ConstructConnect Blog

Strong relationships between general contractors and subcontractors are an important component of a successful project. These relationships don’t mature overnight, and it takes time and effort from both parties to build a level of trust that evolves into a strong working partnership. Putting in the work to build these relationships can be mutually beneficial to both parties and pay off for years to come.

Construction work is inherently dangerous. Construction consistently leads all industries in total worker deaths each year and has one of the highest fatality rates for worker deaths. The top priority of every construction company should be to protect their workers from injuries and ensure everyone makes it home safe at the end of each shift.

As a general contractor, building strong relationships with your clients is important to your company’s success. Good client relationships can lead to repeat business, referrals, and word-of-mouth marketing. A good working relationship built on trust and understanding can go a long way when issues arise on a project.

When you’re estimating your next concrete job, regardless of whether you’re putting together a quick quote or submitting a formal bid, you need to nail your takeoff. If your material takeoff measurements and calculations aren’t accurate, you’ll overestimate or underestimate the project.  

There's over a 50% chance the United States could slip into a recession within the next 18 months according to TD Securities. The construction industry really took it on the chin during the Great Recession. The number of construction firms fell by nearly 150,000 between 2007 and 2013 and over 2.3 million jobs were lost due to layoffs, early retirement, and workers leaving for greener pastures. 

Building a top-notch safety culture doesn’t happen overnight. Getting buy-in from employees requires a top-down approach starting with the executive officers. “Safety First” can’t just be lip service delivered to workers from upper management, it must be put into practice by building a strong safety culture within your organization. Your commitment to safety should be one of the core principles of your company’s culture.

Many contractors and owners of construction firms focus on strategies rather than what really makes a difference in improving their businesses. Unlike other industries, construction companies face difficulties in generating revenue. It becomes challenging to get forward with, or even stay ahead, due to extremely slow billing instances and poor profitability.

One of the biggest challenges building product manufacturers struggle with is having an effective, multi-channel marketing strategy. The complexity of the commercial construction industry has been underestimated as far back as I can recall and seems to be multiplying. For BPMs, the complexity is the highest it's ever been. For most BPMs to realize sustained success, creating and maintaining a combination of strategic and tactical approaches with the entire building team is essential.

The process and care that goes into building a community are never-ending. While access to plans and resources is key, the people and intent behind it matter more. When you think about the celebration of Juneteenth and how it applies to you, think about the growth of your community and the ideas that drive progress. We’re better together and everyone can get behind efforts to bring people into a universal celebration of freedom and liberty.

Imagine walking onto a construction site in the near future to find a team of robots doing site grading and layout, laying a brick wall, or even assembling scaffolding trusses. This may seem far-fetched, something you'd expect in a sci-fi flick or a story by Isaac Asimov or Ray Bradbury, but advances in construction robotic technology are quickly making it a reality.