Tag: construction business tips: Page 4

Business

Dearth of women in construction deprives industry of good workers, women of good jobs

Recently, Barbara A. Res penned an insightful column for the Baltimore Sun examining why there are so few women in the construction industry and detailed why and how this should be changed. As contractors across the U.S. continue battling a skilled worker shortage that is impacting completion dates and ability to meet rising demand, it’s a […]

March 24, 2014

Business

Why the numbers are important: Moneyball’s Billy Beane addresses the equipment, construction industries

One definite perk of a free press pass is the exposure I get to high-priced talk. Filling a podium is not cheap; just check out a speaker’s bureau website to get a taste of what even B Level speakers command. I didn’t have real expectations pro or con when I heard that Billy Beane, general […]

February 13, 2014

Success Stories

How a loyalty to your employees can result in big growth for your construction business

“I’ve stayed with Larman Construction so long because of this guy right here,” said Fred Barhydt, pointing a finger at company owner Vernnen Larman. Barhydt, a Larman employee for 30 years, was just one of the employees I met expressing this sentiment during my visit to the Garland, Texas-based Equipment World Contractor of the Year […]

February 12, 2014

Business

Lean and Mean: How 3 brothers built Glendale Excavating into a successful company by managing its size

Glendale Excavating’s three brothers—Tommy, Dany and Greg Giangiulio—take pride in their construction heritage. “We’re third generation operating engineers,” says Dany. “We watched our grandfather operate equipment when we were kids, and begged to go to work with our father.” Adds Greg with a laugh: “It’s not that we had any choice in the matter.” Glendale […]

February 4, 2014

Business

3 things contractors can do to keep valuable workers on staff during the skilled worker shortage

The skilled worker shortage has been looming over the construction industry, and the Associated General Contractors’ 2014 outlook shows that contractors are already having a problem finding skilled professionals and craft workers. With that in mind, it’s more important than ever to hang on to the valuable workers you already have. Do you have a […]

January 29, 2014

Business

Already break your New Year’s resolutions? 3 tips for getting back on track

In a couple of weeks, people will be lamenting about their broken New Year’s resolutions. Their friends who don’t make resolutions will go into I-told-you-so mode, saying that’s why they never make resolutions, that they’re too hard to keep. So, my question is why are they too hard to keep? I think it’s because of […]

January 13, 2014

Business

4 New Year’s resolutions every contractor should make to improve their business in 2014

Your crews have been sent home, most of your machinery has made it back to the yard for a yearly maintenance run through, and it’s time to celebrate another full year of being in business. During this less-than-full-throttle time (assuming a client doesn’t call with an emergency), consider these ways you can get on the […]

January 3, 2014

Business

Go With Your Instincts: Why it’s not always a good idea to separate personal and business decisions

Possessing the ability to make good decisions is obviously crucial when running your own business, but good instincts are just as critical. Take Matthew Gilligan of Magnolia Landscape, for example. Gilligan is one of our sister site Total Landscape Care’s 12 finalists for the Landscaper of the Year program, and I visited and interviewed him […]

November 20, 2013

Home

Rule 1: Skid steer O&O costs

Based on a Case 430/440 model, 1700 to 2200 pound operating load, 2007 model, 4 year ownership/depreciation, 750 hours of use per year.   Do the math Unit costs are a great analytical tool. Take your machine O&O costs per hour, apply that to how many hours it takes to move X amount of dirt, […]

November 18, 2013

Business

3 rules for calculating and managing skid steer Owning & Operating costs

People who work with big equipment have a saying: “You can be going broke in this business and not know it for six months.” And the one cost that can be very hard to gauge, if you’re a small contractor or new to this business, is the owning and operating cost of your equipment. To […]

November 18, 2013

Home

Rule 2: Skid steer O&O costs

Managing operating costs Your operator is always going to be your biggest expense. With that in mind, here are a few ways to lessen that expense. Invest in training for productivity improvements Enclosed cabs, newer equipment help retain quality employees and keep them productive. Match the machine capabilities to the job. You don’t want an […]

November 18, 2013

Home

Rule 3: Skid steer O&O costs

Money never sleeps. If it isn’t making you money, it’s costing you money. If you buy stock in a company and after a few years it quits growing or paying dividends, you get rid of it. Right? The same is true of equipment. Letting equipment sit idle is like stashing money under a mattress. That’s […]

November 18, 2013