Tariffs on steel and aluminum have recently contributed to rising materials costs. There are many other factors that can cause prices to escalate, too, including shortages brought about by building booms in other parts of the country or world; environmental issues, such as loss of forestlands; and rising fuel and other transportation costs. What can…
The skilled labor shortage has been a problem for so long that you might be tired of reading about it. Yet, on a nationwide basis, the fact remains that construction businesses face a great challenge in hiring and retaining well-trained and experienced workers. If your construction company has good people on board right now, you’ve…
Benchmarking is the process of comparing one’s business processes and performance metrics with your own historical data or those of other, similar companies. Through this process, you can identify the “best in class” business practices in the construction industry, or in another industry where similar processes exist, and compare these approaches and results with your own. In doing so, you’ll hopefully…
Construction is a highly competitive industry in the private sector. But when it comes to public projects, winning a job can be even more cutthroat. That’s because government jobs are often subject to prevailing wage laws, such as the federal Davis-Bacon Act or the “little Davis-Bacon acts” that have been adopted in many states. Government…
The notion of starting work on a project without a license may seem unthinkable. But, in their rush to win bids and start work, many contractors have run afoul of licensing issues. Here’s how it can happen. A Major Culprit Out-of-state work is a major culprit. If you work on projects in other states, be…
The thought of creating a buy-sell agreement may strike a certain amount of trepidation into the hearts of some contractors. The mere suggestion of ownership change can raise delicate issues that are often avoided. But putting off the creation of a well-crafted buy-sell can put a construction company at risk if unexpected circumstances arise. Understand…