Construction Employment Rises by 14,000 in August and 177,000 in 12 Months
Construction employment increased by 14,000 jobs in August and by 177,000, or 2.4 percent, over the past 12 months, while the number of unemployed jobseekers with construction experience remained near historic lows, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that 80 percent of […]
Prefabrication: Has the Future Arrived?
Prefabrication: The practice of making and assembling various components of a building’s structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and then transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located. Panelization: The technique of using an off-site manufacturing facility to build walls, floors and […]
First Half 2019 Commercial and Multifamily Construction Starts Show Varied Pattern by Top Metropolitan Areas
During the first half of 2019, six of the top 10 U.S. metropolitan markets for commercial and multifamily construction starts ranked by dollar volume registered greater activity compared to a year ago, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Of the top 20 markets, 13 were able to register gains. At the U.S. level, the […]
Are You Making the Single Worst Brand-Building Mistake a Company Can Make?
In late 2008, Seattle’s adored Washington Mutual Bank (known locally and affectionately as WaMu) failed and was subsumed in a shotgun wedding with Chase Bank. Seattleites were reeling in the early days of the Great Recession, and WaMu’s going under was salt in that raw wound as they watched thousands of friends, family members, […]
Diary of a Drywaller: Chapter 21
I’m going to wrap this series up by year end 2019, and those of you who have a continuing interest will be provided a venue through which you can gain access to the remainder of these writings. There is plenty more to say, and I look forward to getting it said—and read as well. […]
Erroneous Economics
A while back I did an article where I ranted—er—offered my opinion on a list of practices in commercial construction (CC) that I found “messed up” (sorry about the technical jargon so early) about CC bidding procedures. In the piece, I chastised (what I felt was) the specious and questionable use of bid alternates […]
Even More of my Favorite Things
Shout, shout, let it all out; these are the things I can do without…—Tears for Fears It may have come creeping as a recent bout with insomnia. Or perhaps it surfaced as an increased thirst for copious glasses of Kentucky Loudmouth (ice only, please; hold the soda). Anyway, to quote Melville: “…whenever it […]
Diary of a Drywaller: Chapter 21
I’m going to wrap this series up by year end 2019, and those of you who have a continuing interest will be provided a venue through which you can gain access to the remainder of these writings. There is plenty more to say, and I look forward to getting it said—and read as well. […]
Is Your Firm Resilient?
You can read lots of articles in the media right now about the possibility of a recession. Worrywarts key in on headlines and cry wolf: An unending trade war with China? Uh-oh! Recession. A pull-back in job openings? Oh my! Recession. The bond market’s inverted yield curve? Recession, recession, recession. Yes, the current […]