Austin Construction News January 2017

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 16

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Number 1

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JANUARY 2017

The season of giving

Blue ribbon for Blue Label

With the help of friends, Wheeler Companies and others, Jasiel Favors and his family now have a mobility van.

Rebecca Roque, Pedro Garcia and Abbie Fenton are putting their combined experiences together to showcase their love of the granite field.

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mployees at Wheeler Companies, an Austin-based construction company and building materials supplier owned and operated by Oldcastle Materials, were motivated to pitch in when they learned a Stony Point High School student needed help.

Jasiel Favors fractured three vertebrae during a junior varsity football game last year and now is paralyzed from the neck down. He spends much of his time in physical rehabilitation, as well as attending classes at Stony Point. The rehab regimen is challenging but promising.

His mother, Debra Favors is hopeful Jasiel should be able to walk within a few years.

The lack of a vehicle equipped for wheelchair access, however, has forced the Favors family to physically lift Jasiel

out of his wheelchair and into the car each time they travel to his medical appointments and to school – putting him at risk for injury.

Friends established a Go Fund Me campaign to help cover the cost of a special van to safely accommodate Jasiel’s wheelchair and provide the freedom of mobility that he and his family need. While the campaign successfully reached its initial $15,000 goal, the Favors family struggled to find a working van at that price point that could meet Jasiel’s needs, given the specialized vehicle modifications needed to secure and restrain his wheelchair.

As of October 2016, 202 donors contributed additional funds reaching a generous $24,000 toward the cost of the van. continued on Page 17

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lue Label Granite was born a year ago when three co-workers at an Austin granite yard decided to take their expertise and open their own company.

Abbie Fenton, Rebecca Roque and Pedro Garcia, along with a silent partner, bring different strengths to the table, but all have one thing in common.

“We all love this field,” Abbie says.

With a combined 25+ years of experience, Abbie says she loves the sales and advertising part of the business, while Pedro handles the installing and fabricating, and Rebecca runs operations.

“We all work very well together,” Abbie says. “We feed off each other in a positive way!”

At this point, Blue Label handles

about 70 percent residential and 30 percent commercial, but future goals include having two separate divisions – one that is completely commercial and one completely residential.

Several commercial jobs in the past year have led to increased commercial work, including an office building in downtown Austin that Abbie says was intensive, but turned out “very cool”, as well as some intricate work at the renovation of St. William Catholic Church in Round Rock. Recently, the company did the countertops at the new Howry Building in Kyle.

With seven employees, customer satisfaction is very important. continued on Page 17

New life in downtown Kyle

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ituated in between San Marcos and Buda, Kyle, TX is poised to become the next point of growth in the ever-swelling population boom along the I-35 corridor. With the addition of the new Seton Medical Center Hays across I-35 from what is still a small, quiet downtown, Kyle seemed like a good place for general contractor Phil Howry Company to start building projects. Finished in November, the Howry Building, situated across the street from the Kyle Fire Department and the downtown square, is a mix of small retail and multi-family space.

“The concept is mixed use; a place where you can live and work,” says founder Phil Howry. “There are a lot of young professionals in Kyle.”

“We are filling the void in Kyle for leasable space,” says son Sterling Howry, a partner in Phil Howry Company and its umbrella company, Comanche Holdings LLC.

A previous project in Kyle, fully commercial, built by Phil Howry Company two years ago, filled up in 90 days, Sterling says. The current project already has some of the retail and residential spaces leased.

According to folklore, the project was built on what old-timers called Mrs. Miller’s garden, Sterling says. It might have been a flourishing garden at one time, but Google Maps shows a dirt-filled lot where the handsome brick building now sits.

Compromised of six retail spaces on the bottom and six residential units on the top, each measuring 840sf, the building is 100 percent masonry with structural steel on the first floor and concrete decks and wood framing on the second floor.

Retail units on the bottom have an industrial flair with exposed ducts, and The mixed use Howry Building, recently finished in Kyle, TX, adds much-needed leasable space to the growing area.

continued on Page 17

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Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

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Any place, any vehicle

Industry FOLKS JJ Huffhines, PE Pre-Construction Engineer Dynamic Systems

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J Huffhines was born and raised in Austin. He left briefly to attend and graduate from the University of North Carolina Charlotte, where he received a BS in mechanical engineering and then got back to Austin “as quickly as I could.”

Huffhines spent a lot of time playing soccer, building hot rods and tinkering around with motors while growing up and, with a father who was an architect, he was a familiar site on various job sites on the weekends. All of that played a part in his decision to become an engineer.

After college, he began working for Page Southerland Page where his father had worked for 20 years.

“I knew the owners because I had grown up with them,” he says. “I studied under a bunch of really good PE’s.”

His interest was the high-tech industry with projects he designed such as semi-conductor plants like Samsung and Intel. It was a natural move when he joined Dynamic Systems Inc. in 2016, the contractor that actually builds those kind of factories.

As part of his job at DSI, he estimates projects and works with construction managers on projects coming up. He also spends a majority of his time selling DSI products like prefab piping.

“One of the big reasons I came to DSI is it’s the biggest and most advanced in town,” he says. “It’s amazing!

Everything is automated and cutting edge. I can go down to the shop and play with all the tools like a kid in a candy shop. DSI spares no expense when it comes to business.”

Another plus is that DSI has an advantage over most mechanical contractors in the area – especially when it comes to what Huffhines does.

“A lot of mechanical contractors don’t have engineers on staff,” he says.

“There are multiple P.E.’s at DSI. It means, “Having engineered designs in the past gives me a huge advantage in the preconstruction and estimating aspects of mechanical contracting.”

Huffhines is among an elite few in the state of Texas that hold dual Professional Engineer (PE) licenses in Mechanical and Fire Protection & Life Safety Engineering. In fact, at last count, there were only 35 total in Texas. Both licenses require multiple testing and on-the-job training.

Huffhines is married to Leslie and the couple has two children, Dylan, 2, and Hailey, 11 months. When he’s not working, he likes to hunt, fish and spend time outdoors.

“Enjoy all the good stuff Texas provides,” he says. –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Finishing up

L-R: John Youngblood, Frank Haynes, Tony Hernandez, Stephen Owen, Alex Rivera, Kevin Hyde and Patrick Slater III stand in front of the new OTR service truck.

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pen Road Automotive & Tire in Round Rock has been serving customers in the Austin area with auto repairs, tires and wheels since it opened in 2012. The business is a family owned and operated company with two divisions of service with full attention.

With the addition of an OTR service truck, John Youngblood is highly skilled in offthe-road tire service.

“This is a real tire service truck that has all the tools and equipment in it to service tires on anything from a passenger vehicle up to a heavy industrial piece of equipment,” Youngblood says.

That includes skid steers, backhoes, loaders and all construction vehicles, he says.

Youngblood, who has 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and will personally come out onto any job site with trained tire technician Frank Haynes to solve those tire problems.

With the addition of this new truck and service, Youngblood says the company’s mechanical division has full attention from general manager Patrick Slater III, and the tire division, run by Youngblood.

“We’ve always done tires, but this is geared toward construction equipment and construction vehicles,” he says.

Of course, the company also services passenger vehicles to medium duty

trucks with repairs, oil changes and brakes, so construction companies can find a one-stop shop for everything from the office assistant’s vehicle to the superintendent’s pickup truck.

Some of Open Road Automotive & Tire’s services include: competitive prices on tires; tire services, including computer spin balancing, flat tire repairs, and tire rotations; repair services including brake repairs, wheel alignments, exhaust system repairs, transmission repairs, diagnostics, and steering and suspension system repairs from an ACDelco-Preferred Service Center, performed by ASE- certified technicians; other services including towing and roadside assistance, preventive maintenance, and glass repair, replacement, and tinting.

Youngblood says the facility uses state-of-the-art technology; backs its services with a 24-month, 24,000-mile warranty; sells aftermarket accessories, such as lift kits; and services all makes and models with a specialization in BMW.

Because knowledge is power, Youngblood says, occasionally the company hosts basic car care clinics at its facility for people who want to learn regular maintenance tips, how to talk to a car technician, and recognizing problems before it’s too late.

Open Road Automotive & Tire is located at 1802 South Mays St. in Round Rock. –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

That’s comforting

Bill Groth, project manager for Black Canyon Construction, San Antonio, is putting the finishing touches on a Stripes convenience store in San Marcos in mid-December. –cw

Austin

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

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Ron Kilman, Byrd Building Services, Austin, and Mike Fasenmyer, MTF Electrical, San Antonio and Austin, were found on a windy day at a Comfort Suites Hotel jobsite in Kyle.

The GC is Byrd and the project is due to be finished right after the first of the year. –cw

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Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

What was Dubai like?

The weather was hot and humid all year around. I think it rained twice in the three years I was there. Every day was a beach day! We took advantage of that!

Will Schnier, PE CEO BIG RED DOG Engineering and Consulting

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ill Schnier was born in Virginia Beach, VA. but he didn’t end up staying. Because of his father’s career, the family became world travelers early on.

Will and his partners at BIG RED DOG Engineering and Consulting put an emphasis on enthusiasm and high-level energy. That may be why the company, started during the height of the recession in 2009, has grown from three people with no clients and no money to more than 110 people pulling in $15 million in four offices across the state in 2016.

What’s in the future for this successful company with a quirky name? With a 10-year growth plan that includes a national ‘pawprint’, the sky truly seems to be the limit.

You were born in Virginia Beach, but didn’t stay long. What happened?

After a long stop in Minnesota, my father, Bill, who worked for 3M was assigned to run the Middle East operations, so the family moved there when I was 15 and I went to high school in Dubai.

Wow! That’s pretty fabulous. What was that like?

It was very surreal for a high school American boy. It was a heck of a place to grow up in. I watched Dubai being built from desert to a world-class city in a 10year span. That’s what led me to becoming interested in building engineering.

Tell me about high school.

The school was the American School of Dubai.

I played basketball in the Eastern Mediterranean Athletic Conference. That means we would fly to play other American schools in places like Oman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain. It was really cool.

As a family, we didn’t take vacations to the Grand Canyon. We were going to places like Thailand, France, London and Geneva.

What did you do after high school?

I only applied to colleges that had a good engineering program and a great football and basketball program. I’m a sports fan!

I ended up choosing Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. I graduated in 2004 with a BS in civil engineering and a minor in business management.

During my freshman year, Drew Brees was a senior and took the team to the Rose Bowl.

Tell me about your parents.

My dad retired from 3M five years ago in Austin. My mom, Teena, was a basketball and golf coach and she now teaches PE in the Round Rock ISD. Dad was a very successful and accomplished businessman. He had great negotiating and marketing skills.

Mom was very competitive and athletic. She coached my 5th-grade basketball team and we were undefeated.

They taught us ethics, honesty and financial management. Mom taught us the only way to have fun doing something was to be the best and win. There was no participation prize at our house.

Tell me about your siblings.

My brother Spencer works for Freese & Nichols. He has a Ph.D. in engineering.

My brother Brent works for Oracle.

How did you end up in Austin?

Sheer luck! Dad had been moved here by 3M while I was still in college so I started coming here on school holidays and I thought it was great.

The growth has been phenomenal and it was a heck of a place to start a career.

Tell me about your career path?

Before I graduated, I interned with Bury Inc. and that became my first job after I graduated. I worked there from 20042006 as an entry-level civil engineer, mostly on the Mueller Community.

From 2006-2009, I was with Carter & Burgess as a civil engineer and project manager.

In April 2009 I left and in May 2009, myself, Brad Lingvai and Bob Brown opened BIG RED DOG.

We had no money and no clients, but we catered to locally based clients that were looking for someone who could give them a higher quality of service. The larger established firms could not respond to them so there was a niche to fill.

By the time the recession ended, we had grown from three people to our 2016 numbers of more than 110 people and

Will Schneir and two friends started BIG RED DOG Engineering and Consulting in 2009.

$15 million. We opened in Austin and we now have locations in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas.

How did you, Brad and Bob meet?

I worked with Brad at Bury and Bob at Carter & Burgess.

We now have 13 shareholders and will probably have at least four more by the end of 2017.

Do you have any mentors?

I consider my mom and dad as mentors.

My boss and mentor at Bury was Peggy Carrasquillo. She was a tremendous role model and demonstrated great leadership. She works hard and demands the same, and at the same time, gave me space to develop. She’s now running her own shop in town and I’m sure she’ll do great at that.

Also on this list is Cliff Kendall, who I worked with at Carter & Burgess. He’s not with BIG RED DOG and we joke that he is the only “named” partner in the firm because the firm was named in honor of him. His nickname is Cliff the Big Red Dog. He has an incredible work ethic, he’s sincere, he’s a good Christian man, and he has really consistently pushed me to keep up with his standards.

What advice do you have for someone starting out?

Have a goal and create a plan.

Every five years I rewrite my personal goals and I review them all the time. If you don’t know where you are going, you won’t find the road there. I work on the goals for our business annually like clockwork, every May for the following year.

What do you look for when you are hiring?

Potential employees must be a culture fit. We are open, fun, energetic, positive and entrepreneurial. I like people who are into self-improvement and continuous learning. The surest way to be run out of BIG RED DOG is to be a negative person; team members need to be ‘yes, we can do that’ people.

Tell me a little about your personal life.

I am married to Jane, the love of my life. I met her when the firm was starting out and we shared office space with Dick Clark Architecture. She was their business

manager.

We started dating after BIG RED DOG left that location and moved to our second home at 5th and Congress in 2010.

I called her up to ask her out and she screened my call! She let it go to voicemail so she could see what I wanted. She said yes to my invitation and I’ve been better off every step of the way since then.

We got married in 2014 and we just had a baby boy, William Richard Schnier IV. He’s a seventh-generation Texan through Jane, which gives me some more Texas legitimacy.

Our daughter, Grace, is 10 and is in the 4th grade. She loves to sing and ride her scooter. She’s very musical and she loves animals. Her favorite song is the Star Spangled Banner.

I definitely married up with Jane. I got lucky there!

What do you like to do when you are not working?

Spend time with the family. We like to travel and take road trips. We go to Big Bend State Park every year.

We are exploring the United States – we’ve both lived and travelled abroad plenty. We are excited to take the kids, especially to state and national parks. We like to hike and be outdoors.

I started grilling seriously about three years ago and now I grill up to four times a week.

I’m also a voracious reader. I read everything I can get my hands on. One of my favorite books is “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz. I also like John Grisham and Jon Meacham.

I also enjoy historical books. Some of my favorites are by Sam Gwynne, like his books about Quanah Parker and Stonewall Jackson.

I have a detached air-conditioned garage that I’ve turned into a man cave of sorts that I really enjoy piddling around in!

Who would you buy a beer for?

LBJ. He was president during a pivotal time in American history. He may have lost the south for a generation, but his policies made our country a better place. His rise from poverty to leader of a world power is fascinating. A trip to the Texas White House is worth a visit if you have not been. –cw

Past issues of Construction News can be downloaded at www.ConstructionNews.net Will and Jane Schneir doing one of their favorite things – skiing in Colorado.

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

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Marking a milestone

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CBS Rental & Supply headquarters in Houston.

hen Jimmy Lanphier co-founded CBS Rental & Supply (formerly Contractors Building Supply & Equipment Company) in Corpus Christi in 1965, he probably didn’t anticipate a 50-year success story. Even though he had already had success with his venture Lanphier Construction Company, one of South Texas’ largest general contractors at the time, that kind of longevity in construction can be difficult to fathom.

Buddy Herin saw the company’s long-term potential and purchased CBS in 1979, adding the equipment rental side as well as a San Antonio, Tyler and Longview and Houston offices. Last year, Jason Herin, who is Lanphier’s grandson and Buddy’s son, became the proud owner of CBS, and has added six locations since the purchase.

CBS honored its rich history and expansion with a milestone occasion.

“We’re celebrating our 50th anniversary with the groundbreaking of our largest facility in the location where we started, Corpus Christi,” Herin says. “We’re re-

ally happy and excited about tit in terms of what we do for our customers and having our employees to share this with.”

The new facility is the perfect tribute to the company’s half-century of success in the industry. Located at 7219 IH-37, the six-acre landmark location is designed with the customer in mind.”

“We want to give our customers a fantastic experience,” Herin says. “We really put a lot of thought into how our customers pick out material and how we deliver, the flow through the showroom, what kind of experience they’re going to receive and how the warehouse ought to be optimized. We want it to be a technologically-advanced facility in terms of our check-out process and how we speed up the process between the time the customer walks in the door and the time they’re back at their trucks.”

The store will be the latest in CBS’ lineup, which include Arlington, Austin, Conroe, Houston, Longview, San Antonio and Tyler, as well as three Florida stores.

–mjm

Holiday smiles

David Johnson, IEC executive director, was gifted a Rolex watch for outstanding leadership by the Centex IEC board of directors.

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ndependent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Centex Chapter enjoyed its 2016 Holiday Christmas party at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom Dec. 2.

A very nice turnout consisting of staff, instructors and contractors enjoyed casino, raffles and a great meal. –cw

Community participation

L-R: Jim Baker, resident of Buckner Villas; Bob Sharp, project superintendent, Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors; Howard Wilson, resident of Buckner Villas; Zach Sienkiel, project engineer, Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors; Cal Theiss, resident of Buckner Villas

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ill & Wilkinson General Contractors is in the process of completing a $29.8-million expansion to Buckner Villas senior living community in North Austin – with a little help from some older friends.

Since several retired engineers and contractors are residents of Buckner Villas, Hill & Wilkinson has taken an innovative approach to its work there – by inviting participation and questions from these seniors who started their work in the field when conditions were very different.

“When we first broke ground on the project in May of this year, we had a few inquisitive residents approach the construction site with questions pertaining to what we were working on, timeline of phases and other similar questions,” said Zach Sienkiel, project engineer of Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors. “So when Doyle Antle, executive director of Buckner Villas, approached us about having informative meetings during which the

residents could ask us all their questions at once, we agreed, acknowledging that it was a great idea. In any project that involves an occupied space, it’s key to have open lines of communication with the people that are directly affected.”

The meetings are interactive, informative and helpful for all involved. The contractors highlight what will happen next, how long it will take to complete and what changes residents can expect to see. In return, residents provide feedback on how this may or may not affect them, and ask any questions they may have.

“This is the first time we’ve coordinated to have informative meetings such as these with senior living residents, and it’s been really enjoyable,” said Sienkiel. “We all get excited when having these discussions. I was surprised when listening to their backgrounds during the first two meetings, as many of them have experience in this field and spent much of their working lives focused on similar projects.” –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Road to success

Halff Associates Inc. staff, along with representatives from Williamson County and TxDOT, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for RM 620 in Round Rock on Dec. 12. Halff provided surveying, right-of-way, environmental, subsurface utility engineering/utility coordination, design, and construction phase services for this project that will increase the capacity and improve the safety of RM 620 from Wyoming Springs Drive to Deep Wood Drive. –cw

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Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Election raises questions of future policies

New construction or remodeling: sales tax consequences

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

Jon Wellington, Director of State and Local Taxes Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

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ike many other states, Texas has unique rules for imposing sales tax on the construction industry. In addition to imposing sales tax on the sale of materials, Texas also imposes sales tax on certain services. A variety of factors impact the taxability of the sale of various materials and services, including the type of contract (separated versus lump-sum), whether the work is performed on residential versus commercial property, and whether the property is tangible or real property.

Another factor to consider is also whether or not the project involves “new construction.”

Determining whether a project involves new construction is important because Texas imposes sales tax on the repair, restoration, remodeling, or modification of nonresidential real property. Such services are not taxable, however, if performed as part of new construction (or if performed on residential property) and if the charges are separately stated to your customer.

Making the distinction between new construction and real property repair or remodeling can often be more difficult than it first appears. Consider a scenario where a contractor is hired to finish out the shell of a building that has been gutted. The natural instinct may be to view such work as new construction, and therefore the labor charges would be exempt from sales tax. Unfortunately, the Texas Tax Code views such work as taxable real property repair or remodeling. Before engaging in a construction project, it is vitally important for a contractor to determine whether the work performed is new construction for sales tax purposes so that it can be properly bid for the project and fulfill the sales tax compliance responsibilities.

Under the Texas Tax Code, new construction means “all new improvements to real property, including initial finish-out work to the interior or exterior of the improvement.” New improvements to real property that include finish-out work to the building’s interior or exterior before the initial occupancy are considered nontaxable new construction. New construction also includes addition of new usable square footage. For example, adding a new dining area to an existing restaurant or building a ramp for handicap access would be new construction. Adding a new roof, however, would likely not be considered new construction because even if it adds square footage it is not “usable.”

On the other hand, as mentioned above, the finish out of a previouslyexisting structure that has been gutted would not be considered initial finish-out work, and would not be new construction.

If there is an existing improvement to real property, only its complete demolition would allow for new construction to occur where the improvement once existed.

Lastly, it is important to note that the new construction exemption only applies if labor charges are separately stated from charges for materials. Using a “separated services” contract instead of a “lump-sum” contract is the only way for the labor charges to be exempt from sales tax. Simply having a breakdown between labor and materials on change orders or your invoices will not be sufficient to support a finding that the new construction labor should be exempt. Further, a contract that involves both remodeling and new construction will be fully taxable unless the charge for new construction labor is separately stated from charges for remodeling labor.

Jon Wellington has more than 19 years working as a licensed attorney, having worked for big four accounting firms, including PWC and E&Y, along with law firms, including Baker Botts. He is responsible for state and local tax matters including audit defense, income and franchise tax planning, sales and use tax consulting, and nexus reviews. Jon has extensive experience helping clients in the construction industry. A full biography is available at www.lgt-cpa.com.

LGT is one of the largest professional accounting and advisory firms in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Finding assurance and tax solutions for construction contractors and adjacent industries has been a cornerstone throughout LGT’s 65year history.

A

fter hard-fought campaigns by both candidates, Republican candidate Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the L-R: James Christ, Rodney Christ, Terrell Taylor United States. Trump’s victory in the election, along with Republican majorities retained in both the Senate and House of Representatives, will likely have a significant impact on a number of compliance issues over the next four years.

During his campaign, Trump called for a repeal of President Barack Obama’s hallmark health care reform legislation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In addition, Trump’s victory raises uncertainty over the future of other policies enacted under President Obama, including the new overtime requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Action steps President-elect Donald Trump will not take office until he is inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2017. This means that, despite the coming change in power, there will likely be no significant legislative or regulatory changes prior to 2017. As a result, employers should continue to prepare for upcoming requirements and deadlines to ensure full compliance.

The future of the Affordable Care Act Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump ran on a platform of repealing and replacing the ACA. In addition, since its enactment, Republicans in both the Senate and the House of Representatives have virtually all opposed the ACA, calling for its repeal.

Due to the sweeping Republican victories seen in this election, it is likely that some changes will be made to the ACA over the next four years. While it is largely unclear, at this time, what those changes will look like, Republicans in the past have suggested the following: Full repeal of the ACA, with or without a potential replacement health care reform legislation; partial repeal of key provisions (such as the individual and employer mandates), while retaining some less controversial provisions; changes to the Medicare and Medicaid programs; and implementing new policies intended to expand coverage and lower health care costs.

There will likely be no significant legislative or regulatory changes to the ACA before early January. Due to the additional uncertainty for employers, with compliance obligations hinging on the political process, employers may want to hold off on making any large-

scale changes related to their employerprovided health care.

Regardless of any future changes that may be made, employers that provide group health coverage for their employees must prepare for upcoming ACA deadlines. These may include: Employer Shared Responsibility Rules: The ACA requires applicable large employers (ALEs) to offer affordable, minimum value health coverage to their full-time employees (and dependent children). Penalties can apply for each month in which an ALE does not offer this required coverage.

Employer Reporting of Coverage: Employers must also report information under Sections 6055 and 6056 to the IRS and to certain individuals about the coverage they offer or provide during the year. Returns and statements for each calendar year are due at the beginning of the following year.

Changes to ACA Limits for 2017: Several dollar limits are adjusted each year, and employer-sponsored plans should be updated to reflect those adjusted limits. For example, the out-ofpocket maximum increased to $7,150 for self-only coverage and $14,300 for family coverage for the 2017 plan year.

Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC): Health plans and issuers must provide an SBC to participants and beneficiaries that includes information about health plan benefits and coverage in plain language.

The Departments issued a new SBC template and related materials to be used for health plans with open enrollment periods or plan years beginning on or after April 1, 2017.

Christ Taylor Insurance is an employee benefits and insurance brokerage firm doing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-time ABC member. The firm provides solutions to small and medium size companies in the areas of healthcare and other benefit programs, as well as life insurance and retirement plans. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.christtaylor. com

Submitted to Construction News

Construction News ON LOCATION

They’re walking

Dial here for tile

The Construction Leadership Council of Austin (CLC) and the ACE Mentor Program of Austin (ACE) hosted a Joint Networking Happy Hour Nov. 17 at Rattle Inn as part of the AIA-AGC Joint Committee's "Walk-A-Day in my Shoes" Campaign. The campaign's goal is to create empathy in the industry by encouraging discussion between the fields. L-R: Kevin Pesl, Aisha Ainsworth, JD Holzheauser and James Granstra were all smiles at the event. –cw

Kevin Lorino, owner of The Tile Guy, on West Anderson Lane, is ready to show customers the latest for their tile, wood, stone, laminates and mosaics needs. –cw

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Page 7

Compliance with the DavisBacon Act: Not just prime contractor’s responsibility Elizabeth H. Connally Connally Law PLLC San Antonio, TX

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ou may think paperwork about payrolls is the general or prime contractor’s problem and that subcontractors just need to perform the work. If the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) applies to the project, the work, regardless of who is performing it, is not done until the paperwork is complete.

The DBA, 40 U.S.C. § 3142, was enacted in 1931 to provide local laborers and contractors a fair opportunity to participate in federally-funded construction projects and to protect local wage standards by preventing contractors from basing their bids on wages lower than those prevailing in the particular geographic area of the project.

Simply put, the DBA, sometimes called the prevailing wage law, requires that contractors engaged in work on federal, state or other governmental projects in excess of $2,000 pay all mechanics and laborers not less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits.

Contractors subject to the DBA must prepare certified payroll reports. In addition, Texas has similar requirements that apply to public projects.

Section 2258 Subchapter B of the Texas Government Code also requires a contractor (general or prime) or subcontractor that is awarded a contract to perform work on a public project to pay the workers not less than the prevailing wage rate for the work performed in the same locality. The prevailing wage is determined by using a survey of wages paid to classes of workers employed on projects of similar character to the contract work where the project is located (Section 2258.022 Texas Government Code).

Penalty for Non-Compliance Section 2258.023 of the Texas Government Code also imposes a hefty penalty for non-compliance. The government entity that issued the prime contract may penalize the contractor or subcontractor $60 for each worker employed for each calendar day or part of the day that the worker is paid less than the required prevailing wage rate.

In addition, the Department of Labor (DOL) may also conduct its own investigation to ensure compliance with the DBA, which includes inspections of employment records and confidential employee interviews. If the DOL determines there is a violation of the DBA, it may take action against the contractor, including assessment of penalties and payment of backwages. In addition, the contracting agency may suspend payments to the contractor until the violations are corrected or withhold funds to compensate employees for unpaid wages as well as assess liquidated

damages. The contractor may also face criminal liability if it is determined the DBA violations were willful (29 C.F.R. 5.10).

In addition, where the DOL finds a contractor violated its obligation to employees or willfully violated the DBA, a contractor may face contract termination or debarment from future contracts covered by the DBA for up to three years (29 C.F.R. 5.12).

It is important to recognize that prime contractors may suffer these punishments based on the sins of their subcontractors. Therefore, ensuring a subcontractor’s compliance with the DBA is just as important as ensuring compliance of your subcontractor’s electrical or plumbing work with the building codes.

Record Keeping Requirement All contractors, regardless of tier, must comply with specific DBA record keeping requirements. During the course of the contract, contractors must maintain records on each worker which includes the following: name, address, social security number, worker classification, hourly rates of wages paid and fringe benefits paid, daily and weekly number of hours worked, deductions made, actual wages paid, information regarding other various fringe benefit programs and if applicable, detailed information about apprenticeship programs. Texas also requires contractors and subcontractors to maintain such records (Section 2258.024 of the Texas Government Code). In addition, the Fair Labor Standards Act requires an employer to keep exact records of all time worked, all wages paid and all wage deductions.

Bottom line Prime contractors and subcontractors on public projects are both obligated to pay their workers the required prevailing wages and fringe benefits for the proper class of work performed and maintain proper payroll records for each worker. Failure to comply subjects both prime and subcontractors to significant consequences.

Elizabeth Connally is the managing shareholder of Connally Law PLLC, San Antonio. 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. Her email is ehconnally@eclegal.biz.

OSHA updates fall protection in general industry Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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alls from heights and on a working surface are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. OSHA’s final rule on Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems better protects workers in general industry from these hazards by updating and clarifying standards and adding training and inspection requirements. The final rule replaces the outdated general industry scaffold standards with a requirement that employers comply with OSHA’s construction scaffold standards. The rule phases out a 1993 exception for the outdoor advertising industry that allows “qualified climbers” to forego fall protection.

The rule requires employers to protect workers from fall hazards along unprotected sides or edges that are at least 4 feet above a lower level. It also sets requirements for fall protection in specific situations, such as hoist areas, runways, areas above dangerous equipment, wall openings, repair pits, stairways, scaffolds, and slaughtering platforms. And it establishes requirements for the performance, inspection, use, and maintenance of personal fall protection systems.

OSHA defines fall protection as “any equipment, device, or system that prevents a worker from falling from an elevation or mitigates the effect of such a fall.”

Under the final rule, employers may choose from the following fall protection options: • Guardrail System – A barrier erected along an unprotected or exposed side, edge, or other area of a walking-working surface to prevent workers from falling to a lower level.

• Safety Net System – A horizontal or semi-horizontal, cantilever-style barrier that uses a netting system to stop falling workers before they make contact with a lower level or obstruction.

• Personal Fall Arrest System – A system that arrests/stops a fall before the worker contacts a lower level. Consists of a body

harness, anchorage, and connector, and may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or a suitable combination.

Like OSHA’s construction standards, the final rule prohibits the use of body belts as part of a personal fall arrest system.

• Positioning System – A system of equipment and connectors that, when used with a body harness or body belt, allows a worker to be supported on an elevated vertical surface, such as a wall or window sill, and work with both hands free.

• Travel Restraint System – A combination of an anchorage, anchorage connector, lanyard (or other means of connection), and body support to eliminate the possibility of a worker going over the unprotected edge or side of a walkingworking surface.

• Ladder Safety System – A system attached to a fixed ladder designed to eliminate or reduce the possibility of a worker falling off the ladder. A ladder safety system usually consists of a carrier, safety sleeve, lanyard, connectors, and body harness. Cages and wells are not considered ladder safety systems. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Submitted to Construction News

Giving back

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Due in spring

National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI) Austin Chapter presented a check for $1,950 to Wonders & Worries, a charity that helps children and teens that have a parent going through an illness. The proceeds were a percentage from the 2016 NARI tour of remodeled homes. L-R: David Davison, Realty Restoration; Kayvon Leath, Austin NARI; and Rachelle Shuttlesworth, development manager at Wonders & Worries. –cw

CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY, INC. Decorative Concrete Products • Concrete Floor Stains Concrete Sealers & Densifiers • Color Admixtures & Hardeners • Sealants • Epoxies • Polyureas Damproofing & Waterproofing • Water Repellants & Coatings • Application Materials And Much More!

Office: 512-837-1028 Fax: 512-837-7234 www.csiconcretesupply.com Matrix Builder, Seabrook, is the GC on this Hampton Inn project in Kyle.

Rudy, Frank and Sergio assemble scaffolding at the location. –cw

404 West Powell Lane Suite 201 Austin, Texas 78753

Page 8

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Concrete and expedited permitting

40 years and counting

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ames and Patrica Roppolo founded A-Tex Waterproofing in Austin in 1976. With time and growth, A.T.C. Services was formed for historical restoration and general contracts. The company moved to Georgetown in 1983. The two companies were combined in 2010 to form the current A.T.C. Contractors Inc. In its infancy, the company's primary focus was new construction waterproofing, joint sealants, masonry and historical restoration subcontract work.

“In the early years, we discovered a need for experienced restoration general contractors, so we selectively pursued those projects,” James Roppolo says.

The company still completes waterproofing, sealant, and historical restoraJustin and James Roppolo are busy growing A.T.C. Contractors from their current location in Georgetown. tion projects as a sub-contractor, as well as historical restoration and specialty remedial water- lo, project manager. “Our supervisors proofing projects as a general contractor. and managers have started in the field, A.T.C. Contractors Inc. is a family me included, and work their way up. We owned business and is HUB certified have had success allowing our mangers woman owned. and supervisors to make decisions with Five of the current employees have out influence from management. more than 30-year’s tenure with the com- “We are a service company and strive pany. The company now has 20 full-time to provide honesty and service in our employees. customers and employees. Our best poli “We do about 60 percent historical cies are treating everyone the same way restoration and remedial waterproofing we would prefer to be treated and always projects and 40 percent new construc- doing what you agreed to do.” –cw tion sub-contracts,” says Justin Roppo-

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he City of Austin has been working on several items that concern the construction industry there, including new rules for late night concrete placement and an expedited permit process plan.

The good news, according to Associated General Contractors (AGC) Austin Chapter President Phil Thoden, is that after two years, city council on Nov. 10 approved rules for late night concrete placement in the downtown Central Business District and Public zoning districts.

This comes after an overnight restriction on concrete pouring between 2-6am was enacted in 2014 after downtown resident complaints due to noise and light.

“It was a compromise rule,” Thoden says. “In my opinion, the best option would have been to deal with each building and concrete requirement on a case by case basis. But we worked very closely with stakeholders, including downtown resident associations and, in the end, we think we got something that is beneficial to all concerned.”

To find the specifics of the ordinance, go to the City of Austin’s website and search for Section 9-2-21 of the municipal codes.

Expedited Permitting Process In October, the city’s Development Services Department unveiled draft guidelines for an expedited permitting program after the council approved a resolution in September calling for the expedited process in exchange for certain jobsite requirements and third party monitoring.

What is your most useful tool?

Construction News ON LOCATION

Equipment fulfillment

This. We use them to profile concrete and remove old floor coatings.

Paul Marriott, ResFloor Concrete Solutions

Brandon Marrs, far left, vice president, and Wendy Gunn, center, office manager, and some of the Top Gunn Equipment Rentals Inc. team take a quick break from helping customers for a quick photo shoot. –cw

Everyone is for faster permitting, right? Not so fast, Thoden says.

Thoden has publicly listed several concerns about the proposed process, but chief among his concerns is the requirement for monitoring for compliance by an outside third party and the fact that the policy only applies to large commercial construction projects – those that cost more than $7.5 million or are larger than 750,000sf. City data shows in 2015-16 there were, at most, only 111 projects that fall into this category. The vast majority of construction projects in Austin do not qualify for the program.

“What’s curious about this process is that, typically, ordinances are put in place and enforced by city code enforcement,” Thoden says. “What’s happening with this is that this third-party stands to gain significant income – money that could conceivably go back into city budgets.”

The Better Builder Program, an offshoot of the Workers Defense Project, asked the City of Austin to reward businesses who meet their builders’ standards to be rewarded with the expedited process.

“Large commercial projects are the target of this new requirement,” Thoden says. “In my experience, you see better safety training and attention to worker welfare on those large building projects.

All of the things they are asking for are good things that we support, but this outside third-party monitoring seems to simply advocate for and benefit the Better Builder Program and the Workers Defense Project.” –cw

Our trucks and vans!

David Kottke, Fox Service Company

HAND TOOLS -hand tools are a force multiplier that allows you more power than you can assert by hand.

Monty McMillan, HBS Door & Hardware Screw driver, pliers, and hammer, because you can put almost anything together, or take almost anything apart.

Then, if not, you can beat it to death with the hammer. Oh, they also make a useful cooking utensil in a pinch.

Daniel Alcala, HBS Door & Hardware

A shotcrete nozzle Yann Curtis, Curtis Concrete Pumping Quickbooks!

Sandra Johnson, Edge Electric My brain, for sure. I’m thinking all day long.

JJ Huffhines, Dynamic Systems

based on plans and specs, but it’s the guys in the field that have to get it installed with a time frame that will allow us to be successful! These days, owners and GCs are pinning subs down on what we can make off of change orders to the contract so it’s up to the guys in the field to work safely, quickly and efficiently in order for us to beat our budgets and have the project completed with some success!

Jason Smith, ICON Plumbing, Heating & Air Ltd. The 8-1 Klein screw driver tool.

Matt Tolbert, Global Electric Services My favorite thing/tool around this time of the year is a ladder and hammer! Need this for Christmas decorating!

Catherine Case Larson, DCA Construction My mind. Because I can use it to figure out things.

Clay Howry, Hidell Builders Supply First glance regarding most useful tool, one might say Smart Bender, Tugger, Tablet, Cell Phone, Estimating Software, etc. If we don’t have relationships we don’t have a job to use our most useful tool. Relationships!

Mike Kanetzky, Elk Electric Tiffany Fessler from Hoar Construction’s Austin office reports the team was split down the middle between computer vs cell phone!

My most useful tool is my truck. 2016 Chevy one ton. I now have two because if one is out of service we would be shut down.

Nick Page, Nick’s Bricks Masonry Inc.

As far as running our business, I would think communication is my most useful tool. On a daily basis, good, clear communications between myself and my employees and clients is very important.

Justin Roppolo, ATC Contractors Inc.

Our field employees are our most useful tool! Being a subcontractor we live and die by those guys in the field. We bid work

My truck! It is my mobile office. I’ve put 35,000 miles on it in one year.

Will Schnier, Big Red Dog

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Page 9

Staying in touch with winter patterns

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, MirrOlure, and Columbia Sportswear.

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here are certain things to remember when transitioning to winter fishing. One may start out using some of the techniques that were successful in the spring and fall with not much success this time of the year. Then you’re going to start wondering if all the fish were caught during the summer, or they have all migrated to the gulf for the

Chris Huey and Mark Walter had plenty of action after a front pushed thru last month.

No big fish caught, but at least they didn’t go home empty handed.

Fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.

winter. Relax, Don’t Panic!!! Think about what your doing and how your going about doing it.

Let’s start out by saying that winter fishing is cold. If you’re cold, then so are the fish. There is no need to set the alarm for 5 am and start your day off at day break just to freeze you’re butt off on the ride to your favorite fishing spot. Stop and have some coffee and breakfast and plan on leaving the dock about 8 am. By the time you get the boat unloaded and

on your way, the water temperatures are just starting to warm up. Plan on fishing late into the day as water temps will continue to rise till about 3 pm.

During the winter fish slow down everything they do because their metabolism slows down. They move less, eat less and feed less frequently. On a more positive side, when they do decide to eat they focus on larger meals instead of several smaller meals. They want to maximum yield with minimal effort. Also in the win-

ter bait fish are less present, so trout and reds are less picky about what they eat. If you are willing to adjust to their feeding habits, you will produce better success.

When fishing in the winter, you must also have the right tackle. A light action rod with a fast tip is what I recommend.

My set-up is a FTU Green Rod (model APL-1) in a 6-ft. 9-in. length with a Concept 10 baitcaster. My line of choice is Maxcuatro in 30# moss green. During the winter I’m usually throwing slow sinking baits such as the mirrolure corky or one of my favorites, the Soft Dine XL. The baits allow for a slow presentation which is key when fishing winter months.

Winter fishing also requires the angler to prepare for extreme weather conditions. Be sure to layer up with good quality clothing and waders. My Simms gear is the best money can buy and keeps me warm and dry throughout the day. Wading boots are just as critical.

Soft booties this time of year can cause your feet to cramp when wading soft mud. I recommend ForEverlast Baffin Flats Stalker boots for all day comfort. Always pack a change of cloths just in case you trip or take water over your waders.

That 50 mph boat ride home will be a lot more confortable.

I have already started to fill the calendar for the upcoming 2017 season.

Don’t wait till all the good dates are gone! To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.

Good luck and Good Fishing.

Page 10

Austin Construction News • Jan 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

Now for my favorites, stripers and hybrid stripers; stripers are cold water fish, so they and their hybrids are in their element this time of the year. Right now their instincts are telling them to eat everything they can catch, so they will be ready for spring spawning. Like white bass, they will move upstream a little for spawning time, but they are still open water feeders that need lots of room to roam and feed. They won’t usually get serious about spawning until April or Mayish, but they will be tearing their way through every school of shad they can, so they will be fat and sassy and full of eggs.

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ell here we are in another new year. We are done with celebrating holidays and most of the deer hunting. Hopefully maybe we are a little better than half way done with cold winter days, because I’m already ready for spring.

It is always a sign of the passing of winter when you see the ads for all the local boat shows. What better way to shift your focus back to fishing and water sports than to mozy through a boat show checking out the latest in boats and motors and fishing gizmos? This is your cue to start getting ready.

You need to start paying attention to the weather. On these bright sunny warm days between cold fronts, you can be sure that the crappie are beginning to move up into shallow water to warm in the sun and start looking for places to nest. Warm water makes them hungry, so you need to be looking for them along the shore line around structure so you can tempt them with live minnows or the artificial lure of your choice. I can’t think

Largemouth fishing should be getting interesting too. Don’t forget, this is the time of year the ShareLunker program starts putting out all those pictures of monster bass being caught. You might want to go chase some of them too!

Is your boat running good? If not, get it into the shop right away before everyone else finds out their boat’s broke too. If she’s running good, don’t forget to use a good fuel additive to keep her going. There is nothing worse than standing on the bank on a nice day when you discover your rig won’t run!

of a better winter supper than a platter of fried crappie!

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips

Be thinking white bass too. It won’t be long before they will be starting to run upstream to spawn. It depends on how cold the weather has been, but they seem to get going in late January to midFebruary. On most lakes they will run as far upstream as they can get, and that’s where you want to be fishing.

I hope you made two good resolutions for this New Year: 1. Make more time for fishing!

2. Take a kid fishing!

Good luck in everything you do in 2017! We’ll see you on the water!

All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You

Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com

Submitted to Construction News

Mom and son day

Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!

Jill Wedel, marketing coordinator for Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing’s Austin location, and her son, Cole Springer, took part in the Austin Association of Facility & Maintenance Engineers (AAFAME) 2016 "Adventure Quest” race benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas. The race took the participants through the beautiful Texas Hill Country campus at Concordia University on Nov. 19. The mom and son duo took third place honors.

Congrats! –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Vaca time

Eric Adams, Eric Adams Floors, spent some time recently in Mexico, where he enjoys water sports, hanging out with new friends and concerts. Above, on his birthday, Adams, far left, and some friends attended a Kings of Leon and Twenty One Pilots concert in Monterrey. –cw

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Page 11

Submitted to Construction News

Submitted to Construction News

Nice rack!

This is the life

L-R: Randy Twedt, Page Architectural and Engineering firm and JJ Huffhines, Dynamic Systems Inc., recently spent some time fishing and relaxing in the Chandeleur Islands. –cw

Jason Smith, project manager for ICON Plumbing, Heating & Air Ltd. bagged this beauty while hunting recently in San Angelo. –cw

Have an Outdoor Story or Photo?

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

Page 12

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Holiday all the way!

Super safety numbers

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S

pawGlass Austin rewarded 150 team members on the UT East Campus projects for November safety appreciation by serving pulled pork sandwiches Dec. 15. – cw

oetter Fire Protection of Austin LLC celebrated the season with a Christmas party Dec. 18 at Dale’s Essenhaus in Walburg, TX for employees and their families. Face painting, balloon twisting, ornament decorating and a surprise visit from Santa for the kids were some of the highlights. The traditional holiday meal was turkey and ham with all the trimmings provided by Dale’s.

The company chose Texas Baptist Children’s Home in Round Rock this year to be its donation recipient. Reports were that the donations were overwhelming with toys for the children and 16 twin bedding sets (8 for girls, 8 for boys) also. Jason Ferguson, vice president of Koetter Fire Protection of Austin was the host of this fantastic evening. –cw

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Christmas beer!

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ssociated General Contractor’s (AGC) Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Austin Chapter had its Winter Event and Toy Drive at Austin Beer Works Dec. 8.

A really great turnout led to a collection of a bunch of toys for the toy drive.

Jeremy Buxton of Hensel Phelps won the raffle prize - an Apple Watch –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Rewards of the holiday

On Dec. 14, Associated General Contractors (AGC) Austin Chapter and Construction Leadership Council (CLC) treated members and guests to a holiday party at The Long Center. Besides music, food and fun, CLC awarded its first-ever educational scholarship to Brian Giang, a student at Texas State University majoring in Construction Science and Management with a Business Management minor. –cw

Page 13

Industrial innovation wanted

Peter John and Corinna Holt Richter

Charlie Strickland

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ith a heritage of innovation, the Holt family has announced the formation of HOLT Ventures, an investment arm within HOLT CAT®, which will invest in people and companies focused on new technologies and solving challenges in the industrial and manufacturing industries.

“We are looking for people to bring an innovative mindset to heavy industry,” says Adam Bridgman, director of HOLT Ventures.

Companies from around the world entered the pitch competition. Fifteen finalists were selected and each will have the opportunity to present their idea on Mar. 14 at SXSW in Austin this spring.

“We are leveraging SXSW since its such a big event and has a global reach,” Bridgman says.

Partners in the new organization include Caterpillar Ventures, Cottonwood Technology Fund and Brick & Mortar Ventures – all with a global reach and all interested in finding and investing in new technologies.

HOLT Ventures aims to provide funding, along with real world mentorship and guidance. The organization is committed to helping companies fast-track growth and commercialize big ideas through access to the internal workings of the largest Caterpillar® dealership in the nation and a deep-seated advisory committee that includes mentors from across the company.

“The Holt family’s great success in the commercial dealership arena over the past 40 years is partially due to the company’s values-based leadership platform,” said Charlie Strickland, HOLT Ventures managing director. “As a capital partner and advisor, HOLT Ventures is furthering

Adam Bridgman

the Holt family’s legacy of fostering innovation by helping emerging companies and entrepreneurs in our industry.”

The competition is divided into three separate one-hour sessions, in which the winners will be awarded a cash prize and/or potential strategic partnership opportunity. There is a total cash payout of $50,000 across all three categories.

“As we enter a new phase in industrialization, HOLT Ventures will focus on solutions that drive efficiencies across our business and the services we provide,” said Peter John Holt, HOLT CAT executive vice president and general manager.

“Companies that have a strong vision in developing efficient, innovative solutions, from process improvement to smart technologies, are what we are looking for.”

Find out more at holtventures.com/ sxsw –cw

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Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Spirit of giving

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ssociated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Central Texas Chapter members gathered for some holiday spirit at Abel’s on the Lake Dec. 7.

Besides having fun and networking, plenty of gifts of toys and food were donated to help those less fortunate. –cw

Decade accolade

Gabriel and Jessica Ramirez go above board to make sure their customers are satisfied.

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essica Ramirez and her husband Gabriel Ramirez are not only huge animal lovers, they are also huge believers in making sure their customers at Longhorn Epoxy Floors are completely satisfied before they leave a job.

“We stay by their side until they are happy,” Jessica says. “My customers are always first to get what they want and we make sure of it.”

Celebrating 10 years in business in 2016, the Ramirez’ started in 2006. Gabriel has plenty of experience in the field, having worked for another commercial concrete flooring company for 10 years before opening Longhorn Epoxy Floors.

His brother, Fermin Ramirez, has also been with the company since the beginning, and there are currently seven employees. Jessica estimates the company does about 60 percent residential and 40 percent commercial.

Located in Cedar Creek, between Del Valle and Bastrop, the couple believes that treating employees right leads to

greater customer satisfaction.

“When they work hard and go out of their way, they get bonuses,” Jessica says.

“We always put a timeline on projects and we like to be right on the dot. We reward our employees for going above and beyond and value great communication between us and them and our customers.

“If the company does well, the employees do well. Our main concern is to make the customers happy.”

At times during the year, the employees and their families get together and have barbecues and last year, everyone celebrated the fourth of July together.

When they aren’t working, the couple spends time with their 23 dogs.

“We go outside and play with them,” Jessica says. “It’s very relaxing.”

They aren’t above lending a friendly hand to other animals they find at their home in the country and love anything to do with nature. –cw

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Page 15

Construction Forecast Construction market looks good for 2017 Rick Vavro, president and founder Austin Underground Inc. Austin, TX

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hat markets do you expect Austin Underground and the industry will see an increase in over the course of 2017?

All of our markets continue to expand. It appears that TxDOT will continue to release work coming out, so that means government markets are good.

Commercial is still going strong. There are upticks in permits happening, which indicates that the subdivision and commercial market is still strong. It doesn’t seem like any of them are slowing down.

What do you foresee as the biggest challenges your company and others like it in the industry will face in 2017?

I see several challenging areas for the upcoming year. One area is increased labor competition. In October, the City of Austin instituted a minimum cash wage for its construction contracts, and we do quite a bit of city work. The minimum cash wage on those projects – and projects the city is giving tax credits to – is $13.50. There is some difficulty in knowing if it’s a job that requires this new minimum wage.

Another area is new competition moving in, and new companies starting up, due to the strong market. It creates some instability and downward pressure in the market. There are a lot of guys waiting for their chance to break into this market, and most of them are pretty competent in what they do. However, it takes time for someone starting out to figure out what their costs are going to be, and historically, these guys can bid way high or way low.

Finally, the election has left a lot of questions as to what is going to change with the new president coming in. This has led to more uncertainty with health care, which a big chunk of our cost, and there is a potential for oil prices to go up.

These changes will increase our overall costs, so we are following these markets pretty closely.

How does Austin Underground plan to address and overcome these issues?

We are making sure we realize what the requirements are for the new minimum wage. It is a bigger issue for us if everybody has to get a raise, and we are

Construction outlook: more positive but with many possible problems Ken Simonson, Chief Economist Associated General Contractors of America Arlington, VA

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exas construction, like its weather, is experiencing extremes. The outlook for 2017 is for sunnier but unsettled conditions.

The state’s once-robust construction market has stalled. Year-over-year construction employment growth, which handily topped 20,000 throughout 2013, 2014 and 2015, slowed to a five-year low of just 500 employees (0.1%) from November 2015 to November 2016.

The slowdown has appeared in four of the state’s five largest construction markets, but in varying degrees. The only exception is the Fort Worth-Arlington division of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Irving metro area, where construction employment rebounded to a 4% growth rate from November 2015 to November 2016 after posting year-over-year decreases every month from mid-2015 through May 2016.

Construction employment growth in the Austin-Round Rock metro area slowed to a still-healthy 7% year-overyear in November after running at a double-digit rate for most of the prior two and a half years. Growth in the DallasPlano-Irving division of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth-Irving area slipped to just 0.5% from November to November, down from 5.5% one year earlier and nearly 7% the year before that. (The Bu-

reau of Labor Statistics combines mining and logging with construction in the Austin and DFW areas to avoid disclosing information about industries with few employers. The slump in oil and gas drilling may have contributed to the weakness in “construction” employment.)

Similarly, contractors in the San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area consistently added fewer workers in the 12-month periods ending in 2016 than in the previous year. Job growth from November 2015 to November 2016 was 2.9%, down from 5 to 8% in the three previous November periods.

Predictably, construction employment was hit hardest in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, going from a 7% growth rate in November 2015 to yearover-year decreases in the second half of 2016. By November, the rate of decline had accelerated to almost -6%, the worst since mid-2010 The primary reason for the slowdown is, of course, closely related to the sharp decline in oil prices and drilling since mid-2014. Conversely, the rebound in prices for both oil and natural gas from the lows of a year ago portend a pickup in construction in some parts of the state in the next few months.

Fortunately for Texas residents and

training our people and talking about it.

A continued focus on retention is also key. We offer a lot of good benefits to our employees, and we try to do things that other guys don’t, in order to attract talent. The way we train and treat our employees is what makes for good retention in our company. For example, on a rain day, which happened a lot in 2016, we will do training so we don’t have a lot of down time for our guys and they have a steady paycheck.

What are Austin Underground’s plans for 2017?

I think we continue to grow. We’ve been seeing a 30 percent growth rate for the last few years.

We are working to continue to become a more specialized contractor in our different markets.

We will continue to shore up our people with advanced training to make us a more solid contractor. We also expect to increase our total employee count by 10 percent.

How would you sum up the last five years for business at Austin Underground?

After the downturn, a lot of commercial guys looked around to see who was still standing. We pushed in 2010 to get into commercial/institutional while the market was down. That’s really taken off in 2016 and has accounted for 20 percent of our revenue.

We’ve been on a steady increase.

We’ve grown probably 300 percent in volume and size, and we’ve been able to penetrate different markets. We started purely as a municipal contractor, and contractors, the state’s economy is far more diversified, and population growth is steadier, than in past oil-price swings.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported on Dec. 20 that the Lone Star State’s population increased by 433,000, or 1.6%, from July 2015 to July 2016 and accounted for nearly one-fifth of the entire country’s population growth. Each year this decade, the state’s population has swelled by more than 400,000, maintaining consistent demand for additional single- and multifamily housing, schools, stores and other types of structures.

Census estimates for 2016 population change by metro area will not be available until March, but in March 2016 the agency reported, “The Houston-The WoodlandsSugar Land and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro areas added about 159,000 and 145,000 residents, respectively — the largest gains of any metro areas in the nation.

Two additional Texas metro areas adjacent to each other ─ Austin-Round Rock and San Antonio-New Braunfels ─ were each also among the 16 nationwide to gain 50,000 or more people over the period.”

Even if population growth has slowed since then, the demand for homes, businesses, public buildings and infrastructure generated by past inflows will help keep many contractors busy in 2017. The constant population influx has also contributed to a growing supply of construction workers, although the supply has not always matched demand in quantity or required skills.

The 2016 elections have injected new uncertainty into the outlook for construction, nationally and in Texas. The state has an exceptionally large number of immigrants and foreign-born residents. Cross-border trade is extremely important, not just along the southern edge but in the Gulf ports and for oil-service and petrochemical industries. The

we’ve added commercial/institutional.

We are also starting to do a lot of TxDOT work.

How did Austin Underground survive the recession?

For us, we were pretty conservative internally. Financially, when the downturn hit, we didn’t have any debt, and we had been investing the money back in the company. We didn’t have to do pay cuts or lay anybody off. We were bidding jobs cheap to keep our guys employed.

That has paid off, because we have had retention in our workforce.

Is that still the standard operating procedure?

We’ve had industry people who look at our books and say we are in the 95th percentile as far as lack of debt goes.

We have taken on some debt, and I don’t mind taking on a debt. However, it’s hard to project more than a couple years out, so you have to be careful as to what debt you take on.

What is the most important takeaway you’ve learned in the last year?

The past year for me has been more about developing good relationships.

Across the board we have to figure out which contractors we want to work with, those we don’t, and develop good relationships wherever we can.

Established in 2006 in Austin, Austin Underground Inc. builds water, waste-water, storm sewer and duct bank utilities in existing roadways with an emphasis on projects that have some degree of difficulty.

–cw large hospital sector in all of the big metros, especially in Houston, may hit the brakes on expansion and modernization until there is clarity about whether the Affordable Care Act will be repealed and, if so, what will replace it.

On the positive side, school bond issues that passed in November will add to plans already underway in many independent school districts for new construction and renovation. And the possibility of massive additional infrastructure spending may mean good news for highway and other transportation contractors.

In short, 2017 poses the chance for contractors to recover from the slowdown that has hit many parts of the state.

But there are also significant risks ahead.

Ken Simonson has been the chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America, the leading trade association for the construction industry, since 2001. His weekly summary of economic news relevant to construction, The Data DIGest, goes to 47,000 subscribers.

He was the 2012-2013 president of the National Association for Business Economics, the professional organization for individuals who use economics in their work. Currently, he serves as an appointed member of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee and the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Data Users Advisory Committee. Ken has 40 years of experience analyzing, advocating and communicating about economic and tax issues. He earned a BA in economics from the University of Chicago and an MA in economics from Northwestern University.

Ken Simonson has been the chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America since 2001. His weekly summary of economic news relevant to construction, The Data DIGest, goes to 47,000 subscribers.

Page 16

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Construction Forecast An exciting 2017

of experience in this industry and I have big shoes to fill as the new president.

As we do now, we will maintain a focus on customer service, continue to improve virtual construction systems and enhance communication platforms.

Brian Webster, President KWA Construction Addison, TX

What markets do you expect KWA and the industry to see an increase in over the course of 2017? Why?

KWA Construction specializes in multifamily construction, but we do expect to see another year of continued increases over all markets simply because of the strong population growth and immigration to Texas. Dallas/Fort Worth specifically has gone above and beyond to attract corporations from all over the country and we definitely see the impact in our fast-paced industry.

In your perspective, what is your projection for the Dallas/Fort Worth construction industry for 2017?

A major trend that we’ve noticed in the last few years has been the resurgence of Dallas and Fort Worth, so we predict an increase in HUD financing in order to help provide affordable housing options for the underprivileged in North Texas. This is, of course, driven more by tight financing requirements in place by lenders, and fortunately HUD makes deals possible that otherwise may never happen because of not being able to meet traditional financing requirements.

As of today, we have four HUD housing complexes in our portfolio, two under construction and several in the works – and we’re as proud as ever to do our part in the revitalization efforts of the area.

We also believe there will be a continued tight subcontractor labor market.

While Dallas may be fortunate at the moment with a surplus of construction projects underway, the multifamily development industry has been facing a challenge of a shortage of subcontractors.

But, with everything else going on and the successes we’ve come across, we’re staying optimistic.

Overall, we believe the industry will stay strong and near capacity. With production currently projected to increase as it did in 2016, it’s going to be a year of endless opportunity.

What do you think the keys to success will be for your company in 2017?

I envision a major driver for success in 2017 will be doing more with less.

There will be more of a focus on productivity of subcontractors and less on how many people are on the job, in order to maintain schedules and increase the overall quality of work for everyone.

Another major key to our success in 2017 and beyond will be the recent restructure of our leadership team. Richie Keene has graciously accepted the role of executive vice president while Keller Webster, founder and president of KWA Construction, has transitioned to chairman. Keller will still oversee the company as an advisor and continue to guide us into a successful new year, which is extremely important now that competition is becoming more apparent since DFW is such a hot market. But, Keller has decades

How would you sum up the last five years of business at KWA and what do you predict for the next five years?

The most appropriate word that comes to mind is growth – growth in the market and growth in the workplace. In August, KWA was ranked one of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies by national business publication Inc. Magazine. Since 2012, we’ve nearly doubled our revenue and increased our workforce by more than 20 percent. We feel lucky to have been able to add talented and hardworking individuals to our payroll and construct much-needed multifamily housing units throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

What do you think the keys to success will be for 2017?

I think it is important to focus our energy on different components of the market. We have seen an uptick in the construction business as well from a rental perspective.

Maintaining a great staff is key for 2017 Kevin Smith, President and CEO Equipment Management Services LLC Houston, TX

What is your projection for 2017?

I think 2017 will be another good year for the business. We feel good about our market position at the moment.

We expect the industry at large to grow and a lot of that is driven by the maritime industry and the Port of Houston’s impact on the container trade.

This allows us to have greater inventory of containers. We expect to see an uptick in the service business. It allows us more availability of containers for resale and rental. We are focused heavily on that part of the business. We expect that business component to grow in 2017 as well.

What do you think will be different for your company and the industry in 2017 compared to the previous year?

Are there any trends generating buzz?

We believe the market is driving owners to negotiate contracts with general contractors in place of competitive bidding, due to their overflowing workloads and the uncertainty of the process.

Instead of putting projects up to bid, developers are talking with contractors they know and contractors with whom they’ve previously worked with in order to negotiate a contract. Competitive bidding doesn’t seem to be a driver of overall project savings so developers are more willing to pay-up for quality, and in turn, alleviate some of the risks including unforeseen costs, understaffed teams and slower turnaround times of a project.

The process is transparent this way, and I think more and more companies will get on board.

Have you seen any material or cost increases in your industry?

We have not seen a dramatic increase in material or supplies costs that we would consume in a normal course of our business.

There have been some relatively small increases here and there. We expect to see some increases in steel prices in 2017.

That is going to equate to the value of containers at the end of the day. We also expect to see increases in the sellout prices in 2017.

What will be the challenges in the next year?

We have some very good competitors. They are out there trying to do the same kind of things we are doing under whatever their management programs are to try and compete in a market that is very active but also very competitive.

We look at them as our biggest challenge, and possibly right up there with our competition is our people. We have to maintain a great staff, which we have done a good job of and we are very proud of them.

We certainly have to maintain the right people in the right jobs.

Have you seen an uptick in commercial construction in Houston?

Yes, we have seen an uptick in commercial construction. The commercial side has been good to us from a rental

We’ve been extremely lucky to be selected as general contractors by companies including Seneca Investments and GroundFloor Development for multiple projects in recent years, which I believe speaks to our high quality of work and team members. Continuously collaborating with these companies means KWA is seeing bigger projects and more responsibility – which we are more prepared for than ever for the coming years.

We’ve also recently made the switch from BIM 360 to Procore Technologies, the cloud-based project management solution. As most people in this industry know, having the tools on-hand to help your team work as efficiently as possible is huge. So other than going almost entirely paperless since the switch, we’ve been able to work more efficiently, eliminate any margin of error and increase productivity of all individuals working on a given project from the office to the job site.

Having a digital job site, along with Procore, is imperative at this stage in our company. Tools such as 60” touch-screen smart monitors and personal tablets help our team members work more collaboratively and instantly share documents, and in turn, has benefitted our clients.

They’ve significantly cut down on time spent waiting on the status of a critical RFI or a pending submittal; now, they can access it in the palm of their hand on the jobsite itself. This is certainly a change for our company, and we already feel it’s a step in the right direction.

We look forward to continued growth and refinement of our processes and staff, and learning of bigger and better ways as we welcome more Millennials into the business. With the incorporation of these factors, KWA Construction is in for an exciting 2017.

Founded in 2004, general contractor KWA Construction specializes in multifamily developments. –­ mjm

perspective, especially modified type containers where we might modify one into a mobile office or a mobile job shack in addition to the standard storage needs of contractors.

We have also seen a little bit of activity in the residential side which is new to us as far as residential contractors renting containers for different developments and keeping those for a longer period of time.

Is there anything you would like to see happen on the local, state, or national levels to benefit the industry?

I think in Texas, we have some more advantages than some other states. Texas is small business friendly, contractor friendly and generally a business friendly state. That is a major benefit to the construction industry and us. We have had the opportunity to work in many states over the years and consistently, Texas is a very user-friendly state The only thing we could say to our local, city and state government is to keep that attitude.

Equipment Management Services LLC rents and sells containers to the construction and maritime industries. –ab

NEXT MONTH February 2017

Construction Safety

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Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Page 17

continued from Page 1 — The season of giving Unfortunately, the price of the van Jasiel needed was twice that, and financing for the remainder was not assured.

When the news of Jasiel’s journey to recovery and of the Favors family’s struggles to secure an accessible minivan for his care caught the attention of several employees at Wheeler, they spread the news of the Go Fund Me campaign and its purpose throughout the company, and advocated for others to contribute to the effort. Wheeler’s leadership readily agreed, and reached out to Debra Favors with an offer to cover the remainder of the cost of Jasiel’s van. The company worked closely with MobilityWorks, the provider of the vehicle to close a funding gap of $29,000.

“Following the news and hearing about everything the Favors family has been through really hit home with us,” said Wheeler President Brandon Smith.

“Many of us have children Jasiel’s age

and, as a parent, you can’t help but put yourself in their shoes and want to do everything you can to help. It’s amazing to see how the local community has come together to support him. It was really important to us that we come together as a group and do what we could to make sure that Jasiel and his family have a safe, reliable form of transportation.”

Family, friends and teammates of Jasiel presented the vehicle to the family during an event Nov. 11.

Stony Point head football coach Craig Chessher said Jasiel is an inspiration.

“He has taught me more than I’ve ever learned in 33 years of doing this,” Coach Chessher said. “His spirit, his steadfastness, his optimism, is something that cannot be denied. He's a fine young man, his family are just great people, they're very positive. You know, it's one thing to believe, but this man lives it." –cw

Stony Point High School teammates were among the many who gathered for the gift presentation.

continued from Page 1 — Blue ribbon for Blue Label “Our beliefs towards our customers are to treat them with honesty and respect,” Abbie says. “We listen to their needs and we explain their options in terms they will understand. We try to point them in the right direction to accomplish what they want.”

Together, the owners and employees get together at Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as having breakfast together a few times a year to catch up and talk about ways to improve the business.

–cw

continued from Page 1 — New life in downtown Kyle spray foam insulation for sound and energy efficiency. Both the top and bottom floors have double sound batt insulated common walls. Retail spaces include metallic epoxy finish flooring by Longhorn Epoxy Floors.

Upstairs, the brand new onebedroom apart- Phil and Sterling Howry made sure the residential areas will be pleasing to young professionals in the area. ments are the perfect fit for young professionals and cient and durable than traditional opcouples looking for a more affordable tions, according to Sterling.

“It’s snow white, so it reflects the option than renting in Austin.

With southern plantation shutters, heat,” he says. plenty of natural light, soffit lighting and According to Phil Howry, the coma balcony the size of a small bedroom pany believes in making use of the latest overlooking the square, Sterling says the technological advances in energy efficompany built the spaces to be energy ciency.

“All the windows are double insulatefficient and pleasing.

“It’s how we would build our own ed,” he says. “The building is totally sealed.” house,” he says.

Other features include Traverse tile Although the alleyway on the side floors that mimic the look of natural and the sidewalk in the front are owned by wood from Travis Tile Sales, new stain- the City of Kyle, Phil Howry Company paid less steel appliances, specialty cabinets to have those areas paved to enhance the

by K & J Woodworks and countertops by aesthetics. In the back, a large concrete Blue Label Granite. Each unit comes paved parking lot is ready for tenants. with stackable washer and dryer, a guest Job superintendent and project restroom, a walk-in closet and a master manager was Rick Holloway, architect bath that boasts double sinks and a walk- was Fatter & Evans Architects Inc., and HVAC and plumbing was performed by in shower.

The roof of the building consists of Lane Christianson, owner of Casa MeTPO roofing, which is more energy effi- chanical Services. –cw

Round-Up O’Connell Robertson has added three registered engineers and a registered architect to its Austin team.

Trent Topham, PE, is a mechanical engineer with more than 20 years of design and project management experience throughout Texas. He has designed HVAC and plumbing systems for numerous educational, healthcare and other institutional projects, and has extensive experience with historical preservation projects.

Topham is also a graduate of Texas A&M University, earning a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in 1985.

Aaron Dennington, PE, LEED AP, is an electrical engineer and LEED Accredited Professional. He has more than nine years experience in electrical design, including code compliance, analysis, specifications, submittals and reports. Dennington earned a Master of Science in electrical engineering, manufacturing systems from The University of Texas at Austin in 2001 and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Abilene Christian University in 1999.

Rebecca Richter, AIA, ALEP, LEED AP BD+C, is a senior project architect with 26 years of experience focused on K-12 educational facility design. Richter has served as an adjunct instructor in the Kendall College of Art and Design Master of Architecture program. She is an Accredited Learning Environment Planner and LEED Accredited Professional in addition to being a registered architect. She earned a degree in architecture from Texas A&M University.

IE² Construction recently announced Dan McKinley as the new Director of Business Development. In this position, McKinley is responsible for identifying, building and fostering new and existing relationships within the growing Austin market and expanding IE²’s reach into new markets.

Cox Design Associates Inc. announced the following new team members in Austin: Jonathan Golde, a graduate of University of Texas School of Architecture – Austin, returns to Central Texas after spending three years in Chicago.

Golde is a long time Austin resident with over 12 years of experience in architecture and he has worked on a broad range of commercial, residential, and healthcare projects. His focus within CDA is the design and development of large-scale Institutional projects.

Blake Ward has joined CDA as marketing and administrative coordinator.

Ward is a Central Texas native with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Baylor University.

He brings to CDA marketing experience in many diverse industries including finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Sunil Palakodati has assumed the reins of Architectural Granite & Marble (AG&M), upon the retirement of Jack Seiders. At AG&M, he is responsible for all aspects of the multi-location countertop distribution company, leading the management team and driving organic growth as well as acquisition and integration. Sunil received his undergraduate degree in engineering from Bangalore University, Masters in Technology from Pittsburg State University and M.B.A. from Ross Business School at University of Michigan.

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

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email with “Round-Up” in the subject line (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue to: Austineditor@constructionnews.net

Construction News JOB SIGHT

V for victory!

Chad Devine and Jerry Jones, Victory Awning, Dallas/Fort Worth, were putting the finishing touches on a convenience store project in San Marcos. –cw

Page 18

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Bag o’ goodies

M

a u r e e n exceptionally great year in safety Beckett and and business. –cw Jesse Beckett, Beckett Electrical Services LLC, traveled with Safety Santa (aka Shiloh Rowe, Beckett’s safety director) to reward employees at every job site with a bag full of gifts and bonuses.

According to Jesse, the company had an

Submitted to Construction News

Safety rules!

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Central Texas

NARI

Associated Builders & Contractors

Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Jan. 18-19: Central Texas Build Expo: ABC Booth #802 Information http://www. buildexpousa.com/ Jan. 19: New ABC Member Prospect Happy Hour Event – Abel’s North (4-6pm) Jan. 24: Panel Discussion – ABC Office (More Info TBD) Jan. 25: New ABC Member Prospect Breakfast Event – ABC Office (7:30-9am) Jan. 28-Feb.4: American Home Inspectors Training – ABC Office (7:30am -6pm) Feb. 9: Casino Night & Chapter PAC Fundraiser Event – The Oasis (6-9pm)

Jan. 11: General membership meeting from 11am to 1pm at Zilker Lodge – Austin Sunshine Camp, 2225 Andrew Zilker Rd. Call Kayvon at 512-375-2601 for more info

ACEA Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.

Jan. 12: Membership luncheon at Dave & Busters Auditorium, 11:30am. Call 512836-3140 for more info Medco Construction, based in Dallas, hosted a fall safety demonstration on Dec. 12 at their jobsite in Round Rock. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Tacky, but fun!

Associated General Contractors

Jan. 7: PLBG CE, PHCC Headquarters, Buda. For more info, call Leslie at 512-5238094 Feb.1: PHCC Texas Walk on the Capitol

Jan. 17: Engineering 101 for Contractors Lunch-and-Learn Feb. 3: Outstanding Construction Awards Banquet

SEA

AIA

Structural Engineers Association

American Institute of Architects

Jan. 26: Monthly meeting at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10910 Domain Dr., #100, 11:45am. Call (512) 553-9634 for more info

SFPE Society of Fire Protection Engineers

American Society of Civil Engineers

Jan. 18: Chapter meeting at San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins from 9am3:30pm. Updates to the 2016 editions of NFPA 13 and NFPA 72. Register at http:// sfpe-asa.org/event-2279539/Registration

Jan. 10: Webinar: Acoustic Bridge Inspections; Online, Noon CT. Contact Annemarie Gasser at 512-472-8905 for more info

Texas Association of Builders

CTSA Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.

Jan. 10: Monthly meeting at Embassy Suites, 5901 N IH 35, Austin, from 5:308pm. Speaker: Mike White, Texas Construction Association, on Legislation Session Prep and Update.

San Antonio  Austin  Dallas/Fort Worth  Houston

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

ASCE Texas Section

www.constructionnews.net

Jan. 4: Monthly membership meeting at Big Daddy’s Burgers, 9070 Research Blvd.

Speaker: Marney Lifshen, author, speaker, coach and marketing consultant. Members, $25; non-members, $30.

Jan. 24: Block Kids event at McCoy Elementary in Georgetown.

Feb. 1: Chapter meeting, professional development series program.

For more info, call 512-593-1012.

AGC

Jan. 26: Co-hosted with Austin Foundation for Architecture, annual ARCHI-Golf Tournament at Top Golf, 3-6pm Feb. 2-Mar.9.: Women in Architecture month celebrated with exhibit at UT Austin.

For more info, check with Monica Capozziello at 512-452-4332

National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Austin Chapter members got real tacky this year on Dec. 7 and also exchanged a few gifts. Winners for being the tackiest were, L-R: 3rd place, Kimberley McDaniel, Dynamic Reprographics; 2nd place, Chaundra Callaway, Equipment Depot; and 1st place, Jamie Leonard, San Marcos Air. –cw

NAWIC Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

IEC Independent Electrical Contractors

Jan. 19-20: IEC of Greater Texas Regional Meeting, Austin Jan. 24-26: National Business Summit, Charleston, SC For more info, contact Dan Kiser at 512832-1333.

TAB Jan. 10: Texas IBS Reception at BB King’s Blues Club, 9101 International Dr., Ste. 2230, Orlando, FL., 4:30-6:30pm.

TACA TX Aggregates and Concrete Association

Jan. 10-Jan. 11: TACAMP Beginners 2017, Embassy Suites, San Marcos. Call 512-4515100 or register at https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1898584

TSPE Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Feb. 1: PE Day at the Capitol

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Page 19

Letting the dog ”houses” out

A

ustin Pets Alive! was this year’s beneficiary of the popular Barkitecture Austin 2016 on Nov. 12. Now in its 12th year, the annual designer doghouse show and auction brings designers, architects and builders together to create one-of-a-kind doghouses that are auctioned off to raise money to help Austin’s homeless pets. Austin Pets Alive! is focused on helping healthy and treatable pets at risk of euthanasia at municipal shelters. This year’s fundraiser raised more than $20,000. –cw (Photos by Twist Tours)

PEED (LEED)/Greenest Design: 512 Paw Ave.; Austin Community College CAD Department Keep Austin Weird Award: Bark Nouveau!; Frontier Architects

Best in Show and People’s Choice: Mini Modern Mansion; Zbranek & Holt Custom Homes

The Urban Pup; PSW

The Den; mpa architects

Air B&B, or Air Bark n’ Bark; Carson Design Associates

The San Mikey’s Dog Hosteria; Big D Designs

Best Urban Design/Dual Purpose: FiDO Fjord; Newcastle Homes, isARK Studio, Dovetail Drawers, Texas Mirror and Doors, JC Trim

Page 20

Austin Construction News • Jan 2017

Submitted to Construction News

Getting ready

Erika Lauren Kanetzky, 11, is getting ready for four years from now when she can be the designated driver while attending Christmas parties. She is the daughter of Mike Kanetztky, president of Elk Electric. –cw

New home for Centex Mechanical

B

The new location opened in September and on Nov. 5, the community gathered for the official ribbon cutting.

astrop County’s Centex Mechanical had humble beginnings in Gene and Janice Rampy’s garage in Elgin. In 1997, they purchased a space in Bastrop and over the years remodeled and expanded as much as possible. As the popular HVAC company grew, however, it was becoming clear that the best option was to move into a larger facility.

That option became a reality when the Rampy’s and their staff opened in a new location with three times as much space.

“We’ve got all the room in the world now,” says Gene. “We had totally outgrown the other space and there was no place to park.”

From roughly 2,000 sf, the new location at 514 Old Austin Hwy. offers 7,200 sf.

They’ve doubled the amount of office space they had, going from four offices to eight, added a complete break room and kitchen and, importantly, enough parking for employees and customers.

Since they own the former location, Gene says they will rent it out.

Another huge advantage to the new location is the ability to grow the workforce.

“We have 15 employees now,” Gene says.

Many of their employees have been with the company for years, a testament to the Rampy’s family business culture.

And recently, their son, Chase Rampy, has joined the team as an install manager.

The site of the new location has been a mainstay in the Bastrop area for many years and came complete with a silo.

“We had an artist paint our phone number on the silo so you can see it from a pretty good distance,” Gene says.

The family has also grown recently, with Chase and his wife having their third child in November and the Rampy’s daughter, Jessica, having her first child in December.

“We are very blessed with the new building, the overall business and life in general,” Gene says. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Grow that workforce

Jim Sunvison, Sunvision Electric in Round Rock, addressing the Manor ISD electrical class. These students are just starting the pre-apprenticeship electrical course with Austin Community College. –cw

Submitted to Construction News

Ring of tools The Wilbros T&D Services office wreath contest had one rule: Employees had to make wreaths that reflected who they were. As a licensed master electrician in seven states, Mitchell “Strail” Tolbert, who is also owner of Electrician Testing in Austin, says he took the challenge to heart. Tolbert created a wreath from “everything an electrician uses daily.” Tolbert decked his wreath out with various wire nuts, electrical connectors, lock rings, plastic conduit bushings, washers, zip ties and many, many miniature LED light strings. –mjm