Austin Construction News February 2017

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 16

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Number 2

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FEBRUARY 2017

Pride in company

Anchored in Austin

Spending family time together is important for the owners of Alden Roofing. Above, Jason Roderick, team leader, with his kids and owner, Josh Knox and his sons, went dove hunting and took a picture with Texas Parks and Wildlife staff.

L-R: Hector R. Martinez, AIA, San Antonio; Steven L. Burch, RID, San Antonio; Joseph N. LaRocca, AIA, LEED AP, Austin; and Stephanie Briseño, RID, IIDA, NCIDQ, San Antonio, recreate the famous Abbey Road image.

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ut of five original owners in the same family, Joshua and Melanie Knox assumed ownership of Alden Roofing after their family members stepped down from running the company that was founded in 2008 in Dallas. With corporate headquarters in Pflugerville, the company also has locations in Del Rio, San Antonio, El Paso and Richardson.

The company was originally started with their father, uncle, and aunt, of which the father and uncle are now senior project managers. Joshua became a laborer for his father's roofing company at the age of 13 and has since then worked as an estimator, production manager and branch manager before starting Alden Roofing. Joshua now serves as an active

board member of the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT). With 17 years of administrative and management experience in the construction and legal fields, Melanie oversees all corporate operations for Alden Roofing. Melanie also serves on one committee for RCAT.

“Our tag line is ‘The trusted name in roofing’,” Melanie explains. “Our vision for the company is focused on making sure all of our practices are honest. Our sales vision is ‘Service with a Purpose’.”

In keeping with that, Melanie says posters stating the company’s core values are prominently displayed in the offices.

“We keep ourselves accountable,” continued on Page 17

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SC Architects prides itself on the firm’s long history in Austin. With roots that stretch back to 1932 when it was founded by R. Max Brooks, the firm has had continuity even as it underwent ownership and name changes over the years. Today, GSC Architects has roughly 30-40 employees at any given time.

“GSC is a company with a really interesting history and we are very proud of the number of projects and clients we have touched over our many years,” says Tom Cornelius, AIA, president and CEO. He’s been with GSC since he graduated from The University of Texas School of Architecture in 1983.

Besides Cornelius, other principals

include Joe LaRocca, AIA, LEED AP, who came onboard in 2005 and is COO, and Phil Scott Jr., AIA, who is CFO. The firm takes on a wide variety of commercial projects, ranging from industrial to healthcare to institutional and interior design work.

“We are balanced in terms of the types of projects we work on,” Cornelius says. We obey our roots as a locally engaged architect: ‘We don’t specialize’.”

Cornelius notes that GSC has a long history of working with important companies that have strong ideas about their image and requirement needs.

“We don’t impose style on clients,” continued on Page 17

Natera a natural for Austin

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enetic testing has been around since 1934 and has been used in humans over the years to test for inherited conditions in newborns. The science has exploded, however, and in 2017, genetic testing for hundreds of applications is becoming available. A company that is on the edge of new technology in the field has recently expanded into Austin.

Natera, based in San Carlos, CA., recently opened a new facility in the Parmer 3.2 building developed by Karlin Real Estate and Trammell Crow Company and managed by Granite Properties of Texas. Flynn Construction is the general contractor on the project.

The 60,000sf, $7.7 million project consists of half laboratory space and half office space, says Patrick Flynn, owner of Flynn Construction. Built into an existing shell, Natera occupies the first floor of a three-story office building.

Included in the project is an ISO7 clean room – a specialty of Flynn Construction. A clean room, typically used in manufacturing of pharmaceutical products or scientific research, has strict guidelines concerning the amount of contaminants, such as dust, microbes, particles and vapors, that can be present in the air.

In order to achieve the allowable level of air quality in an already existing building, specialized custom air units and exhaust systems had to be installed. To maintain the stringent operating conditions for the lab, the mechanical system was designed to deliver 68 degrees air at 45% relative humidity.

“To get that in Austin it takes special equipment because Austin is very humid, “ Flynn says.

Besides custom-built equipment, the project had to accommodate making Natera wanted its general contractor and architect to design and build a space that met stringent requirements and was attractive, clean and modern. (photo by eddc Creative LLC)

continued on Page 17

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Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Submitted to Construction News

Adiós for now

On Jan. 12, Studio8 Architects celebrated with a Porch Party to give a fond send-off to employee Julie Petri, front center. Petri will be taking a business development position with DIRTT Environmental Solutions. She was an interior designer with Studio8 for nearly 10 years. –cw

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Helping in Haiti

n Dec. 15, Freedom Solar hosted a benefit that raised more than $1,500 towards costs associated with enabling an orphanage in Haiti to have electricity through a solar system through a partnership with ABC Home & Commercial Services. ABC’s Houston president Raleigh Jenkins is a founder and board member of A Child’s Hope, the non-profit that built the orphanage.

“The goal is to make the orphanage self-sustaining,” Jenkins says, “and solar power is critical to that mission because there is no electricity available on the mountain where the orphanage is located.”

The orphanage’s solar installation began in January. Freedom Solar is donating the labor, and SunPower is donating the panels. Proceeds from the benefit will help pay the additional costs of the project, such as international customs and trans-oceanic shipping costs for equipment. Once installed, the 20-kilowatt solar array and battery backup will meet 100 percent of the orphanage’s electricity needs.

“Solar power will allow us to build an aquaponics farm to raise fresh fish and grow nutritious, organic produce. Solar will allow us to refrigerate or freeze that food so it doesn’t spoil and the children have a constant, reliable source of food.

Solar will allow us to light our facilities. It’s a life-changer,” says Jenkins.

Freedom Solar recently installed arrays on two of ABC’s offices.

“We’re excited to deepen our partnership with ABC Home & Commercial and work together on this meaningful charitable project. Haiti has the world's largest population living in energy poverty, with more than 7 million people lacking access to electricity,” says Bret Biggart, managing director of Freedom Solar.

Once completed, A Child’s Hope Orphanage will give 320 Haitian children the opportunity to live in a thriving envi-

Raleigh Jenkins, president of ABC Home & Commercial Services in Houston and a founder of A Child’s Hope, on a recent visit to the orphanage in Haiti.

ronment that differs sharply from traditional orphanages in the country.

“Most Haitian orphanages are merely designed to keep kids fed and to provide shelter. We’re creating a place where kids can grow, learn, and become productive citizens and leaders of Haiti,” says Jenkins. “We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for Freedom Solar Power. They’re helping us build a sustainable future for lost and abandoned children in Haiti for generations to come. It’s going to change lives.” –cw About A Child’s Hope

A Child’s Hope is a nonprofit created to build a safe, loving, and supportive Christian home for more than 300 lost and abandoned children in Haiti. The goal is to build a self-sustaining community for the children to be empowered and thrive in their own environment.

There are still more than 400,000 abandoned children in Haiti. If you want to help, check http://www.achildshope.org

Bret Biggart and Bobby Jenkins, owner and founder of ABC Home & Commercial Services, together on the new solar array installed at ABC’s Austin headquarters

The orphanage is located in a place that has no access to electricity.

A Child’s Hope Orphanage in Haiti, the site where Freedom Solar Power and ABC Home & Commercial Services are teaming up to bring a 100 percent sustainable off-grid solar system.

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

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Expo-sed to the industry

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n Jan. 18 and 19, thousands of people from the construction industry in Texas, the U.S. and the world converged at the Palmer Events Center in Austin for the 2017 Austin Build Expo. Tom Woodcock, one of the foremost experts on sales training, was the keynote speaker and attendees enjoyed plenty of networking, food and educational sessions. –cw

Stripe-it-Up

Associated Builders & Contractors Central Texas Chapter

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Novidesa

Walton Signage

RD Commercial Paving

Briggs Equipment

BlueLine Rental

Dimensional Roofing & Diagnostics

Holt CAT

Staffing across the state

At Your Disposal

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Austin Materials/ Industrial Asphalt & Aggregates

2-C Equipment

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The Austin MEMCO team recently celebrated the construction staffing company’s 20th anniversary.

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ith the ebb and flow of a construction workforce, Marek Bros. started Marek Employment Management Company, best known today as MEMCO, to help meet the demand for labor on its own jobs.

With 20 years under MEMCO’s tool belt today, the company is providing labor for Marek Bros. and many other construction companies.

Casey Wenzel, Western Division manager, says that MEMCO grew organically. As Marek Bros. used MEMCO to staff jobs as needed, other contractors on its jobs began asking if they could hire a few laborers. Friendly competitors and other friendly companies started using MEMCO’s services. Today, MEMCO services about 300 commercial construction companies and pay approximately 4,000 employees in the State of Texas.

Since starting at the flagship office in Houston, following clients to areas where there was a need for its services has led

to the opening of many MEMCO locations. The first satellite office was in Dallas where the Dallas Cowboys Stadium was its cornerstone project there.

It’s first office, Houston, has also become the first in the State of Texas, to operate a modified duty facility called MEMCO Fulfillment where they can provide injured employees on modified duty with work that is within their restrictions.

Though the company explored other staffing industries when the construction market slowed in 2008, MEMCO continues to focus on construction, and Wenzel observes it’s because there is a great deal of loyalty that comes from construction customers. “In construction, people value relationships,” Wenzel says.

In Texas, MEMCO provides construction staffing and payroll services in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, College Station, Pasadena and Spring. MEMCO also has offices in Atlanta and Denver as well as opening a Nashville location. –mh

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Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

I quickly decided that wasn’t what I wanted to do.

Scott Hall Vice President Matheus Lumber Company Inc. San Marcos

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s a celebrated high school and college quarterback, Scott Hall probably could have had a career in the National Football League. He’s humble about his stellar time as a famous Texas athlete, but his alma mater, University of North Texas, is not.

He’s been called one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in the history of the school. In 2013, Hall was inducted into the North Texas Athletics Hall of Fame after leading his team at UNT (The Mean Green) to the Sun Belt Conference Title in 2001, 2003 and 2004. The Mean Green went to the New Orleans Bowl each of those years, and meangreensports.com attributes that feat to Hall’s leadership.

However, Hall realized that some injuries on the field might be a factor in an NFL career, so he used his full scholarship to UNT to make sure he majored in something that would translate to a good career. With a life-long interest in math and science, plus the people and leadership skills he learned as a sports figure, he has translated that into a career he loves in the lumber industry.

What degree did you get from UNT? I majored in mechanical engineering. My attitude at the time was to pick the best major for a sound career that I could earn a good living at. It would have been great to play in the NFL, but a year or two in I knew that wasn’t going to happen, so I made sure I picked a major I could do something with. I have a lot of cousins and family members who are engineers.

I did a couple of internships at architecture and MEP firms where you are doing drafting in an office all day and I didn’t like that, so I decided to get into the construction end of things.

What was your first job after college?

I went to work for a company in Dallas and was project managing disaster recovery in New Orleans for 10 months. I was living in a hotel room downtown right after Hurricane Katrina.

This company didn’t have a project in Texas they could put me on and I began to realize that the field meant I’d be going to job sites and be at the same job site for 18 months or so and then move to another one.

What happened that changed the course?

I was driving through Austin on New Year’s Day and I decided to call a friend from college, Jessica, who lived in Austin and see what she was up to. We went to dinner with her mother and stepfather, Frank Parrott, and he was telling me what he did and I thought, that sounds interesting.

At that time, he was running the office in San Marcos for Idaho Pacific Lumber and he needed a salesperson. I’d always liked the sales side of the business and wanted to give that a try.

It was divine intervention! I started in early 2006.

Tell me about your parents.

My father, Stan, is retired Air Force.

After that, he was director of technologies for the school district I attended, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, for 13 years.

My mom, Mary, worked civil service for the Air Force for 32 years.

They are both fully retired now and live in Hallettsville. They fish in couples tournaments two weekends every month about eight months out of the year.

They always been completely supportive of me and I still talk to one or the other almost every day. When I’m doing things right, they tell me. When I’m doing things wrong, they tell me!

I also had a brother and he is deceased.

So, when you started here, it was Idaho Pacific Lumber and now it is Matheus Lumber. Tell me how all that happened.

We were with Idaho Pacific Lumber when I joined the company in 2006. Frank ran the office, which was more of a satellite office.

At the end of 2007, we had an opportunity to leave IdaPac and join Bison Building Materials out of Houston. There was nothing wrong with Idaho, but we felt that it was a better fit for our office and what we were doing because it was in our region. We thought we would fit better with a larger regional lumber person in our area of service.

We joined in January 2008 and then 2009 hit and the whole industry went downhill. Bison was going to file bankruptcy in June 2009 and they told us in April to find a new home. We were only two of the 20 something branches still making money.

Frank and I flew around the country interviewing several firms and we decided to go with Matheus. It’s been a good ride ever since.

What was it about Matheus that you liked?

When we joined them, they had four offices in Washington and Idaho. We were their first big national step.

We liked the leadership and they have a strong financial record. They’ve been around since 1932.

Gary Powell is the CEO and he does the same thing I do every day: sell or buy wood.

For over 30 years, he’s been leading Matheus as the majority owner.

Giving back to the community is important to the employees at Matheus Lumber, and vice president Scott Hall, top right. Pictured is one of the times the San Marcos branch employees have volunteered their time to The Texas Ramp Project – which builds ramps for disabled and elderly people who cannot afford to buy one.

The company had and has a downhome family feel, but it’s also very strong financially.

At the same time, we would be the only sales presence east of the Rocky Mountains and we wanted to help them expand. Now they have offices all over the U.S.

With Matheus, we get to operate autonomously. We move too fast to have to ask before we do things.

This office has 13 employees, plus three in Forth Worth and one in Alice that report to this office. We sell nationwide.

Have you had a mentor?

Frank was definitely my mentor. He retired in 2013.

Frank taught me the whole industry and how it works. The lumber industry is a very complex industry if you are into both sides: purchasing and selling.

The lumber market is the most volatile commodity there is: it has the highest rating on the volatility index and prices can often change within minutes or hours.

He taught me everything: the math, pricing, historical trends. It takes longevity and he was in industry for 35 years total. He had that experience and helped me learn the ropes, especially on the market side of things.

On the sales side, I had that experience. Being a quarterback in college, I had a lot of relationships with media and others that gave me a good foundation on building relationships.

What is the scope of Matheus Lumber?

We supply projects nationwide. Our customer base is typically south to southeast based, but our customers go everywhere so we go where they go.

Our account base is east of the Rockies and south of the Mason Dixon Line.

What type of construction does Matheus Lumber supply?

Large scale production framing jobs like apartments, military housing and mid-rise wood frame projects. We focus on projects that are 50,000sf or more.

We excel in multiple truckloads of like items. Our average purchase order is around $1 million and a typical job might consist of 20 truckloads of studs, 12 trucks of floor decking, etc. We are also well versed in downtown construction and all the strict delivery requirements.

We’ve also added a new department that sells and services window packages.

What is Matheus Lumber’s philosophy towards customers?

We have an established customer base and lots of repeat customers in our office. When I first started, I spent a lot of time on the road to build relationships, visiting job sites, etc.

Everybody here takes very good care of our customers and it’s led to this office

being very successful.

The first year after we joined Matheus in 2010, we sold $17 million. In our fiscal year 2016, we sold $93.5 million. We have increased our market share tremendously the last 3 years.

We’re a quarter into our new fiscal year and we’re shooting to get to that magical $100 million mark. We’re on pace to do it this year.

Do any jobs stand out in particular to you?

I supplied all the materials for the Chambers County Rest Center. The majority was the decking and composite decking for the sidewalks, which are built over a swamp. It was a really big dollar order for what it was due to specialty wood.

We always stop there and walk on the sidewalks when we go to Louisiana to visit family!

I remember doing some of the first five-story jobs in Austin. Now, it seems every job in Austin is five or more stories.

It’s very interesting how the industry has changed in the last five to ten years. It used to be, you’d get an order for wood and you’d go and dump it at the site and maybe come back in six months or so with one more load to finish the project.

Now, most jobs need daily deliveries.

There’s a lot more coordination involved.

That’s where having historical knowledge of pricing in this industry helps – it’s something you have to learn from someone who has been around. You have to be able to price a job that may be getting lumber delivered at the beginning that’s priced very differently from the lumber that you are delivering during the following months.

Tell me about your family.

I met my wife Lindsay after some friends from college set us up. I moved here in March and met her in August. She has a master’s degree in education from Texas State University and she homeschools our sons, Sage a third grader and Copeland a kindergartner. We also have two daughters, Maxine is 3 years old and Olive is 7 weeks old.

We live in the country and keep pretty busy with the property, dogs, cats and chickens.

This spring we are going to build a tree house and the kids are busy designing what they want.

We like to travel and both sets of grandparents are close, so we visit family quite a bit.

Who would you buy a beer for?

My brother. He passed away just when we were getting old enough to be friends. –cw

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 5

Influencing Austin’s direction

Industry FOLKS Ann Busker Human resources coordinator Rogers-O’Brien

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Lake|Flato’s Austin staff includes, L-R: Justin Garrison, Ashley Heeren, David Archer, Josh Lamden, Chris Kracjer and Sophia Razzaque.

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ounded in San Antonio in1984 by Ted Flato, FAIA, and David Lake, FAIA, Lake|Flato Architects opened a new office in Austin last summer.

“It’s been a couple of years in development,” says Robert Hoang, associate partner and director of marketing and business development. “The official opening was last summer.”

Hoang says the firm has been working in Austin since the beginning and found a permanent space at the end of 2016 on Caesar Chavez. The firm’s work has been extensive in Austin and its work on the Mueller Development was a catalyst for setting up a brick and mortar presence.

“We feel we can have a major impact in the fast moving growth in Austin,” Hoang says. “We want to help ensure that development is authentic to the amazing place that Austin is. That’s our calling card.”

One of the firm’s more prominent

Austin ventures was its work on Hotel San Jose, a run-down 1930s hotel on S. Congress Ave. that was purchased and redesigned and renovated by Liz Lambert into a new landmark that features heavily in the music scene. Following that, Lake|Flato worked with Lambert, a former prosecuting attorney from Manhattan, as she did the same for Hotel Cecilia and Austin Hotel in Austin and Hotel Havana in San Antonio.

“She’s known nationally for her vision,” Hoang says. “We’ve grown with her through the years.”

David Lake was born and raised in Austin and Hoang says it is a passion for him and the firm to be a part of the urban redevelopment in that city. Lake is the partner in the Austin office, which has a staff of seven.

“It makes sense for us to help build on enriching the community and tapping into this growing center of technology and innovation,” Hoang says. –cw

hree days a week, Ann Busker goes to the “The Spa” – a good-natured name for the clinic where she receives dialysis. Busker’s family has a history of Polycystic Kidney disease, which impacted her grandmother, her aunt, and her dad, who received his third transplant in January. Busker has known since the age of 18 that she might fight the disease too, and recently learned she is in Stage 5 Renal Failure.

“That is when the screening began to be placed on the transplant list,” Busker, a human resources coordinator for Rogers-O’Brien Construction, says. “I was told I am the perfect recipient. The surgeon told me that I will probably be a case where I don’t realize how bad I have felt until I don’t feel that way. He said I will probably be in the recovery room ready to run a marathon.

“I was officially put on the [United Network for Organ Sharing] transplant list Sept. 23. That means that as I move up the list, the phone call could come at any time with an available kidney from a deceased donor. I also had two surgeries on my left arm to create the fistula to start dialysis. I started dialysis in October and am feeling much better, even though I didn’t think I felt bad before.”

Afterward, she emailed an update to several people.

”I wanted them to know that I was okay; so I cracked a joke at the end of the email stating, ‘I don’t know God’s plan, but we just need to watch it play out. In the meantime, if anyone has an extra kidney lying around, I have an application for you to complete!’”

Five people soon stepped forward, with a fellow church member identified as a match. If the woman passes the screening process, Busker could receive a kidney in early 2017.

The screening process is complicated, however, and Busker accepts that anything might happen. Still, she maintains a sunny attitude and a desire to help others.

“I think spreading the word is great to help others in need,” she says.

“I have read several things and heard a talk on the radio that if more living donors stepped forward, the wait list could be cut by three quarters with a much shortened wait time.

“When all of this started, I asked God to use me to bring people to Him or closer to Him. If I can help or support anyone else going through this now or in the future, that is the goal.”

–mjm

Submitted to Construction News

Spreading cheer

Sweet 15

Efficient Air Conditioning & Electric employees adopt a family every year and provide gifts through Angel Tree Austin/Salvation Army. This year was no different and some family in Austin had a merrier Christmas. –cw

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FairClaims Roofing and Construction celebrates 15 years in business in early 2017.

n 2002, Justin O’Neal decided to break off and team up with a former co-worker to start FairClaims Roofing and Construction.

Fifteen years later, the company has exceeded his expectations with nine branches throughout Texas.

“This is where we wanted to be but it is beyond our expectations,” O’Neal said.

“At the time, we wanted to be successful and get to a point where we are doing certain amounts of volume. My expectations, at least, aren’t where we are now.

By year four or five, my vision was along the lines of where we are now.”

FairClaims was started with the idea of providing quality to its customers along with treating the employees to what they deserve.

“My partner and I were a part of another company and things weren’t going the way we really wanted. It just wasn’t working well,” O’Neil said. “My partner actually left the company several months

prior, and I had an opportunity to partner up with Ray Phillips in April of 2002 with the vision of doing things differently and creating a name for ourselves.

“It comes from the way I was raised, really. I was taught to do things with pride, excellence and integrity.”

Recently, the company has expanded its services to include siding work, patio, window replacements and deck additions to go along with its roof work.

The bulk of the business is in residential reroofing, but offers commercial services, as well.

Randy Spradlin covers the Texas Hill Country and Austin area out of the Round Rock office.

Down the road, O’Neal would like to add a metal shop to fabricate his own materials as the company grows.

“The metal roofing that we use is still made at a metal shop, so one of my goals is to eventually build a shop and fabricate our own metal.”–cs

Page 6

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Why you should keep a close eye on your estimates

OT rule blocked by Federal Court

Lance Trammel, Lane Gorman Trubitt LLC Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

James Christ, Rodney Christ and Terrell Taylor Christ Taylor Insurance Houston, TX

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think everyone would agree with the statement that a strong foundation is key to a successful project. In constructing the foundation you have to consider many factors ranging from the ground it is being built on to the load it must help support. For contractors, a strong foundation is analogous to strong project estimates. Solid estimates on a project consider the scope of work to be performed and proper budgeting of costs. Not only is it important to develop solid estimates up front, but it is also important to keep a close eye on the estimates throughout the project. If you aren’t careful, you might just find yourself cutting into your profits.

Fixed price or approximate estimates?

The first thing to review when looking at your estimates is how they’re being generated. Estimating methods tend to fall into two categories: fixed price and approximate.

Because they incorporate detailed information, fixed-price estimates are typically the most reliable method. However, the contractor bears a bigger portion of the risk than the owner does because the job is set at a fixed price, even if costs increase.

Many contractors prepare fixedprice estimates on a lump-sum basis. Estimators will compile a job’s price after closely analyzing drawings, specifications, and other bidding documents.

They then calculate the costs of materials, labor, equipment, subcontractors, overhead, and other job-related expenses before applying a markup to the total cost to obtain a lump-sum estimate.

You may also produce fixed-price estimates on a unit-price basis. Here, you submit the bid based on the individual line items. As with a lump-sum estimate, the result determines the total project cost. Your estimator, however, segregates expenses according to each line item’s unit price.

The second method, an approximate estimate, is a shortcut that gives you only a rough idea of a project’s cost. Estimators primarily look at expenses derived from previous jobs, refining their figures as they learn more project specifics.

Are your estimations accurate?

Estimates are just “guesstimates” unless you take the time to understand the scope of work and cost out the project realistically. There are multiple variables going into costing a project so the more complex the calculation, the more likely it will account for the many variables involved. Failing to apply an evolving profit margin calculation can reduce the value of jobs over time.

For example, if you estimate profitability on a flat, 10 percent sales price across most projects, you could lose money as changes and delays occur. To avoid this scenario, many contractors today rely on estimating software.

Construction-specific estimating applications reduce errors and create a historical database to help you refine procedures and generate more accurate data for future projects. They can also relieve much of the chore associated with routine, repetitive and time-consuming calculations. So make sure your software is up to date.

Other ways to keep an eye on things.

Your first and last line of defense in generating accurate estimates is the people doing the job. When reviewing estimators’ performance or when hiring new ones, make sure you’re employing professionals who can visualize project phases in great detail. They should also have good organizational and communication skills; a thorough knowledge of construction materials, processes and software; and the ability to understand today’s more detailed drawings and specification documents.

To help ensure accurate reviews of estimates, encourage estimators to work transparently; you must know how he or she arrived at the quoted job price. Project managers are a great resource here.

Since they are going to be accountable for the job performance, they should have some input on the estimate. When reviewing estimates, verify that the projected gross profit of each job is in line with your profitability objectives and the current bid market.

During the project, hold recurring performance meetings to monitor the job as it progresses. After you complete projects, go back and compare estimates with your actual job costs. Investigate projects that went under or over the original estimates to find out what went right or wrong and to learn from the process.

Remember, the more accurately you estimate projects, the more precisely and profitably you can quote prices for quality workmanship.

Lance Trammell joined Lane Gorman Trubitt LLC in 1999 and has nearly two decades of experience working with a diverse portfolio of clients, particularly in the construction, real estate, and manufacturing/ distribution sectors.

Submitted to Construction News

L-R: James Christ, Rodney Christ, Terrell Taylor

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n Nov. 22, 2016, a federal judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction halting the enforcement of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new overtime rule until further notice. The rule, which was set to take effect on Dec. 1, 2016, would have increased the salary threshold for the “white collar overtime exemptions" to $47,476 per year.

The judge’s ruling gives employers across the country a reprieve from having to raise salaries for exempt employees to the new threshold or pay them overtime.

However, an appeal of the ruling is possible. The DOL said in a statement that it was reviewing the court's order and considering any next steps.

Action Steps

Employers should continue to watch for new developments related to the overtime rule, as some uncertainty remains. Until a final decision is reached in the case, employers can rely on existing overtime exemption rules.

Employers that have already made adjustments to comply with the new rule may find it difficult to reverse any changes. However, employers may decide to postpone any changes that have not yet been made.

Christ Taylor Insurance will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates as necessary.

DOL Rule on White Collar Exemptions

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage and overtime pay protections for many workers in the United States. However, the FLSA exempts certain workers, such as white collar employees, from these protections.

The white collar exemptions apply to certain executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, computer and highly compensated employees.

To qualify for the executive, administrative or professional exemption, an employee must meet a salary basis test, a salary level test and a duties test.

Federal Court Cases

In September, a coalition of 21 states and a number of business groups filed two separate lawsuits challenging the

new rule. These two lawsuits were combined in October. On Nov. 16, 2016, the court held a hearing on whether to grant an emergency injunction blocking the implementation of the rule. The judge presiding over the case issued his written ruling granting the injunction on Nov. 22, 2016.

The Future of the Overtime Rule Supporters of the rule remain committed to what they describe as fair increases in the overtime exemption salary threshold. However, the DOL may be facing an uphill battle in implementing changes to the overtime exemptions.

In his written ruling, the judge suggested that he would side with the parties challenging the rule when resolving the case. He stated that, in issuing the rule, the DOL “exceeds its delegated authority and ignores Congress's intent by raising the minimum salary threshold such that it supplants the duties test.”

However, further steps need to be taken in the court process before the rule is permanently struck down.

It is also possible that Trump could take executive action to block the rule, but it is not clear at this time what approach he would take to change or undo the rule. If the court strikes down the rule, further congressional or executive action may be unnecessary.

Other Issues for Employers Although the changes to the overtime exemptions may not take effect for some time, if ever, employers must continue to comply with current regulations.

In preparing for the rule change, many employers have discovered that employees may have been misclassified, which is an issue that must be addressed to avoid violating the current FLSA regulations.

Please contact Christ Taylor Insurance if you need additional information on how to properly classify employees under the current exemption rules.

Christ Taylor LLP is an independent Houston based Employee Benefits and Insurance brokerage firm doing business in Southeast Texas.

Submitted to Construction News

Green retreat

Let’s move dirt!

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC – Texas) members enjoyed sharing ideas at the North Texas Regional Council Board Retreat, hosted Jan. 14 in Irving. –mjm

GC Vaughn Construction joined BLGY Architects and many others at a groundbreaking for the Williamson County North Campus Facilities. Expected completion is March 2018. –cw

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 7

OSHA’s new law on Beryllium

Is your teaming agreement enforceable?

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

Elizabeth H. Connally Connally Law PLLC San Antonio, TX

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ontractors often seek strategic alliances with other contractors to complement their capabilities and increase their chances of winning a contract. In forming such alliances, it is important to use the type of agreement that best fits your needs to ensure it’s enforceable and not just an agreement to agree.

Joint Venture or Teaming Agreement Contractors generally use either a joint venture agreement or a teaming agreement to accomplish their business arrangement. When two or more companies jointly form a separate entity to act as the potential prime contractor, this is a joint venture. This article focuses on the second type of arrangement – the teaming agreement.

A teaming agreement is a tool for contractors when a prime contractor desires to work with one or more subcontractors to pursue a contract and requests the subcontractors to perform specific work on that contract, if it is awarded to the prime contractor.

Unlike a joint venture, a teaming agreement allows the companies to remain as independent entities while working together to prepare the proposal and be successful in obtaining the contract award. Many times the parties are very anxious to pull together the proposal and proceed, thinking they only need to put the basic terms on paper and can work out the details of the subcontract agreement later if they win the contract. It is unlikely this will be an enforceable teaming agreement, for without details regarding the terms of the subcontract agreement, it is merely an agreement to agree.

Unenforceable Teaming Agreement The Cyberlock Consulting, Inc. v Information Experts, Inc., 2013 WL1395742 (E.D. Va. 2013) case exemplifies why it’s important to state in the teaming agreement the terms which will ultimately be incorporated in the subcontract agreement.

In that case, Cyberlock Consulting, Inc. (“Cyberlock”) entered into a teaming agreement with Information Experts, Inc. (“IE”), wherein IE would be the prime contractor if awarded the contract for security services. The teaming agreement said if the parties were successful in getting the prime contract awarded to IE, then IE would enter into a subcontract with Cyberlock. The teaming agreement included general terms which described each company’s anticipated scope of work, but it did not include, as an exhibit or attachment, the actual subcontract agreement the parties intended to enter

into. In addition, the teaming agreement stated that either party could terminate it if the parties were unable to negotiate a subcontract agreement in good faith.

After IE received the contract, the parties attempted to negotiate a subcontract agreement without success. IE then terminated the teaming agreement, and Cyberlock sued to enforce it. The court determined the teaming agreement stated only a framework for negotiating a subcontract agreement sometime in the future and was, therefore, unenforceable because it was merely an agreement to agree. Thus, it is very important that the teaming agreement include not only the parties’ intentions regarding the teaming agreement but also the subcontract agreement which they intend to sign on award of the contract to the prime contractor.

Checklist for an Enforceable Teaming Agreement: The teaming agreement should: 1. state its purpose and specify the proposal that the parties are responding to; 2. describe each party’s role, not only with regard to proposal preparation but also the resulting subcontract agreement when the prime contract is awarded;

3. provide protection for the proprietary information and intellectual property of both parties; 4. set forth indemnification provisions; 5. state the term of the teaming agreement; and 6. incorporate, as exhibits, the request for proposal, each party’s proposal responsibilities, the subcontractor’s scope of services and the form of the subcontract agreement.

Ms. Connally is the managing shareholder of Connally Law, PLLC, San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Connally is licensed to practice law in OH, DC, HI and TX and is a former warranted Contracting Officer for the U.S. Dept. of State (“DOS”), where she handled contracts for the DOS’ largest procurement office in Frankfurt, Germany. Ms. Connally’s email address is ehconnally@eclegal.biz.

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Fall semester

Bailey Elliott Construction Inc. is the GC on this project where Haegelin Construction Co. employees are trenching for the storm sewer and installing underground plumbing lines at WonderWell School on Southwest Parkway. The project is expected to be complete in time for the fall 2017 school year. –cw

I

n construction and shipyards, exposure to beryllium primarily occurs when metal slags that contain trace amounts of beryllium (<0.1% by weight) are used in abrasive blasting operations. In these operations, significant beryllium exposures may occur because of the high dust levels generated despite the low beryllium content.

What are the health effects associated with beryllium exposure?

Workplace exposure to beryllium and beryllium compounds can result in the following: Chronic Beryllium Disease (CBD) is a serious pulmonary disease that can cause serious debilitation or death.

Lung cancer is associated with occupational exposure to beryllium by inhaling beryllium containing dust, fumes or mist.

The rule reduces the Permissible Exposure Limit for beryllium to 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter of air (μg/m3) averaged over 8 hours, and establishes a short-term exposure limit (STEL) for beryllium of 2.0 μg/m3 over a 15-minute sampling period. Employers with a beryllium hazard, would typically be required to conduct air sampling to determine worker exposure to beryllium. Based on the level of exposure, additional protections may be required such as respiratory protection and engineering controls (such as ventilation controls.) Employers must use engineering and work practice controls to prevent excessive beryllium from becoming airborne where workers can breathe it in.

• Employers must limit access to high-exposure areas, provide respiratory protec-

tion when necessary, and provide personal protective clothing when high exposures or dermal contact is possible.

• Employers must assess exposures, develop and implement written exposure control plans, and provide workers with training specific to beryllium.

• Employers must offer medical examinations to certain exposed workers. If a specified beryllium-related health effect is identified, they must offer additional workplace accommodations to the worker to reduce beryllium exposures.

The rule provides staggered compliance dates to ensure that employers have sufficient time to meet the requirements and get the right protections in place.

Employers have: • One year after the effective date of the rule (March 12, 2018) to implement most provisions of the standard; • Two years after the effective date (March 11, 2019) to implement the requirements for change rooms and showers, and; • Three years after the effective date (March 10, 2020) to implement the engineering control requirements.

Additional information on OSHA’s beryllium rule can be found at www. osha.gov/beryllium. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

The Knight life

M

arc Knight knew he wanted to do something that had to do with building – he’s been building things since he was a kid – but while in school at Texas A&M, he was torn between majoring in construction or architecture. In his junior year, it became necessary to decide and he chose construction.

After graduating in 1997, Knight worked for a year in Houston for Baker Concrete, but one early morning in traffic on the Gulf Freeway overpass, he decided Austin might be a better fit, so he and his wife, Kristin, packed up and moved there.

“Thankfully, I got a job in Austin with Paul Workman at Workman Corporation as a project manager and I worked for him and his son, Kyle, for five years,” Knight says. “Paul was a mentor to me and I really enjoyed working with them. It was a great opportunity.”

During his time at Workman, Knight was promoted to head estimator and worked on a variety of projects including office, retail and industrial.

In 2003, Knight and his wife opened Knight Construction, a general contracting firm that does 100 percent commercial construction. Knight has three employees, with a fourth coming on board soon, and he oversees the dayto-day operations, including estimating, project management and preconstruction services.

Projects include Deep Eddy Distillery in Dripping Springs, Bicycle Sport Shop, Acton School of Business, LCRA and Camp Young Judaea.

“We did four projects for LCRA,” Knight says. “We enjoyed those.”

Currently, the company is doing

projects in Lakeway and Bee Caves, among others. One of those is a gymnastics facility.

When not working, the Knight family loves to travel. One of their favorite places to go is southwestern Colorado to enjoy the mountains. –cw

Construction News available at numerous rack locations throughtout the city

Page 8

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Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Bringing up a workforce

Restoring history

Sam Dowdy Jr., Liz Dowdy and Ashely Treat, director at Austin CAN Academy

Bartlett Cocke General Contractors‘ project manager Brian Scott and assistant Blake Pryor are making sure things go smoothly at the GC’s restoration project at the Holy Cross Building at St. Edward’s University. The project should be completed by late summer. –cw

OPPERA recently had the pleasure of meeting with faculty and students at Austin CAN Academy to speak about a career in the trades. Austin CAN Academy provides a high school education to students who struggle in traditional school settings. The school’s goal is to ensure economic independence for every student who comes through their doors.

COPPERA has collaborated with Aus-

tin CAN Academy to offer their students continuing education after graduation through COPPERA’s Plumber Apprentice Scholarship program. This program will provide students the alternative to attending a traditional college and will expose them to a life with a career in the trades.

Next up, COPPERA will be hosting a “Day in the Life” event this spring for the CAN Academy students. –cw

What was your favorite food as a child?

Every time we went out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant, I ordered a side of beans, a side of cheese and tortillas. I had to make my own bean and cheese tacos. I guess I was a control freak even as a child!

Sandra Johnson, Edge Electric Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. My dad cooked it and he used a lot of garlic. I am still a garlic lover.

Monica Capozziello, AIA

Sam Dowdy Jr. works with the kids at Austin CAN Academy.

Pumpkin pie - and I do make a meal out of it! My mom made a good one. I’m a fan of just the solo pie, no whipped cream. It was my request for my birthday meal and my birthday is in February, so not exactly pumpkin pie time of the year!

Erika Hibler, AIA Spaghetti. My mom made it for me and she’s not Italian, but it worked.

Jamie Curtis, Curtis Concrete Pumping I loved McDonald’s Happy Meals with chicken nuggets. Pretty sure back then it was real chicken!

Stacy Johnson, Austin Canyon Corp.

My favorite was pork chops, applesauce and Doberge cake. Doberge cake is a special cake from New Orleans.

Catherine Case Larson, DCA Construction

those three ingredients…

Scott L. Hall, Matheus Lumber Company My favorite meal as a child was anytime we ate at my grandmother’s house. It didn’t happen often because, as a military family, we didn’t see her that often, but even today, walking into a house that smells of greens cooking, ham baking, and seeing the sliced tomatoes and onion and cucumber salad just takes me back to those meals (always called supper, not dinner) at her home in Tennessee.

Cyndi Wright, Construction News Fried shrimp!

Jill Wedel, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing From Travis Roofing Supply: Tacos were always my favorite food as a kid, but it wasn't until I moved to Texas that I learned what a real taco is. Still my favorite food!

Sara Wilkus Meatball Parmesan, made specifically by my mom.

Michael Bread... with nothing on it, not toasted, just white bread.

Angie Mr. Gattis Pizza all the way!

Ryan Wade

Noodles, meat and corn … it was exactly

Mud beans - they were really pinto beans.

Our Grandma said they were made with mud - we still loved them.

Allison Pizza sandwich, like a grilled cheese, just add the pepperonis and sauce.

Josh Macaroni and cheese.

Amanda My Dad's BBQ'ed... Everything!

Florence Everything!

Haily, the security dog From Hidell Builders Supply: Fried bologna sandwich on white bread slathered in mayonnaise.

Daniel Alcala Grandma’s fried chicken with mashed potatoes, butter beans, collard greens, cornbread and for dessert banana pudding.

Monty McMillan Mam-maw’s fried steak in red eye gravy with Blackeye peas and fried okra and Texas Sheet Cake for dessert.

Debbie Richardson

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 9

Be prepared to grind througout the day and don’t get caught up fishing your same old spots. Knowing the bays and the structure beneath you plays a big part in your success. Pay attention when you get a bite or catch a fish and try to pinpoint the draw for that fish to the area.

Keep a close eye on your depth chart and water temperature indicator to help you with the analysis. Using that info, you can apply it to other areas of the bay system to hopefully produce similar results.

Cold Weather Outings

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ­­­ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, and Columbia Sportswear.

W

ell I can honestly say that I’m going to spend more time this month in the boat instead of the brush. The deer and other game are now safe for the year until November rolls around again. Many hours were spent looking through the binos and spotting scope the last several months, and lots of game were harvested. I really enjoy the time off the water during hunting sea-

Mark Afram displays a nice 5lb. trout caught on the KR shoreline using a KWigglers balltail shad in bone diamond color. Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

son, but I can assure you I am ready to be back on the water full time. Everyone needs a little time to recharge his or her batteries and mine are sitting on full as we speak.

ents that became friends and all of the great sponsors that have helped me along the way, I owe you my deepest thanks to my success. I’m really loving what I do, and doing what I love!

This season starts my nineteenth year as a fishing guide. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would be still doing this for this long. I must say that I have been truly blessed by all of the people I have met along this journey. From friends that became clients, to the cli-

If you are thinking for wetting a line in the next several weeks or anytime in the month of February, be prepared for some harsh weather. Typically this time of year brings the nastiest weather. Plan your outing either before a cold front or a day or so after the front passes through.

Have an outdoor photo you’d like to share?

Send to:

Fishing early in the season requires a bit of preparation. It’s not like fishing in the summer where everyday is pretty much a carbon copy of the previous five days.

Knowing what the weather is going to do, what direction and how hard the wind is going to blow are a few of the things that will help you choose the best day to go. Couple that, with knowing major and minor feeding times and moonrise and moonset times even better the odds in your favor. Theses are some of the tools that are at your disposal. Do your homework, choose the best days and give it your all when you’re out there is all you can do. The rest is up to the cooperation of the fish and the boss upstairs.

I have already started to fill the calendar for the upcoming 2017 season. Don’t wait until all the good dates are gone! To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good luck and Good Fishing.

Submitted to Construction News

Goose tales

AustinEditor@Constructionnews.net or call Cyndi at 210-308-5800

Submitted to Construction News

Turkey time

During a recent goose hunting trip, Open Road Automotive & Tire family and friends scored big. Bottom row, L-R: Patrick Slater III, Colin Slater, John Youngblood, and Dr. Patrick Slater II; top row L-R: Caroline Slater, Brian Slater, and Andrew Clark –cw

Amy Hageman, brand ambassador at BIG RED DOG, took this turkey with her rifle at 80 yards over Thanksgiving weekend. –cw

Page 10

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Ken Milam’s Fishing Line Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country, You can hear Ken on the radio as follows: The Great Outdoors: 5-8 am Saturday on 1300, The Zone, Austin and The Great Outdoors: 5-7 am Saturday on 1200 WOAI San Antonio The Sunday Sportsman: 6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on iHeart Radio

My secret Valentine…Fishing!!!

V

alentine’s Day will soon be upon us.

That’s when we show our love and appreciation for the special people in our lives. Go ahead and have a nice romantic dinner and indulge in the giving and receiving of candy hearts and flowers. You can do it. You see it makes it easier to get to go fishing later!

It is probably a good thing that fishing seems to wind down during the late fall and early winter. If it didn’t we would have all kinds of holiday conflicts with fishing. Might be tough to have holidays at all if the fish were biting in addition to hunting season!

Valentine’s Day is the kick off of fishing season!

Most people don’t think about fishing this early in the year, but catfish are going about their business, ready to be caught by now. Weather permitting, some nice blue catfish are being brought in.

At or around this time the white bass should be running hot and heavy up every lake and river. They are in a mad Valentine’s party of their own as they run upstream in concentrated numbers to spawn. It makes for a fisherman’s dream!

They are easily caught and tasty to eat.

Stripers and hybrids will migrate upstream a bit too, but their spawn will come later in the spring. They like to “help” the white bass chase shad because it’s easy food as they pick up anything that will fit in their mouth.

Crappie and bass are beginning to use the warm days to look for places to nest, and feeding hard to get ready for the upcoming spawn too. This is when

However you choose to get on the water, be sure your equipment is in good shape. Go ahead and use those gift cards you got for Christmas to restock your tackle box or get a good rod and reel! Be sure you have the boat running good and new line on the reels. You don’t want to miss any fishing time to fixing stuff!

Of course the very best scenario is if your Valentine loves to fish too. Then you can celebrate the holiday together by going fishing! Heck, pitch a little heart shaped box of chocolates in the tackle box and come on!

Reminder: Spring break fishing trips are booking up fast! If you want to get the family out for a guided fishing trip in mid-March, you need to be reserving them now with the guides of your choice.

With the lakes and rivers in such good shape this should be a great year to get out and enjoy it. The wild flowers here in the Hill Country should be spectacular this year too. Come join us!

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!

Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com you need to be at the right place at the right time. Since every species of fish has their own preferences for timing and location, the services of a guide can be especially useful in getting you where you need to be.

Submitted to Construction News

God’s country

Jason Smith, project manager at ICON Mechanical Contractors, and his family love spending time at one of his long-time best friend’s places on the beautiful San Bernard River in Brazoria.

Smith and his family had actually rented this special place before his buddy bought it and now they’ve been going there for six years. Jason calls it “God’s handy work.” –cw

Have an Outdoor Story or Photo?

Send to: AustinEditor@ ConstructionNews.net or call Cyndi at 210-308-5800

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 11

Submitted to Construction News

Submitted to Construction News

Current points

Ham for the holidays

Glyn Landrum, general manager for Current Electric in San Marcos, bagged this nice specimen recently. –cw

Shannon Boyd, CPD, LEED AP and CEO at BIG RED DOG Engineering and Consulting in Austin and his father slightly lessened the feral hog population during a recent hunt in Taylor County. Way to go!

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

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Page 12

Austin Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ FEB 2017

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 13

Fit for royalty

Construction News JOB SIGHT

It’s a Yeti thing

DCA Construction is the GC on Lantana Ridge on Southwest Parkway in Austin. Developer is Lincoln Property Company, architect is Good Fulton & Farrell and engineer is Big Red Dog. Yeti has leased the two buildings, which are scheduled to finish this summer, for its national headquarters. Pictured, DCA’s job superintendent Alan Owrey and business development Catherine Case Larson. –cw

H

usband and wife team Julian Sanchez and Stephanie Cuestas put together Castle Flooring in Austin after finding a lack of creativity and design sense in the local flooring industry.

“The flooring industry has traditionally been male dominated,” Julian says.

“It was slow to adapt to new technology and design trends. There’s more to it than installing carpet.”

The couple uses loyal and trusted subcontracting teams for their installation.

“It’s not common that a third-party subcontractor stays with the same company,” Julian says. “But ours stay with us.

Most of our crews have been with us for 15 years. That’s how we keep consistency and reliability.”

He says the crews understand the company’s standards and know what is expected of them.

“Our consistency is fine tuned,” he says. “We’ve gone through 50 crews to get the five crews we use all the time.”

Elevating the art of floor coverings and other design elements such as back-

splash have been the cornerstone of Castle Flooring, the name which came from the couple’s fascination with all things castle.

“Lots of people underestimate that it’s a fashion-driven business,” Julian explains. “For example, glass is not a new item or material, but when it was being presented as a backsplash, there were not many options available. We go to trade shows three times a year and we start to see trends before a lot of our competitors and especially before the big box stores do.”

Because the industry is always evolving, Julian says learning to translate industry trends for their customers is part of the package.

Castle Flooring started 20 years ago in the couple’s garage. Once they started getting busy, they moved into a storefront on a busy corner on S. Lamar Street.

“We’re a funky little south Austin store that got thrown into the specialty arena,” Julian says. “Not too many people were serving people who wanted something different and interesting.” –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Masons on location

A.T.C. Contractors Inc.’s Darryl Powell and John Sterling are currently doing a major masonry restoration at St. Edwards University’s Main Building and Holy Cross Building.

Powell has been with A.T.C. for 34 years. The GC is Bartlett-Cocke. –cw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Electrical and technical

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Working on a landmark

Jose and Cornelo with Walker Engineering of Austin are hard at work on the new Yeti headquarters project in Austin. DCA Construction is the GC on the project which is slated to finish this summer. –cw

GC Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing’s employees are hard at work on a sunny day at The Driskill Hotel project in Austin. The estimated completion date is May 2017. –cw

Page 14

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

A big move for the earthmovers

Construction News ON LOCATION

Land at hand

L-R: Carl Englerth, former executive secretary, recently retired and passed the torch to Charles Frerich, ECAT’s new executive secretary.

A

s of this month, the Earthmoving Contractors Association of Texas (ECAT) has moved. ECAT is now based where its new executive secretary, Charles Frerich, is located.

The association’s new address is: Earthmoving Contractors Association of Texas Inc., P.O. Box 36, Rowena, TX 76875.

The new contact number for Frerich is 325-340-8370 and the new email is 1ecat. tx@gmail.com.

This change, affecting the association statewide, came about because Carl Englerth, former executive secretary of 16 years, who is based in New Braunfels, retired Jan. 31.

After working for the USDA for about 37 years, where Englerth worked with a lot of the contractors and landowners to carry out soil and water conservation practices, he was invited to work for ECAT in 2001.

Now, at 78, he and his wife, Cynthia, want to take the time to do the things they’ve always wanted, including spending time with their two daughters and traveling across the U.S., to Alaska and

the British Isles, where his wife spent much of her childhood.

In planning for his retirement, Englerth has been training Charles Frerich, who has taken over his position and is based in Rowena. Frerich’s family was a charter member of ECAT with their business, Frerich Land Improvement Contractors.

Today, his brother, John Frerich has his own company, Mobile Crushing & Screening, and is the president of ECAT. When their father passed away, Charles came with his mother to the ECAT meetings and got to know the members. He currently works for the Natural Resources Conservation Service but will retire in August, when he turns 60.

“Our people are big into conservation, and conserving our natural resources is what it’s all about,” says Charles, who wants to promote the association, adding that ECAT can help its contractors network, grow and even offers scholarships for high school and college graduates. –mh

Mateo, Neno and Carlo with Sendero Land Services Inc. work on the landscaping on a new condo project in Lakeway. –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Smooth moves

Hugo, Magarito and Hernado with Austin Capitol Concrete Inc. are smoothing the way for the new Yeti national headquarters coming soon in Austin. DCA Construction LP is the GC. –cw

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 15

Construction Safety Safety isn’t accidental Paula Bailey, President Bailey Safety Consultants Fort Worth, TX

T

he construction industry accident fatality rate stands at more than double that of the all sector average – more minor accidents are almost incalculably more.

Put simply, construction sites are a health and safety nightmare – almost every conceivable hazard exists within this constantly changing working environment.

Falls:

Working at height: The construction of buildings – or indeed, demolition works – frequently requires tradesmen to work at height. Fatalities and injuries involving height related factors account for many accidents each year.

Construction sites can get quite hectic what with the sheer volume of constantly moving vehicles and tradespeople – overhead lifting equipment shifting heavy loads, supply vehicles, dumper trucks everywhere, maneuvering around an usually uneven terrain.

Slips, Trips and Falls:

When you consider the diverse range of activities going on at a construction site at any one time it seems hardly surprising slips, trips and falls happen on an almost daily basis. Construction sites are a mish mash of holes in the ground, buildings at various stages of completion, scaffolding, stored materials and equipment. You really do need eyes in the back of your head at times.

Material and Manual Handling Materials: Equipment is being constantly lifted and moved around on a construction site, whether manually or by the use of lifting equipment. Different trades will involve greater demands, but all may involve some degree of risk. Where employees’ duties involve manual handling, the adequate training must be carried out. Where lifting equipment is used, then adequate training must also be carried out, but may

involve some form of test to confirm competency. Records of training must be maintained for verification.

Electricity: On average, three construction industry workers are electrocuted each year during refurbishment work on commercial and domestic buildings. People working near overhead power lines and cables are also at risk. There are also a growing number of electrocutions involving workers who are not qualified electricians but who are carrying electrical work, such as plumbers and joiners and decorators.

In summary, nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites across the nation on any given day. The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries.

Potential hazards for workers in construction include: • Falls (from heights) • Trench collapse • Scaffold collapse • Electric shock and arc flash/arc blast • Failure to use proper personal protective equipment • Repetitive motion injuries Six Workplace Safety Tips for Implementing a Safe Work Culture Implementing a culture that honors safe work practices is not something that happens by accident or by default. It is something that leaders and managers in the construction industry must purposefully impact in order to affect change and then maintain their respective cultures.

Leaders and executives who are working to affect change in a positive and long-term way within their organizations can use the following six tips to improve their safety culture.

Safety at forefront of industry Randy Reiley, vice president of operations Keller-Martin Construction San Antonio, TX

I

n 2015, there were 13,900 constructionrelated injuries and 124 on-the-job deaths in Texas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Injuries are unavoidable in the construction industry, however that does not mean it is acceptable.

Keller-Martin Construction Randy Reiley handles the safety aspect of the business, including scheduling weekly classes on different areas of safety at the workplace.

“We have a consultant, IBTX, who does the training. We have a training schedule set up to get the guys certified on the lifts and bobcats and equipment,” Reiley said. “More and more subs have more focus on safety and safety training.

We are trying to intensify our training in different areas of safety. It’s broken down now where you can have training sessions on 20 different topics.”

Safety classes have become a standard in the industry since technology has

made it easier to convey information.

“The technology may change as far as the types of tools, but it’s still drills, hammers and saws,” Reiley said. “There’s not a lot of change in the construction side but there’s more of a change on the design phase. There’s more technology in the training. We can use PowerPoint to show pictures and videos of accidents instead of just a lecture on the job site.”

Job-site accidents vary in severity and types, but are problems for companies for many reasons.

“You always have the fall issues: falling off roofs and scaffolding,” Reiley said.

“There is also moving equipment. There is the minor stuff, which isn’t minor: the cuts and smashes with saws and hammers and hand tools. Those are what you worry about.”

Companies not only care about the people they employ, but they have to worry about the bottom line.

1: Make people and their safe work practices a part of the company’s core values.

It is important to establish a list of core values for your company. Core values are those cornerstones that the company has been built on and around. They are the “non-negotiable” building blocks of the employee and employer relationship. Core values stipulate how the company does business with the expectation that all team members honor these values, and if not, they can be asked to leave.

2: Make safe work practices a part of the company’s onboarding process.

Begin educating new employees on the company’s safety policies and procedures from their initial onboarding. Do not allow bad habits to take root. By emphasizing the importance of safe work practices within the company from the outset of employment, the new employee will be set on the right path and in the right direction. Allowing a new employee to onboard without emphasizing safe work practices can allow bad habits to form, which may be difficult to break at a later time.

3: Find a champion for safety within the company.

Executives and leaders have a difficult time completing all of their tasks and responsibilities. In order to overcome this, it is recommended that someone within the company/outside safety consultants with a passion for safety be assigned as the safety manager. Allow that person to find the cause of safety within the company and on project sites. The process of implementing new policies and procedures disrupts the current culture of the company. By establishing a safety program, there will be an advocate who can help lead the change process.

4: Educate/train the company’s employees.

Educate the workforce on safe work practices including OSHA standards. Invest in OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 training.

Make the employees aware of their role within the company and how they affect the safety performance of the overall organization. Train the employees on the

proper use of equipment. Have them use the safety equipment in a controlled training environment so that they learn the proper methods for using the equipment.

5: Monitor and coach your ongoing field operations.

All personnel, no matter their experience, have a tendency to grow complacent over time. “I will be okay this time” or “I have done this a million times” are uttered often just before accidents occur.

Accountability is an important feature of a culture of safety. You can trust, but you need to verify they are complying. Site visits and the process of accountability also offer the opportunity to coach and guide employees to correct poor behaviors before they become bad habits and ultimately result in an injury.

6: Thank your people for working safely.

You need to incentivize and recognize the behaviors that you want to see.

In many cases, a simple “thank you” can be the only incentive someone needs to continue to perform their job well. Thanking a team member for wearing their hard hat or for going that extra mile to set up fall protection may be just the level of recognition they need to continue that habit. As they say, a simple thank you goes a long way.

An abbreviated definition of culture is “the quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is regarded as excellent.” What is regarded as excellent in the construction industry is that employers and employees recognize that they must work together in a collaborative environment to create a safe work environment. When both work together to evaluate risk and create solutions to mitigate that risk, the culture of the construction industry will begin to make a positive change.

Since 1997, Paula Bailey, president of Bailey Safety Consultants, has provided organizations with workplace safety consulting services that have reduced workplace injuries and fatalities through customized occupational safety and health training consultant services. –mjm

“It’s important to me for cost. Your insurance rates go up if you have claims.

The margins are tight in our business so you have to save money where you can,” Reiley said. “For me, personally, as much as it is the costs, you worry about the guys. I worry about our guys. I have my son working for us, and my friends’ sons working for us. You worry about it from that point of view. The owners are more informed and more intelligent in different forms of construction. They have more knowledge of contractors and don’t want contractors with safety issues.”

Keller-Martin has been an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Gold Level Recipient for Safety Training and Evaluation 10 times since 2002.

“To me, since I’ve gotten into the business, there is more of an awareness about it,” Reiley said. “For me, it seems like people are harping on training so the guys are aware of the hazards, but also the training on how to make the job safe.

Do it the safe way, not the fast way. Companies are making sure people are trained and have the tools to do it safer instead of faster.”

The safety equipment is still the same as far as glasses, gloves, earplugs and other personal gear, making the biggest challenge in workplace safety with the employees on the job.

“It’s just getting the guys thinking

about it and being aware of it,” Reiley said. “Guys will be doing something and instead of putting on a pair of gloves, they will just pick up a piece of sharp metal and cut their finger. That’s the biggest challenge: getting the guys to slow down and think safety. They know how to do it but just get in a hurry. They take risks they shouldn’t take.”

Implementing safety into your daily plans on a site should not cause a dropoff in work.

“If you plan your work and work your plan, and you plan safety into it, it’s just as efficient to do it safely,” Reiley said.

“The issue comes in when you don’t plan it. When someone gets hurt, that slows you down. It stops. It’s hard for me to think of a situation where it’s any better or any faster to not be safe.

“The subs do a better job each year with in-house safety. They have their own training and it’s become a lesser issue each year.”

Zero is an important number for Keller-Martin. They aim for zero injuries every day and every year.

“That has to be your goal,” Reiley said. “It’s one thing for a guy to cut his finger, but it’s different when a guy falls off a ladder. Our guys take it personal when guys get hurt on their job. They take it as a reflection on them. We are doing our best to get to that zero.” –cs

Page 16

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Construction Safety Training pays off in safety plans Jason J. Puckett, Safety Director Patriot Erectors Inc. Dripping Springs, TX

J

ason Puckett is well known in the construction industry for his knowledge, certifications and awards in the construction safety arena.

As safety director for Patriot Erectors Inc., Puckett earned safety professional of the year by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) Austin Chapter. He’s also a Certified Health and Safety Technician. His passion is to make sure Patriot’s employees make it home safely every day after work.

He’s been a union iron worker for 23 years and knows first-hand the possible safety issues confronting workers – he started as an apprentice and worked his way up through the ranks.

What are your thoughts on safety in the construction industry and at Patriot Erectors?

Training and education are the keys to success. Either by going through the

local union hall, where I am an instructor; or as a partner with 3M; and/or as part of the Center to Protect Workers Rights.

A lot of the training programs that we use come with those partnerships and memberships. The training is top quality training.

It’s usually off-site training.

What are some possible accidents confronting workers and why is it so important to make sure they are well trained?

Common accidents can be summed up in three words: slips, trips, falls.

The number one impact of accidents and avoiding them is the workers and their families. Nobody wants an employee to get hurt – it’s paramount.

Other issues include trying to train and replace a well-educated and welltrained employee who has been hurt.

It also affects a company’s Experi-

ence Modification Rating (EMR), Days Away Restricted in Transfer Rate (DART) and Total Recordable Incident rate.

The focus is to keep your EMR as low as you can. If your EMR goes above a 1, you may not be eligible for bidding certain projects.

What kind of training do Patriot’s employees have?

Individuals that we hire have to have an OSHA 10 before they are hired. That’s 10 hours of OSHA safety training in basic safety.

All supervisors are required to have OSHA 30.

Before any employee works at heights, they must be trained in authorized user fall protection and understand their equipment.

Prior to work in a confined space, all employees are required to go through a confined space program.

There’s also material handling safety, which would cover rigging.

What kind of tools do employees have to help maintain their safety?

It’s a constantly changing environment in the field, so we use the acronym SLAM: stop, look, access and manage hazards.

It’s common knowledge that any person can stop anyone else from doing an unsafe act at any time.

We also have a program called Raise

the Bar. That program is set up to recognize employees who see someone doing something unsafe and stop them and report them or counsel them.

They can fill out a card about the incident, but the card is only good if they actually do something to mitigate the hazard. Just observing a hazard and not acting is not acceptable. See something, say something.

Every Monday morning we have mandatory safety meetings for all the workers and supervisors. We cover topics based on what time of year it is and we review the past week.

Seasonal topics are sometimes tied to OSHA safety stand downs: they have materials and training for heat and fall safety stand downs and we participate in those.

What are some tips for workers in the heat?

Summer safety tips include heat stress training, including ensuring all workers and locations have access to cool drinking water and mandated breaks.

Train employees to recognize if they or other employees around them are exhibiting signs of heat exhaustion: pale skin, excessive sweating, nausea.

If they stop sweating and start acting different or confused, it could be heat stroke, which is a medical emergency. –cw

Top tips for improving safety training Ashok Sharma Warriors 4 Safety Texas City, TX

E

veryone knows safety training is important. Everyone also knows that there are other things they’d rather be doing. Safety training takes workers off of the job site and that can be costly, as well as a distraction, affecting information retention and reducing the effectiveness of your training sessions.

The remedy isn’t longer sessions or more thorough testing. The solution is more effective use of class time. By placing an emphasis on engagement and changing simple things about the way instructors present training information, you can help employees focus on the importance of safety training and the work in front of them while realizing that safety doesn’t end with training sessions.

Whether you use training management software, classroom learning or a combination of both, engagement plays a key role in information retention for your employees. Increased retention means the lessons paid for in the class-

room can help your employees cut loses and reduce injuries on the job site increasing your organization’s return on investment.

The first step in training engagement begins before class starts. In order to engage employees and give them confidence, instructors need to view training as a dialogue built around a safety-oriented corporate culture. Have management set an example for employees and show them that goals, like having zero incidents are worth striving for. This way management can set and test limits on performance while showing employees that there’s no excuse not to meet safety standards. It is always more effective for management to show this with their actions instead of just words.

Setting an example for employees is just the first step in creating a culture of safety around your organization. Invest the time and money into developing training tools and programs that will

speed up the transmission of information and learning. Personal safety equipment is a valuable tool for employee protection and almost always presents a positive return on investment; the same can be said of safety training. In many cases, an employee learning management system can be the perfect tool to support your message delivery. By investing in a variety of training materials, like video and interactive exercises, employees will see the value you are placing in their training and will give lessons more attention according to that perceived value.

Slides, interactive exercises and animated videos may be more expensive to develop than text-based training methods, but they also increase learning retention and keep classroom sessions fresh by segmenting information and helping time pass more quickly. Using a number of different training methods will accommodate a variety of learning styles in your workforce and help ensure that everyone clearly understands the lessons being presented. Taking breaks is important, as well, to compartmentalize training session information. This improves retention and employees’ willing-

ness to interact.

Another way to increase engagement and provide variety to classroom sessions is to bring in expert speakers.

Many are affordable and provide industry insight not readily available to safety training staff. Benefit from an expert’s experience by playing out emergency situations and recounting personal stories.

These exercises will help employees contextualize information and increase retention.

The most important part of safety training invariably ends up being how information is reinforced once classroom and e-learning sessions are over. Create regular safety meetings that showcase good work. Emphasize hazard identification and provide incentives that will keep workers interested and committed. Make use of evaluations when training is over and at frequent intervals to reinforce important topics. It’s all about embracing a safety culture that will reduce workplace incidents and keep your employees’ heads in the game - and protected.

Check out http://www.warriors4safety.com for more tips on construction safety.

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Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 17

continued from Page 1 — Pride in company she says. “We don’t train like many companies do – we train as if we are roofing our own homes or a family member’s home.”

Employees are treated like family, so hiring new employees is a careful process.

“We have such a culture of family here,” Melanie says. “We enjoy each other and we know the families of our employees. That’s a big thing to us.

“Family doesn’t mean you are blood related. We give paternal and maternal paid leave, we provide full health insurance and if our employees take a day off to do something for a charity, we pay for that, too.”

The company did well in 2016 and, as a result, the employees are going to get a

nice reward.

“Twelve of us are going to Costa Rica this year to celebrate meeting our goals,” Melanie said.

Getting it right and making the customers happy is the foundation of this company.

“It’s not about the money,” Melanie said.

Outside of work, Joshua and Melanie are raising three boys and are active in the local soccer league. Joshua enjoys coaching his boys in soccer, baseball, fishing, golf and playing on a softball league.

Melanie enjoys yoga and introducing her boys to the love of the theater and the arts. Both Joshua and Melanie love to travel and spend quality time with their family. –cw

Round-Up Meagan McCoy Jones has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer at McCoy’s Building Supply.

Jones is the fourth generation to work in the family business. Jones is a member of the board of directors of McCoy Corporation, a member of the executive committee and board of directors of the Texas Association of Builders, and co-chair of the Legislative committee of the Lumbermen’s Association of Texas. She also serves on the board of Mobile Loaves & Fishes.

Amy Martinez, RID, IIDA, LEED AP, has joined Stantec as a senior interior designer in Austin, Texas.

Martinez earned her bachelor of science in environmental design at Texas A&M University. Her background includes a concentration in corporate and commercial design, specializing in planning and programming; construction documents and administration; and furniture, fixtures, and equipment services. She will apply her technical knowledge and past project management experience as Stantec expands the firm’s Texas Buildings Group.

DCA Construction recently promoted Kevin Foltermann to partner. Foltermann started with DCA in 2005. For 12 years Kevin has built relationships with local developers, architects, and brokers in the Austin market. Foltermann is key to DCA”s growth with his determinations to meet schedules and complete a project within budget. He graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Construction Management.

Round-Up

continued from Page 1 — Anchored in Austin he says. “We are skilled at becoming part of what the company needs and that extends into the way we handle design. We listen carefully to our client’s ideas. We have plenty of tools to give clients a look at what they are getting. We are proud of focusing on what our clients are focusing on.”

GSC Architects has, over the years, been very community oriented. Staff and employees, as well as the firm overall, are direct and in-kind benefactors to several charitable organizations, including Meals on Wheels, CANstruction and they are proud to be a part of a new project in Austin – the Mother’s Milk Bank. –cw

continued from Page 1 — Natera a natural for Austin sure the roof of the building could handle two additional 100-ton air conditioning units that will keep the lab air at the specified conditions.

Other unique aspects of the project included modifying the electrical system to handle a one megawatt generator to ensure the labs and the 2,000-sf walk-in freezer never lose power and deionized water systems.

Project superintendent was Hal Faulk, executive manager was Russell Alabastro and project manager was Robert Shields.

Architect on the project was GSC Architects.

GSC Architects and Flynn Construction have worked together on several projects.

“This is a completely new location for Natera,” says GSC Architects principal Tom Cornelius. “It is an expansion for them and a big one. We won the project in June 2015, but it was put on hold for awhile so when we did get started, it was very much schedule driven.”

Cornelius says Flynn Construction has expertise in these kinds of projects and GSC Architects is technically oriented, so the two firms worked well together to finish on time and on budget.

Rob Hellams was project architect.

“Natera is developing cutting edge technology, so we wanted the design to reflect that,” Hellams says. “Crisp, real clean and modern. They are courting a talented young workforce in Austin and

they want their design to be attractive to them.”

Hellams says it was important to Natera to have the look of transparency as part of the features.

“From lab room to lab room and circulating through the building, they wanted a glass-like appearance,” he says.

“They have a lot of equipment, but where we were able, we put large windows into labs.”

All openings and doors into labs are sliding aluminum doors with full panes of glass and the labs have a lot of natural light.

“We didn’t cover up exterior windows,” he added. “We were able to keep the environmental specifications without closing the windows up.”

Another feature of the facility is the cascading air pressurization between spaces.

Natera’s process requires multiple distinct labs, and aerosol contamination between process is a significant concern “We handled this by having relative pressurization room to room starting from outside,” Hellams says. “There are four to five zones from outside to the lobby and finally to the labs to maintain and contain potential exposure.”

Cornelius says Austin was selected for the new center due to its burgeoning reputation for technology.

“It really is an awesome project for Austin,” he said. –cw

Submissions

This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).

Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio

saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Ft. Worth dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston houstoneditor@constructionnews.net

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Stone beautiful

Sergio with C W Oates Masonry Inc. in Georgetown is working on a beautiful stone wall in the lobby of the new national headquarters for Yeti in Austin. The project is finishing up this summer and the GC is DCA Construction. –cw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Condos on the river

Natera is designed to reflect its cutting edge technology and attract a talented workforce. (photo by eddc Creative LLC)

Kyle Maresca and Kristopher Miller with Edge Electric Inc. in Buda are working on a new condo project on Hiline Road on the Colorado River. The GC is Waterfall Construction and the project should be done this summer. –cw

Page 18

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Restroom renovations

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Central Texas Associated Builders & Contractors

Feb. 16: Casino Night and chapter PAC, 6-9pm at The Oasis.

Contact 512-719-5263 for more info

ACEA Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.

GC MP3 Associates is currently remodeling the restrooms at Research Bldg 4 on Research Boulevard.

Above, Wall to Wall Finishes is taking care of the painting while, below, Northstar Fire is installing alarms. –cw

Feb. 9: Membership luncheon, 11:30am at Dave & Busters.

Feb. 27: Frostbite golf tournament, 126:30pm at Twin Creeks Country Club, Cedar Park.

Contact 512-836-3140 for more info

AGC

Feb 8: Membership Meeting - “Ten Keys to Successfully Marketing and Expanding Your Remodeling Business” 11-1 $30 Members $40 Non-Members www.austinnari.org, 2225 Andrew Zilker Road Mar. 8: Membership meeting , 11am1pm. 11-1 $30 Members $40 NonMembers, www.austinnari.org, 2225 Andrew Zilker Road. Topic to be announced

NAWIC

Feb. 3: 5:30-9pm.

Outstanding Construction Awards dinner, AT&T Conference Center, 1900 University Ave., Austin.

Feb. 20: Lunch & Learn - Mechanic’s Liens and Payment Bond Claims, 11:30am at AGC office. For more info, contact Toni at 512-442-7887

Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

American Institute of Architects

Nice day

NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Associated General Contractors

AIA

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Shootout, 5-9pm at The Range Call 512-832-1333 for more info

Feb. 14: Luncheon speaker series, 11:30am - 1pm. Women in Architecture programming with a talk from Communications Coach and Assistant Communications Professor at UT’s McCombs School of Business Melissa Murphy. Members, $30, non-members, $40, Aassociate AIA members and students, $15. Mercury Hall, 615 Cardinal Ln, Austin. Check https://aiaaustin.org for more info

ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers

Feb. 7: Texas Legislative Drive-In, 8am6pm.

Feb. 14: Webinar – Overview of Water Treatment Research in the Chellam Laboratory, noon-1pm.

Call 512-472-8905 for more info

IEC Independent Electrical Contractors

Mar. 1: Chapter meeting at Capital Area Food Bank Call (512) 593-1012 or check austinnawic@gmail.com for more info

RCAT Roofing Contractors Assn of Texas

Feb. 9-10: Winter Membership Meeting / Licensing Boot Camp & Exam Session, Houston Chapter event. West End Roofing Siding & Windows, 6410 Cavalcade St., Houston. Host hotel: Magnolia Hotel Houston, 1100 Texas Ave, Houston. Call 713-221-0011 for more info

SFPE Society of Fire Protection Engineers

Feb. 15: Chapter meeting and free symposium for chapter members, 9:30am-3pm. Lunch and technical program including presentations on Smoke Control Systems, Why Prefabricate?, and Surge Protection and Project Closeouts. RSVP deadline is Feb. 10. To RSVP or for more information, go to http://www.sfpe-asa.org/ event-2430934

TSPS Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Feb. 24-25: TSPS 2017 Symposium, South Padre Island.

Feb. 14: Guns and Roses, Valentine’s Day

Submitted to Construction News

All on board!

Alfredo, Jose, Berto and Freddie of Complete Landscapes Inc. (CLI) in Austin took a break from lunch to smile for the Construction News camera. –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Stone works!

Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) held a swearing in ceremony for its 2016-2017 officers at the 2016 Texas Civil Engineering Conference in San Marcos in September. L-R: President Craig B. Thompson PE; Past President Audra N. Morse PhD, PE; President Elect Larry D. Goldberg PE, VP; Educational Brett A. Pope PE, VP; Educational Elect Russell R. Carter PE, VP; Professional Travis N. Attanasio PE, VP; Technical Oscar Lopez PE; Treasurer Anthony D. Buonodono PE; First Year Director at Large Dora E. Marin-Robles PE; Second Year Director at Large Kate S. Osborn PE; First Year Director at Large Adarsh Menon PE; Senior Director at Large Tyler P. Dube PE, VP; Technical Elect S. Brent McNeme PE. –cw

New Stone Concepts employee Ron Fontenot measures for granite at a job site. –cw

www.constructionnews.net San Antonio  Austin  Dallas/Fort Worth  Houston

Austin Construction News • FEB 2017

Page 19

Love is in the air

G

eorge Thorogood asked in a famous song, “Who do you love?” and so did Austin Construction News. In a special tribute to Valentine’s Day and some of the construction industry’s romantics out there, here is a sample of why we love the one we do! –cw

Mr. Wonderful (Nick Page) and I enjoying music in Fredericksburg over the holidays. This year we will celebrate 31 years as “Official Valentines”!

Evelyn Page, Nick’s Bricks Masonry Inc.

I love John Gordon Drake. Telling the whole Construction Industry of Texas that I am 4Ever-N-Always yours!

Love, Wife <3 Lori J. Drake, CBA, Lone Star Materials Inc.

My wife and I have five children between us. She had three from a previous marriage and I had one from a previous relationship and we have the one little one between us and from a blended family stand point these kids could not be happier! We are so proud of all of them and we all just get along so well that I could not have asked the man upstairs for anything more! We have been together for almost 10 years now and married for 8. We have managed to get one graduated from college, and we have two in college, one in high school and the little boss is in second grade! Pictured, L-R: Hailey Smith, Hayley Creasey, Michelle Smith, Hayden Smith, me, Hannah Creasey and Hunter Creasey.

Jason Smith, ICON Plumbing, Heating & Air LTD

Happy Valentine’s Day to Josh, my partner in life and business. I am thankful to get to share this life with such a hardworking, loving and goofy husband and father to our kids. I love you so much!

Melanie Knox, Alden Roofing

Left: To my long, tall Texas drink of water Jay Hutchison: Happy Valentine’s Day to the sweetest, most charming, lovable husband in the world. Pictured with grandson Luke Floyd.

Cyndi Wright, editor, Construction News

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Up to the sky

Bilt Rite Scaffold employees are involved from the ground floor to the sky in a project at St. Edward’s University. –cw

How an Irish Englishman and a Greek Zonian met in Austin, I’ll never know. But 16 years, two kids, four dogs, five houses and a business (or four) later, I’m still loving this guy more than ever! Paul, thank you for getting up and out the door at the crack of dawn every day, and working your cute bum off to support our business and our family! I appreciate you and I’m proud of you! Here’s to many more adventures together! Xoxo Helena Marriott, Resfloor

Page 20

Austin Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ FEB 2017