Artificial intelligence is all the rage these days. We use it daily in everything from voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, Facebook’s image recognition software, Google’s search engines, and getting recommendations on what to buy from Amazon and what to watch on Netflix.

It’s safe to say that 2020 has pretty much been a dumpster fire of a year. The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders and other health precautions has significantly impacted how we work and live. This year I’ve found myself with, not necessarily more free time, but less things to do to occupy that time like going to the movies, traveling, attending sporting events and concerts, and hanging out with friends and family.

Worker safety should always be the number one priority of every construction company. Safety meetings and toolbox talks should be conducted on a regular basis to educate workers on safe work practices and stay compliant with regulations regarding safety and training.

Are you still performing your takeoffs manually? If so, you probably spend more time shuffling through papers and plans than putting together your estimates and bids. Chances are you aren’t alone. While construction takeoff software has been around for decades, there are still many in the industry who perform their material takeoffs and estimates by hand.

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.

As a general contractor, you have to be selective when it comes to the subcontractors you work with. You want to choose companies that have a dependable skilled workforce, strong management, financial stability, and can perform quality work to your company’s standards. To do this, you need to have an established subcontractor prequalification process in place. As with any business decision, picking subcontractors to work with requires you to do your due diligence. You should be prequalifying every subcontractor you’re considering working with to reduce risks that could impact your business, such as subcontractor default or substandard work.

Construction is a risky business. Each construction project is unique and comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities. Identifying and managing construction project risks can be tricky, but not impossible with careful planning and execution. When a risk turns into reality it can disrupt and derail a project which is why construction risk management is so important. In order to avoid disaster, you need to be able to properly assess, control, and monitor risks once they’ve been identified.

Construction doesn’t stop when winter weather strikes, so it’s important to know what steps to take to keep your workers warm and safe. Before the next major winter storm starts to impact your area with snow and ice accumulation, be prepared and review these winter weather safety tips for keeping your workers safe.

“To bid, or not to bid, that is the question.” It ain’t exactly Shakespeare, but the decision to bid on a project shouldn’t be taken lightly. You invest a great deal of time and resources into putting together a bid, so it’s important to make sure you are carefully identifying the right projects to go after. One way to do this is by conducting a thorough bid/no-bid analysis that meets your company’s goals and is in line with your long-term strategy.

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.