CM Search | Work

Risk Mangement, What is Your Role? Source: Blogs
In construction, talk to anyone about the single greatest challenge in surviving in the industry and it is risk. "Based on the risk, add more profit to it." "I am not goi...

Want to Win Better Projects? Source: Blogs
...s unfair to the "Get-Work" people in the organization. In order to move into new markets you need to do a lot more. You will need to get the talent needed for the marketplace. This includes rela...

Subcontractor: Projecting 2010 Part 3 Source: Blogs
In Part 1 and Part 2, we looked at projecting the flow work and the backlog, now to get a total picture of 2010, we need to look at work we don't have yet, our pipeline. The pip...

Bid Work? Risk Taker, Price Taker! Source: Blogs
If you are bidding work out there, you are going to be a price taker and not a price setter. In fact throughout the construction industry whether it is bidding, negotiated, time...

Three Most Important Things to Being A Contractor Source: Blogs
In retail and real estate there goes a saying that the three most important things are location, location, and location. In construction there is a similar truth that the three ...

Cost Control is Construction's #2 Rule Source: Blogs
In Construction the #1 rule is safety. Without the principal of safety, the things we build and the people we employ will not be around once we finish. I hope that fact is not ...

Order to Stop Work Source: Library Letters
We bid this project based on your having the work on the project in such condition that on , we could start our work in the and continue work uninterrupted until its conclusion ...

Additional Work Directive Source: Library Forms
... } Additional Work Directive To: Company Street City, State Zip Code Phone Fax From: Company Street City, State Zip Code Phone...

Subcontractor Projecting 2010: Part 1 Source: Blogs
... to the puzzle, Flow Work. Flow work is simply defined as the revenue you are going to churn each and every month and is not so dependent on project or Cost-to-Complete work. A simple definition of ...

MEP Coordination: why it’s expensive to be cheap Source: Blogs
MEP Coordination: why it’s expensive to be cheap. You’re a contractor and you have been awarded a contract to do what your good at, build a building. You assemble a team to ma...

Order Not to Start Work Source: Library Letters
We bid this project based on your having the work on the project in such condition that on , we could start our work in the and continue work uninterrupted until its conclusion ...

Best Way to Win that Next Project Source: Blogs
...am available for the Work Past Successful Experience as A Company Passion/Desire by Estimating and Sales Staff I will grant you that there are a lot more factors than these three, but these rule th...

Extra Work and Extension of Time Source: Library Letters
This letter will serve to confirm that directed us to do which was not called for by our original contract with you and thus is extra work for which we are entitled to addition...

Subcontractor Projecting 2010: Part 2 Source: Blogs
In Part 1, we talked about how to start coming up with a realistic look at 2010 by looking at your continual or flow work. In this part, let's take a look at the next part of th...

Tracking Productivity is the Key to Productivity Source: Blogs
Productivity is defined by economists as the amount of output per unit of labor. For example the number of light fixtures installed per labor hour worked. As a subcontractor I ...

Construction News U Can Use 2.10.2010 Source: Blogs
Construction related news that you might of missed and can help you in your business. Mobile Data Traffic: 3.6 Billion Gigabytes a Month by 2014 All things Digital is reporti...

What Value Do You Add? Source: Blogs
In any economy and in any service industry, there is a very fair question: "What Value Do You Add?". This question goes for companies and employees and in this economy it become...

What Makes A Good Estimate? Source: Blogs
...e good business; Get Work, Do Work, and Monitor Work. If all three of them are done correctly and efficiently than the business will thrive. Getting work has a lot to do with generating an estimate ...

What Does Your 2010 Look Like? Source: Advertisements
What does your 2010 look like? This was a very typical question at the end of 2009 that sent most managers in a company scrambling to work on a spreadsheet to develop the busine...

Constructive Change Notice Source: Library Letters
We have received your directive to . You should note that this work is not presently within the scope of our contract, and, therefore, we will require additional compensation. ...

Defective Specifications Source: Library Letters
Since the award of this contract we have worked diligently to perform the work under this contract. However, we have found that we cannot perform the work due to the following d...

Submittal of CPM Schedule or Network Analysis Source: Library Letters
Enclosed is our network analysis for the above referenced project and the various items of work shown on the enclosed are not commitments but are estimates only based on conditio...

Reserving Impact Costs Source: Library Letters
We are in receipt of your Change Order which compensates us for the direct costs incurred in performing the extra work referred to in that change order. However, as you know, t...

Need a Safety Program? Try a Culture First. Source: Blogs
As one of the most dangerous industries on the planet, construction focuses significantly on safety. Our industry is focused on the health and safety of our tradesmen and for go...

Best and Final Offer, Are They Ethical? Source: Blogs
If you have been involved in bidding work you have probably at one point in time been apart of the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) routine. In private work it is typically called "s...

Mapping Project Experience Source: Help System
...ct experience lists (Work in Progress, Completed Projects, Full Experience List, or Custom Find Similar Project Lists) and show those on a geographic map. In order to do so there are several ways to ...

What Can You Do with Project Experience? Source: Help System
...a geographic map. Work in Progress Report You can view your current Work in Progress along with the Percent complete, start and end dates and locations. This report can be viewed in a table forma...

Constructive Change Notice and Claim Source: Library Letters
By letter dated you directed us to . In our opinion, this work is not required by our contract with you. However, we will proceed with the changed work as you have directed. ...

Letter Confirming Directive to Accelerate Work Source: Library Letters
This letter will serve to confirm the directive given by on that we accelerate our work on this project by . As you know, we are not behind schedule on this project and thus t...

Work of Prior Contractor is Defective Source: Library Letters
As you know, . Today we came to the jobsite to commence our work and our inspection disclosed to us that . We have pulled our forces off the job awaiting for the work to be acc...

Revit: No Place for Amateurs Source: Blogs
Revit: No Place for Amateurs Let us look at the typical building information modeling services firm and how things are done. Typically, a CAD manager is hired to create all of...

MEP Coordination: It’s Expensive to be Cheap Source: Blogs
MEP Coordination: It’s Expensive to be Cheap. You’re a contractor and you have been awarded a contract to do what your good at, build a building. You assemble a team to manage...

What Can the Rig Disaster Teach a Subcontractor? Source: Blogs
Last month a terrible accident happened aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, killing 11 workers on the platform and creating an oil leak that is still no fully contained. The i...

Will Anti-Immigration Law Affect You? Source: Blogs
Arizona recently took an unprecedented step in passing a law that required the state to action on a federal issue. I am not going to get into the middle of the political ideals ...

What Financial Reform Means for Construction Source: Blogs
The current Congress has passed the 2,300 page Financial Reform Bill which will have major impacts to the construction industry. After the 2008 elections there were three bills ...

Are Trade Shows a Waste? Source: Blogs
As spring approaches so does one of the two trade show seasons. With the economy difficult, it begs the question: Should we spend money on attending a trade show? Just a busine...

Construction Production, What to Track Source: Blogs
In my last blog, I discussed the need to track productivity to increase the performance of the company which now comes up with the natural question: What do we track? It is actu...

How to Create More Construction Jobs Source: Blogs
The biggest single thing on the minds of the American public is jobs. With unemployment over 10% and the possibility of that rising to 12% this year, it is a very real concern. ...

The 5 W's Source: Advertisements
... Completed Projects, Work in Progress Statistics – Automatically generated important stats of the work you have done. Stats by Owner, Client, Category, Selection Type, Design Type, Construction Metho...

Reports in Project Experience Source: Help System
...l Experience List". Work in Progress Report Click on the down arrow expander next to Project Experience on the menu on the left side of the screen. Click on the down arrow expander next to Repo...

Subcontractor: Projecting 2010 Conclusion Source: Blogs
...1: Building our Flow Work Part 2: Projecting our Current Backlog Part 3: Dealing with Our Pipeline Part 4: Projecting Overhead and Calculating ProfitIf we have taken time to calculate each of...

Why BIM? Source: Blogs
So why would anyone BIM, or Building Information Modeling? Unless you are doing a power plant or some very specialized industrial job, our guys in the field can work things out,...

Cap and Trade, What to Expect Source: Blogs
With Copenhagen behind us and health care on the ropes, will Cap and Trade be on the block? The US House of Representatives have passed a bill, but the Senate has not taken it u...

Revit: An Asset or a Cool Cartoon? Source: Blogs
Revit: An Asset or a Cool Cartoon? According to Wikipedia, Autodesk Revit is architectural building information management (BIM) software for Microsoft Windows, developed by...

Construction News U Can Use: 2.24.2010 Source: Blogs
...gislation To Curtail Worker Misclassification NECA is supporting legislation that would define more rules for classification of Independent Contractor (1099) status of employees and allow for more Go...

How to Improve Construction Productivity Source: Blogs
pro·duc·tiv·i·ty (prō'dŭk-tĭv'ĭ-tē, prŏd'ək-) n. The rate at which goods or services are produced especially output per unit cost of labor. Or if you prefer how much does it c...

Life of An Estimator, Tougher than You Think Source: Blogs
For those of us in the construction industry we know the Estimators that are more cynical than the average Joe. They appear to be more prevalent than the fun loving young estima...

Will Hiring A Safety Manager Matter? Source: Blogs
The vast majority of subcontractors in the country do not have a dedicated Safety Manager, so will hiring one make a difference? Short answer, yes. The real answer is much long...

The Art of Estimating Source: Blogs
Sun Tzu wrote the Art of War in the 6th Century BC. Since that time military experts have considered it a complete view on how to operate a military machine and business scholar...

What Makes a Specialty Contractor so Special? Source: Blogs
In construction there are the general trades and then the infamous specialty subcontractors. Ever think what is so special about the specialty trades? The construction industry...

So What Does the Project Manager Do Anyway? Source: Blogs
...by Estimators, Field Workers, and sometimes by management. I mean let's look at the facts, the field is out there building the project, the vendors should be shipping the materials, the purchasing de...

Increase Profits, Minimize Risk Source: Blogs
What is the best way for a contractor to improve their profits? Minimize risk. Let's face it, contracting is another form of gambling. When we look at all of the stipulations ...

How well do you know your pipeline? Source: Advertisements
How well do you know your pipeline?? Subcontracting, like most businesses, requires a continual and focused approach towards sales. In today's world, simply bidding a p...

Get Pipeline Today Source: Advertisements
Subcontracting, like most businesses, requires a continual and focused approach towards sales. In today's world, simply bidding a project is not nearly enough. You must focus y...

The 5 W's Source: Advertisements
Who is it for? - The Bid/Sales Management system is for the entire specialty contractor community. More specifically, it is meant for your company’s preconstruction depar...

How will it help me? Source: Advertisements
Win more work! - Spend less time figuring out and creating your project resume on proposals, and more time concentrating on the details of the estimate! Know exactly how...

Delayed Access Notice Source: Library Letters
In reviewing your project schedule for the referenced project, we note that the schedule provides for our work to begin in not later than . As you are aware, we have not been g...

Notice of Interference Source: Library Letters
According to the contract documents on this project, no interference with our work was sown or detailed in any way. As you know, we have encountered substantial interference in ...

What are we really selling? Source: Blogs
As subcontractors, especially during tough economic times, sales is a tougher and tougher battle. In the US there are approximately 800,000 specialty subcontractors, which means...

Boating from an Owner's Perspective Source: Blogs
If you read the first part of this series, you have looked at the photo of two boats and hopefully gained a different perspective about the photo that has been circulating around...

Subcontractor: Projecting 2010 Part 4 Source: Blogs
Well, we are almost done. We have now compiled all of our revenue and gross margin amounts for our 2010 year. You should have a spreadsheet that has totals that mirrors the fol...

Contract Sales: How to Understand Your Performance Source: Blogs
Last week we bid a few jobs. This week we bid a few jobs. Next week we will bid a few jobs. I am sure we all know which ones we won and which ones are lost, but do we really k...

national sales director Source: Blogs
we unveiled anew product for NYC agencies this week and had immediate sucess. we are ending walkthroughs in construction by having the jobs on line with full panoramic videos wi...

Is there More Work with ObamaCare? Source: Blogs
Three months ago, I took a stab at what I thought ObamaCare meant to Subcontractors. In reviewing that after passage, I still agree with my thoughts in that article. I did not ...

Construction: The Lost Decade Source: Blogs
Yesterday the Department of Commerce came out with the July 2010 construction numbers and the current state of affairs is not very attractive. The numbers represent the seasonal...

This Bonus Sucks! Source: Blogs
Bonus programs can really suck. Whether you want to call them bonus or incentive programs almost every company has them, but if they are not administered properly they can reall...

What Does Earth Day Mean for Construction? Source: Blogs
Yesterday was Earth Day, a yearly mark that is growing in significance around the world. It is a time for us to understand the issues about our impact on the environment. I am ...

Analytics, the Best Way to Improve Your Business Source: Blogs
Analytics is simply the science of analysis. In construction, and probably more specific in the subcontractor community analysis of data is few and far between, even though our ...

Project Experience Wins New Work Source: Advertisements
How important is it to track and know your past project experience? Many projects are awarded based upon your knowledge of the type of project you are bidding on. You...

New Year's Resolutions for Subcontractors Source: Advertisements
Do you have a New Year's Resolution for 2010? Even if it is after January 1, it is not too late to make a resolution for the new year! If you are a subcontractor or work for ...

Pipeline Projections Source: Advertisements
When utilizing Construction Monkey to manage your pipeline, we utilize our proprietary calculator to automatically calculate the revenue, manpower, and gross profit of ...

Brief Source: Advertisements
Do you want to improve your win ratio on bids? Do you want a simple way to track your bids and project leads? Would you like to know instantly where your company stands in pr...

Projections Source: Advertisements
The projection system will allow you to develop your business plan and finalize your future work based upon your existing workload and your pipeline: Future Outl...

Reports Source: Advertisements
...leted Projects List Work in Progress List – Includes Project Schedules and Percent Complete All lists include: Total Projects, Total Value, Average Size, Largest Project, Project Name & Location, Pr...

Statistics Source: Advertisements
The monkey automatically creates statistics to help you determine the type of work you have been awarded, so you can increase your odds of winning new work: Stat...

How will it help me? Source: Advertisements
Improve Communication! (without speaking) System automatically notifies your project team of any changes to a project! 24/7 access from anywhere! Company executives ...

How to Create Company Account Source: Help System
In order to utilize the paid services in Construction Monkey and to get the full benefits of some of the free services, you will need to set-up a Company Account. Company accoun...

Work in Progress Report Source: Help System
The Work in Progress report shows all of the projects in the system where the Percent Complete is less than 100%. The list is sorted by Completition date and shows the following info...

What can I see/do on my project's Pricing Log? Source: Help System
... RFI, CCD, Bulletin, Work Order, etc.) Current Status (No Cost, Pricing, Reviewing, Verbal, Written, Executed, Rejected, Capitulated, or Void) of each change/scope modification. Field status of each...

Do you have a referral program? Source: FAQ
Do you have a referral program

Delay Notice and Claim Source: Library Letters
Beginning on we have been prevented from performing our work as scheduled because .Accordingly, we hereby request a commensurate contract time extension. We also request direct...

Delay Notice Source: Library Letters
In reviewing the progress to date for the referenced project, we have noted that we have been prevented from performing our work as scheduled because . You will note that these ...

Delay Access Notice and Claim Source: Library Letters
According to the project schedule we were to have been provided access to not later than . The area is not available and this lack of access is causing us to be unable to perfo...

Extension of Time for Weather Source: Library Letters
This letter will serve to confirm that we have encountered unusual weather conditions on which have delayed our work and to which we are entitled to a commensurate extension of ...

Extension of Time for Causes Beyond Control Source: Library Letters
This letter will serve to confirm that we have encountered a delay in transporting the material to the job site due to which is beyond our control. This will delay our completi...

Notice of a Differing Site Condition Source: Library Letters
This contract was bid on the basis that . This letter will confirm that we advised you today that we were required to . We have had to cease our operations immediately in this ...

As Built CheckList Source: Library Forms
... Site Work Installation. ...

So What is BIM? Source: Blogs
Building Information Modeling (or BIM) is all the rage in today's commercial and industrial construction markets. I am unaware of many large General Contractors that haven't inv...

We are selling Trust, That's It! Source: Blogs
In the previous part to this series, I made the claim that customers look towards the subcontractors to find the best "expert" in the field (or group of them) and then select fro...

Construction Customer Service Source: Blogs
In my last installment I talked about performance in relation to holding people accountable for what they accomplish and not what they do. Let's look at the bigger picture of wh...

Quality Control, Be in Control Source: Blogs
When you ask Owners what their top priorities for their next construction project, quality control is always near the top if not at the top. With the slow down in the economy th...

Construction: My Valentine Source: Blogs
As I sit here and package up chocolates for the wife and hope she got me that hoodie-footie I have been seeing so much on TV, I have been thinking about my 2nd love Construction....

Construction News U Can Use 3.24.2010 Source: Blogs
Some news that will be of interest to you: Sustainable Expansion Underway in Eleven States through January Reed Construction Data is reporting that 26 states are expanding ...

Is PM software a Waste of Money? Source: Blogs
Almost every construction company out there sees the value in Estimating software and utilizes some form of it. I will agree that not every company is utilizing a specifically d...

Be A Master in Construction Source: Blogs
Where are the true Masters in Construction? I am not talking about those that have ventured out to get a Masters License in their prospective trade, I mean real masters. Americ...

New Year, Let's Accomplish Something! Source: Blogs
No matter where you sit in your organization I would like for you to take a different look at your job duties. Over the years the titles for different positions have become pret...

Can Contractors Change? Source: Blogs
The past two years have been the worst global economic times in more than a generation and it is anyone's guess if we are coming out of it or if there are more challenges ahead. ...

Is ObamaCare Good for Subcontractors? Source: Blogs
Even though the health debate is not yet over and the full scope of health care reform is not known (or even if there will be reform), I think it is important to look at how it c...

Will Distributors Have A Place in Tomorrow's World Source: Blogs
As subcontractors we buy the vast majority of our material through Distributors. The system was established well before my time and benefited almost everyone along the supply ch...

News U Can Use: Feb.3.2010 Source: Blogs
In a new weekly installment, we will be scanning the news sources to find the most interesting news items for contractors and summarize what it means to them. For our Februrary ...

Where Have the Good Craftsmen Gone? Source: Blogs
One of the largest complaints I hear is "the quality of the workforce is not what it used to be". Whether I am talking to union or non-union, family owned or large business, the...

What Does The Monkey Offer? Source: Advertisements
Looking to better your edge in your market or industry? Give Construction Monkey a try! Construction Monkey was created to fill the void of having preconstruction, sales, and p...

Why Do I Need The Project Experience Service? Source: Advertisements
Do you ever need to find your company's similar project experience for a project you are proposing on? For most of us this is a manual event that takes hours of cutting and past...

FREE Tickets to the Electric West Show in Vegas! Source: Advertisements
Dear Construction Monkey Users, The Construction Monkey team would like to invite you to Register for the Exhibit Hall FREE (a $55 value) at the Electric Wes...

Referral Program Source: Advertisements
Think Construction Monkey is a great solution? Want to earn your way towards free services? Receive a $20 credit towards your account for every company you refer for each servi...

Can The Monkey Help You? Source: Advertisements
Construction Monkey is an innovative tool that will be able to assist you in your daily work life. Whether you are a Project Manager, Superintendent, Field Installer, or the Own...

Resume/Proposal Builder: Brief Source: Advertisements
Do you ever need to find your company's similar project experience for a project proposal? Does your project spreadsheet have minimal, outdated, or incorrect data? Are you sp...

Manpower Forecasts Source: Advertisements
If you are utilizing Construction Monkey to manage your pipeline, in less than 2 minutes you can find out what your manpower needs look like by simply clicking a few bu...

How will it help me? Source: Advertisements
Win more work! - The tools to focus your strategy among: Estimators Business Development Professionals Pre-Construction Personnel Operational Resources Save Time! ...

Statistics Source: Advertisements
The monkey automatically creates statistics for you to help you understand where your pipeline sits today, and ultimately help you win more work: Stats by Projec...