
In the last few days, I have had a number of new homebuilders call and ask about switching their business to remodeling. “Can we do it?” If you know me, you know I am normally not in favor of new homebuilders trying to get into remodeling. They are two very different enterprises. New homes are a product, new homebuilders operate a “factory in a field”. Remodeling is a service business, relationships take center stage when you are working in someone’s home. Remodeling requires handholding. But the reality is that... Read More
Metal Roof and Wall Panels
Today’s building owners are looking for ways to reduce energy costs, manage maintenance and life-cycle costs, and increase the value of their properties. Metal roof and wall systems are becoming an important part of each of these goals.... Read More
Tennessee Tightens Belt, Squeezes School Construction
Facing a $212-million funding gap, Gov. Bredesen freezes construction at state universities.... Read More
Preventing a homebuilder’s woe: water intrusion
Find out what water intrusion means to your business and why every builder should take steps to prevent it.... Read More
Two construction workers killed in US crane collapse
Two construction workers were killed and four people injured when a crane collapsed and smashed into a home in Miami yesterday.... Read More
Another Crane Collapse
On the same day that New York City came out with a requirement that contractors may no longer raise or lower large cranes on construction sites unless a buildings inspector is present another crane collapsed in Miami. Two workers where killed and several others where injured when the 14,000 pound crane plummeted to the ground. As of now, there is no known cause for why the crane failed. Winds where said to have been gusty but it is not known what, if any, cause this may have had. Add... Read More
Attitude Improvement for the Construction Industry
For basketball fans, it’s March Madness again. But for some in the construction industry, there is a different kind of madness going around, an attitude that says, “It’s no use. The housing market is going to pot, and so will my business.” It isn’t true. Many contractors are busy and making good money, it’s all in your attitude. Michael will be leading a free one-hour “attitude adjustment” webinar this Saturday morning specifically for those in the construction industry. If you aren’t familiar with webinars, all you need is a... Read More
Building Sector Needs Reeducation
Tall-building designers say their pursuit of sustainable high-rises is stymied by a dearth of performance metrics to validate their green-building system modeling.... Read More
Construction Spending Decline Accelerates
January’s 1.7% fall in construction spending was accompanied by revisions for December and November totaling 2.0%. Construction spending declined..... Read More
Conexpo 2008 exclusive: Moxy displays revised AB510 dump truck
Having considered the customer feedback from Bauma on its AB510 rigid dump truck, Moxy displayed an updated version of the machine at Conexpo. Gone are the angular lines and red paint and in come much smoother and more modern lines along with a yellow livery.... Read More
ASHRAE Handbook: Fundamentals 2005 SI Units (Includes CD with dual units)
By ASHRAE. American Society for Heating & Air Conditioning. Price: $195. Publish Date: 06/2005... Read More
Recession Probability Over 50%
The probability of a recession this year is now more than 50%. The last straw was the latest weak jobs and construction spending reports. Both were the weakest since 2003 and both were accompanied by downward revisions for recent months.... Read More
The recession has begun
The 63,000 job decline in February on top of a 22,000 drop in January is too large to be offset by the improving trade balance so expect a small first quarter decrease in GDP and almost certainty a further decline in the spring. The consequence for construction is…... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 25, 2008
Innovating Collaboration: Making Thinking Visible in Business
A Design Thinking coach and professional speaker shares how teams in business and non-profits can work together more closely without the usual stress and misunderstandings by using a component of Design Thinking called Making Thinking Visible.... Read More
Piling - All You Need to Know?
An overview of piling, how it's done, why and where, details of materials and techniques used to install piles for housing developers and other construction projects.... Read More
Construction Start Totals See Consecutive Months of Decline
Reed Construction Data announced today that the value of construction starts declined again in February 2008, continuing a trend of ebbing construction start totals that began in October and is likely to continue through much of 2008.... Read More
Duo-Fast
See if your flooring contractor's aim is true with the SureShot Engineered Wood Flooring Tool... Read More
Housing Market Appears to be Stabilizing
February existing home sales are up 2.4% from December and February housing starts are 6.5% above December although both housing permits and new home sales are still declining early in 2008. ... Read More
National Green Building Standard Almost Ready
In a previous posting we discussed the new green building standard being developed jointly by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the International Code Council (ICC) and the NAHB Research Center. The new standard is intended to be seamlessly incorporated into existing building codes, thereby providing a code-based standard for jurisdictions considering mandatory green building requirements. In contrast to currently existing green building rating systems (e.g., LEED), the proposed standard specifically addresses multi-family development and construction.The NAHB, ICC and NAHB Research Center have developed the National Green Building... Read More
High Performing Contractor - Mar 2008
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER March 2008 Leadership – customers George Hedley owner of Hedley Construction writes about leaders who make customers a priority: I have some deep concerns about the future of your company, the management team you have assembled and your leadership. Your business is not growing for one reason: You and your management team are not making customer relationships, selling and creating new revenue a priority." This is the opening to a letter I recently sent to a start-up company I invested in. I wanted to get... Read More
Shaylor buys John Davies Interiors
Shaylor, the Midlands construction group, has bought John Davies Interiors (JDI). JDI has a £13m-a-year turnover. It is based in Oldbury and specialising in interior fit-outs, its clients including Wickes and Deloitte & Touche.... Read More
Case law analysis: Power to omit work and termination for convenience
Gary Peters discusses powers of omission and termination for convenience.... Read More
Technical Details: Tile Roof Repair
Tile roof application is prominent in residential construction in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the United States. Tiles provide significant advantages on steep-slope applications. They provide distinctive architectural aesthetics because of their color, texture and the play of light and shadow. They are naturally fire-resistant. Other distinct advantages include durability and longevity. They are able to withstand harsh environments and, when properly maintained, could provide 50 to 100 years of service life.... Read More
Insurance Matters
A critical yet sometimes overlooked factor in determining a contractor’s insurance premium is his or her own loss experience. Particularly in the world of workers’ compensation insurance, premiums are greatly affected by the frequency and severity of losses. For the insurer to properly assign premiums versus potential risk, they look to compare the individual contractor’s loss experience to those performing similar types of work. Simply put, the Experience-Rating Modifier (ERM) is computed as a factor of the insured’s own loss experience that is used to modify the standard premium.... Read More
"Standing Novation", The Daily Deal, February 8, 2008
A government contractor participating in an acquisition transaction must comply with both commercial and government-specific regulations. And there are numerous issues unique to government contractors that threaten a successful closing. If not identified or mitigated in a timely fashion, a contractor might unknowingly assume liabilities or fail to consummate the deal altogether. One issue involves the transfer of government contracts, which generally requires the government's consent, or a "novation." If the contractor does not novate the contract in accordance with designated rules, a buyer faces the possibility that its... Read More
Queen opens Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5
On Friday the Queen opened Heathrow Airport’s controversial GBP4.3bn Terminal 5 in a ceremony involving hundreds of airport and construction workers. This comes ahead of the opening for business on 27 March. The building itself, designed by Richard Rogers, features a number of new technologies which we have reported on previously in Buildingtalk. For example, [...]... Read More
How to Read Market Data During a Cyclical Turning Point
Construction and macroeconomic data reports are hard to interpret properly at any time but they are potentially more misleading in the neighborhood of a cyclical turning point such as we are now experiencing as the broad economy settles into a slowdown/recession and later, probably late this year, transitions back to another period of accelerating growth. This is unfortunate because....... Read More
Harjim Industrial Services on the job at Pacific Sport Institute
Workers with Marjim Industrial Services put the finishing touches on some steel columns on the west side of the gym at the Pacific Sport Institute project at Camosun College’s Interurban campus on the outskirts of Victoria.... Read More
Three Remain Missing After Manhattan Crane Collapse
A retired contractor complained to city building officials days before the collapse that he believed the crane was not properly braced, but an inspector visited and said it met regulations, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.... Read More
Parkside Victoria Resort and Spa
Two construction workers focus on rebar during the construction of the Parkside Victoria Resort and Spa on Humboldt Street in downtown Victoria.... Read More
Architecture and the University: Inventing Something Bold and Reinventing the Old
Separate items reported on January 28 in The Chronicle of Higher Education reflect the range of architectural and construction opportunities on today's college campus. At a recent Yale University symposium entitled “Building the Future: the University as Architectural Patron,” speakers promoted innovation and advocated that a campus should consider its physical place in the broader community with “lively, informed discourse about architecture and its role.” See here.The presentations, of course, included the MIT professor "who is partly responsible for two of the most striking and controversial buildings of the... Read More
Too much celebrating?
Alleging serious design and construction defects in its Stata Center, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology just sued two heavyweights: Frank Gehry's firm, Gehry Partners, based in L.A., and Skanska. The Stata Center opened to much acclaim in 2004, when Mr. Gehry observed that "it looks like a party of drunken robots got together to celebrate." Three years later, there's a lot of finger pointing going on. Not surprisingly, Gehry claims that "the issues are fairly minor" and that MIT's value engineering is to blame, while Skanska alleges that Gehry... Read More
THE EASIEST WAY TO KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS
Are you one of those contractors who believe that if you service a customer once and do a great job, they’ll remember you forever? I wish that was true. Instead, studies show that 55% of the customers you lose leave you because you paid them no attention.... Read More
City of New Westminster, architect Eric Pattison pick up 2008 Green Building award
The city of New Westminster’s new Combined Sewer Overflow Operations Building earned the Green Building award in the B.C. Wood Design category from the Canadian Wood Council. The structure is located on the north Bank of the Fraser River and is a one-storey, 259-square metre structure occupying a previously vacant sawmill brownfield site.... Read More
GreenWorks supplies contractors, architects and designers with green building materials
If the green building movement is going to work, products that carry the concept into the marketplace need to become readily available to contractors, subcontractors, interior designers and architects looking for alternate choices. That’s the reason why Simon Fraser University-graduated environmental planners Alastair Moore and Peter McGee opened a wholesale-retail outlet, GreenWorks Building Supplies in Vancouver.... Read More
National Association Of Realtors Reports 2.9% Increase In Existing Home Sales
Today, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that sales of existing homes increased in February, offering a ray of hope to the besieged residential market. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun commented on the data, saying “the latest reading on home sales further confirms stabilizing trends.” February saw existing home sales increase 2.9 percent and break the 5 million unit pace (seasonally adjusted annual rate). While sales are still down significantly from first quarter 2007, Yun says “the relationship between home prices, interest rates and income has improved to the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 24, 2008
Conexpo 2008 exclusive: Topcon's 3D-MC2 speeds up grading
Machine control specialist Topcon had a host of new products on display at Conexpo, perhaps the most exciting being its 3D-MC² system, which is said to make grading with a dozer twice as fast and twice as accurate.... Read More
Conexpo 2008 exclusive: Case launches 14 new products
There were some 14 new products on the Case stand although none are destined for the UK. Key highlights from a European perspective were the TX1055, the fourth of Case’s telehandlers to be upgraded.... Read More
Pay Attention to Your Female Homebuyer
If you're in a construction or building related field, paying attention to the needs of women consumers may be one of the critical ingredients in your future success.... Read More
2008 International Roofing Expo Wrap-Up
It seemed that green products took center stage and solar applications provided the spotlight as more than 9,000 industry professionals converged on the Las Vegas Convention Center Feb. 21-23 for the International Roofing Expo. There were 442 exhibiting companies and 1,060 booths in 106,000 net square feet of space in the exhibit hall. At press time, final verified attendance numbers were not available, but preliminary numbers indicate that attendance was flat from last year’s record-breaking number of 9,020.... Read More
Application of Mechanic's Liens: Removable Machines
Maryland's highest court recently held that Maryland's Mechanic's lien laws apply to immobile but ultimately removable machines. In this case, the Court held that the contractor who constructed a dredge for a sand and gravel pit could lien the dredge. The Court drew a distinction between machines that were ultimately movable in use versus those that are merely removable. The court concluded that those machines that are movable in use are not subject to mechanic's liens whereas those that are merely removable are lienable. In this case, the Court... Read More
Construction Spending Decline Accelerates
January’s 1.7% fall in construction spending was accompanied by revisions for December and November totaling 2.0%. Construction spending declined..... Read More
New Contractor Tool Trailers Make a Better Alternative to the Average Truck Body
All Pro's new line of Tool Trailers are designed to increase Contractors efficiency and productivity by becoming a professional rolling work shop.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 23, 2008
New Contractor Tool Trailers Make a Better Alternative to the Average Truck Body
All Pro's new line of Tool Trailers are designed to increase Contractors efficiency and productivity by becoming a professional rolling work shop.... Read More
Piling - All You Need to Know?
An overview of piling, how it's done, why and where, details of materials and techniques used to install piles for housing developers and other construction projects.... Read More
ODA selects Olympic Park design team
A team of LDA Design and Hargreaves Associates has been selected by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to design the Olympic Park for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.... Read More
Waywell Development’s Radius project incorporates sustainable technology
Radius is a $165 million project that includes 111 condominiums in two buildings of seven and 14 storeys, a commercial section of 16,000 square feet, a private university campus for University Canada West, a 14-storey office tower and a child-care centre for 36 children.... Read More
Construction Material Costs Hardly Budge in Latest Quarter
The increase in RSMeans’ January 2008 Construction Cost Index (CCI) was 3.6% versus January 2007. The total CCI is based on a national 30-city average. Included with this report are charts showing the year-over-year results, back to January 1999, for 49 major cities in the United States. The annualized change in total material costs in the latest quarter was only +0.4%. The latest annualized change in labor costs was +3.5%, a figure that has not changed much over the last several quarters.... Read More
Green Building is killing birds at Emory University
Reflective glass on the Mathematics and Science building at Emory University is so attractive that dozens of birds confuse the view, smashing into the panes during migratory season. The problem is not unique to Emory, however. "Turns out, environmentally friendly buildings are often bird killers. Ornithologist Daniel Klem, a professor at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania who has studied the problem for decades, said between 100 million and 1 billion birds die in the United States each year in collisions with glass," as reported in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The story... Read More
Buildings Inspector Arrested for Falsifying Crane Inspection
The City of New York Department of Investigation (DOI) announced the arrest of a Department of Buildings (DOB) inspector for allegedly lying about making a March 4 inspection of the crane that later collapsed on the city’s east side, killing six construction workers and one visitor.... Read More
Council to Hold High-Rise Construction Site Safety Hearing in April
In response to the fatal March 15 crane accident in Midtown Manhattan, the New York City Council will hold an April 29 hearing to examine whether the city’s crane regulations are sufficient for ensuring the safety of both workers and pedestrians.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 22, 2008
Market strong in weak economy
If you’re concerned about the economy and how it’s going to impact your business, I have two suggestions. First, check out the Editorial in the February issue of Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction. Then, amp up your marketing efforts. Businesses, large and small, are notorious for slashing marketing budgets in times when the economy might be — or is — heading south. But PR and marketing firms - who, granted, have a vested interest in your marketing expenses — say that’s the time to ratchet up your marketing efforts, not... Read More
CT ABC Awards Dinner
The Associated Builders and Contractors of Connecticut held the 6th annual Excellence in Construction Awards ceremony and dinner on January 24, 2008. More than 700 attended the event at the Aquaturf ...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 21, 2008
Universal Wrecking Corp. Completed Technical Interior & Exterior Demolition Project
Universal Wrecking Corp., a building demolition contractor company providing nationwide demolition and salvage services, recently completed a very technical interior demolition / equipment salvage project that also included exterior demolition of a tank farm and associated piping, pipe bridges and concrete stantions and pads.... Read More
Build Northwest Awards
The Inland Northwest AGC presented the 2007 Build Northwest Awards for project excellence in January during its annual convention at the Davenport Hotel.... Read More
More marketing… that doesn’t cost much
At least one blog reader, a caller, and a contractor who dropped me an e-mail agree with the previous post that the way to deal with a tough economy is to increase your marketing efforts — so I’m not alone on this! The most-common “reason” contractors give for cutting back on marketing efforts is to save money, and the first thing we need to do is get over that. Marketing is an investment in your company and your future, and when looked at that way it might be a... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #16 Nov 2006
***************** Attack the Waste of Transportation This is the waste of moving materials or goods. Though often necessary, any time material or tools are moved it does not usually add value. In construction unless one is able to fabricate while transporting the material to the job, nothing is changed during the movement to add value. Sometimes the material is damaged while being transported, resulting in more waste. Transportation waste happens when we move material around the shop; when we load it on the truck or trailer; when we haul... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #18 - January 2007
Lean & 5S' in Construction - Newsletter #18 - January 2007 ***************** Attack Waste of Over Processing OVER-PROCESSING: This waste happens when there are unnecessary or extra steps in the process or if steps that do not create value. The more steps in any process, the more chances for mistakes in processing. In construction this waste includes over-engineering, having to have someone’s’ signature on a requisition, multiple handling of timesheets, duplicate entries on forms or data-entry fields, and getting double and triple estimates from suppliers. Over-processing is caused by... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #19 Feb 2007
Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #19 February 2007 Attack the Waste of Motion MOTION: Employees moving around do not add value and is waste. These ‘treasure hunts’ happen when we store material away from the job or when workers must go looking for tools, material or information. Treasure hunts happen in the office, when we are looking for files, reports, reference books, current drawings, contracts or vendor catalogues. Poor planning and organization often cause this waste. It happens because we don’t have a designated place for everything. A... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #20 March 2007
Lean & 5S's in Construction Newsletter #20 March, 2007 This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share - please contact me. Keep it Simple Some suggestions on the how to do the 5S’s and keep it simple: “Whatever you do, don't seal it in the concrete, as you have to improve it as soon as you've implemented it! Better stick tapes than paint lines, Better use movable... Read More
Public Seminar Schedule for Spring, 2008 - Stevens Construction Institute, Inc.
Public Seminar Schedule.pdf... Read More
Construction Fieldbook Common OSHA Construction Regulations from CFR 29 Part 1926
By OSHA. American Safety Training, Inc.. Price: $21.95. Publish Date: 06/2003... Read More
How to develop successful homeowner associations
Builders with communities that have homeowner associations face unique challenges and risks. Here are best practices and resources for home builders who are looking to set up community associations that succeed.... Read More
AIA 2008 Housing Award Recipients Revealed
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the 19 recipients of the 2008 Housing Awards. The AIA’s Housing Awards Program, now in its eighth year, was established to recognize the best in housing design and promote the importance of good housing as a necessity of life, a sanctuary for the human spirit and a valuable national resource.... Read More
USGBC, NAHB Green Programs Grow in Influence
LEED for Homes increases its network; NAHB’s National Green Building Program launches at Builders’ Show... Read More
CFR 29 Part 1926 OSHA Construction Industry Regulations January 2008
By OSHA. American Safety Training, Inc.. Price: $39.95. Publish Date: 01/2008... Read More
CFR 29 Part 1910 OSHA General Industry Rregulations February 2008
By OSHA. American Safety Training, Inc.. Price: $49.95. Publish Date: 02/2008... Read More
Cal OSHA Construction and Electrical Safety Orders February 2008
By Cal OSHA. American Safety Training, Inc.. Price: $39.95. Publish Date: 02/2008... Read More
Getting Paid: Maryland's Prompt Payment Act
The Maryland Prompt Payment Act requires timely payment to contractors performing work and furnishing materials, even in situations where the contract does not specify the payment schedule. The timing of payment depends on whether the work performed by the contractor was for an owner or for another contractor. If the contract does not provide specific dates or times for payment, payment of any undisputed amount owed under the terms of the contract must be made within 30 days after the day on which the occupancy permit is granted or... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 19, 2008
Meadgate in administration with £36m debts
Meadgate Western, a £21m-a-year turnover housebuilder from Wales and the west of England, has gone into administration along with eight other associated companies, including Meadgate Homes.... Read More
Question on Insurance Policy for Construction - Can you help?
Mike Davis, who comments here from time to time, sent in the following note. Michael, My insurance agent met with Tammy and I last week and made a proposal to sell us an installation floater with our insurance policy. I have never heard of it before. What is covered is machinery, materials, equipment, supplies and fixtures that are destined to be used in or are incidental to the installation, completion, or repair of the projects. It covers a direct loss involving a “collapse” of all or part of the... Read More
Henry Boot: £125m turnover produces 38% profit margin
Henry Boot, now focussed on property development and construction, has made a pre-tax profit of £47m.... Read More
CIS fines: wrong stamps may hit contractors for £2m a month
Contractors could be clocking up £2m-a-month in CIS fines because they are using the wrong postage stamps on returns to the tax man.... Read More
Balfour Beatty buys Dean & Dyball for £45m
Balfour Beatty has bought regional contractor Dean & Dyball for in a deal worth £45m.... Read More
March 19, 2008- CSI Construction Minute
Royal family of Dubai funds Gehry’s Grand Avenue Plan – construction to begin in April. CSI NewsBrief :: Construction News Delivered to Your Inbox File Download (1:05 min / 1 MB)... Read More
Eleco enjoys 50% climb in interim pre-tax profit
Eleco has announced an interim pre-tax profit of £3.7m. The three main elements within Eleco’s Building Systems division are pre-cast concrete, timber engineering systems and building components.... Read More
Economic Environment for Housing Declines Again in February
The economic environment for homebuilders continued to worsen in January and in February as well based on preliminary housing market and economic reports. Home affordability increased again in January to a level usually consistent with a much larger and expanding market.... Read More
Construction Cost Increases for Four Office Building Categories
A high-rise office building (11 to 20 stories) had the largest year-over-year increase in construction costs in February 2008 (+7.7% on average for 25 cities) among four office building categories monitored by RSMeans. In second place was a two-to-four story office building (+3.8%), followed by a five-to-10 story office building and a typical medical office building (both at +3.4%). As for the actual dollar-per-square-foot cost of construction, a medical office building is most expensive.... Read More
ODA tries to get contractors interested in Olympic turbine
Construction firms expected to tender for a project to construct a wind turbine at Olympic Park today toured the site to learn more about the project.... Read More
Safety Advice: Trailers on the Jobsite, Part 1
Most construction workers do not have everyday experience trailering a load, and almost three-quarters of the employees hauling a trailer have never had any formal safety training. Even hauling a trailer once a week will not adequately qualify most untrained construction workers for this serious duty.... Read More
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA Cites Georgia Contractor for Fall Hazards
A Georgia-based contractor, cited in November 2007 by OSHA following a fatal Oct. 3, 2007, fall at a Niagara Falls, N.Y., hotel construction site, now faces $86,000 in additional fines for failing to correct hazards cited during an earlier OSHA inspection and for a new fall hazard.... Read More
ANSI Board Rejects Appeal to Block Construction MSD Standard
On March 13, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Board of Standards Review (BSR) rejected an appeal to withdraw the adoption of the ANSI/ASSE A10.40-2007 voluntary consensus standard "Reduction of Musculoskeletal Problems in Construction," which aims to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the construction industry.... Read More
NYC Office of Emergency Management Coordinating Response to Crane Collapse
The around-the-clock effort continues to clean up debris left from the collapse of a crane on March 15 on Manhattan's East Side that killed six construction workers and one visitor, left 24 injured and damaged approximately 20 buildings.... Read More
World’s First Multi-Use Positive Energy Building To Break Ground Next Year
Appropriately, the headquarters for Masdar City, the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste city, will be housed in another pioneering effort by Abu Dhabi: the world’s first multi-use positive energy building. Chicago architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill won an international competition to design the headquarters. Its giant solar-panel roof will actually create more power than the building consumes, and will be the first part of the structure to go up, providing power for the rest of its own construction. According to Masdar’s press release, “in addition to being the first mixed-use... Read More
Construction Set To Move On West Virginia Electric Plant
Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power Co.'s Appalachian Power unit received approval on March 7 from the West Virginia Public Service Commission to build a 629-MW integrated-gasification combined-cycle powerplant next to the firm's existing Mountaineer Plant near New Haven, W.Va.... Read More
New green remodeling guidelines go live
The American Society of Interior Designers and the U.S. Green Building Council officially introduced their new green remodeling guidelines Friday a...... Read More
Crane collapse latest: Death toll in New York hits five
The death toll from the weekend’s crane crash in New York City has reached five, with police pulling another construction worker’s body from the rubble today.... Read More
March 17, 2008- CSI Construction Minute
Army Corps of Engineers called in to help repair Alabama dam. CSI NewsBrief :: Construction News Delivered to Your Inbox File Download (1:06 min / 1 MB)... Read More
British Columbia Construction Association casts net overseas in bid for skilled workers
The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) attended two job fairs in Germany in early March to recruit skilled construction workers.... Read More
Extron Electronics Expands Operations in North Carolina with New Building and New Jobs
Extron is expanding its operations on the East Coast with the construction of a new 140,000 square foot building in Raleigh, NC.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2008
Abu Dhabi Plans To Surpass Dubai in Mega-Developments
Masdar, Abu Dhabi's planned sustainable city that broke ground on Feb. 9, is a 640-hectare mega-development valued at a $22 billion.... Read More
World's Tallest Tower's Opening Pushed Back
The Burj Dubai, the supertall building under construction in Dubai, will open four months late, in 2009 instead of the end of 2008.... Read More
Canada’s January Housing Starts Hit 223,000-unit Level
Housing starts in Canada in January 2008 climbed back over 220,000 units on an annualized basis, after the lowest figure in many months in December (185,000 units), according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Strong housing markets have been one of the saviors of the Canadian economy over the past two years. While U.S. new home starts have declined dramatically from their peak level in January 2006, homebuilding activity in Canada has stayed strong and relatively even.... Read More
Construction Work Left Undone
During my trip to Florida last week, my son and I drove from Ft. Lauderdale down the Florida Keys to Key West and then back up to Islamorada (by Key Largo). We drove back and forth on this road several times over the three days we were there and we noticed something we thought very unusual. There were a number of homes and commercial buildings in various stages of completion with no one working on them. This was the case all the way down to Key West. We asked... Read More
Scott M. Tierney: Managing the Worksite of the Future
Snowed in at his home near Albany, N.Y., and unable to fly to Las Vegas in time to participate in ENR's "Equipment of the 21st Century" summit and panel discussion on March 10, Scott Tierney, a construction manager for Cianbro Corp., talks over the phone about his vision for the worksite of the future and his role at the innovative Destiny USA project in Syracuse, and what will be on his mind when he comes to Las Vegas later in the week for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008.... Read More
Provocateurs Abound
Provocateurs abound. To sell books in the United States these days, you can take one of two paths. The first one is to write as thoughtfully as your God-given talent allows you to. The second path is to cause as much controversy as you can. (See Michael Moore and Ann Coulter). Clearly, Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets: How to Fix America's Trillion Dollar Construction Industry by Barry LePatner is the of the second sort. His book has little redeeming value as a contribution to construction and contracting. He is guilty... Read More
Lean & 5S' in Construction #22 May 2006
***************** Office Efficiency and Waste in Knowledge Workers Work Daniel Markovitz, a Lean consultant, reports helping reduce the waste in knowledge workers' behavior. In one project the workers gained nearly 10 hours per week for value added work. What would an additional 10 hours do for you office admin, estimators and engineers? Dan feels that “Lean work habits are critical for knowledge workers, because the multiple value streams flowing through them create a constant tension. Without lean habits to guide their work, the critical flow of information in the... Read More
Meadgate in administration with £36m debts
Meadgate Western, a £21m-a-year turnover housebuilder from Wales and the west of England, has gone into administration along with eight other associated companies, including Meadgate Homes.... Read More
Construction Material Costs Hardly Budge in Latest Quarter
The increase in RSMeans’ January 2008 Construction Cost Index (CCI) was 3.6% versus January 2007. The total CCI is based on a national 30-city average. Included with this report are charts showing the year-over-year results, back to January 1999, for 49 major cities in the United States. The annualized change in total material costs in the latest quarter was only +0.4%. The latest annualized change in labor costs was +3.5%, a figure that has not changed much over the last several quarters.... Read More
Lean & 5S's in Construction - Jan 07, #30
This e-newsletter is written by Dennis Sowards to share ideas on the 5S’s and Lean practices especially as they are applied in construction. If you have ideas or lessons learned to share please contact me. Lean Leaders read more... Read More
Things you should know before employing an immigrant
The construction industry regularly employs staff from overseas; in many cases without finding out if they're entitled to work here. But now employers who hire illegal workers face hefty fines and even a prison sentence. Stephen Weber explains.... Read More
Crane collapse latest: Death toll moves to 7 as final bodies found
Rescue workers scouring the wreckage of a crane collpase in Manhattan's East Side in New York have uncovered two more bodies, bringing the official death toll to seven.... Read More
Concrete and skin safety
Skin safety should be on the minds of all concrete contractors. When you don’t properly use gloves, boots, eye protection, and long-sleeve shirts and pants when working with concrete, you risk cement burnsorotherskin problems brought on by cement exposure. And if your employees aren’t following proper procedures to protect themselves from cement exposure, you risk worker’s comp claims and increased insurance costs. Take a look at this new guidance document from OSHA,“Preventing Skin Problems from Working with Portland Cement.” Do yourself and your employees a favor by jeu de... Read More
5 Dead, 2 Missing in NYC Crane Collapse
At least five construction workers were killed when a crane collapsed in New York City the afternoon of March 15. Two people are still missing, and dozens of others are injured.... Read More
Conexpo 2008 roundup
PMJ editor and CJ plant editor Colin Sowman provides a roundup of all the launches and action at Conexpo 2008 in Las Vegas.... Read More
Vinci UK unveils 5.2% profit margin
Vinci UK has made a profit margin of 5.2% in 2007 as its construction turnover rose to £770m.... Read More
Waywell Development’s Radius project incorporates sustainable technology
Radius is a $165 million project that includes 111 condominiums in two buildings of seven and 14 storeys, a commercial section of 16,000 square feet, a private university campus for University Canada West, a 14-storey office tower and a child-care centre for 36 children.... Read More
Why are diesel fuel prices rising so fast?
The energy department just reported that diesel fuel pump prices soared to $3.82 /gal. last week . This is $0.16 more than a week earlier and also is more than double the price rise for gasoline. But this spike in diesel prices is not due to cold winter and accompanying extra demand for heating oil as has happened many times in the past. This time the villains are foreign car buyers and domestic environmentalists.... Read More
Hey Stupid! It's a $13 Trillion Economy
A small portion of Americans are taking council of their fears. The talk of recession started even before a confirmed report of 2 quarters of economic contraction. This emotion is fed by the: 1) Housing lobby looking for help. 2) Politicians looking for power or re-election (or both) 3) Americans looking for external help for their stupidity 4) Others who continuously spend time on a couch or barstool. We are all in this together - the good and the bad. However, Americans are mostly individualists. We produce great works... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 10, 2008
PLAN YOUR MARKETING FOR EFFECTIVE PROMOTIONS
Marketing is too important to guess at. Your marketing plan gives you the road map to ensure that you'll arrive at your destination. And as is often said, "If you don't care where you're going, any road will get you there." What you need is a strategy that considers the needs of your market and provides a year-round plan to meet those needs.... Read More
DON'T SEND YOUR TECH OUT IN THE FIELD WITHOUT ANY TOOLS
You would consider it the height of insanity to send an untrained, ill-prepared service technician out on a call without any tools. The only thing crazier would be expecting him to solve the customer's problem. Yet, service companies do it all the time. They don't send the technician out ill-prepared technically, just ill-prepared to answer customer questions about new services and products.... Read More
Top 10 and Trend Graph – February 2008
The attached table records the 10 largest construction project starts in Canada in February 2008, according to dollar volume. In the latest month, five of the projects were in Ontario, two were in Alberta, two were in British Columbia and there was one in Québec. Also included is the latest trend graph on starts. This looks at 12-month moving totals (again based on dollar volume) of the two major non-residential building categories in Canada − total ICI starts and engineering work. ICI stands for industrial, commercial and institutional.... Read More
Alabama Construction Company Earns National Safety Award
Rust Constructors, a Birmingham, Ala.-based full-service merit shop construction and maintenance company, has received a National Safety Excellence Award from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), an association representing more than 24,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms in 78 chapters across the United States.... Read More
Indiana Construx Expo
New products and services for the construction industry were presented at the 10th annual Indiana Construx Expo, held Jan. 23–24 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Presented by Expo Source Inc., the show featured numerous exhibits. AES, LLC Specialty Contractors; Airworx Acquisition, LLC; American Scaffolding; Mid-State Truck Equipment; RCS Contractor Supplies; RSC Equipmen...... Read More
J. Masterson and Project Safety
Maintaining a safe job site is the No. 1 concern for Jeff Masterson, owner of this 27-year-old company based in Danvers, Mass. "We are huge on safety," Masterson said. "The biggest challenge we face on the work site is trench safety, so we put in a program to help solve the problem." Masterson said out in the field it was becoming a huge challenge to keep even the educated people in trench safe...... Read More
Experts share views at New Methods of Public Procurement seminar
Ensuring that public-private partnerships remain fair and transparent is a priority shared by two experts involved with government procurement in different provinces.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 07, 2008
The Framework of Sustainability for Engineering Design Considerations
Sorry for being "silent" these last couple of weeks. I have been traveling quite a bit. Today I delivered the opening address at the Society for Social Management Systems in Kochi, Japan. I discussed the role of the engineer in sustainability considerations. Sustainability is to ensure that all of the world's inhabitants are ensured food, shelter and sanitation—both now and in the future. It is practice of adequately meeting current needs while ensuring future needs will be adequately addressed. Sustainable design is becoming the expected standard and not simply... Read More
Increases in Construction Costs Remain Low in RSMeans’ Latest Report
New York is at the head of the list for high construction-cost cities in the country, according to RSMeans. Honolulu and three California cities round out the top five. Among the bottom ten lowest-construction-cost cities are Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston, all in Texas. Major centers in Florida are also relatively low-cost, along with Memphis and Nashville. Las Vegas leads all cities in terms of the year-over-year increase in costs. Besides Houston, low increase cities are in Florida and Tennessee.... Read More
The Future of Green Building - Tools and Technologies for Designing High Performance Buildings
Hanson Bridgett will be hosting a sustainable business forum entitled "The Future of Green Building - Tools and Technologies for Designing High Performance Buildings" on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at our offices in San Francisco. Speakers will include Jon Pittman, Vice President of Market Development at Autodesk; Christopher (Kit) P. Ratcliff, AIA, LEED AP, Principal and Director of the Civic Practice Area at Ratcliff Architecture; and Howard W. Ashcraft, Jr., Partner in the Construction Practice Group at Hanson Bridgett. Click here for more details or to register to attend the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 06, 2008
Business management for construction
I had a note in from a friend the other day regarding our book, “Markup & Profit; A Contractor’s Guide“. One of her clients had gone to a construction bookstore to purchase the book. A store clerk advised them not to purchase it because, they said, “It is out of date.” The Markup & Profit book is as relevant today as it was when it was first published. It is a business management book for the construction industry. It is not about construction materials or construction techniques; materials and... Read More