Budget overrun is a frequent problem for contractors. You bid on a project, your bid is accepted, and then it’s a race to try to keep your costs down. There are several things that can make you spend more than you expected, and some of them are easier to account for than others. By planning … Read more
There’s nothing like a little competition to get businesses working harder to build bigger and better. And the competition between hotels and short-term private rental companies like Airbnb is anything but little. Airbnb, which began as a way for owners of existing properties to rent them out for money, is now delving into construction. Hotels … Read more
You read a lot about construction’s labor shortage and ways that the industry is trying to get around it. Although new approaches like automation and modular construction can decrease the numbers needed for a particular project, eliminating jobs isn’t sufficient. In order to survive the thousands of professionals who retire from construction each year, the … Read more
Working in construction is full of risks. Even if you ignore all the safety concerns (which you shouldn’t), there are all kinds of risks you take in your business each day. Although you want to minimize the effects of taking chances, this can sometimes make you too eager to avoid taking risks at all. Here’s … Read more
It’s a fear that people have had for centuries. Develop a piece of technology that replaces a skilled worker, and soon it starts replacing skilled workers. This is why industries like construction tend to be so hesitant to adopt innovations. But staying stuck in the 19th Century or even the 20th Century isn’t the best … Read more
It’s going to happen eventually, and it might even happen a few times a year. You end up in a dispute with a contractor, subcontractor or client. Some disputes are easy to resolve, while others might put a halt on the project. Since time is always money for your contracting business, trying to avoid disputes … Read more
It’s no secret that the construction industry produces a lot of waste. When you do any kind of demolition as part of your business, you’re much more likely to be taking tons of the debris to the landfill. If you’re starting to feel like this is just a part of your business, there may be … Read more
Construction workers need to drink water throughout the day for their health and ability to do their jobs well. The problems are that there are so many ways this can go wrong on a construction site. You expect the taps to be working, only to learn that they’ve been stopped by another process on the … Read more
The construction industry has been booming ever since the world started to rebound after the Great Recession. The year 2020 brings several changes that contractors should keep in mind while they grow their businesses. With a greater emphasis on technology, the widespread acceptance of the design-build approach, and an increasing importance of hiring skilled labor, … Read more
It happened in New York, and it could happen here in California. Dozens of inspectors went to various construction sites and found tens of thousands of violations. Many of them were related to safe practices and working conditions. Although you’re not likely to encounter an unexpected inspection during the course of your project, there’s good … Read more