Forensic Reporting 101 Executive Summary. In any formal forensic investigation, there’s going to be some sort of report. Knowing how to write this report is important in construction and it’s important if you’re interested in a 2nd career. Also, it’s fun. What is forensic engineering? From origin-and-cause.com, I found this […]
What’s a Deposition?
What’s a Deposition? Executive Summary. A deposition is an event in the legal process. Although here I’m talking specifically about construction, this can happen in any legal case. Let’s start at ground zero: the legal process. In construction, the contract should lay out the process for the legal process – […]
Project Specifications – The Basics, in Five Minutes
Project Specifications – The Basics, in Five Minutes First of all, apologies, the recording is just over eight (8) minutes! Executive Summary. Project specifications are comprised of three main parts. Learn each of the three here and know what’s in each section. Two types of documents guide the construction. First […]
Concrete Formwork Takeoff 101 – It’s All About SFCA
Concrete Formwork Takeoff 101 – It’s All About SFCA Executive Summary. There are some basics to concrete formwork takeoff whether you’re doing residential flatwork, a 40-story condominium tower, or a $500 million wastewater treatment plant. Start here with learning just the basics of concrete takeoff.First, a quickie on Estimating 101. […]
The Differing Site Conditions Clause – Careful!
The Differing Site Conditions Clause – Careful! Executive Summary. For underground contractors the differing site conditions (“DSC”) clause can be a savior, or a killer. Know what it says before you bid the job – it has a direct effect on your cost estimate.What is a differing site conditions clause? […]
Kobe’s Gym Rats and Angela’s Grit
Kobe’s Gym Rats and Angela’s Grit Executive Summary. The “older” generation currently in executive management across the workingworld yearns for the good ol’ days when it was a simpler time: work hard, put in the time, and climb theladder. They (which now is really me, I’m 52 years old now) […]
Find a Mentor: They’ve Seen What You’re Seeing
Find a Mentor: They’ve Seen What You’re Seeing Executive Summary. Finding someone who has been what you’re going through, has seen what’s in your future, and/or can help you directly or with some sort of connection, can be invaluable to your mental and financial health. Go find someone – it […]
Constructive Acceleration: The Bully Owner
Constructive Acceleration: The Bully Owner Executive Summary. Constructive acceleration is a common occurrence on job construction projects – especially a project with liquidated damages. Learn about what constructive acceleration is, and how to ensure your case against the Owner using this defense will satisfy a court. What is constructive acceleration? […]
Increase Profit by Knowing Design Intent
Increase Profit by Knowing Design Intent Executive Summary. The designer knows design. You know cost. If you can satisfy the designer at a fraction of the cost, this equates to an increased bottom line for you. Know the designer’s worry. Designers worry about their designs standing the test of time. […]
Internal Divisional Subcontracting: Like Swallowing Hemlock
Internal Divisional Subcontracting: Like Swallowing Hemlock Executive Summary. It sure looks good on paper, but internal subcontracting to another division can be a disaster. It can be like swallowing hemlock (if you don’t know what that is, look at the QR code on the right). We do it all! There […]
The Field Sketch: Kiss a Pencil Today
The Field Sketch: Kiss a Pencil Today Executive Summary. A field sketch is not considered a “bonus”, or “extra work” in the world of construction documentation. It’s a necessity. This fundamental is a mark of a construction professional. What’s a, and why a, field sketch? If you’re a construction professional, […]
Trench Talk: Paul Hartmann, Rebar Foreman
Trench Talk: Paul Hartmann, Rebar Foreman Executive Summary. Listen to my chat, on the live jobsite, with Paul Hartmann who is a big job rebar foreman. We talk about his career, advice to others coming up in the trades, and the industry as a whole. Life of a steel guy […]
Larry King and Katt Williams: Now It’s Your Turn
Larry King and Katt Williams: Now It’s Your Turn Executive Summary. Reflecting on your career and your life is always fun and interesting. Try this with yourself or with a friend. Larry King’s questions. My social media feed recently brought me to an interview by Larry King of Katt Williams. […]
Measured Mile: It’s Not Just for Contractors
Measured Mile: It’s Not Just for Contractors Executive Summary. The measured mile is a common term used in claims by Contractors. It is the term used to describe the production rate that forms a basis of financial reimbursement. Owners would be well-suited to collect production rates during the work too. […]
Partner, But Not Necessarily Via Partnering
Partner, But Not Necessarily Via Partnering Executive Summary. Partnering was created decades ago to bring the Contractor and Owner together in a semi-formal setting to align goals. Partnering session(s) can be effective, but so can a beer and a burger. Roots of partnering. The Construction Industry Institute defines the purpose […]
Stroke: You’re Having One Right Now
Stroke: You’re Having One Right Now Executive Summary. A stroke is when blood flow to the brain stops. A quick response (on the radio I hear that one hour is the maximum time you have to get to a hospital) is critical in reducing brain injury and other complications. How […]
Contractor Estimating: Drop the Curtain
Contractor Estimating: Drop the Curtain Executive Summary. Lots of times we hear from Engineers that Contractors have fat and contingencies in their estimates. On a low bid wins scenario, that’s just not the case. Look behind the curtain here at some real numbers. What job are we talking about here? […]
New Civil Grads: Three Roads, Choose One!
New Civil Grads: Three Roads, Choose One! Executive Summary. A recent discussion with a soon-to-be civil engineering graduate spurred this article on what your options are heading towards “the real world.” Here’s your three options in my mind. What’s a civil engineer? Simply put, civil engineers improve the quality of […]
Construction in Thailand: 1st and 3rd World Combined
Construction in Thailand: 1st and 3rd World Combined Executive Summary. A quick visit to Thailand revealed some interesting construction and engineering – a mixture of 1st and 3rd world construction! The trip. Thailand is in southeast Asia. That’s southwest of Japan and south of China. Both Laos and Vietnam border […]
Your Last Choice: The Total Cost Claim Approach
Your Last Choice: The Total Cost Claim Approach Executive Summary. In a claim situation, when choosing a method of claim recovery, the total cost claim method is usually the weakest choice. A recent court case put another nail in that coffin. ASCE recently caught my eye. I am a member […]
What is Extended Performance?
What is Extended Performance? Executive Summary. Generally speaking, the cost associated with time loss on a contract are called extended performance costs. Here’s a brief talk on extended performance. What is extended performance? Let’s break down theterm. Extended refers to the duration of the contract having gone longer than was […]
Mindset Differences – Major Leaguers v. Minor Leaguers
Mindset Differences – Major Leaguers v. Minor Leaguers Executive Summary. There’s a different mindset between major league contractors and minor league contractors. Here’s three ways they differ. Graduating to the big leagues. You’re in the elite group when you score an A+ on all of the bonding 3 C’s: character, […]
An Offering of a Contractor’s Standard of Care
An Offering of a Contractor’s Standard of Care Executive Summary. Many are familiar with a design professional’s standard of care (SOC). Why don’t contractors have a standard of care? This is the start. Research by the author – nothing. Go to Google, go to agc.org, go to abc.org, go to […]
Business In Hawaii Is The Same, But Totally Different
Business In Hawaii Is The Same, But Totally Different Executive Summary. Business in Hawaii is just like in other states, but yet so different. Read on for your guide to doing business in Hawaii. Kamaaina status. Kamaaina (pronounced “kaa-ma-eye-na”) is a Hawaiian word used to describe someone originally from Hawaii, […]
Trench Talk: Clem Conceicao, Crane Operator
Trench Talk: Clem Conceicao, Crane Operator Executive Summary. Listen to my discussion with Mr. Clem Conceicao, long time operator of friction cranes, tower cranes, and squirt booms in Hawaii. Running a crane, or any piece of equipment. Being an operator of any piece of equipment carries an obligation of safety […]
How to Start a Professional Construction Company
How to Start a Professional Construction Company Executive Summary. If you’ve ever wanted to start your own construction company, here’s the process. What do you want to do? First thing to do is figure out what you want to do. Heavy/civil, window installation, frame houses, industrial coatings – what? This […]
What’s the Difference Between Unit Price and Lump Sum Bids?
What’s the Difference Between Unit Price and Lump Sum Bids? Executive Summary. Prices in construction bids are usually received in one of two ways: unit prices or lump sum. Here we discuss differences and pros and cons of collecting construction bids via these two methods. Two ways. Pricing for construction […]
The Low Bid Model – Time to Go?
The Low Bid Model – Time to Go? Executive Summary. Although great in concept, the low bid model of construction proposal award is severely flawed. Here’s a quick evaluation of the two primary evaluation methods used by Owners in the award of construction projects. You evaluate which is best for […]
Utility Drawings 101: The Plan and Profile
Utility Drawings 101: The Plan and Profile Executive Summary. Learn the basics of how to read a utility plan and profile. One thing is consistent: no drawings are the same. You’ll learn enough here to talk intelligently. Utilities as a component of the site plan. Drawings used to construct the […]
Subsurface Disclaimers Don’t Hold – Travelers v. U.S.
Subsurface Disclaimers Don’t Hold – Travelers v. U.S. Executive Summary. The age old issue of whether or not the geotechnical information in, or associated with, the bid package can be relied upon has been in and out of courtrooms across the country. Perhaps the federal case which is the most […]
Parkinson’s Law – Hoping to Quantify Pacing
Parkinson’s Law – Hoping to Quantify Pacing Executive Summary. Parkinson’s Law states that “…work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” (Parkinson, C. N., The Economist, November, 1955) It explains worker behavior, but may not support well now an Owner’s quantitative offense to Contractor-induced conscious project […]
The Preparatory Meeting: Priceless
The Preparatory Meeting: Priceless Executive Summary. Federal construction work usually requires three phases of quality control within the work: the preparatory, initial, and follow-up phases. If you, as a contractor or owner, do not want to try incorporating all three just try one. Try the preparatory phase.The Feds and the […]
Legal Jargon and Process 101
Legal Jargon and Process 101 Executive Summary. Being in management, middle or upper, will likely land you close to a courtroom. At least you will be exposed to the legal process. Here are some of the basics from a non-lawyer. What sort of events would expose me to legal jargon? […]
Bonds and Bonding Capacity 101
Bonds and Bonding Capacity 101 Executive Summary. If you’ve ever wondered how bonding capacity is earned and calculated, it may be a bit fuzzier than you think. But it does rely on numbers. Read on for the basics. What is bonding? You’ve heard people say “The job is bonded.” or […]
Construction is Broken – Give me the Onsite EOR
Construction is Broken – Give me the Onsite EOR Executive Summary. Contractors are told to build projects in record time without having complete information. It’s not fair to the Engineer, the Contractor, the Owner, or the Taxpayer. There’s an easy fix which will get the project most of the way […]
The Importance of As-Builts
The Importance of As-Builts Executive Summary. As-builts are critical to future projects and can save Owners thousands or millions of dollars. As-builts can also save lives. Do them and do them contemporaneously (which means as you go, not after the fact). What are as-builts? As-builts are drawing set(s), either paper […]
University Cooperative Education – the Real Deal!
University Cooperative Education – the Real Deal! Executive Summary. Most resume readers consider professional experience, as an engineer or construction professional, as starting upon graduation. In a cooperative education program, it’s starts during college. What is cooperative education? Cooperative education (or co-op) is time spent during your college education out […]
Water in the Hole! What’s it Mean?
Water in the Hole! What’s it Mean? Executive Summary. Water in an excavation can tell a story. It can provide valuable information if you watch it carefully. Here are some things to look for in that trench.Why do I care about water? Just so you know – as an aside […]
Smartsheet™ – A Contractor’s Dream
Smartsheet™ – A Contractor’s Dream Executive Summary. It’s like Excel™, but not Excel™. It’s a great fit for logging: submittals, RFIs, letter, potential change orders, et cetera. Read on for a quick review of this not-so-heard-of product in our industry. Recommended! What is Smartsheet™? Smartsheet™ is a NYSE-traded cloud-based software […]
Pipe Encasement Flotation – Archimedes was the Man!
Pipe Encasement Flotation – Archimedes was the Man! Executive Summary. Ever prepped to pour a concrete encasement and lost sleep over whether or not it would float during the pour? Learn here how easy it is to calculate that buoyancy force. Archimedes was the man. Archimedes was a Greek mathematician […]
Owners Loosen Your Grip!
Owners Loosen Your Grip! Executive Summary. COVID and inflation in 2020, 2021, and 2022 have created challenging and unpredictable times for contractors. Owners should consider loosening contract provisions during this interim for the good of their projects. I’m tired of hearing of these unique times. Seems ever since the Great […]
Reading Rebar Drawings 101
Reading Rebar Drawings 101 Executive Summary. Rebar drawings take on their own lingo. Here are some basics to get you through understanding what you see on paper and then what you will then see in the field. What is rebar? Rebar is short for reinforcing bar. It is the component […]
Great Ways to Die: The Potential Energy Edition
Great Ways to Die: The Potential Energy Edition Executive Summary. The construction site is fraught with danger. Avoid these hazards to get home to your family tonight – in one piece. Literally. This is the potential energy edition. What a terrible article title. Yup, agreed. It’s a bit sick, right? […]
I Wrote a Children’s Book Because I Could
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes Executive Summary. Nothing better than getting your kids interested in what you do for a living by reading to them to sleep at night about the glorious business of asphalt milling! Then fill it back in with asphalt! Good times! Try reading fun rhymes to […]
K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Stupid
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 […]
Tech Tricks for Computer Efficiency
Practice implementing these tech habits into your daily routine and you’ll become more efficient at your computer & other tech devices! Laptop / Desktop Tech Use a Mouse If you don’t already: Use. A. Mouse. Even with a laptop. While the mouse is technically the slowest part of the computer, […]
Pipeline Podcast: Best of 2020
Here’s a look back as we’ve had some great topics in 2020 for new and experienced contractors, engineers, estimators, and owners. Related Articles https://conta.cc/39bylFM
What is Section Modulus, S?
Executive Summary: One of the most basic properties of a beam is its section modulus. How does the section modulus, S, come into play in structural design? And, why should I care? What is a beam? Keeping it simple here, a beam is a horizontal member supported at two ends. When you stand in the […]
Conversion of Inches to Feet (in decimals)
Imperial vs. Metric Length in the United States is still primarily measured using inches and feet – inches add up to feet add up to yards add up to miles. These are called Imperial units. The vastly more common way on the planet of measuring distance is by using the metric system – […]
No good deed goes unpunished
Proverb #1: No good deed goes unpunished. I’ve got a couple of these proverbs up my sleeve when it comes to construction. This one I normally share with the newbies to the biz, but I find that those that have been around awhile benefit from it too. Where’s this applicable? I usually […]
SJCC Toolbox Terms & Glossary
Listen to our podcast for new terms and check out our glossary below. Click on a term to find articles that reference that term. Glossary of Terms A Aggregate – Coarse material such as sand, gravel, or other crushed rock. Often used as a substrate or base course. Artics – […]