Tag: contractors: Page 12

Business

The top 4 mistakes contractors make when building a website

When it comes to building, who better to seek advice from than a contractor? That is, unless you’re talking about building a website. Then the answer gets a bit more complicated. We see a lot of contractor websites, and while there are some great ones out there, a number of them fall short on some […]

December 9, 2013

Home

Website Mistake 2: You show an aversion to email contact

We get it; talking with people is important, so you naturally want to emphasize phone contact, especially in an emergency situation. Even Dunn Construction, Birmingham, Alabama, who does a great job in showcasing their people on their site, doesn’t provide individual emails. But in today’s digital world, a number of people like to reach out […]

December 9, 2013

Home

Website Mistake 1: You don’t feature your people

While pictures of completed projects tell one part of your story, you’re missing a critical element if you don’t show who’s on your team. Your people are your company. They’re the ones that make it happen, who interact with your clients on a daily basis, who make you look good. Grab a camera, take some […]

December 9, 2013

Home

Website Mistake 4: You don’t have a website

Yes, the biggest problem we see with contractor websites is their nonexistence. When people are curious about you and your capabilities, the easiest thing to do is a Google search. If all that’s there is a online directory listing, it says everything about your location and nothing about your story. “I fought it for a […]

December 9, 2013

Home

Website Mistake 3: You require people to fill out a form to contact you by email

For those who do allow for email contact on their website, many require customers to fill out a form to do so. There’s no personal touch in this; it’s anyone’s guess who receives the completed form and in what decade can a response can be expected. Get rid of it. The same is true with […]

December 9, 2013

Business

Slumping productivity, political football drive down Q4 Nonresidential Construction Index

For the first time in five months, two of which brought its highest marks ever, FMI’s Nonresidential Construction Index (NRCI) fell 2.9 points in the fourth quarter to 57.4. The good news is that despite the drop from last quarter, any mark above 50 on the index indicates growth and this quarter is still 1.9 […]

December 4, 2013

Roadbuilding

With lack of transportation funding, highway contractors shift to other fields

The recent drop in transportation infrastructure spending has some highway contractors moving to other fields such and energy exploration, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. The highway construction industry lost more than 2 million workers during the recession, reaching a low in January 2011. Since then, the industry has added 399,000 jobs, […]

November 27, 2013

Business

Survey says more than half of construction companies affected by skilled worker shortage, details how they’re coping

At this point, it would be quicker to list the number of cities that haven’t reported construction projects being impacted by the skilled worker shortage than the ones that have. In the past year alone we’ve reports from Houston, Minnesota, Louisiana, Phoenix, Wisconsin, Michigan and California, just to name, well, several. It’s everywhere. Back in […]

November 20, 2013

Technology

Google’s secret construction software platform could cut construction costs, planning time in half

The same folks that gave us Google Glass and are working to make driverless cars a reality are hard at work on an online software platform that could cut construction costs in half, according to a report from Globes. Just to give you an idea of the kind of momentum that’s behind this “secret” project, […]

October 25, 2013

Business

Will recruiting Millennials to the construction and manufacturing industries prove impossible?

Last week we told you about a survey by Associated General Contractors of America in which 74 percent of contractors across the U.S. reported having trouble finding skilled workers. The problem, well-known at this point, is that during the recession many of the most skilled operators and craftsmen in this industry either left for more […]

September 12, 2013

Business

AGC: 74% of U.S. construction firms having trouble finding skilled workers; most expect trend to continue

A recent survey done by Associated General Contractors of America found that 74 percent of construction companies are having trouble finding skilled workers. The most frequently reported positions contractors are having trouble filling include carpenters, equipment operators and laborers, according to the survey. Meanwhile, 53 percent of responding contractors reported having a hard time filling […]

September 5, 2013

Business

Getting bonded opens up several worthwhile opportunities for construction companies

Growing a business requires planning for the future. Don’t pass up a project just because it requires a surety bond. Obtaining one can prove worthwhile.   “The recovery is starting, and there are a lot of opportunities,” said David Cayemitte, CEO of the Minority Business Development Institute (MBDI), a nonprofit in Bordentown, New Jersey, […]

September 1, 2013