The last blog focused on a couple of areas where we look out for our owner clients. This one will cover the assistance for our contractor clients. The majority of our services are bidding related for plan and spec projects along with design assist/build. We do takeoffs and estimates for these bids, across the trades. [...]
Our clients are a diverse group of contractors, owners, attorneys and even a design firm or two. Contractors are by far our largest client base. About half of them are in the general trades and half are in the mechanical and/or electrical disciplines. We are usually assisting them in bidding projects. With the owners and [...]
It was 1981. Not great times, but not bad either. I came from a family involved in construction (I learned how to read blueprints and do takeoffs when I was twelve years old.) My career in estimating for the previous ten years was with some large firms. One was an Engineer/Architect and two were top [...]
It was recently reported in ENR that the staff of a Florida electric utility thought they knew how to replace a steam generator better that the experts they were trying to hire, and at a lesser cost. So, they decided to do it themselves to save some money. The results were not good. The costs [...]
It happens too much in the course of construction commerce. It is not limited to any one discipline or party in the entire project delivery process. Parties reach an agreement for the providing of certain services and/or goods along with the payment terms (i.e. a contract). Next thing you know the work is done and [...]
The answer to the age old question, “Does size matter?” is, “Yes it does!” for the construction industry. The answer is appropriate for owners, designers, contractors and vendors. When it comes to selecting the right firm, capabilities and capacities of the firms must be determined. The owner that contemplates being involved in a project that [...]
It seems that each new day brings us some doom and gloom. If it is not about the flooding, it’s an earthquake. If it is not about shrinking housing sales, it’s about increased unemployment. But let’s look on the bright side of things for a moment. Each recession/depression trough is not a smooth bottomed event. [...]
A few of our contractor clients have seen an upswing in their markets. Yes, they are in specialty areas. However even specialty areas were, or are, depressed as much as the overall construction market. This upswing is both good and bad news for them. While it is good news for my firm, it is a [...]
I have been fortunate to have been in business for over 30 years. I have been very fortunate in that virtually all of my clients are some of the best people in the world to do business with. As a part of that, I have had very few instances where the client would not pay. [...]
I recently found out a Tropical Depression and Tropical Storm means there will be a lot of rain and tidal surges. This means there will be water everywhere in low lying areas. Tropical Storm Lee hit the greater New Orleans area while my wife and I were visiting our son and his family. It rained [...]
