Tag: costs
These items have all been tagged with the tag "costs", You can see other tags in the Tag CloudConstruction Business Owner, May 2008
At a recent speaking engagement for business owners addressing how to implement effective safety programs, I had a question from a member of the audience-we'll call him Bob. Bob asked why he should invest in safety. He told me he has insurance if an employee gets injured, he has a safety manual, OSHA has never bothered him and the only employee injuries so far have been minor. Why should he do more if what he's doing now is working?
Construction Business Owner, April 2008
Straight Answers to Tough Questions
Q:
We are a design/construction company based in the Cayman Islands. We own several of your books and have attended one of your seminars. We listen to all your advice. We would just like to get your opinion and hope you will be able to assist us with this. What do you think is the proper percentage commission to give to an estimator/sales person? Also, if he has already received a maximum commission, should he still receive his wage? We provide vehicles to the employees. We pay for the registration, insurance and fuel for each vehicle, but is it right to deduct some part of that cost from the employees' wages as they use the vehicles for their personal use, too? We really appreciate it if you could answer these questions. Thank you very much.
Hanna Bonzio
Plam Builders
Construction Business Owner, March 2008
Is the high cost of providing health benefits for your employees getting you, and your company, down? Have you already tried everything you can think of, including cost sharing, cost shifting, managed care, risk-rating and cash-based rebates or incentives, with little or no slowing in the exponential rise in costs? If so, then you may have decided that there’s nothing else to be done except to decrease or eliminate health benefits for your workers and hope you’ll be able to deal with the fallout from disgruntled workers. Don’t give up hope yet. There is one thing you may not have considered—a strategy which has proven to be the bottom-line savior for many companies and organizations—helping your employees reduce their health risks and become healthier.
Times have been very good for the construction community over the recent past. With the exception of the real estate market, all phases of construction seem to be operating on all cylinders. This has resulted in strong profits for many companies. However, all good things eventually end. Whether it is an economic slowdown or just a bad job or two, sooner or later good times come to an end. When this happens, are you in position to react quickly by cutting back in areas not essential to operations? Do you know what those areas?
Construction Business Owner, February 2008
Editor’s Note: This is the second of three articles on practical, cost-effective, green building techniques by Jeff Binder of greenbuildingblocks.com.
The latest trend in green building is multifamily. The whole idea has gone from straw-bale houses for kooky individualists to condo developments and entire master communities for mainstream Americans who may never think about sustainability.
Construction Business Owner, February 2008
One measure of success (there are many measures both financial and non-financial) is how well you do relative to others. If you are in the top 5 percent of the field being measured in a positive statistic, by any metric, then you are considered best of class. In order for contractors to be considered best of class, they must put the right technology to work in their business.
Construction Business Owner, February 2008
The high cost of gasoline, conflicting information about new alternative fuels and the increasing availability of hybrids are all issues generating significant interest among contractors wondering how this impacts their companies’ fleets. Although some changes have been mandated—such as the new EPA requirement that all diesel engines be equipped with diesel particulate filters, revised catalytic converters and EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valves to comply with limits for ultra low diesel soot emission limits—the vast majority of alternatives are completely optional.Construction Business Owner, December 2007
Being able to accurately bid on construction jobs is one of the most critical skills you must have so your business will not only survive but thrive.
When compiling a strong bid you, you must:
- Determine your direct and indirect costs accurately
- Secure surety bonding
- Determine profit to calculate the overall bid
Construction Business Owner, December 2007
Though prevailing wage employers are, in many respects, no different than other employers, hopefully they take advantage of the tax benefits found when providing fringe benefits to their employees. A decade ago, many employers adopted benefit plans, in lieu of paying cash, simply for the tax benefits. While the benefits of the tax savings to the business remain valid, in today’s tight labor market, employers are also adopting benefit plans as a worthwhile tool to attract and retain valuable employees.Construction Business Owner, September 2007
In the construction industry, equipment and machinery are essentially your business. Without the proper equipment, it would be nearly impossible to get jobs done with efficiency, craft and care.
