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? […]
Don’t Get Your P.E. License
“Don’t Get Your P.E. License” – A Ridiculous Statement Executive Summary. If you went to college for an engineering degree and you work in a field with professional engineers, get your professional engineering license. Here’s why. What is a “P.E.”? P.E. are two letters you see on business cards after […]
Why to Get a Contractor’s License
Executive Summary. Operating without a contractor’s license can be anywhere from inconvenient to illegal. Hear here why you should consider obtaining a license. Why do I need a license? More than a handful of contractors run their business out of the front seat of a three-on-the-tree 1976 Chevy Silverado – […]
Going “Legit”: Lose the Brown Paper Bag
Executive Summary If you’ve been running the accounts receivable and accounts payable out of a brown paper bag and want to go “legit”, here are the first steps. The Background Perhaps you have a successful and operating company – you have for a year or twenty years. But each time […]
Starting a Construction Business: a 5-Minute “How To”
Executive Summary Starting a construction business has its unique requirements. These plus the norms will get you up and running at your new construction business. Step 1. Do You Know What You’re Doing? This is the first question to ask yourself as you are getting ready to enter, as my […]