Executive Summary There’s power in simplicity. Harness the power to more efficiently communicate in-house and with your clients. What’s in a Task? Each day we all show up to work and have to accomplish a task. There are usually two main components of a task: the speed at which it […]
Timecard Collection – Like You’ve Never Heard
Executive Summary. One of the top complaints of construction employers is the collection of completed timecards – in a timely manner that is. Here is a suggestion for improvement you probably haven’t heard. What sort of timecard? Although this phenomenon of untimely timecard collection happens to salaried employees who simply […]
Anticipate Non-Obvious Movement to Prevent Serious Injury
Executive Summary: There exist thousands of hazards on a construction site. Some are obvious, some require more intimate knowledge of the industry and its equipment. Below are some of the non-obvious, learned hazards. A bed and other leaning things. Not your mattress, but a truck bed in its upright and […]
Make Claim Preparedness the Standard, not the Exception
Executive Summary: More and more construction jobs year after year go to litigation – or at least go “legal” as I say, by requiring the services of a lawyer. Don’t make preparing for a claim a monstrous duty towards the end of the job, prepare as you go with good […]
Cut Out the Office Cancer for Better Office Health
Executive Summary A lot of offices have that one person or that one small clique that creates a negative atmosphere in the office. You and your office will be better off with this cancer removed. Cut it out. Bad Attitude This person or persons I’m referring to may exist in […]
Invoice Your Clients Clearly and by the Rules to get Paid Quickly
Executive Summary Invoices get paid untimely for numerous reasons. The reason for slow payment should never be because of you – the party billing. Keep billing simple and in accordance with the payer’s guidelines to get paid quicker. What is an invoice? An invoice is a document generated by you […]
What’s a Banking Covenant?
Executive Summary: What are banking covenants? Banking covenants are conditions put upon a borrower by the bank. Although they can be general in nature, they often are quantitative. Some typical covenants are listed here. What sort of loan? In the construction industry, there’s all sorts of loans: line of credit, […]
Small Tools Tracking Software – Get It!
Executive Summary Estimates vary on the financial loss suffered by contractors due to lost or stolen tools. Pick any number you want, it’s certainly worth a discussion at any value. The direct cost loss is most obvious, but consider also the inefficiencies suffered by crews not having the tools they […]
Balance Sheet – Knowing the Basics of Assets
Executive Summary: Knowing the basics of accounting is essential in business. Knowing the balance sheet will help you assess your own financial health as well as that of your clients or subcontractors. Here are some basics on the balance sheet and, specifically, the assets section. Just the basics. I entered as […]
Determining Equipment Rates in Estimating
Executive Summary: Equipment cost within an estimate is one of the most common areas to make large scale adjustments in a bid’s price. It is also a large component of a heavy/civil construction company’s bid and balance sheet. Because of these reasons, it is vital to know what your fleet […]
Do Something Awkward Every Day
Executive Summary: As a manager, it may be often that you run into a situation in which you must do something outside of your comfort zone. Mitigate stress and make this exercise easier for you by practicing uncomfortable and awkward situations every day. The problem. As a manager of one […]
Grammar for Professionals… and the Rest of Us
A friend recently sent me this link to a grammar website, Grammarly. Grammarly gives you tips, tricks, and some plugins to help keep your grammar in check. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s any better than the next, but I do know one thing. I know that the majority of engineers […]
Incentive Clauses: Do they Work?
Executive Summary: Engineers have wondered if incentive clauses are a benefit to Owners in producing a timely, or accelerated, contract completion. My experience has been that it is of great benefit to the Owner because of the aggressive nature of project completion by the Contractor. What is an incentive clause? There […]
Choosing a Professional Services Provider
Executive Summary: How do you pick an attorney, a banker, a certified public accountant, an insurance agent, or an engineer? General: As a contractor, you need the following professional services on a regular basis: Legal Banking Accounting Insurance Engineering Some companies may provide these services in house, but likely you […]