Tag Archives: VIC

Trend Alert: Let’s Talk Tiny Houses

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What’s a Tiny House?

There’s a new trend that’s slowly taking the nation by storm and it’s all about tiny houses. And when we say tiny, we do mean really small and compact houses. All around the country, more and more people are trading in space for simplicity.

But first, let’s define what a tiny house is. Simply put, tiny houses or tiny homes refer to a small house that typically measures around 100 to 400 square feet. This is a stark contrast to the typical American home which is around 2600 square feet.

Tiny houses are also known as: micro houses, compact houses, mini houses, or little houses. Most of these structures feature an open floor plan for the first floor (living room, kitchen and bathroom), and usually, a bedroom or sleeping area up on a loft.

Small homes come in two kinds, the permanent standalone ones and the portable or movable ones on wheels. Obviously, the second type is inspired by RV living.

The typical demographic of tiny house owners are 1) young couples, 2) retirees-people over 50 years old, 3) college grads.

Buyer Motivations

While many people make tiny houses as their main residence, others purchase or build them in order to have: 1) a home office, 2) a guest suite, 3) a home for returning adult children, 4) a mobile home that will facilitate interstate travel.

Here are other reasons why buyers are going small:

  • Little to no debt (affordable)
  • Reduced carbon footprint, environmental reasons
  • Self sufficiency
  • Lower taxes
  • Fast build-time (2 months on average)
  • Lower cost for maintenance
  • Simpler lifestyle

The tiny house phenomenon is quickly catching on. According to studies, 68% of tiny house owners have no mortgage, compared to 29.3% of all U.S. homeowners. In addition, 78% of tiny house buyers completely own their home, compared to 65% of the owners of traditional houses.

People have even coined a term for the rising trend in smaller homes- they call it the Tiny House Movement.

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Would you consider building tiny homes?

What about you, fellow builders? Would you consider adding tiny homes to your portfolio? They’re very easy to build and are attractive to various customer demographics.

It’s also a fun challenge in terms of design- managing good aesthetics with limited space and functionality. Is this feasible to your company as add-on side projects? If so, will you be able to juggle it efficiently with your major home projects?

Construction Project Management Scheduling Software

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Construction Management Scheduling Software

Construction Management Scheduling Software such as SAM (The Superintendent’s Automated Manager) is a project management tool that allows easy collaboration and maximized efficiency. It streamlines the communication process between the construction manager, his team, and all contractors involved in order to sync their schedules and keep everyone updated.

Ideally, a project management scheduling software should also have quick reporting features that will allow easy tracking of project schedules, accomplishments, budget, estimates, etc.

It should also be easy to use , so that all involved key personnel will be able to easily understand and utilize it. In addition to this, the best construction management scheduling software should also allow for mobile use while also being compatible with your existing programs and software (such as accounting programs).

The Need

Anyone and everyone who has ever worked in construction knows that a single project alone involves a strict timeline, tight schedules, and tasks that need to be as detailed as possible. In addition to this, people have to be managed, contractors scheduled, deliveries and installations carefully executed, and paperwork settled– all within the contsraints of a limited budget. Multiply these by the number of projects you have going on at a single time and you get one very high-strung construction manager.

Who should use project management scheduling software?

Best construction project management scheduling software such as SAM is ideal for custom home builders, developers, construction management firms, engineering firms, and specialty contractors.

Enter SAM

SAM is a construction management scheduling software program designed specifically to make multiple project handling much simpler. It enables home construction managers to automatically work through a customized set of steps, while documenting the specifics of each project at each stage of construction. The end result is a home built on time, under budget, and up to your standards of excellence.

The History of SAM

SAM was designed and refined over a ten and a half year period on Excel by Danny LeBlanc, the current owner and CEO of Automated Trackers, whose building history covers a wide range of experience including residential track and custom homes, condos/apartments, and commercial construction. Danny wanted a reliable scheduling program that allowed him to build and manage the construction of projects, the way builders build. Prior to launch, Danny used the SAM prototype program to manage over 40 construction projects at one time.

Know more about SAM

To know more about what SAM does, check out this page OR you can also schedule your own free 30-day trial in order to see for yourself exactly how SAM can improve your business and increase your profits.

BUILDER NEWS: Homebuilders Oppose New Labor Law Ruling

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The vast majority of homebuilders rely on subcontractors. While larger public homebuilders do have specialty workers on their staff, a significant amount of the work still goes out to subcontractors. This is why builders from all across the nation are balking at a new labor law wherein the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), in some cases, will now deem subcontractors as “joint employees”of homebuilders.

This means that builders may now be held responsible for for issues regarding millions of subcontractors. This includes plumbers, roofers, electricians and so on.

Tom Woods, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) said in a press release, “The homebuilding industry, which is primarily made up of small businesses who rely greatly on the work of subcontractors would overwhelmingly be harmed by the new standard.”

He added, “It will cripple small businesses across the country, including the homebuilding industry as it is in its fragile recovery.”

The NLRB however explains that the revised standard is designed “to better effectuate the purposes of the [Joint Employment] Act in the current economic landscape,”. The  NLRB board further explains that the previous joint employer standard has failed to keep pace with changes in the workplace and economic circumstances.

The NLRB’s ruling was based on a case in another industry (Sanitation), so it remains to be seen exactly how it would apply to the builders.

“It obviously depends on the facts of each case, but in the construction industry in particular, these kinds of relationships have been in place for decades, and so even before the test tightened in the 1980s not every contracting relationship in the building industry was considered a joint employer,” said Wilma Liebman, a former chairman of the NLRB.

Builders are on high alert as to how this ruling will affect future construction related cases. Subcontractual relationships are an integral part of the industry and compliance will be an entirely complicated issue.

READ MORE ABOUT THE CASE IN DISCUSSION: NLRB Ruling Redefining ‘Employer’ Could Have Big Impact If It Stands

Sometimes, You Have to Say a Nice “No”

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Yes ma’am! Yes sir!

Most entrepreneurs can’t find enough hours in a day to do all of the things they want. Despite this however, we often find ourselves saying yes to even more requests. Maybe it’s because as entrepreneurs we’re optimists by nature. We believe that even the most mundane tasks can still be squeezed into a day. It could also be due to our instinct to always impress other people and avoid causing disappointment. Builders know this all too often. Clients often make unlimited requests and countless inquiries.

What’s at stake?

When you take on too much, you are putting your health, credibility and efficiency at risk. When you over reach and are not able to deliver on all of your promises, not only will it give you stress, it can also cast a negative light on you and your entire company.

Saying NO without hurting business relationships

A successful entrepreneur should be accountable for all commitments. It’s also important to manage the expectations of both your team and your clients. Here are a few things to remember so that you can say “no” without burning bridges or hurting a client’s feelings.

1. Establish boundaries – When you’re dealing with clients, give them a gentle reminder of the scope and limits of your contract and agreement.  Be professional about it. When you’re dealing with your constituents, know your priorities and limits. Don’t say yes when you actually mean no. Don’t break your own rules. Be calm and firm, but never rude nor disrespectful.

2. Ask for some time to check your calendar – It’s an acceptable business practice to review your schedule first or converse with other principals before committing to an answer. It’s not a good idea to quickly say yes when you’re not yet sure that you can deliver. A quick no on the other hand can immediately ruin good ties. Again, be professional. Check your schedule first and see if you can confidently say yes to a request before doing so.

3. Pause – Before saying yes, take a deep breath and think. What do you r instincts say? Should you say yes? Or is your mind screaming, “No you cannot possibly accommodate this!” You can also take a longer pause and give yourself some time to make a pros and cons list. Talk to the client and lay out your situation first. This can lead you both to a nice compromise. The key here is to stop briefly and assess the situation. It also buys you some time!

4. Explain your constraints – Don’t be so quick to dole out the rejection. Make sure to provide the requestor with a clear context. The task they’re asking may be too hard on your current workload, manpower, budget, or strategies. Make sure to keep things encouraging first.

5. Say YES to the person, NO to the task – Sometimes, it’s all about the manner on how you talk to someone. Make sure that the other person understands how positively you feel about them. Even if you may not be able to accommodate the request now, reassure them that it’s not a personal affront. Keep the relationship on a positive note.

6.  Sandwich the NO between a double YES – If you’re sure that you won’t be able to commit to a specific request, you can keep things positive by sandwiching the NO between two yeses. For example, if your client demands that you yourself visit the build site, and you absolutely cannot do it, give them a positive project update first, and then end the statement by saying that you will send your best man to personally inspect their concern. Give them two things to smile about so they can forego the minor disappointment.

Before anything else…

But wait, before you do anything drastic, make sure to have a good scheduling system in place. Something like SAM- The Superintendent’s Automated Manager. Use SAM to coordinate your things-to-do and your project timelines. With its instant reporting tools, you’ll find out immediately just where each project stands. It will allow you to check your schedule in an instant, as well as pass along vital information to your key personnel.

So to conclude, remember that it’s okay to say no sometimes. Delegating the request to a team member could be the better solution. Sometimes you also just need to prioritize. As a leader you have to make the tough decisions, but at the end of the day, you still need to keep your stakeholders happy.

7 Surprising Facts About Working in Teams

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No man is an island! At one point or another, we’ve all been part of a working team. But today, we’re sharing some team-related facts that may surprise you. Jot these down because we all know that excellent and highly-efficient teams are essential to any builder’s business.

1. The ideal team size is somewhere between 5 and 9

According to studies, the most ideal team size is between 5 to 9 people. Some people assume that any problem can be fixed by adding more people to a team, but the truth is, larger team sizes actually adds more challenges to the project.

2. Too much “good chemistry” actually makes teams less effective

When the members of a team are too comfortable or familiar with each other, the entire team tends to fall into predictable ruts. Having a good working relationship is not bad. But having a team with members that are too similar to each other, or have similar ways of thinking is not good either. For best results, promote diversity in culture and ways of thinking.

3. The most effective teams don’t have “leaders”

A team works best when its members listen and talk in equal measure. If one of the members takes control and starts to dominate the discussion, resentment arises in the other members. Nobody likes a dictator.

4. Managers are still important though!

However, since diverse teams tend to get more creative, they do need a manager whose full-time job is to facilitate discussions and help the entire team to work together in harmony.

5. Small teams will outperform solo geniuses

It’s the same concept with basketball. A team with 5 members who are all in top-notch shape and performance will likely outperform another team who relies on just one superstar player. Brilliant people work best when working with others, especially when they are all equally brilliant.

6. Creative abrasion is a good thing

Teams thrive best when there is a bit of creative abrasion. By this we mean, healthy conflict. It’s a good sign when there are a lot of great ideas flying around. You just have to ensure that these conflicts don’t get personal and that each side gets to point out their reasons and rationale.

7. Mixed-age teams are better than that with a homogenized age range

Despite the stereotype that youthful energy trumps all practical business experience, having a mixed-age team is actually more ideal. This way, you will get people with various work experiences, skill sets, and ways of thinking. It’s a great way to start that delightful creative abrasion.

Remember, on top of all these, there should always be good communication among your team members. Regardless of team size, age, or skill set, without good communication and proper work delegation, the team will crumble in the blink of any eye.

Want to ensure that your team communicates well regardless of location and inspire of a hundred deadlines? Check out SAM and VIC today.