Blogs

Most construction delays aren't caused by bad weather. They aren't caused by equipment failures. They aren't even caused by material shortages. More often than many contractors would like to admit, delays happen because somebody didn't communicate. A phone call wasn't made. An email wasn't sent. A change wasn't shared. An assumption was made. And suddenly a project that was moving smoothly grinds to a halt. The frustrating thing about communication failures is that they are often completely prev …

There is a belief in construction that faster is always better. Finish the project faster. Install it faster. Pour it faster. Frame it faster. Get off the job faster. At first glance, it makes sense. The sooner a project is completed, the sooner crews move to the next job. The sooner invoices go out. The sooner money comes in. The problem is that speed and profitability are not the same thing. In fact, some of the most expensive mistakes in construction happen because someone was trying to save …

Most contractors know how to calculate labor costs. They know material costs. Equipment rental costs. Fuel costs. Insurance costs. Those numbers are easy to see because they show up on invoices and financial statements. Downtime is different. Downtime often hides in plain sight. Workers standing around waiting. Equipment sitting idle. Materials that haven't arrived. One trade waiting on another. A project delayed by an issue that could have been prevented. At first glance, it may not seem like a …

Every construction project starts with a schedule. Some are realistic. Some are optimistic. And some seem to have been created by someone who has never actually built anything. No matter how a schedule begins, one thing is almost certain: at some point, pressure will appear. Materials arrive late. Weather causes delays. Inspections take longer than expected. Another trade falls behind. A change order gets added. Suddenly everyone is trying to make up time. That's when the schedule stops being a …

Every construction worker understands risk. It's part of the job. Working at heights. Operating heavy equipment. Handling power tools. Working around electricity. Lifting heavy materials. Construction has never been a risk-free profession. Yet an interesting question remains: If most workers understand the risks, why do people still take chances? Why does an experienced worker climb without proper access? Why does someone skip fall protection for "just a minute"? Why are safety procedures someti …