ConstructConnect Blog

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.

Warmer weather means that roadwork season is in full effect which means more and more work zones are popping up on our interstates, highways, and streets. It’s also the time of year when more people are on the road traveling greater distances to the beach, mountains, and other vacation spots.

The dog days of summer will soon be upon us and the higher temperatures bring with it the danger of suffering heat-related illnesses at the construction site. Construction workers are at high risk for heat-related illnesses due to the strenuous nature of their jobs and prolonged exposure to the heat and humidity brought on during the summer months.

Labor shortages are one of the major issues the construction industry is struggling to overcome. For many construction firms, keeping their workforce fully staffed is their biggest challenge. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in March 2022, there were 396,000 job openings in the construction industry, up from 383,000 in January and February.

Originally published on June 8, 2016. Last updated on April 29, 2022. Let ConstructConnect provide you with a few construction site safety tips for workers and employers.

Is your construction firm planning to increase headcount in 2022? That could prove to be a difficult task. According to a recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America, 88% of construction firms indicated they are experiencing project delays and worker shortages are the second leading cause (61%) cited behind longer lead times or shortages of materials (75%).

All construction projects carry some level of risk. Being able to identify and manage risks requires skill, careful planning, and being able to make good decisions quickly. When risks become reality, they can be detrimental to the successful completion of your project. Properly managed risks can lead to higher profits, stronger relationships with clients, and the ability to grow and expand your business.