For our company, “trade day” is an incredibly valuable meeting at the site of each home we're going to remodel. We introduce the clients to our team; get feedback from trade contractors regarding scope of work, selections, and pricing; and thrill the clients scheduling, scope of work, selections, and pricing; and thrill the clients with our attention to detail and professionalism.. More
To the homeowner, it seems harmless to ask the tile setter to re-caulk the tub. Fine, thinks the tile setter. I'll just bill it to the remodeler. More
Thieves have always targeted vulnerable jobsites, but the problem has worsened as the prices of copper and other metals have soared. To guard against loss, take these simple measures. More
Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations make it crystal-clear that employers have a regulatory obligation to ensure that every employee has been given the necessary information and training to perform their job duties safely. If you think you're going to beat OSHA on this issue, forget it. More
Who wants to sit in a room and hear someone drone on while their own pressing work is put on hold? No one. Yet week in and week out, this is what happens in many production meetings. Follow these simple rules for more effective production meetings. Not only will your company run more smoothly, your employees may even enjoy themselves. More
Remodelers and architects are notoriously uneasy partners. Interior designers and decorators also often leave contractors leery. For most firms, though, third-party design partners remain a fact of business, and making those partnerships work is essential to completing jobs on time, on budget, and to everyone's satisfaction. More
Education is the key to conquering any kind of jobsite safety risk, and the summer heat is no exception. We take heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and other heat-related threats very seriously, and as the temperatures climb, we discuss their warning signs and remedies at our biweekly meetings of superintendents (Mark IV's title for lead carpenter) as well as at the biweekly meetings each super holds on jobsites for his crews. More
Subcontractors are an integral part of the Mark IV team, and their buy-in is essential to our success. More
Education is a bare necessity in today's remodeling market. Yet with public schools phasing out shop classes, colleges dropping the construction discipline, and vocational schools focusing on high-tech training, the educational system is failing our industry. More
