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. 

Pride Month is a reminder for people to be proud of who they are and specifically for amplifying the voice of the LGBTQ+ community. One of the sentiments behind pride encourages us to validate the person we are, whether we share our unique identities with others or not. We spend a lot of time at work, so it’s crucial that our work environment is a place where we can show up and be supported so we can focus on the work, no matter our race, religion, gender, age, ability, etc.

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.

The goal is clear, win the bid. The road toward this goal is full of twists and turns and may include a detour or two and it begins with an estimate. As a construction cost estimator, the ability to pivot and adjust to unexpected changes is a necessary skill.