Most construction firms rely on word-of-mouth to get new referrals, but you can’t just sit idly by and hope your customers do all your marketing for you. With a little forward planning and investment, you can give your referral rate a boost in 2015 which will allow you to take on more work and grow your company.
The owners of small to medium construction firms must wear many hats and one of the most vital is that of sales manager. You must convince the home buyer that their trust in you is justified and that you will build the house of their dreams. Here are some tips no how to improve your closing rate so you spend less time pitching to clients and more time building homes in the coming year.
Whether you are a professional roofer or a DIY enthusiast building a garden shed, here are a few simple steps to reduce call backs and ensure a quality roof that will last for years. Not all shingles are the same and individual manufacturers may have specific instructions for their products that have to be followed in order to meet building codes and validate warranties. Read and follow the installation instructions that come with the product, even if you have installed shingles before.
If you are getting callbacks for uneven or squeaky floors, make sure that you are correctly spacing your OSB subflooring panels. Wood expands or contracts with changes in moisture conditions and without proper spacing, the panels can push together and this causes the edges to lift which, in turn, causes the squeaks and bumps.
Winter has arrived and with it snow and ice which make surfaces more treacherous and cold hands and feet which make workers less stable. It falls to construction jobsite managers to ensure that all workers are following safety protocols to reduce the risk of injury.
For OSHA, fall prevention is a major priority because of the over 40 deaths and many more injuries that occur annually. Public safety is also a concern when construction job sites border busy roads. Not only do jobsite managers have a responsibility to create a safe working environment for workers and the public, they also need to meet OSHA regulations or face fines. From large contractors to residential home builds, everyone must comply with OSHA regulations to create safe working environments.
These are an excellent choice as a retrofit to older homes which have non-ducted heating systems. These include homes with hydrontic heating systems, space heaters or radiant panel heaters. If you are considering an addition to an existing home and extending the existing duct work into the new space isn’t feasible, ductless mini-split heat pumps provide a good alternative. Select an Energy-Star appliance in order to ensure that you are getting the most energy-efficient option.
After the housing crash, many construction industry professionals retooled or left to pursue careers in other fields. Coupled with a drop in intake numbers, the industry is facing a lack of qualified personnel to fill positions in the coming year. When the time comes to face these shortages, how will your construction company cope? What strategies do you have in place to guarantee your continued profitability?
Modern home design is a dynamic entity that needs to grow and change with the market needs. Any builder who is building the same homes they did ten years ago will steadily be reducing the pool from which they can draw new clients. Of course the biggest influencer on the modern home is energy savings, but there are other trends to note as well. Livability is still the most important factor in home design choice and the role that technology plays is also increasing.
We’re no experts on safety, but there are some practical guidelines to onsite job safety from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These standards for construction sites help to reduce the risk of injury. Always remember to check local safety requirements and ensure that your crew is properly trained.
