ConstructConnect's Hot Projects - August 10, 2020
Listed below are ConstructConnect’s Hot Commercial Construction Projects for the week of August 3 - 7, 2020. Our Hot Projects showcases three currently bidding or sub-bidding projects from all 50 states and the District of Columbia pulled from our extensive database of construction leads. Alabama RFQ Contractor - Science and Engineering Phase ILocation: Birmingham, ALBuilding Use: Educational – University Decatur Local Training Area DemolitionsLocation: Decatur, AL Building Use: Military – General
Canadian Retail & Food Services Sales in May Show Some Recovery
A Faint Echo of Normalcy in Hospitality Sales? In the U.S., retail and food services sales are combined in a single monthly report from the Census Bureau. Also, the data is relatively current.
7 Ways To Get Your Home in Order Amid Coronavirus
Being stuck at home 24/7 is not everyone’s idea of pure bliss, especially when you’re considering renovating, but we’re all trying to make the most of it. Here are seven ways you could improve your home and start a mini renovation whilst you’re in isolation. Been thinking of starting a renovation at home? Now’s the perfect time to get planning. Picture: Getty
FBi vs Borkholder Buildings: Who’s Best for Your Project?
Our next builder comparison features Borkholder Buildings. This post frame company constructs agricultural, commercial, residential, and equine facilities. Their main purpose is “to provide people and businesses with green, attractive, and affordable building solutions through innovative engineering and applying quality components.”
In July, Canada Added Less Than Half of June’s Jobs Increase
Canada’s Jobs ‘Claw-Back’ Ratio Now Exceeds 50% In July, the total number of jobs in Canada rose by 419,000, according to Statistics Canada, bringing the cumulative figure for the latest three months to +1.661 million. June’s number was +952,000 and May’s, +290,000. In March and April, with the economy immobilized by fear of the coronavirus, the shrinkage in the total number of jobs nationwide was a staggering -3.0 million. The offset of +1.661 million since April compared with -3.0 million in March-April, yields a ‘jobs recovery’ ratio of 55.3%. From the middle portion of Table 1, titled ‘Pandemic,’ it can be seen that Canada’s employment claw-back ratio of 55.3% is better than the 37.3% result for the U.S., although it should be noted that Canada’s jobs drop in March-April of -15.7% exceeded America’s -13.5%.
Construction Industry Weekly News Recap – August 7, 2020
Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s top news and happenings in the construction industry. Each week, we’ll take a look at some of the interesting local, regional, and national stories about construction to keep you better informed of the goings-on in the industry. Construction Spending Declines for 4th Straight Month in June U.S. construction spending fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of %1,355 billion in June 2020, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau. This is 0.7% below May’s revised estimate of $1,365 billion.
How to build a studio apartment in your backyard
Simon Vos and wife Ash are on a mission – to bring a slice of California to Coffs Harbour! The couple purchased a fantastic mid-century home, packed full of potential, in the Northern New South Wales coastal town with the express purpose of renovating it as a Palm Springs-inspired “forever for now” home. The first room for an overhaul? The downstairs laundry, which they transformed into a stylish studio apartment.
Are we ready for “Big Brother” on construction sites? - AEC Business
As we are all embracing the new digital transformation that this current pandemic is bringing in our daily life. Will this be enough to finally drive the much-needed digital transformation in the construction industry? I certainly do feel unsettled without my international lifestyle, hopping from one industry event to another.
Decent, but Decelerating, U.S. Jobs Recovery in July
In July, according to the Employment Situation report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the total number of jobs in the U.S. climbed by 1.8 million (after gains of 4.8 million in June and 2.7 million in May) and the seasonally adjusted (SA) unemployment rate eased to 10.2% (after readings of 11.1% in June, 13.0% in May, and 14.4% in April). The nation’s labor market was shredded by coronavirus-related shutdowns in early spring. It is now rebounding, but with less vigor than hoped for. Acting as a drag on jobs prospects have been de-railings of some state reopenings due to surges in new COVID-19 cases.
6 Keys To Subcontractor Prequalification Success
As a general contractor you have to be selective when it comes to the subcontractors you work with. You want to choose companies that have a dependable skilled workforce, strong management, financial stability and can perform quality work to your company’s standards. As with any business decision, picking subcontractors to work with requires you to do your due diligence. You should be prequalifying every subcontractor you are considering working with to reduce risks that could impact your business such as subcontractor default or substandard work.
6 DIY Ways to Spruce up Your Kitchen Amid COVID-19
Home cooking is back in a very big way thanks to iso. These simple projects will help you transform a tired kitchen into a home cook’s haven. Coronavirus is changing the way we prepare and consume food.
The Future of Construction Post COVID-19 - An Interview with Aarni Heiskanen - AEC Business
I was recently interviewed by Fabian Saverimuttu, Business Development Consultant specializing in AEC & Manufacturing. We discussed the impact of Covid-19 on the construction industry, what is needed to survive, and forecast what the future will look like for this sector. FS: It’s been about 18 months since our last interview. How have you been keeping yourself busy since then?
Prior to and in Midst of Pandemic, Which U.S. States Doing Best?
Average annual U.S. ‘real’ (i.e., after accounting for inflation) gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the latest 20 years (2000 to 2019 inclusive) has been +2.1%; and for the past 10 years, +2.3%. The latest 10-year (2010 to 2019) annual average isn’t biased downwards by the 2008-2009 recession. The eight states with the fastest annual average GDP growth rates over the past ten complete years have been: North Dakota, +4.7%; Washington, +3.6%; Texas, +3.5%; California, +3.3%; Utah, +3.2%; Colorado and Oregon, each at +3.0%; and South Carolina (+2.5%). North Dakota’s rapid growth was front-end loaded. Bakken shale oil development sent the state’s output level soaring in 2011 and 2012, to the tune of +11.3% and +22.4% respectively.
Designing & Building a Post-COVID-19 Workplace
Social distancing may feel surreal in the beginning—coworkers avoiding physical contact, people separated by partitions, everyone wearing masks. It might even seem a little lonely with a lot of our coworkers still forced to work at home as organizations ramp up operations, allowing people to return to work in phases. Nonetheless, over time, we'll get used to a new "normal" as novel ways of working emerge. While there is a lot of theorizing about what constitutes "normal" going forward, we do know that the global coronavirus pandemic is changing the workplace as we know it forever. The golden opportunity forward is to redesign and build offices even better than they were before the COVID-19 plight. As the United States and other countries steadily begin to reawaken and attempt to put this nightmare created by the COVID-19 pandemic behind them, organizations must take operational measures needed to foster effective health and safety practices.
