ConstructConnect Blog

Whether you’re a roofing or concrete contractor, your bidding process likely involves lots of moving parts. While you may already be using a digital takeoff tool to eliminate paper blueprints, your estimating workflow may still include a mixed bag of supplier and vendor spreadsheets. Inevitably, this can make bid day a mad scramble—especially if you’re juggling last-minute addenda and change orders.  

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.

If human beings are nothing else, we are adaptable creatures. The unfamiliar can be overwhelming and new processes almost always ignite some pushback. I’m sure in the beginning, the thought of using a 3D printer to produce sustainable construction materials had a crowd of folks scratching their heads. But while this technology can still feel out-of-pocket to some, it’s looking more and more like the industry’s future with a list of successful projects and long-term business advantages to tout.

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.

It takes a brave individual to seek justice for the wrongs conducted on a worksite. Workers typically become whistleblowers after suffering retaliation from an employer that did not take favorably to being approached about an issue.

“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.