Builder Insights / Blog

Guide to Nail Gun Safety

Nearly 40,000 nail-gun injuries are reported to emergency rooms across the US every year and OSHA claims that nail gun injuries account for 14% of their reported injuries. Not only operators are at risk of injury; 12% of nail-gun injuries happened to bystanders. With these staggering results, it may be time to rethink nail gun safety.

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Tips for Preventing Frozen Pipes in Winter

Frozen pipes on construction sites and in new homes are one of the issues builders face over the winter. Burst pipes, especially when they go undetected, can wreak havoc as they spew water into the building or erode the surrounding landscape.

Burst pipes occur during extremely inclement winter weather when water in the pipes expands and places so much pressure on the inner walls of the pipe that it bursts. You can avoid burst pipes by either preventing the water from freezing in the first place or by managing pressure when it does.

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Give your Referrals a Boost

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.

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Improve your Closing Rate in 2015

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.

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Soffit Dams

Insulation settles over time and older homes may not have enough insulation to make them comfortable or to keep heating and cooling costs within reason, and insulation might block your soffit vents! But the Ol’ Sage has some advice on the matter.

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Avoiding Roofing Pitfalls

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.

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