Labor Productivity in Construction

Last week, I attended a 1-day conference by Hyphen Solutions in Irvine, Calif. The focus of the conference was to look at ways builders could impro...... Read More

New Technique Improves Road Maintenance

Maintaining roads has become easier, thanks to a process called micro-surfacing that originally began in Europe and has made its way to the Upper Midwest during the last three years. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, German scientists experimented with conventional slurry to find a way to use it in a thicker form that could be applied in narrow courses for wheel ruts, but they didn't want to d...... 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

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

Recycle When You Remodel

When remodeling a home, there is often a large amount of construction waste. NARI’s Green Remodeling program offers remodeling contractors across the country a unique opportunity to incorporate cost-saving and earth-sustaining green concepts into their clients’ homes. Here's how.... Read More

Managing Your Business in a Down Market

In economic downturns, great business owners and managers don't panic but instead use the time to take a hard look at how to make the business even better.... Read More

Cheap and Easy Employee Recruitment Idea

A news story came across the wire this morning that I found very interesting and wanted to share with the readers of this blog. General contractor, R.W. Allen, headquartered in Augusta, Georgia took advantage of its recent project - the construction of a high school - to showcase opportunities graduating high schoolers have available to them in the construction industry. 16 high-school students toured the jobsite of the new school to get a better understanding of what is involved in commercial construction and find out the possibilities of joining... Read More

Industry advised on how best to profit from contaminated land

Tips on how to count the cost of cleaning contaminated land and bringing derelict brownfield sites back into use have been published by English Partnerships.... Read More

Cost-Effective Solutions for a Beautiful, Affordable Home

Are you, homebuilders, packing the most punch in the affordable homes you build?... Read More

Mistakes to avoid when running a homebuilding company

Experts to weigh in on the most common business mistakes home builders make.... Read More

Is Your Home Business Prepared for a Disaster?

If you're like most people, you probably started with wonderful ideas of fulfilling your dreams, to be successful and to take charge of your own destiny.... Read More

Is Your Home Business Prepared for a Disaster?

If you're like most people, you probably started with wonderful ideas of fulfilling your dreams, to be successful and to take charge of your own destiny.... 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

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

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

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

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

Construction Resource Management

It's no secret that the construction industry is facing tough economic challenges. Interest rates are up, fuel costs are skyrocketing, the national economy is in a downturn, and productivity is on the decline. Add to those external forces the internal pressures of tool and equipment loss, theft, maintenance, and replacement — and the attendant costs of project delays and lost productivity...... Read More

Rework Ruins JobSite Morale

There are few management decision that can crush the morale on a job site more than excessive major rework orders. I’ve sat in too many management meetings where major demo/rebuild changes were discussed without any consideration given to communicating the reasons for the change to the responsible work crews. In these instances management focuses on the economic and design considerations of the finished product without sharing that information with the workers. The folks on the ground are left to interpret their own reasons for the change: Management doesn’t value... Read More

BIM Meets Prefab: Suburban Prototype Home, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

We hear and read a great deal about the promises- and potential pitfalls- of BIM in the context of its use as a tool for sustainable design. Accordingly, we were interested to read in the most recent issue of Dwell about the Suburban Prototype Home in Bergen County. Designed by Hoboken-based Nastasi Architects for clients in the New York City suburb of Woodcliff Lake, the designers used a BIM model to successfully execute the curves and angles of a steel and glass addition to a traditional suburban ranch residence.... Read More

LePatner’s Book Hit’s the Nail on the Head

As an attorney with 30 years experience, Barry LePatner has had a front row seat in observing the inefficiencies of the construction industry. In his new book, LePatner shares his observations and makes some recommendations on how the industry might improve. LePatner discusses his book here. Based on the interviews I’ve read and heard I can see that LePatner shares many of our beliefs. We at CDS, have considered many of the issues that LePatner raises when creating our business model. Though his solutions are legal in nature (switching... Read More

What the Top 25% of Construction Foreman Do

The field is where a contractor makes or loses money. The cost of the project is mostly at the site. Making those costs result in a finished installation within the budget is the basic task of the construction foreman. Learn from our data and our experience what the top foreman consistently do and how they do it. For the rest of the article, email us at mstevens@stevensci.com. with the title of the article. Limit 1 article per month... Read More

Dehumidifiers Keep Projects On Schedule

Nothing can be as frustrating for a building contractor as watching building materials such as concrete and wallboard slowly dry when the clock is ticking against the project's deadline. Such was the situation faced by Birmingham, Alabama-based Robins & Morton, one of the largest healthcare contractors in the nation.... Read More

Site Dumpers Boost Jobsite Productivity

North American contractors are always looking for tools to help them do their jobs more efficiently, because speed and ease can translate into greater profitability. Often that quest leads them to look across the pond. Because of narrow streets and limited space between buildings, European contractors are continually developing smaller machines that can handle big projects.... Read More

Construction Productivity

Construction Productivity continues to be flat. From government data on Employment and Put-In-Place Construction, our industry's trailing 10 year trend has risen little and in the last two years has reversed itself. All other major sectors of the United States business community have increased their productive output in constant dollar terms. It is a frustrating business fact that needs to be addressed. Smart contractors have ignored this national problem and focused on their individual company productivity. As a result, competitive gains have been made by contractors and the reward... Read More

The Difference Between ROI and Marketing Accountability

What's the difference difference between ROI and marketing accountability? My post a few weeks ago, "On B2B Demand Generation tools and Lead Generation Dashboards," started an email exchange between me and Jeffrey Eisenberg on the subject. Our exchange spawned an article by Bryan Eisenberg over at ClickZ. He writes, "Measuring the ROI of lead generation isn't the same thing as full accountability. If marketing is a profitable activity, it still doesn't mean that what it is communicating to the universe of buyers is building the business. I've seen lots... Read More

Construction Bid Tracking Form

It is critical that construction contractors track competitor's bid prices. They must know what the trends and characteristics for each peer if they are beat them and at the same time "leaving less money on the table".We have a Bid Tracking Form for your review and use. It is free for the asking. Just send to us an email re: Bid Tracking Form and we will send it to you within 3 working days. Our contact email is clientservices@stevensci.com... Read More

Cable bundler

The Cable Comb consists of a blue inner hub and a yellow outer collar that enables users to straighten, organize, and lash single cables into a neat cable bundle... Read More

The brand formula

... Read More

Better Sales Lead Generation

8 powerful B2B sales lead generation techniques to help you reach your sales prospects... Read More

3 Critical Rules for Avoiding a Customer Service Meltdown

If anyone ever doubted that a customer service crisis can suck the life out of your brand in a heartbeat, examine the Presidents Day Jet Blue fiasco.... Read More

The "NO Effort" Effect

Given all the reports and articles published on negative experiences, I am puzzled at the lack of effort from companies. This week I took a detour on my way to work to drop off my car for some repairs needed after I got into a bit of a scrape on the road. Nothing major, although the costs will be there. I had made all the required calls to follow though on paper work, made sure the dealer had the parts in, and got the car rental lined up. Of... Read More

Failure Doesn't Suck

Sir James Dyson on getting it right after 5,126 tries--and how to move air at 400 mph.... 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

High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER January 2007

Assessment Model **************** Leadership Keith Harrison, the global product supply office for Proctor & Gamble Co. (P&G), list his thoughts on leadership: “In today’s global, rapidly changing world, one of the most important qualities of leadership is the ability to define and organize around moments of truth in your business.  In our business there are two moments of truth – when the customer stands at the store shelf and chooses our brand and when she uses our product at home and decides whether it lives up to he expectations.” ... Read More

Lean & 5S' in Construction #2 January 2005

5S’s in Construction Newsletter #2 January 2005 ************** Is it time to ‘Reshine?” General Dynamics reports that periodically it is a good idea to revisit your 5S’s areas and reshine them. Sometimes, especially if one does not have a good self-discipline system aka audit process, things will drift back to where they were prior to doing the 5S’s.  If this is the case for you, don’t give up or pull out all of your hair (some of us have so little anyway). Start again – do a Reshine Week and... Read More

Lean & 5S' in Construction #8 February 2006