Deep Dive: Page 4
Industry insights from our journalists
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6 ways the coronavirus outbreak will affect construction
Contractors are used to risk but are they prepared for everything the pandemic will throw at them? Here are the top consequences builders will face.
Jennifer Goodman • March 13, 2020 -
Making the grade: Why school construction costs are climbing and projects are stalling
Contractors that specialize in education, such as Suffolk, Hoar and McCarthy say that labor and material costs, higher health standards and tech-heavy designs are causing some clients to go back to the drawing board.
Joe Bousquin • Feb. 11, 2020 -
The Dotted Line: Legal steps for shutting down a dangerous jobsite
Standard construction contracts provide options to protect workers and help mitigate additional costs.
Kim Slowey • Jan. 28, 2020 -
The Dotted Line: How contractors are finding and vetting subcontractors
General contractors risk violating contract clauses if they can't find labor, but savvy, well-established GCs have ways of finding subs, and it’s more about relationship-building than anything else.
Kim Slowey • Dec. 17, 2019 -
Deconstructing a crisis: After an accident, 1 tweet could ruin a contractor's reputation
False information can spread on social media and become "almost impossible to manage,” according to a communications consultant, unless the right strategy is in place.
Jennifer Goodman • Nov. 25, 2019 -
How the FIU tragedy could change bridge construction
Lessons learned from the deadly Miami bridge collapse could affect the design, safety protocols and contract language of similar future projects.
Kim Slowey • Nov. 22, 2019 -
When construction companies need to build a new identity
Using a DBA or creating a new corporate entity are ways contractors can distribute liability, expand geographically, update brand identity or even take on work that would put them in political crosshairs.
Kim Slowey • Oct. 30, 2019 -
The Dotted Line: The growing perils of using undocumented workers
Contractors risk heavy financial penalties, legal fees, a bad reputation and even jail if they hire laborers who aren't cleared to work in the U.S.
Kim Slowey • Oct. 29, 2019 -
Risky business: As some major contractors pull back from P3s, others embrace the approach
While Granite, Skanska, Lendlease and other leading firms have denounced some public-private partnerships, others see them as indispensable to their business model when delivering on large, taxpayer-funded projects.
Jennifer Goodman • Oct. 25, 2019 -
The Dotted Line: How contractors ensure the project owner can pay
Contractors are used to owners scrutinizing their credit and financial wherewithal, but sometimes turnabout is fair play.
Kim Slowey • Sept. 24, 2019 -
The Dotted Line: When contractors can walk off the job
Certain project dynamics give GCs or construction managers the right to stop work and bill for doing so.
Kim Slowey • Aug. 27, 2019 -
Using technology to head off construction fraud
With up to 6% of annual construction revenue lost to fraud, contractors are arming themselves with tech-enabled protection.
Kim Slowey • Aug. 19, 2019 -
Where contractors are most likely to exceed the budget
Budget overruns can pop up in any part of a project's budget — specifically, these four major areas.
Kim Slowey • Aug. 13, 2019 -
8 ways warehouse construction has evolved
21st century warehouses require specialized construction techniques, precise scheduling and highly experienced teams to meet industries' expectations.
Jennifer Goodman • Aug. 8, 2019 -
Online retailers are transforming warehouse construction
U.S. builders are struggling to keep up with demand from clients like Amazon, Walmart and Kroger for specialized distribution centers.
Jennifer Goodman • Aug. 7, 2019 -
Sidewalk Labs is building a smart city entirely of mass timber. What could go wrong?
North America is on the cusp of a mass timber revolution, and the Waterfront Toronto project is leading the way. But the material faces major obstacles.
Kira Barrett • Aug. 5, 2019 -
The Dotted Line: 7 invoice mistakes that waste time, money
It's not uncommon for general contractors and subs to make costly errors that prevent them from getting paid on time, which experts say are often avoidable.
Kim Slowey • July 30, 2019 -
Employer or employee: Who's to blame for OSHA violations?
If a contractor has trained its employees on safety rules and a few workers refuse to follow procedures, it sometimes comes down to individual worker misconduct.
Kim Slowey • July 25, 2019 -
ICC v. UpCodes: Can a private organization copyright the law?
UpCodes adds access to new building codes and other regulations for its subscribers, but not everyone agrees as to how the tech startup goes about it, especially the International Code Council.
Kim Slowey • July 17, 2019 -
5 ways small, minority-owned firms can build success
Contracting firms run by minorities, women, veterans and other groups that aren't traditionally favored in the industry can reap the benefits of unique opportunities if they follow a few simple steps.
Kim Slowey • July 10, 2019 -
Recent deadly accidents, new regulations put crane safety in the spotlight
While crane companies bear the brunt of safety obligations for operators and equipment, general contractors and developers aren't off the hook and need to know their roles, industry experts say.
Jennifer Goodman • July 2, 2019 -
Contractors face uncertainty in US trade war with China
The tariffs have been just one pressure on construction costs, experts say, but it's hard to determine if that's due to actual material increases or to the threat of the unknown.
Kim Slowey • Updated July 1, 2019 -
More construction firms see the value of lean
Companies like Skender, Brasfield & Gorrie and Southland Industries are leveraging lean construction practices to save time, money and resources.
Kathleen Brown and Jennifer Goodman • June 12, 2019 -
Model-based approach smooths twists and turns of Texas linear park project
Converting an active drainage ditch to a cultural centerpiece in San Antonio required collaborative risk mitigation by Sundt, HDR and others.
Kathleen Brown • May 29, 2019 -
Top software firms: Contractors hungry for tech integration
Interoperability, especially between tools seen as "cool," helps both small and large firms make the most out of limited resources.
Kim Slowey • May 29, 2019