Construction Company Structure

Something to consider if your construction company is an LLC. LLC stands for Limited Liability Corporation. That works both ways. I am not an attorney, but I can tell you what several attorneys that understand construction and many insurance brokers and agents have told me. You have limited liability, yes, but you also have limited coverage. If you are in construction, there is an excellent chance you will end up in a disagreement with a customer at some point in time. Almost all of the contractors that I have... Read More

Major Builders Group Fighting Calif.'s Off-Road Diesel Emissions Standard

AGC of America says the new standards and rules would require California contractors to retrofit, re-power, or replace off-road diesel equipment at a cost expected to reach $13 billion.... Read More

Fundamentals of Engineering Supplied Reference Handbook, 8th Edition

By NCEES. Professional Publications. Price: $19.95. Publish Date: 11/2007... Read More

Green BIM: Successful Sustainble Design with Building Information Modeling

By Eddy Krygiel. Sybex. Price: $49.99. Publish Date: 04/2008... Read More

GDP Revision Improves Construction Outlook

There was good news for the construction outlook in today’s small upward revision of 1st quarter GDP growth from 0.6% to 0.9%. The revision increased construction spending, reversing the false assumption by the Bureau of Economic Analysis that nonresidential construction activity fell in March. The revisions also cut unwanted inventory accumulation, a potential depressant on business investment and cut the trade deficit, a sign that foreign demand for US goods continues to expand. A marginal rise in corporate profits was reported for the 1st quarter, after a big dip... Read More

Elon University joins growing list of "greening" campuses

On May 21, Elon University, located in Elon, North Carolina, broke ground on Lindner Hall, planned to be the "greenest" facility on campus. The 30,000-square-foot building will house administrative offices and various academic departments and include high-tech classrooms, a computer lab, faculty offices and space for student-faculty mentoring. As noted in an Elon University press release, "Environmental sustainability is a key component in both the construction and operation of the building. Seventy-five percent of construction waste will be recycled, much of the building will be made of steel and... Read More

Two Dead in Crane Collapse at NY Condominium Construction Site

The city's newspapers are reporting that a second construction worker died in the incident.... Read More

NYC Adopts Revised Fire Code, Analyzes Child Fire Deaths

"Together, the new Fire and Building Codes will improve safety while also making it easier for construction professionals, designers, property owners, businesses, and others to work here more efficiently and understand their obligations under the law," NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.... Read More

Construction Materials Inflation Continues at Double-Digit Pace

Jim Haughey talks about how Construction materials cost rose 1.2% in April from March with similar increases expected in May and June. And how construction materials costs are expected to increase much faster than overall inflation at least well into next year. The widening inflation gap between construction supplies and the rest of the economy is due to the relatively large share of commodity or lightly processed materials used in construction that are priced in world rather than domestic markets.... Read More

California Housing Markets will be the Last to Recover

Reed Construction Data chief economist Jim Haughey says homes are still the least affordable in California. Together with the huge surplus of homes for sale, a sustained pickup in housing market will come much later than in the rest of the country. The recent stabilization of home sales in California was due to bargain hunters investing in foreclosed or about to be foreclosed homes and will disappear when bargains are no longer available.... Read More

Oct 2, 2008 – Lean Works in Construction, Seattle, WA – Sponsor: SMACNA

Start: Oct 2 2008 - 10:00am End: Oct 2 2008 - 10:59am Oct 2, 2008 – Lean Works in Construction, Seattle, WA – Sponsor: SMACNA - Western Washington Chapter – contact Joanne Williams at 206 285-4144. Must be a SMACNA member to attend.... Read More

NY crane collapse update - one confirmed dead

One person is confirmed dead after a crane smashed into a 23-storey apartment building in New York and crashed onto the street below.... Read More

GB Building Solutions wins £14m leisure centre building contract

GB Building Solutions has nabbed a £14m contract to build a leisure centre at Botwell Green.... Read More

5 ways to motivate staff

As the economy slows down, and concern over job security grows, employee morale invariably takes a direct hit. So how do you keep productivity high in these difficult times?... Read More

Outlook for non-residential investment continues to deteriorate in 2008

In first-quarter 2008, operating profits of Canadian corporations fell by 1.1% following a slightly smaller 0.9% decline in fourth-quarter 2007. There were three key contributors to this first-quarter weakness:... Read More

State And Local Immigration Laws: The New Challenge For Business

New laws and regulations at every level of government are likely to change the way subcontractors recruit, hire and manage employees. During 2007, more than ....... Read More

Liverpool Street update: Network Rail bans work on rail bridge

Network Rail has banned work on a bridge under construction near Liverpool Street Station over concerns with Transport for London's (TfL) management of contractors.... Read More

Introducing Revit Architecture 2009: BIM for Beginners

By Greg Demchak. Sybex. Price: $39.99. Publish Date: 06/2008... Read More

Building Type Basics for Transit Facilities

By Kenneth Griffin. Wiley and Sons. Price: $75. Publish Date: 05/2004... Read More

Construction Specifications Writing: Principles and Procedures, 5th Edition

By Harold J. Rosen. Wiley and Sons. Price: $95. Publish Date: 11/2004... Read More

Council seeks newt law change after road budget blowout

Contractor headaches caused by the presence of great-crested newts on sites could soon be eased after one council – which blew nearly 10% of its road scheme budget on a colony of amphibians that failed to materialise – wrote to the government calling for a change in policy.... Read More

New laws to benefit agency workers

Agency workers will enjoy increased employment rights under new legislation put forward by Gordon Brown last week.... Read More

Salmond under fire for threatened Scottish projects

Planned building projects in Scotland, including the new Forth road bridge, could be under threat.... Read More

London's affordable housing targets could be slashed

Affordable housing targets in central London could be watered down under plans proposed by London’s new senior planning advisor Simon Milton.... Read More

An Underground Revolution

The way the construction industry moves the earth is being revolutionized. Companies such as Caterpillar, Trimble, Spectra Lasers, and Cashman Equipment are facilitating the revolution by supplying earthmoving machinery solutions with cutting-edge components that provide greater accuracy, higher productivity, and more profitability.... Read More

Tackling The Terrain For U.S. 35

In West Virginia, numerous excavators, scrapers, dozers, and trucks are transforming the beautiful Putnam County landscape into a new four-lane section of U.S. 35. Crews for Kokosing Construction Co. Inc. are clearing a path for the new route through very steep and rough terrain, moving 7.5 million cubic yards of earth.... Read More

McGee Group: entire workforce hold CSCS card

McGee Group, the demolition and civil engineering contractor, has reported that its entire workforce now holds a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card.... Read More

Construction Contractors - Stay Focused

Alfred E. Neuman used to say, “What, me worry?” Many construction-related business owners are worrying, and we know that. What can you do? Well, there are two things you must do and there can be little doubt about either of them. The first thing you must do is keep focused on sales. That means advertising 24/7/365. None of this “cutting our advertising because money is tight” nonsense. Money is tight because you haven’t been doing a good job of advertising. Recently I spent a day with one of our... Read More

Lean & 5S's in Construction - May 08 #34

Sustaining Lean read more... Read More

Construction firm and four men charged with killing newts

A construction company and four men have been charged for killing protected newts.... Read More

Wembley and T5 named among Britain's best buildings

Two of Britain’s most controversial building projects – Wembley Stadium and Heathrow’s Terminal 5 – have been named among Britain’s best buildings.... Read More

Job Site Signs for Construction Site

During the JLC Live show last week in Long Beach, I had a number of people ask me about the new flip video recording devices that I briefly demonstrated during my classes. These small recording devices are one of the best new tools a contractor can use in advertising. The number of ways this little cameras can be used to gather and convey information to the buying public is almost unmeasurable. Here is a very short clip showing a job sign posted on a new job site right on... Read More

Mid-year update on residential construction: taking a breather

Over the past few months, there has been increasing evidence that Canada’s housing market is taking a breather. First, existing home sales in April were down by 12.2% year over year in April 2008. Second, while still positive, year-over-year increases in both new and existing house prices have slowed since the middle of last year. Third, the number of completed and unoccupied vacant dwellings has trended steadily higher since late in 2006.... Read More

Changes in Canadian Construction Material Costs

The quite-thorough Industrial Product Price Index (IPPI) report from Statistics Canada monitors price movements for a vast array of materials and products used in industrial processes. It provides a good means to examine some of the detail behind what is happening with respect to construction costs these days. As of April 2008, the most recent results for the relevant sub-groupings within the IPPI are examined in this story.... Read More

Top 10 Reasons not to increase your marketing budget

A lot of people are wasting your time telling you to market more when your sales are down. Here are the top 10 reasons not to spend any m...... Read More

The three existing home price series show very different price trends

How much home prices fall is critically important in estimating when the housing market will hit bottom and begin to recover. Depending on which existing home price series you look at, prices have been falling for either six months or for more than a year and the price drop is either a few percentage points or a double-digit plunge. Reed Construction Data believes that the OFHEO purchase only, existing home price series is the best measure of national price trends and that the Case/Shiller/Weiss existing home price series is... Read More

Book Reviews for McGraw Hill's Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day

Book reviews.pdf Finally a book for all contractors to understand the business of construction contracting.... Read More

References of Stevens Construction Institute, Inc.

Firm References.pdf Please find attached dozens of construction contractors references of our firm.... Read More

Bid-rigging: clients knocking back firms whom accused

Those not under investigation are using it to their advantage.... Read More

Civils sector feels downturn

Civils contractors are bracing themselves for a downturn in workloads over the next year as the credit crunch starts to spread into the previously healthy...... Read More

SE England reports rise in housing completions

Builders in strife should look to projects in south-east England, with the region reporting a year-on-year increase in houses built.... Read More

Maryland's Construction Trust Laws Limited by Court of Special Appeals

Maryland's Court of Special Appeals limited the breadth of Maryland's Construction Trust laws. This Statute states in relevant part:"Any officer, director, or managing agent of any contractor or subcontractor, who knowingly retains or uses the moneys held in trust under §§ 9-201 of this subtitle, or any part thereof, forany purpose other than to pay those subcontractors for whom the moneys are held in trust, shall be personally liable to any person damaged by the action."Thus, this statute imposes personal liability on someone who uses money held for the... Read More

British Columbia projects among winners of Governor General’s Medals in Architecture

A handful of British Columbia projects were recipients of the recently announced Governor General’s Medals in Architecture.... Read More

BC Place owners plan retractable roof for stadium

The owners of BC Place stadium are planning major upgrades, which include a new retractable roof.... Read More

Toronto firm designs waterfront development in Dubai

Toronto’s ZAS Architects and its affiliate office in Dubai are designing a $1.2 billion project that includes 7.2 million square feet of residential and retail space.... Read More

Redrow to make hundreds redundant

Redrow has become the first major housebuilder to cut jobs as it made around 15% of its workforce - about 200 people - redundant.... Read More

Unanticipated Consequences of the "Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act"

On April 23, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3033, "Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act," agreeing by voice vote that GSA would maintain a centralized database of government contractors.  The GSA database would collect information on contract defaults, suspensions, and debarments, as well as "any civil or criminal proceeding, or any administrative proceeding" for which a contractor paid at least $5,000 in restitution, that has been "concluded" by the federal or state governments.  If a contractor committed in a three-year period more than one offense for... Read More

Residential market may be stabilizing

Homebuilders cut housing starts 12% in March, attempting to match new home supply with still falling home demand. This latest cut will achieve a match only if new home quickly pick up from the recent low level. That is unlikely. While home completions are falling quickly, existing home sales are no longer falling and the combined inventory of new and existing homes for sales is also now declining, further small reductions in new home starts are likely necessary through the spring.... Read More

Builder who poisoned client jailed for 3.5 years

A builder found guilty of accidentally poisoning a client has been sentenced to three and a half years in jail.... Read More

Scottish PPP proposal may be illegal

Officials are reviewing the Scottish Government’s controversial proposal to fund public sector projects amid fears the plan could be illegal.... Read More

Wates preferred bidder for £12m dance building

Wates Construction has been announced as the preferred bidder to construct a £12m landmark dance building in Leeds.... Read More

Mt. Washington Renovation Project

If the Mt. Washington Hotel is not on your list of placesto see before you die — think again. The 106-year-old, 200-room hotel is in the process of building the firstaddition ever — a $25-million job headed up by Hutter Construction of New Ipswich, N.H. The superstructure of The Mount Washington Hotel boasted a steel network, uncommon in its day.... Read More

28th Annual Construction Expo Of Maine

There were two beautiful days that couldn't have been appreciated more according to many who attended the 28th annual Construction Expo of Maine. Throughout the show, many a comment was made about how great it was to be outside in the 60-degree temperatures that graced upstate Maine on April 16 and 17.... Read More

The Power of PAC

The Association of General Contractors of Missouri (AGC MO) held their Annual Convention April 3–4, 2008, at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel in Branson, Missouri. There was a full agenda including: U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, 2009 Missouri House Speaker-Elect Ron Richard, Col. Setiiff of the Army Corps of Engineers, informative sessions, a golf outing, demonstrations, and a ...... Read More

Dewatering By Wellpointing

If you're working anywhere near water, and especially near the coast, dewatering a site prior to construction tends to be an integral part of the project. In the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, where the water table can be less than three feet below the surface, wellpointing is often used to control the ground water at construction sites.... Read More

ASA's Business Forum & Convention 2008

Approximately 200 people attended the American Subcontractors Association Business Forum & Convention 2008 from March 6–8 in Charleston, South Carolina. Members had the opportunity to attend a comprehensive program of educational workshops, hear timely presentations by several guest speakers, and participate in networking and social events as well.... Read More

Power Show Ohio

Avariety of agricultural, construction and outdoor power equipment was on display at the 38th annual Power Show Ohio, held recently at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus. Sponsored by the Ohio-Michigan Equipment Dealers Association, the show displayed the latest technology from all three segments of the power equipment industry.... Read More

CCA backs changes to Employment Insurance rate-setting process

The Canadian Construction Association supports proposed changes to the Employment Insurance rate-setting process that encourage more independent management.... Read More

Toronto firm designs waterfront development in Dubai

Toronto’s ZAS Architects and its affiliate office in Dubai are designing a $1.2 billion project that includes 7.2 million square feet of residential and retail space.... Read More

British Columbia greens its building code

Rich Coleman, the minister responsible for housing, announced new B.C. Building Code requirements will come into effect on Sept. 5, 2008.... Read More

Contractors Get New Tool In Combatting Corruption Overseas

An independent organization has been set up to help construction-related companies and organizations fight corruption on projects.... Read More

Economic Environment for Nonresidential Markets Remains Mixed

The economic environment for all nonresidential markets weakened over the past month. Business sales and growth inventory is still rising but this is due only to the recent pickup in commodity inflation. State and local government tax receipt growth increased in the first quarter but the trend is clearly reverse for the rest of the year. The only positive changes came from the financial markets in April, a month later than most of the other data.... Read More

Shetland Islands zero carbon house used as sustainable template

A couple living on the Island of Unst have built a home powered entirely by the wind and sun.... Read More

Unanticipated Consequences of the "Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act"

On April 23, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3033, "Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act," agreeing by voice vote that GSA would maintain a centralized database of government contractors.  The GSA database would collect information on contract defaults, suspensions, and debarments, as well as "any civil or criminal proceeding, or any administrative proceeding" for which a contractor paid at least $5,000 in restitution, that has been "concluded" by the federal or state governments.  If a contractor committed in a three-year period more than one offense for... Read More

Construction starts on Olympic Stadium

Construction has started on the £496m London 2012 Olympic Stadium – three months ahead of schedule.... Read More

Will the Construction Safety Act Cost Illinois Consumers, Employers and Job Seekers?

Some contractors in Illinois are concerned about an amendment to House Bill 2094 that would create the Construction Safety Act, essentially reinstating the Structural Work Act (SWA), which was on the books for 88 years before being repealed in 1995.... Read More

Gas Explosion Tears Through San Diego Hotel Construction Site, Injures 13

A natural gas explosion rocked a Hilton Hotel that was being built on the San Diego waterfront, destroying part of the hotel's facade and injuring 13 workers, several of them critically.... Read More

Why Small Businesses May Rule in Datacom

The slowdown in residential building, growing supplies of new and resale homes and shaky consumer confidence have taken the air out of the once red-hot housing market. In response, homebuilders have cut back on new construction to tighten inventories of unsold homes. Mindful of this trend, forward-thinking datacom contractors are on the lookout for new opportunities. Many of these contractors see... Read More

"What is a BIM?"

This question is the first FAQ on the website of the Facility Information Council (FIC) describing the FIC's initiative to develop a National BIM Standard. I was intrigued because I usually hear the question asked as "What is BIM", not "What is a BIM?"The FIC's definition of "a BIM" is elegant. It is simple and clear, and goes like this:"Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. A BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a... Read More

Bid-rigging: departure of OFT director will not affect investigation

Contractors have been assured that the departure of the Office of Fair Trading’s (OFT) executive director Sean Williams will have no impact on its investigations into the construction industry.... Read More

ODA issues contract notice for 2012 canoe and kayak facilities

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has issued its contract notice for the construction of the Canoe/Kayak Flatwater facilities at the 2012 Olympic Games.... Read More

Owners insist Liverpool stadium build plans still on track

Plans for Liverpool FC to move into a new 71,000-seater stadium, set to be built by Laing O'Rourke, are still on track according to co-owner Tom Hicks.... Read More

Full Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms Lower Court's Holding in Garcia v. Brockway

In a case that is being closely watched in the multi-family housing industry, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this week released its opinion affirming the lower court's holding that the 2-year statute of limitations for a private civil action alleging violation of the Fair Housing Act's accessibility requirements for design and construction is triggered, i.e., the violation is complete, at the conclusion of the design and construction phase, which occurs on the date the last certificate of occupancy is issued.The plaintiffs had asserted three theories to extend the... Read More

Twenty Large Upcoming Jail, Prison and Courthouse Construction Projects – May 2008

The accompanying table shows 10 of the largest upcoming jail and prison construction projects in the U.S. and 10 of the largest courthouse construction 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

New Killeen Police HQ Designed To LEED Standards

Design is almost complete on a new, 80,000-square-foot police headquarters for the city of Killeen, Texas. PSA-Dewberry is serving as the architect/engineer for the $22-million facility, which will enable the city to consolidate its police operations from four scattered buildings into one location on a sloping 15-acre site in south Killeen.... Read More

Unique Parking Structure At U.C. Berkeley

Walker Parking Consultants, parking structure design and consulting, together with Overaa Construction, recently completed the Underhill Parking Facility and Playing Field at the University of California, Berkeley. Walker Parking served as prime designer and project engineer, while Overaa constructed the garage and provided and installed the artificial turf for the field.... Read More

San Ysidro Health Care Center

Consolidated Contracting Services, Inc., a Southern California commercial construction firm, recently finished constructing the San Ysidro Health Center's (SYHC) new state-of-the-art 38,968-square-foot Maternal & Child Health Center, located at 4005 Beyer Blvd. in San Ysidro, Calif. Consolidated Contracting is serving as general contractor for the $14-million project.... Read More

Construction of 222 wind farms delayed

Construction of 222 wind farms is being delayed as the Government struggles to approve the new innovations.... Read More

Buyout of BE&K Gives KBR New Construction ‘Presence'

KBR is acquiring BE&K for $550 million in cash, ending 35 years of private ownership for BE&K, one of the most prominent open-shop employers in the industry, and giving KBR a big presence in industrial construction again.... Read More

Construction firm gets £10,000 fine after excavator hits bricklayer

A construction firm has been fined £10,000 after a worker was hit by an excavator on site.... Read More

ARE 4.0 Sample Problem and Practice Exam: Building Design and Construction Systems

By David Kent Ballast. Professional Publications. Price: $90. Publish Date: 01/2008... Read More

Best concrete projects in B.C. recognized at Connie Awards

The Sunset Community Centre and the Whistler Sliding Centre were the big winners at the Connie Awards gala hosted by the B.C. Ready-Mixed Concrete Association.... Read More

Home foreclosures set to rise sharply but this will have little impact on housing starts

Foreclosure notices were sent to 243,353 homes in April according to RealtyTrac. The monthly total will rise as mortgage rate resets peak this summer and overburdened court clerks catch up with their backlog of requested foreclosure notices. But the impact on housing starts will be minimal because virtually all of these homes were already listed for sales and lenders have already reserved funds to cover their share of foreclosure expenses and capital losses.... Read More

'Forced labour' firm has links to construction, says UCATT

A firm supplying mainly Polish labour to the agricultural industry and which has just been stripped of its licence by the Gangmasters Licensing Authortity also has links with construction, according to Ucatt.... Read More

Construction’s share of Canada’s total employment at 33-year high

In April 2008, a record number of Canadians were building something — houses, office buildings, roads, bridges, you name it. During the month, the construction industry accounted for 7.2% of all employed workers.... Read More

Housing starts and sales steady but key market drivers still falling

Housing starts and sales both increased slightly in the first quarter since last December. Over the same period, inventories of homes for sale declined significantly, homebuilders slowed work on homes under construction and the decline in home prices accelerated — a necessary condition for the market to recover.... Read More

Construction spending declines in March

Total construction spending fell 1.1% in March after it was revised up 0.7% in February. Construction spending is now 8.4% below the peak level in February 2006 with almost half of the decline occurring since last September when residential mortgage problems began to slow growth in nonresidential construction markets.... Read More

Spending growth ends in nonresidential building and heavy project markets

Revisions have cancelled the earlier report of declining spending for nonresidential buildings and heavy projects. Nonetheless, spending growth has stalled in both markets. Construction spending since November is up only 1.2% for nonresidential buildings and 0.2% for heavy projects. This gain does not cover cost increases which have recently accelerated. Materials cost increased 3.6% for nonresidential buildings and 4.5% for heavy projects. The volume of work at job sites continues to decline slowly and is expected to decline further through the spring.... Read More

Construction Act: payment provision amendments 'costly and unnecessary'

The Construction Confederation has attacked plans to amend the payment provisions of the Construction Act.... Read More

Tackling Excavation Challenges In Florida

In southwest Miami-Dade County, The Redland Company is well under way on site work and infrastructure construction at Kendall Town Center, a 120-acre development being constructed on one of the last undeveloped sites in the area. With hard rock, a high water table, and nearby neighbors on all sides, it's a challenging project — but as company president Charles "Pinky" Munz puts it, that's...... Read More

Economic environment improves for homebuilders

A marginal rise in the homebuilders’ survey based index of market expectations was the only positive economic development for residential contractors in the last month. All other market drivers are weakening except for nominal consumer income which is currently misleading due to drain on income from high fuel prices.... Read More

Report urges higher density housing in rural areas

The government has been urged to downscale its plans for eco-towns and promote higher density rural living if it wants to build sustainable communities.... Read More

Unanticipated Consequences of the "Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act"

On April 23, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3033, "Contractors and Federal Spending Accountability Act," agreeing by voice vote that GSA would maintain a centralized database of government contractors.  The GSA database would collect information on contract defaults, suspensions, and debarments, as well as "any civil or criminal proceeding, or any administrative proceeding" for which a contractor paid at least $5,000 in restitution, that has been "concluded" by the federal or state governments.  If a contractor committed in a three-year period more than one offense for... Read More

Eco concerns driving building product design

Sustainability and environmental concerns are driving a high proportion of new product development in the building industry. This in part is fueled by increasing demands from new legislation. The government recognises that with half of CO2 emissions in the UK coming from the built environment, it holds the key to change that will enable them [...]... Read More

Unexpected lift for gloomy US housebuilders

Construction of new homes rose unexpectedly in April in the US, offering hope that the housing market gloom is set to lift.... Read More

Green Building Trends

Green building has become a force in the construction industry. So much so that it is predicted to be a $21 billion industry in 2008 with continued signs of growth for years to come. But there is a whole new set of skills and knowledge your company will need to posses to successfully thrive as a green builder. Briston Blair of FMI Corp. joins us in this edition of the Construction Equipment Owner’s podcast to discuss the emerging trends in green building and how companies need to adjust to... Read More

Rafn Wins ABC's Eagle Award

Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington honored nine outstanding projects with 2008 Excellence in Construction Awards. "This year's entries reflect the diverse commercial projects that ABC members build, running the gamut from medical centers and schools to mixed-use and industrial projects," said Karen Say, 2007–2008 ABC chair and owner of Saybr Contractors Inc.... Read More

Equalization Basin Under Construction

A cast-in-place concrete 5.5-million-gallon north sanitary sewer equalization basin with an earth-covered top is under construction in Canton Township for the Western Township Utilities Authority (WTUA). When completed in 2010, the basin will provide added capacity to an adjacent south basin to equalize wastewater flows from the charter townships of Canton, Northville and Plymouth.... Read More

Alabama Road Builders Hall Of Fame Inducts New Members

The Alabama Road Builders Hall of Fame recently inducted six individuals and one company as new members. The Hall of Fame was created by the Alabama Road Builders Association board of directors "to honor, preserve and perpetuate the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of individuals and companies that have brought significant recognition to the state of Alabama in the field of transpo...... Read More

Construction Cameras At Work

Builders and developers throughout the United States are turning to specialized construction cameras to help them manage and market their projects. Two high-profile projects in Jackson, Miss., illustrate how easy it can be to get started and how cameras can directly benefit contractors. In June 2007 construction began on the nine-story high-rise office building, The Pinnacle at Jackson Place in...... Read More

Top 10 Signs You Might be an Architect

A good-humored look at architects, in support of the 2008 AIA convention.File Download (2:37 min / 2 MB)... Read More

HBF calls for abolition of Home Information Packs

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has called for the abolition of Home Information Packs to save jobs in the housebuildng industry.... Read More

Lancsville Construction's plans to get insurance cover restored

Lancsville Construction is fighting to restore its reputation. It has declared itself willing to make fundamental changes in order to get all the leading construction insurance providers back on board.... Read More

B of the Bang contractors sued by Manchester council

The companies who built and designed Manchester’s B of the Bang sculpture are being sued.... Read More

Resort cities still the most active housing markets

The most intense housing development in the US continues to be in the rapidly growing resort and retirement centers along the Carolina coast, the hurricane rebuilding region on the Gulf Coast, the manufacturing and business centers in the North Carolina Piedmont area and Austin and Houston in Texas. As depressed as local housing markets are, relatively intense housing development still continues in the South Florida coastal cities but interior Orlando and mid-Atlantic coast Sebastian-Vero Beach are the only Florida cities among the twenty-five metro areas with the most intense... Read More

CIS should be scrapped, says UCATT

UNION leaders are calling for the CIS tax system to be abolished.... Read More

Housing starts at lowest level for nearly a decade

Housing starts are at their lowest level for nearly a decade, government figures have revealed.... Read More

New Alliance Addresses NYC Construction Hazards

OSHA and the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) formed an alliance to address construction hazards in the city’s five boroughs, with plans to cross-train their inspectors and managers on each agency’s construction safety standards, regulations and procedures.... Read More

Sustainability and environmental concerns are driving a high proportion of new product development in the building industry

Sustainability and environmental concerns are driving a high proportion of new product development in the building industry. This in part is fueled by increasing demands from new legislation. The government recognises that with half of CO2 emissions in the UK coming from the built environment, it holds the key to change that will enable them [...]... Read More

Home foreclosures set to rise sharply but this will have little impact on housing starts

Foreclosure notices were sent to 243,353 homes in April according to RealtyTrac. The monthly total will rise as mortgage rate resets peak this summer and overburdened court clerks catch up with their backlog of requested foreclosure notices. But the impact on housing starts will be minimal because virtually all of these homes were already listed for sales and lenders have already reserved funds to cover their share of foreclosure expenses and capital losses.... Read More

Treated Effluent Eyed For Heating and Cooling Buildings

The United Nations unveiled renderings as well as announced an accelerated strategy for construction of its new headquarters at a groundbreaking ceremony May 5 in New York City.... Read More

Government accidentally reveals housebuilding is 'stalling'

Fears the housing industry is stalling and home prices are plummeting have been confirmed by the government – accidentally.... Read More

Calgary’s Eighth Avenue Place towers earn Canada’s first LEED-CS pre-certification

An office tower development in downtown Calgary is the first high-rise office building in Canada to be pre-certified in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Core and Shell (LEED-CS) construction.... Read More

NY Times takes the remodeler's side

Good article today in the NY Times about the problems remodelers have with homeowners. You can read the full article here. It's nice to see an a...... Read More

Optimal Trench Protection

The best possible trench protective solutions are critical to the success of underground construction projects and offer contractors a competitive edge they cannot afford to overlook. The path to this objective is easy to follow and makes greater sense than ever before. New technologies have expanded choices for excavation support systems and have added a financial incentive for using them.... Read More

Interior Cost Data 2008

By Means. Means, R. S.. Price: $149.95. Publish Date: 12/2007... Read More

Conduit Bending and Fabrication

By NJATC. American Technical Publishers. Price: $72. Publish Date: 01/2007... Read More

2008 California Access Compliance Reference Manual (DSA, Division of the State Architect)

By Office of the State Architect. That Technical Bookstore, Inc.. Price: $49.95. Publish Date: 04/2008... Read More

Turn Your Selling Around

The heart of the new approach to selling is an intense focus on the prosperity of your customers.... Read More

Widening I-10 Through Tucson

Anyone living in a large or medium Western city has had to learn to live with delays and detours caused by constant road improvements. Highways and surface roads need more lanes to handle increased traffic. Older roads must be rebuilt to carry heavier loads. Even by Western standards, though, the current $200-million Interstate 10 widening project in Tucson promised to be one of the great urban...... Read More

Bid-rigging: local authorities may launch action against accused companies

Local authorities are reviewing whether to launch action against companies’ accused of bid-rigging by the Office of Fair Trading.... Read More

Murray Construction and Development fined £10,000 over injured worker

A Sunderland building firm has been fined £10,000 after one of its employees fell 2.8m from rafters onto a concrete floor.... Read More

Digging Up Bones: New Provisions in the AIA A201 Impose New Obligations on Contractors

Recently, neighbors of mine decided to sell the family farm that has been in their family for almost 200 years. We know that the property has been in the family for this long based on the family cemetery plot located on the last bit of acreage that has not been subsumed by the surrounding neighborhoods that have swallowed what was originally about 100 acres of farmland.As part of my neighbor's quest to sell their family property, they know that they will be responsible to pay the costs to move... Read More

Oklahoma School Excels at First-Ever "Construction Challenge"

An Oklahoma team has won the first ever Construction Challenge held at the recently concluded CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008 trade show in Las Vegas, USA. Teams from ...... Read More

China Demand for Construction Equipment to Outpace World

Demand for construction equipment will increase 12.7 percent per year through 2011, according to a market research firm, The Freedonia Group... Read More

Lancsville Construction's plans to get insurance cover restored

Lancsville Construction is fighting to restore its reputation. It has declared itself willing to make fundamental changes in order to get all the leading construction insurance providers back on board.... Read More

Bid-rigging: Welsh contractors to escape investigation

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will not extend its investigation into anti-competitive tendering practices into Wales, despite calls from politicians there.... Read More

Eco-towns are 'veneer' to plans for 3m homes

Campaign groups have branded the government's plans for eco-towns a "green veneer" to mask its plans for three million new homes across the country.... Read More

£200m Aquatics Centre gets planning green light

Balfour Beatty will get underway this summer with the construction of the Olympic Delivery Authority’s £200m Aquatics Centre after the scheme was granted planning permission.... Read More

NIOSH Award Highlights Construction Ergonomics

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) presented an award to two scientists who created a booklet providing information on preventing ergonomics-related injuries for construction workers.... Read More

Free online software for concrete contractors

I ran across a few helpful online calculators for concrete contractors. One of the calculatorshelps you determine dimensions and quantity of concrete needed for concrete stairs. The other motorola q ringtones info polyphonic remember ringtones free ringtones for sprint phone funny ringtones download cingular ringtones cell phone ringtones and wallpaper download free mosquito ringtones 24 ringtones theme free verizon wireless ringtones free motorola tracfone ringtones free pcs ringtones sprint download verizon ringtones free cingular wireless ringtones free music real ringtones sprint send ringtones to your phone cingular download free... Read More

Calgary’s Eighth Avenue Place towers earn Canada’s first LEED-CS pre-certification

An office tower development in downtown Calgary is the first high-rise office building in Canada to be pre-certified in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Core and Shell (LEED-CS) construction.... Read More

New roofing systems offer builders more choices than ever, NRC expert says

New sustainable roofing systems and concepts are providing builders with more choices than ever, but a glut of information has blurred the distinction between different types of roofing, according to Dr. Ralph M. Paroli, director of the building envelope and structure program for the National Research Council Institute for Research in Construction.... Read More

Lawn Leaders Inc. Introduces The Dripper Temporary Sprinkler System

The Dripper was developed as a temporary solution for watering newly installed sod or seed, saving the homeowner's time and the aggravation of moving a hose and sprinkler around.... Read More

Class of 45 Attend I&I Sling Rigging Seminar

Forty-five contractors, safety personnel, engineers, and members of the nuclear power field and Navy attended the I&I Sling rigging seminar on March 5, 2008. Tom De Soo, who has more than 20 years of experience in the Crane & Rigging industry, led the seminar at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Norwood, Mass.... Read More

The 2008 Annual Awards For Excellence In Concrete Pavement (Part II)

The Missouri/Kansas Chapter of the ACPA honored exceptional concrete pavement professionals at the 28th Annual Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Conference & Annual Back to Basics Seminar on February 26 – 28, 2008, in Kansas City, Missouri. The awards program encourages high-quality workmanship in every concrete pavement project and serves as a forum for sharing information about high...... Read More

Quieter Concrete

Attendees of the recent 2008 Michigan Concrete Paving Association's 38th Annual Workshop were told that quieter concrete surfaces have been developed and are being tested by two states. John Roberts, of the International Grooving and Grinding Association (IGGA), said that other states are being sought out to test this Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS) category of concrete pavements.... Read More

West Virginia Construction & Design Exposition

Thousands of construction, engineering and architectural professionals attended the 29th annual West Virginia Construction & Design Exposition, held March 19-20 at the Charleston Civic Center in downtown Charleston. The expo, which encompassed the entire Civic Center facility, was sponsored by the Contractors Association of West Virginia, West Virginia Utility Contractors Association, West ...... Read More

Mid-America Trucking Show

More than 1,100 exhibitors from the continental United States and 12 foreign countries showcased the latest and greatest products the trucking industry has to offer at the 37th annual Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), held March 27–29 in Louisville, Ky. This year's show at the Kentucky Exposition Center, attended by 76,564 trucking and construction professionals, encompassed more than 1.... Read More

CIOB: Skills shortage will only get worse

The Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) has warned that construction still faces a shortage of skills, despite the relatively high availability of migrant labour.... Read More

World Architecture Festival launches all-encompassing award

A new architecture award is set to provide bus stops and dentist surgeries with the chance to be recognised as great buildings.... Read More

Bid-rigging: local authorities may launch action against accused companies

Local authorities are reviewing whether to launch action against companies’ accused of bid-rigging by the Office of Fair Trading.... Read More

Construction workers contribute to rise in number of employees with no fixed workplace

The construction industry accounted for one-third of the increase in workers who reported no fixed workplace address between 2001 and 2006, according to Statistics Canada.... Read More

Beyond Housing : A discussion with Robert Murray, chief economist, McGraw-Hill Construction

With so much talk of a slump in housing, the rest of the construction picture was getting obscured. ENR.com’s Senior Business Editor, Richard Korman, and McGraw-Hill Construction Chief Economist Robert Murray talk about the nuances of the housing decline, what consumer trends are driving retail development, why demand still is high despite inflation, why offices still are vibrant although not as high as historic peaks, hot cities, the sharp upswing in power-related construction and how the Democrat-controlled Congress affects the picture in transportation.... Read More

Gearing Up for Bauma: A Talk with David C.A. Phillips, Managing Director of Off-Highway Research

Flights to Munich are booking up for the Bauma equipment show in April, with more than 500,000 equipment buyers expected to attend the triennial extravaganza. International market analyst David Phillips talks about why construction equipment is selling out like hotel rooms in Munich, and offers key insights into the huge growth of manufacturers from China that will be exhibiting at the show. He also answers our question: Is Chinese equipment for real, or is it all for show?... Read More

Bid-rigging: OFT tight-lipped on identity of firms in bid-rigging fight

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will maintain a vow of silence over its bid-rigging investigation until it makes an announcement next year on the level...... Read More

Measuring Up: Six Common Characteristics of Successful Salespeople

Before reviewing the six characteristics of successful salespeople, we need to talk about sales in general. Selling is an acquired skill, not a God-given talent. Salespeople are communicators, not manipulators. For many people, their only sales experience has been with a pushy car or insurance salesperson. Such prejudices are commonplace and totally wrong.... Read More

Barnett Dembek Architects’ Nordel Annex project fit for a feast

Plans for Nordel Annex, a commercial facility and banquet hall in North Surrey, have been designed by Barnett Dembek Architects.... Read More

Canada’s Housing Starts Average 229,000 Units through April

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HIPs hit by housing market slowdown

The introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPs) has been delayed by the government again – now because of the slowdown in the housing market.... Read More

A Holding Pattern for Canada’s Employment in April 2008

Statistics Canada released its latest labour force numbers today, for April 2008. Month to month, the number of jobs in the country increased by 19,000. This can be characterized as a holding pattern. It is interesting to note that whereas Canada gained 19,000 jobs in April, the U.S. lost almost exactly the same number (-20,000). Construction job growth in Canada, on a year-over-year basis, increased an incredible +10.4% in the latest month.... Read More

Economic slowdown: latest news and developments

Latest news on how the economic downturn and credit crunch is affecting the construction and housing market, including analysis and commentary.... Read More

Green Jobs and Industries Still A Bright Spot In Economy

I was reading Forbes.com today and stumbled across a column that put a smile on my face.  While researching “the effects on the economy and job market from…greater green industry,” Michael Marks came to the same realization I did a short while ago:  “lo and behold, I found a topic that is nearly universally positive.” With housing and financial turmoil, the increase in energy costs, and disasters dominating headlines for the past few months, it may be easy to overlook the progress of green industries and the promise they... Read More

CertainTeed Adds Low-Slope Roofing Courses

Click here for full story... Read More

Green Talk: Sustainable Building Center Co-Director Discusses LEED, Green Guide for Health Care

Gail Vittori, of the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, was the sustainability consultant to the architects of the new Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas project in Austin, scheduled for completion this spring. The $200-million medical center on 32 acres of the former Austin airport site is a likely candidate to be the nation's first hospital to achieve platinum LEED certification.... Read More

George Heery: Building Contractual Bridges

In Engineering News-Record's March 5, 2007, Progressive Project Delivery issue, George T. Heery's Technical Viewpoint explains a new hybrid delivery system he calls Bridging/CM. The project delivery method combines bridging with construction manager at-risk, thus enabling owners to lock in an early enforceable price. In an online conversation with ENR New England Bureau Chief William Angelo, Heery discusses the hybrid system's benefits.... Read More

Authentic architecture addresses social and economic differences

In a world that has accepted the concept of globalization, it is now necessary to consider whether the notion of authentic architecture continues to be valid.... Read More

Construction starts continue to decline

Reed Construction Data (RCD) announced today that the year-to-date value of construction starts through April 2008, excluding residential contracts, totaled $83.5 billion, down 9.3% from the same period in 2007. Starts decreased 5.7% in April from a very strong March total. Allowing for seasonality, the trend has been clearly and slowly downward since last fall. RCD expects the current trend to continue for at least several more months even though rapidly rising construction inflation is boosting project costs.... Read More

Construction Cost Increases for Four College Building Categories

A college dormitory had the largest year-over-year increase in construction costs in April 2008 (+3.9% on average for 25 major centers) among four educational categories monitored by RSMeans. In second place was a laboratory (+3.5%), followed by a student union building (+3.0%) and a classroom (+2.8%). As for actual dollar-per-square-foot cost of construction, a college dormitory is most expensive. With respect to city increases, Chicago consistently recorded the greatest year-over-year percentage rise.... Read More

ProBuilder Product Report: Roofing & Siding

Think outside the box with these new roofing and siding products from Timberline, Follansbee and more.... Read More

Legislative Update for Residential Construction

The Maryland Legislature passed several bills affecting residential construction.House Bill 409 increased the limit from $15,000 to $20,000 on an award to a single claimant making a claim on the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund.House Bill 1309 requires the Maryland Home Improvement Commission to establish a licensing program for companies providing mold remediation on residential properties.Senate Bill 1008/House Bill 1557 double the initial registration fee for home builders to $600. It also doubles the renewal fee to $300 for a builder who has issued building permits for fewer than 11... Read More

Grand Designs Live builds house in 6 days

Grand Designs Live closed yesterday. Based on Channel 4’s hugely successful Grand Designs series, presented by design guru Kevin McCloud, the live exhibition has gone from strength to strength since launching in 2005. You may have caught some of the live show on TV last week featuring ‘The House That Kevin Built’. This involved building [...]... Read More

L.M. Scofield announces Decorative Concrete Awards

Decorative concrete products manufacturer L.M. Scofield will hold its first annual Decorative Concrete Awards. Enter your submissions in one of three categories: Residential, Commercial and Unique Application. Projects must have been completed between September 2007 and September 2008. The winners will be announced at World of Concrete 2009. Here’s your chance to set your company and your skills above the competition. Winning awards programs like this can be a boost for your company, garnering marketing and publicity for your work. What are you waiting for?! Visit the Scofield website... Read More

Recession?  Maybe not