A new study has found that slow payments are costing general contractors and subcontractors $64 billion a year. This is a $24 billion increase from the 2018 study from construction finance platform Rabbet, formerly Contract Simply, as the company added general contractors to the respondent mix. Rabbet conducted the study in partnership with Procore Technologies and found that the 51-day…
A new study from Dodge Data & Analytics and Sevan Multi-Site Solutions found that owners and contractors don’t see eye to eye about key factors of how a successful multi-site construction campaign plays out, though a positive relationship stemmed from solid communication is the single most important factor. A multi-site project entails an owner orchestrating work…
Off-site construction isn’t necessarily new. But new products and techniques are helping to improve housing construction. And the primary disruptor in home building — a lack of skilled labor — is prompting today’s builders to turn to alternative methods. The result is a ripple effect leading to additional disruptors in how homes are built. “Off-site…
Each year, state and local governments spend more than $250 billion on the construction of roads, schools and other public infrastructure. Construction companies sometimes see government contracting as prohibitively competitive and believe the pay is low and the bid requirements are too time- and effort-consuming. But this is not the case, and should not hold construction…
Effective Aug. 19, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is raising its monetary-based small business size standards for inflation by an average of 8.4%, an adjustment that the administration expects will allow 90,000 additional companies to participate in its loan and contracting programs. The SBA said that this increase could result in $750 million more total contracts awarded…
In my world, I’m often asked for a list of “best practices” when estimating or managing a construction project. Here are some thoughts, based on personal experience and discussions I’ve had with other folks in the industry. The short answer is that there is no treasure trove of definitive answers to this question. Best practices are…
Modular construction is known for shaving time from construction schedules and reducing project budgets. But in the case of the $10 billion ExxonMobil-SABIC ethane steam cracker and plastics plant in Corpus Christi, Texas, it looks like it is also going to do away with some jobs as well. After the two energy giants announced the project a…
Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) announced today that the Fluor-led joint venture company composed of Fluor and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., was selected by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to design and construct the I-635 LBJ East Project in Dallas. The Fluor team’s scope of work includes the widening and full reconstruction of about 11 miles…
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approvedconstruction of a fourth liquefaction train at Freeport LNG’s $14 billionLNG export terminal in Freeport, Texas. Freeport LNG filed its FERC application in June 2017. The liquefaction unit, which is expected to become operational in 2023, will be similar to three others in various stages of completion at the Freeport site,…
The Texas DOT has unveiled an $8 billion plan this week that would revamp Interstate 35 through Austin and alleviate traffic congestion through the capital city, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The project would see the addition of two sections of managed lanes in each direction on I-35 — one 12 miles and the other…
Selling your company’s services to prospective clients is challenging. While there’s a strong market for construction work and plenty of jobs to be won, competition is fierce and it can seem like owners are fixated on price. It’s understandably hard to balance your commitment to quality and your desire to innovate in an industry built on bidding wars….
Precourt Sports Ventures, the primary investor and operator of the new Major League Soccer franchise Austin FC, has chosen general contractor Austin Commercial as construction manager for the club’s new $240 million stadium in Austin, Texas. Gensler has signed on as lead architect and CAA Icon will be the project manager and Precourt’s representative. Crews will break…
Hiring Rebounds from Losses in February, Suggesting Demand for Construction Remains Strong; Association Calls for Career Training Funding and Immigration Reform to Continue Growth Construction employment increased by 16,000 jobs in March and by 246,000 jobs, or 3.4 percent, over the past year, according to an analysis of new government data today by the Associated…
The Texas A&M University System Office of HUB and Procurement Programs recently collaborated with the Office of Facilities, Planning and Construction, SSC and general contractors to host a Construction Vendor Expo in an effort to ensure that HUB subcontractors are aware of upcoming opportunities and ways to do business with the A&M System. The Office…
Forty-four states added construction jobs between January 2018 and January 2019, while 33 states added construction jobs between December and January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials cautioned that the employment gains may not last without an increase in the number of…
The construction industry is dynamic — ever changing and evolving through technology. The way contractors work today is clearly much different than 50 years ago — or 20 years — or even five years ago. The big difference is due to advances in technology in the machines and tools that enable greater productivity, reduce time…
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation. It consists of 11 universities and seven state agencies, each with its own mission, history and goals. Each entity of the System abides by policies and regulations established by The A&M System Board of Regents, and although they…
Commissioners in San Patricio County, Texas, took the first step last week in securing a $1.8 billion Steel Dynamics mill for the Corpus Christi area by voting unanimously to create a reinvestment zone that includes the approximately 2,500-acre piece of land on which the company would build the plant, according to The Corpus Christi Caller…
The Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas, has started a search for a private partner to help develop, build and operate a new hotel and convention center. The city issued a request for statements of interest on Jan. 18. The project will include a full-service hotel with 350 rooms, a convention center of up to…
Shop class is making a comeback in Texas, where immigration enforcement has left the construction industry with a lack of skilled workers, Dallas News reported. The Dallas-Fort Worth area alone is short about 20,000 to 30,000 construction workers. Once cut from the curriculum in many high schools and community colleges, shop is back, with a focus on skills…
