Contractor City Blog

There is no reason why protecting the environment has to cost jobs, either in America or around the world. For years people have been arguing that smart business practices that are conservationist in nature are actually good for business. I am definitely starting to see this effect more and more in my daily life.

More and more businesses I pass on the street are using the word “Green” as a marketing slogan. “Green” has basically become synonymous with being environmentally friendly. As the public opinion changes it is becoming popular to do things and buy product that are good for the environment. People are creatures that are heavily influenced by their peers and tend to be followers. Studies have shown that people are more likely to engage in a specific behavior if they believe that their neighbors or friends are engaging in it. As a result, the more the media advertises that people are doing things to change their lifestyles to protect the environment, the more other people are going to want to also do so.

As a result, people are perhaps already starting to frequent businesses and buy products that they believe are helping the environment, or not damaging it as Continue reading ‘Does protecting the environment have to come at the expense of jobs?’ »

We live in a noisy world. Noise seems to be everywhere – traffic, construction, loud music, crowded buildings. Noise can even be a problem in labs and offices. The problem has become so wide-spread we have even created a term for it: noise pollution. It may not be possible to stop all that noise, but thanks to advances in technology, there are ways to isolate ourselves from it. To understand how we can begin to isolate ourselves from all that noise, we need a basic understanding of how sound travels – not just through the air, but through walls, floors and ceilings.

Sound travels through the air in waves, and those waves cause the objects they come into contact with to vibrate. When a sound is loud enough, those vibrations can travel through walls, floors and ceilings transferring sound into our buildings from the outside or from room to room and floor to floor on the inside. The key to effectively stopping unwanted noise from invading our space is to stop the vibration.

In most homes and commercial buildings, walls and floors have an interior support structure of wood or steel Continue reading ‘Soundproofing Solutions For Your Home Or Business’ »

Are you planning on purchasing new kitchen cabinets? Whether for a newly constructed home or for a remodeling project, consider one important factor, your kitchen is the heart of your home! It is not just a place to dine; it is also the main gathering place for family and friends and a place for entertaining. This is particularly true with today’s popular open floor plans and great room designs. Because your kitchen plays such an important part of your home there are a few things to consider in your planning process.

1) Kind in mind future buyers

Even if you are currently building your dream home, it is possible that someday you will have a need to sell your home. Or, if you are remodeling your existing home to make it more comfortable for you and your family, you may still find the need to sell it someday. Because of this, even if you aren’t ready to sell your home today you should always ponder what potential buyers would think of your kitchen cabinet selection and layout because opinions of your kitchen can drastically either increase or decrease your selling price. A practical kitchen layout is typically everyone’s Continue reading ‘Five Things To Consider When Designing Your Dream Kitchen’ »

In another article titled How Contractors Get Rich, I introduced you to the six systems that control the fate of your construction business. To refresh your memory, they were:

1.Marketing

2.Sales

3.Staffing

4.Planning

5.Tracking

6.Financial Control

Today, I am going to expand on the nine components that form your staffing system.

Do you remember that the objective of a staffing system is to recruit and retain a team of highly motivated and skilled employees? The popular analogy is getting the right people on the bus and putting them in the right seats. To do that, you need systems for:

1. Advertising Job Openings

When it’s time to add staff, you need to roll out a recruiting system that will generate a large pool of good candidates. You need the recruiting system to work quickly. You need it to pre-qualify the candidates so that you don’t spend a lot of time sorting through unqualified resumes and interviews.

Write help wanted advertisements that sound like sales pitches for your company. Don’t let your help wanted ad sound like you are doing the candidate a favor. Make it sound like the candidate is doing you a favor Continue reading ‘Hey Contractors – Here Are The Staffing Systems That Build A Championship Team’ »

We have all seen the proverbial fire sprinklers in commercial and public buildings but have you ever though of installing them in your home? Studies have shown that having a fire sprinkler system can increase the chances of surviving a home fire by some 80 plus percent. Some areas are now making fire sprinkler systems a requirement for new residential construction, in Scottsdale Arizonian all new home construction has included home sprinkler systems since 1986, since that time no one has died in a home fire with a sprinkler system.The cost of installing a home fire protection sprinkler system will vary depending on where you live and whether you are installing it in new construction or remolding. Studies have shown that the cost to include the sprinkler system in new construction is only about a $1.00 per square foot this installation cost is quickly offset by the reduced rates that insurance companies for houses with sprinkler systems. Retrofit sprinkler system installation is about twice the cost of installation in a new house. The NFPA which governs home fire sprinklers currently has two types of sprinklers that they recommend. The first type is a separated system that ties directly Continue reading ‘Home Fire Protection’ »

If you’re in the market to build a home, you should consider buying a prefabricated home package. Although “prefabs” were not always popular, today’s models and options have a lot to offer.

What are Prefabricated Home Packages?

Prefabricated home packages or “prefabs” are simply a different method of building a home. Traditional homes are built one piece of lumbar at a time by workmen on site. The construction of traditional houses can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. During that time, the skeleton of the house is exposed to the elements.

Prefabricated homes are built assembly line style in a factory. They are constructed in large pieces, and then assembled on site kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. The home is put together on top of a pre-existing foundation and ready to move in almost immediately.

The Benefits of “Prefabs”

For some homebuyers, prefabs make a lot of sense. The construction of a prefab home is fast. Since the construction of prefabs is automated they take less time to build. You could be living in your new home within two months of your order time.

Prefabricated homes can Continue reading ‘Prefabricated Home Packages’ »

There are many details to consider when starting a new construction related business. As an employer, purchasing vehicle insurance should be one of your top priorities to protect yourself and your business.

Most small to medium construction businesses typically have at least a few vehicles in their fleet. Providing insurance for these vehicles is important not only for practical reasons, but also for legal reasons.

Liability insurance can cover your business and assets from potentially devastating lawsuits resulting from an accident. Public liability insurance is vital for employers to have to protect yourself and your company against any potential negligence claims. If your employees or vehicles are involved in an accident, your business could be in serious trouble if you are not covered. In fact, this coverage is so important that many clients refuse to work with construction businesses that don’t provide it.

As an employer in the construction business, there are many liability issues that you may have to deal with. Employer liability insurance is similar, but it protects you against claims of negligence from your employees. This is another important policy to consider for your business in advance should an accident Continue reading ‘Commercial Van Insurance for Your New Business’ »

There are many potential hazards in older homes that could pop up during a remodel. However, a majority of these potential really depend upon the age of the building in question.

One hazard is asbestos. Asbestos usually can be identified in insulation and fire retardants. Asbestos was also used in tile, siding, and adhesives. In the United States there are no houshold products made from asbestos. In other parts of the world we are not so lucky.

Asbestos is especially dangerous when it is friable or in small pieces. The testing and removal of asbestos is best left to professionals. Abatement of asbestos is expensive, but your health is priceless.

Lead is another material that was commonly used in construction. As a matter of fact, plumbing means working in lead. All the pipes in Rome where made of lead. Most likely in a house remodel you will find lead in pipe joints and lead in paint.

Again the removal of lead is best left to professionals. There are many documented long term health risks associated with lead.

Construction itself has many hazards. It is important to follow all the guidelines for wearing personal protective equipment or PPE. A good source for safety lectures Continue reading ‘How to recognize and dispose of dangerous materials discovered while remodeling your home’ »

The cordless drill gone are the days when you had to lug around with a lead and a transformer to plug your drill in to,we have now at our disposal a cordless drill that is to mean a battery drill,and for DIY experts this is now a god send for one thing it saves you time and it saves you money and it all comes in a little box that you can carry to room to room, or for the man that works in the construction business it means a better working environment .

So how do we choose a cordless drill,well there are big ones for heavy work and there are small ones that do the every day things like screwing screws in to walls after you have drilled the wall.

In Britain we have in the construction industry a very good drill called the hilti i expect that over in the USA and Canada you have the same this drill is the mother of all drills and i have yet to find one that comes any where near this drill and the battery life is awesome just what you need on a long job they dont come cheap but are Continue reading ‘How to choose the cordless drill you need’ »

On March 28, 2008, the United States Fire Administration (USFA) office delivered a potentially fatal blow to opponents of residential fire sprinkler requirements. For those not familiar with the USFA, it is an entity of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In other words, this is the highest government agency in the United States focused on reducing life and economic losses due to fire.

The USFA released an official video and document announcing their support for the use of residential fire sprinklers and their support of code requirements that would make residential fire sprinklers mandatory in all new residential construction.

So what impact does this have on residential fire sprinkler requirements? Well, immediately it has little significant impact since the USFA does not directly control the building and fire codes. But, the USFA is a highly visible federal entity that works through research, data gathering and public education to influence the building and fire codes used in the United States.

The USFA’s public support of residential fire sprinklers adds a shot of adrenaline to the movement for mandated residential fire sprinklers. Public education on the benefits of residential fire sprinklers will increase Continue reading ‘USFA Impact On Residential Fire Sprinklers’ »