Contractors: How Following the Basics Help You Win the Permitting Game

Contractors: How Following the Basics Help You Win the Permitting Game

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer  Construction can be challenging for contractors when faced with time and budget constraints.  And when you factor in the permitting maze, it takes knowledge of the fundamentals, careful planning, and work to minimize delays and frustration in pulling a building permit. When talking with a business veteran the other day,…

Harris County Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia Develop a $200,000 Disparity Study Fund To Help Entities Implement MWBE Programs

Harris County Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia Develop a $200,000 Disparity Study Fund To Help Entities Implement MWBE Programs

A disparity study determines whether a government entity, either in the past or currently, engages in exclusionary practices in the solicitation and award of contracts to minority, women‐owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises (MWDBEs). This study can help determine if there is disparity between the availability of firms and the utilization of those firms in its…

Two Out of Three Metro Areas Add Construction Jobs From November 2020 to November 2021, but Tight Labor Market, Supply Chain Limit Gains

Two Out of Three Metro Areas Add Construction Jobs From November 2020 to November 2021, but Tight Labor Market, Supply Chain Limit Gains

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Construction employment increased in nearly two out of three U.S. metro areas between November 2020 and November 2021, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials said the job gains were welcome news for the industry but cautioned that it…

Construction Industry Challenges OSHA’s New COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate, Noting That Measure Exceeds Agency’s Authority

Construction Industry Challenges OSHA’s New COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate, Noting That Measure Exceeds Agency’s Authority

By Subcontractors USA News Provider  Recently, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and the Signatory Wall & Ceiling Contractors Alliance (SWACCA) filed a petition for review of OSHA’s new COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The groups explain that the new rule will put many construction companies at grave…

Most Contractors Report Significant Flaws With the Nation’s 811 Utility Location System, Citing Inaccurate Locates and Slow Response Times

Most Contractors Report Significant Flaws With the Nation’s 811 Utility Location System, Citing Inaccurate Locates and Slow Response Times

By Subcontractors USA News Provider There are significant flaws with the current 811 utility location system according to a new survey of construction firms that perform any kind of underground excavation released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Most contractors say that calling 811 often leads to inaccurate line marking and that utility…

Two Critical Building Permitting Trends for Contractors To Consider in 2022

Two Critical Building Permitting Trends for Contractors To Consider in 2022

By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer  The number of building permits pulled in 2021 in most areas of the United States were trending higher than permits pulled in 2020.  Single family residential showed increases in permitting activities in 2021 along with commercial and warehouses. So, what does this mean for permitting in 2022?  The above insight…

Only 14 States and D.C. Added Construction Jobs Since the Pandemic Began as Supply Problems, Lack of Infrastructure Bill Undermine Recovery

Only 14 States and D.C. Added Construction Jobs Since the Pandemic Began as Supply Problems, Lack of Infrastructure Bill Undermine Recovery

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Only 14 states and the District of Columbia have added construction jobs since just before the start of the pandemic in February 2020, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that widespread supply chain disruptions amid…

Prices for Construction Materials Continue to Outstrip Bid Prices Over 12 Months, Despite Dip in September, Amid Increasing Supply-Chain Problems

Prices for Construction Materials Continue to Outstrip Bid Prices Over 12 Months, Despite Dip in September, Amid Increasing Supply-Chain Problems

By Subcontractors USA News Provider The prices contractors pay for construction materials far outstripped the prices contractors charge in the 12 months ending in September, despite a recent decline in a few materials prices, while delivery problems intensified, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association…

Contractors! Why You Should Care About National Code Compliance Month

Contractors! Why You Should Care About National Code Compliance Month

 By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer National Code Compliance Month was established by the American Association of Code Enforcement many years ago to recognize work that Code Enforcement Officers provide to make sure buildings are safe for use.  They perform inspections using building codes and zoning ordinances on residential to industrial to environmental and other types…

AGC & Procore Technologies Launch New Scholarship To Assist African American & Minority Students in At-Risk Areas Studying Construction at HBCUs

AGC & Procore Technologies Launch New Scholarship To Assist African American & Minority Students in At-Risk Areas Studying Construction at HBCUs

By Subcontracts USA News Provider The Associated General Contractors of America and Procore Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of construction management software, are launching a new scholarship program to assist African American and minority students in at-risk situations who are studying construction fields at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The new scholarship is being…

AGC Reaches Out to Federal Agencies on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

AGC Reaches Out to Federal Agencies on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Recently, The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reached out to the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council and other federal agencies to highlight the uniqueness of the construction industry, the many safety measures contractors have implemented throughout the pandemic, and to advocate for clear guidance…

Builder Confidence at 13-Month Low on Higher Material Costs, Home Prices

Builder Confidence at 13-Month Low on Higher Material Costs, Home Prices

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Higher construction costs and supply shortages along with rising home prices pushed builder confidence to its lowest reading since July 2020, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released recently. Builder sentiment in the market for newly built single-family homes fell five points to 75 in August. “Buyer…

July Construction Employment Lags Pre-Pandemic Peak in 36 States as Delta Variant of Coronavirus Threatens To Hold Down Further Gains

July Construction Employment Lags Pre-Pandemic Peak in 36 States as Delta Variant of Coronavirus Threatens To Hold Down Further Gains

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Construction employment in July remained below the levels reached before the pre-pandemic peak in February 2020 in 36 states, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials said construction employment would benefit from new federal infrastructure investments and urged…