This week I want to talk about burnout, not because I’m at risk, but because I think it’s something that needs to be discussed. I think burnout is not covered often because some may consider it a sign of weakness. If you want to continue working in the construction industry long-term, you must recognize when you’re about to burn out. You may already know this, but the construction industry is not for the faint of heart. Every company is different, but you will tend to work long hours as you...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
This week I want to talk about something different. Instead, I want to share something that I learned this week. The reason I want to talk about it is because it might result in a delay in my project. While we have done all we can to prepare for this project, we might have equipment sitting for months until we have a permit. I’ll cover my lesson learned for this project. This is something I might use at the end of a project to prepare accordingly for the next job. So, let’s start with what...
over 1 year ago • 3 min read
What is your standard approach when you perform a site visit or investigation? Do you go through the different work areas and take photos? Next question, do you ever go through those photos and realize you didn’t capture everything? I’ve been there many times, and you waste time going to and from the job site just for photos. Additionally, if you run multiple projects, it’s hard to remember the site conditions for everything. Sure, there are other options, like 360 cameras, but have you ever...
over 1 year ago • 5 min read
This week I want to discuss the use of drones in the construction industry. I know what you’re thinking, drones have been around for so long, and this is no new tech. But how often do you make use of drones on your construction sites? If you do use them, what tasks are they used for? To me, drones can offer many benefits to making the construction process more efficient. In this week’s newsletter, I want to discuss those benefits and why I think we can expect the use of drones to increase...
over 1 year ago • 4 min read
Last week I took a trip down to Seoul, Korea. What a wonderful country with a booming construction industry. Every city I went to had multiple high-rise complexes in construction. I have never seen so many cranes in my life Large Construction Site Seen in Korea from the Lotte World Tower Korea felt like a well-oiled machine, even when it came to construction. While I don’t know how the system works when compared to America, I can tell that they work proficiently. For example, the construction...
over 1 year ago • 5 min read
Let’s talk about AI, and yes, I mean artificial intelligence. I’m sure you have been hearing all the buzz with ChatGPT and how AI is quickly evolving around us, but are you going to choose to embrace it? That’s what I want to discuss with this week's newsletter. And before we continue, if you’re worried about any potential AI becoming sentient, I’ll tell you that’s not much of a concern right now. I think we should welcome AI and learn to adopt it into our workflows to become more efficient....
over 1 year ago • 3 min read
This week we take a look at virtual reality (VR) in construction. What does it mean for us, and what is the potential benefit of this technology? If you’ve ever reviewed a construction drawing set, you should have an idea of the design coordination required. Each trade needs to communicate and collaborate on the plan for the design. There are so many parts in a single project that the information often does not get passed. You’ll see discrepancies occasionally, which ultimately costs the...
over 1 year ago • 3 min read
In the world of construction, we typically don’t see a building that is all that unique. That’s because it require significant planning and engineering. These drive up the cost of the project. There are still those projects that try to break the mold and be more ambitious. This week, we will look at two buildings that are unique and innovative. When I see these types of builds they give me a greater appreciation for the construction industry. Each one of these builds had to overcome...
over 1 year ago • 5 min read
As someone who has worked with project management software for the last year, I can tell you I love it. The software I use at work is PlanGrid, which Autodesk owns. While imperfect, it offers some capabilities I think any medium to large construction company could benefit from. We are at an exciting point with this technology in the construction industry. There are numerous companies that offer project management software for construction. All competing to have the best product for us. Which...
over 1 year ago • 3 min read
