5 Reasons a College Degree Kills Communication in Construction Alright so the title was clickbait for sure- #fakenews- the reason being the importance of communication is so cliche and overstated no one is going to read an article titled “The Importance of Communication in Construction” (side note- I did think about titling this “how to communicate more better”). That said despite meetings, emails, conference calls, more emails, phone calls, more emails- I cannot believe how bad we as an industry seem to be at it! This poor communication leads to small 01/03/2018
Alright so the title was clickbait for sure- #fakenews- the reason being the importance of communication is so cliche and overstated no one is going to read an article titled “The Importance of Communication in Construction” (side note- I did think about titling this “how to communicate more better”). That said despite meetings, emails, conference calls, more emails, phone calls, more emails- I cannot believe how bad we as an industry seem to be at it! This poor communication leads to small
3 Tips for Reviewing a SOV Schedule of values are often hastily submitted with the first pay app. Everyone is so excited (or busy) now that work has begun seemingly minor items (inadvertent or intentional) that could haunt the project may be overlooked. Here are a few quick items to look for when reviewing a schedule of values to help avoid punches in the gut down the road. Item #1: Front Loading Watch out for excessive front loading of the schedule of values. What this means is a subcontractor will more heavily value 12/23/2017
Schedule of values are often hastily submitted with the first pay app. Everyone is so excited (or busy) now that work has begun seemingly minor items (inadvertent or intentional) that could haunt the project may be overlooked. Here are a few quick items to look for when reviewing a schedule of values to help avoid punches in the gut down the road. Item #1: Front Loading Watch out for excessive front loading of the schedule of values. What this means is a subcontractor will more heavily value
Ways to Deal with Moisture Mitigation for Flooring It’s all LEED’s fault! Ten to fifteen years ago high VOC adhesives were commonplace and vapor drive from curing concrete causing failure in water based “green” adhesives was something that only an unfortunate few of us had experienced. The problem in a nutshell is water soluble, LEED compliant, low VOC adhesives are much more susceptible to failure due to water released from the concrete while it is curing (remember concrete curing can take a long time- the longer concrete cures the stronger 12/19/2017
It’s all LEED’s fault! Ten to fifteen years ago high VOC adhesives were commonplace and vapor drive from curing concrete causing failure in water based “green” adhesives was something that only an unfortunate few of us had experienced. The problem in a nutshell is water soluble, LEED compliant, low VOC adhesives are much more susceptible to failure due to water released from the concrete while it is curing (remember concrete curing can take a long time- the longer concrete cures the stronger
Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks Some of the most brilliant construction minds today (usually project managers above the age of 50 and superintendents above the age of 40- sorry to stereotype here...) don’t use all the wonderful technology that makes all of our lives easier (ie allows us to spit out twice as much as we did 10 years ago). But times are changing and while old dogs don't necessarily need to learn new tricks to be successful here are some useful observations I’ve had. Watch out for the self fulfilling prophecy 12/16/2017
Some of the most brilliant construction minds today (usually project managers above the age of 50 and superintendents above the age of 40- sorry to stereotype here...) don’t use all the wonderful technology that makes all of our lives easier (ie allows us to spit out twice as much as we did 10 years ago). But times are changing and while old dogs don't necessarily need to learn new tricks to be successful here are some useful observations I’ve had. Watch out for the self fulfilling prophecy
10 Key Questions to Ask During a Scope Review Yesterday I wrote a post about whether or not a scope review was necessary- if you do think a scope review fits your project goals here are 10 essential questions (and some context as to why). 1. Will you sign our contract? Most projects I have been a part of have a non negotiable boiler plate full of legal jargon which is not going to be changed for anyone under any circumstances. If a subcontractor is not willing to sign the contract than the relationship cannot go any further. This sounds 12/12/2017
Yesterday I wrote a post about whether or not a scope review was necessary- if you do think a scope review fits your project goals here are 10 essential questions (and some context as to why). 1. Will you sign our contract? Most projects I have been a part of have a non negotiable boiler plate full of legal jargon which is not going to be changed for anyone under any circumstances. If a subcontractor is not willing to sign the contract than the relationship cannot go any further. This sounds
To Scope (Review) of Not to Scope (Review)- That is The Question I have worked for a couple of different construction managers during my career. Some prided themselves in detailed, well organized scope reviews- while others just saw scope reviews as a waste of time that usually only ended up adding costs to the project. Which construction manager had their projects run more smoothly? Which construction manager do you think had more issues with budget? Before I answer that let’s go through some pros and cons for both approaches. Approach A: Review the 12/12/2017
I have worked for a couple of different construction managers during my career. Some prided themselves in detailed, well organized scope reviews- while others just saw scope reviews as a waste of time that usually only ended up adding costs to the project. Which construction manager had their projects run more smoothly? Which construction manager do you think had more issues with budget? Before I answer that let’s go through some pros and cons for both approaches. Approach A: Review the
