Through my years as a contractor, I’ve seen the industry standard for best roofing practices evolve when it comes to “flat roofs,” which are almost level and designed to drain. When I started, 3 and 4 ply felt sealed with hot asphalt were the standards, and before that coal tar in lieu of asphalt. If …
This week I was reminded of something I’ve seen over and over through my years in business. Cost and quality are important, but all things being equal, we will make our “buy” decision by the person with whom we deal, not necessarily the company they work for. Our greatest assets are not in the bank, but our …
From time to time on our Florida projects, we run across sand mixed with a high concentration of organic matter. Depending on building loadings, this can be a huge challenge when selecting a foundation system that makes economic sense. Recently on a Florida site, we worked with Hayward Baker to determine if the load characteristics …
What a difference 8 years can make. I had conversations with a couple of our Midwest customers this week, and it seems everyone is asking me the same question: What’s happening with pricing? My response is that prices will continue to rise, unfortunately. If oil and other commodities were not where they are today, we …
Of all the classroom books I have met, few have had as much everyday impact as Strunk and White’s “The Elements of Style,” a classic handbook on composition published in 1918. The infamous rule #13 stating, “Omit needless words,” is a practice revered by journalists and novelists, as it should be by anyone using the …
Like many experienced construction companies, our team is well practiced in both Lump Sum and Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) construction contracts. Adding to these, we are now involved with projects requiring a different delivery method, the Agency Construction Management agreement. In most cases, this is a good choice when there are multiple entities at the …
Are you are familiar with the “farm to table” concept? Last evening I had the opportunity to have dinner on a farm where the produce was grown. I am in New England for a few days, currently in Nantucket, where we visited Bartlett’s Farm. The place is amazing. Seven generations of the Bartlett family have …
That’s a lofty title, I know. I’m the first to admit that I don’t know everything, but 31 years in business has taught me a thing or two about working and life. A few thoughts worth sharing: Be productive when the inspiration strikes. I’ve been known to send emails in the middle of the night. I …
At the various real estate conventions I attend throughout the year, it seems one question is always being discussed: “When will the Feds raise rates?” This week, I had lunch with a friend from the Federal Reserve, and as I understand, the question is now hinging between “When do we raise rates? ” and “Why …
Last week, I drove through Birmingham’s Avondale neighborhood on 39th Street, a route I’ve traveled many times before. I always knew it as straight as an arrow, but not any longer. I later discovered that residents had asked the city to slow down traffic, and engineers responded with “chicanes.” These landscaped islands form a hopscotch pattern …
We have a project that involves two engineering consultants of the same discipline. One of the engineering firms has an overlay for the larger project, but it was appropriate for us to hire another engineer for our portion. At the start, it seemed it would be a rocky road. I suspect this was because the engineer …
Several of our more recent projects have been driven by consumer desire for socially connectivity, an idea traditionally limited to large cities. While the suburbs are not going away anytime soon, we’re seeing increased emphasis on places that create an experience and a sense of place. This means finding everything you need for daily living …