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Volume 14
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Number 5
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MAY 2017
History of metal
Always moving forward
Berger Iron Works has been in business for over a century and credits its knowledge of the industry for its longevity.
Eric Pace (left) owns Texas Industrial Air Services, LLC and is leaning on quality of work to stay competitive in a busy Houston marketplace.
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tarting in 1893, Berger Iron Works has seen three different centuries and has kept the lessons from day one to keep the wheels turning on the company. President Joe Rigano joined the company 40 years ago and vice president Gary Eckhardt has been there for 45 years, working their way up the ladder. “The main things are the continuity of management and hiring of people that hopefully will grow with the company and take care of the company,” Rigano said. “All of our management here cut our teeth and grew with the company.” After being in the same building
since approximately 1935, Berger moved its operations to a new location at 8107 West Little York Road in Houston in March 2016. “It’s a really nice, new facility, so hopefully, if we continue to do the right things Berger can be around for 120 more years,” Rigano said. Attention to detail is important in every aspect of construction, and Berger relies on that practice to ensure quality. “In our business and all construction, the simple things can become complex and the complex things can made simpler,” Rigano said. “It really has to do with a system that is put in place and continued on Page 13
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ince starting his company in 2001, Texas Industrial Air Services, LLC. (T.I.A.S) owner Eric Pace has kept his company competitive with quality of work and an evolving technological landscape. “Every year, something new is developing in the HVAC field. Technology is evolving and we must keep our team updated with the changes in our industry,” Pace said. “Our distributors help us stay updated by offering training classes that help refresh our knowledge in our field of work. “By staying updated with new developments in our field, we can educate our customers and make our best effort to understand and appreciate
the customer’s needs in every situation– helping them make the best decision on what works for them.” One of the new things that T.I.A.S. is doing are environmental rooms. The room’s temperature and humidity levels are controlled for medical and scientific research. Building an environmental room involves installing all lighting, refrigeration equipment, controls, piping and power outlets.” “The biggest change over the last five years is on the commercial and industrial side of our business,” Pace said. “We started installing environmental rooms for medical and scientific research, which has been huge for us.” continued on Page 13
Pearl in Pearland
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ith the manpower and ability to self perform, Questar Construction made sure that its recent project in Pearland, TX, was as good as it gets. In December, Questar completed a 30,000-sf warehouse and office building for West Texas Cooling Tower Fabrication and Supplies, Inc. The project features a 2,500-sf office space that reaches two levels. “It’s better for our customers because we’re able to be more competitive on pricing and it works out well,” project coordinator and sales manager Ron Riley said. The warehouse and office building was a ground-up project by Riley and the crew, taking five months to complete once the concrete was poured. Laying down the foundation was the hardest part of the project. “It was a single monolithic pour that
we started on at 1 o’clock in the morning and finished about 2 in the afternoon,” Riley said. “It was a lot of trucks. The soil out there is kind of like a grey gumbo. We had to dig out several feet and bring in the stabilized soil and material. Then we built our foundation pad on top of that.” The $2 million project went smoothly and quickly, allowing West Texas Cooling to move in to its new home in a timely manner. “It was a short job,” Riley said. “The client was ready to move in because they had to move out of their other location, so we got it done real quickly. We had some little finishing up stuff to do, that we completed in December. They started moving their stuff in at the beginning of November.” Questar had around 25 guys working on the project and only had to sub out a few portions of the scope of work. Questar Construction spent five months completing a warehouse and office space for West Texas Cooling Tower Fabrication and Supplies, Inc.
continued on Page 13
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
Houston Construction News • May 2017
BBQ bonanza
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he Associated General Contractors (AGC) Houston held its 26th Annual Barbecue Cook-Off on March 24 at the Sam Houston Race Park. More than 8,000 people attended the event with 38 teams going for the top prize in different events. Not only was good food on the table, but AGC Houston handed a $15,000 check to Camp Hope, an organization that provides interim housing for Wounded Warriors, veterans and their families suffering from combat-related PTSD. –cs
Winners Ralph Morton Spirit Award: Ezra Wilson, Tellepsen Overall Grand Champion: Site Tech Layout, LLC, Team 2 Reserve Champion: Pieper-Houston Electric Best Theme: 1st place: Buyers Barricades Best Hospitality: 1st place: Joslin Construction Chicken: 1st place: EyeSite Surveillance Inc. Ribs: 1st place: Pieper-Houston Electric Brisket: 1st place: Marton Roofing Bloody Mary: 1st place: Site Tech Layout, LLC, Team 2 Crawfish: 1st place: Peak Roofing Margaritas: 1st place: JE Dunn Construction Company Open Dish: 1st place: MLN Company Salsa: 1st place: Linbeck, Team 2, For a complete list of results, go to http://agchouston.org
Houston
CONSTRUCTION NEWS Houston Editor HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net 832-595-0091 Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.constructionnews.net
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
Defining true job costs for construction bids
Why are your commercial auto rates increasing?
Scott Allen, CPA, Tax and Consulting Partner Cornwell Jackson Plano, TX
Jeremy Sandusky, Partner MMA-Southwest Dallas, TX
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t the heart of a profitable construction company is an accurate bidding process. An accurate bid involves much more than expected materials or your subcontractor and labor costs. Other variables to consider are the weather, the subs (or GC), customer expectations and how you expect your competitors will bid. The more you factor in these variables across all bids, the closer you can get to a competitive that matches true costs.
rom ready-mix suppliers and aggregate haulers to contractors with large automobile or truck fleets, businesses nationwide are seeing profit margins narrow because of escalating commercial auto insurance rates. The bad news is that the trend has no signs of slowing, given the myriad factors that are driving up costs. The good news is that companies can take proactive measures to reduce losses and mitigate risk.
Construction companies can get very efficient at estimating the expected costs per job; however, they don’t always factor in “hidden” job-related costs in developing the bid: • Labor-related benefits • Fleet vehicles (owned or rented) and maintenance • Fuel • Small tools and other job consum- ables • General liability insurance • Safety program If these costs are not considered, the company is at risk for missing the expected job profit, particular- ly in longer-lived jobs.
The two primary factors driving auto losses are rising medical costs resulting from accidents, and an increased number of miles driven. Loss of Focus Distracted driving is having a severe impact on commercial auto lines. The number of gadgets beckoning for drivers’ attention means people are focusing less on the road, and more on the technology that surrounds them. In fact, during daylight hours, more than 660,000 drivers across the country are using a mobile phone or fiddling with an electronic device while driving, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As a result, eight people are killed and nearly 1,200 injured every day in the U.S. in crashes related to distracted driving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Not surprisingly, the number of distracted driving claims has skyrocketed, as well. Higher Repair Costs When an accident does occur, the cost of repairs puts additional pressure on insurance carriers, who pass on the expense to businesses in the form of higher premiums. Newer model cars, vans and trucks have more expensive parts, like rear-mounted cameras and side sensors. So, a small fender bender can end up costing thousands to repair. Add to that the impact of hail losses in Texas and other parts of the Southwest on these newer, more expensive vehicles, and the cost of claims becomes a significant problem for insurance carriers. In fact, the industry commercial auto combined ratio for Texas was 112.6 percent in 2015, more than five percentage points worse than the countrywide rate of 107.4 percent. Strategies to Reduce Losses Businesses that have drivers on the road can take proactive measures to help reduce the number and cost of claims and put downward pressure on rising commercial auto rates. The first line of defense is a good offense, which means hiring qualified drivers with a clean track record, and implementing a fleet safety program. Documenting the training requirements, maintenance schedules, mobile device use policy for drivers, and
Reducing job costs and increasing margins Identify the areas that have historically experienced cost overruns and develop incentive plans for the project management or field supervisory team to minimize costs. If bonuses are tied to the following key performance indicators, it can help to improve per job realization: • Cost-effective materials sourcing Efficient and timely use of labor • Waste reduction • Safety management • Early troubleshooting on budget or timeline concerns • Timely work in process updates • Quality standards (minor punch lists) If you have never instituted a specific accountability program for these KPIs, develop standards for two or three and incorporate them into the next round of new work. If there is already some level of accountability in place, audit the results and look for additional areas for improvement. When designing the incentive plan, it is important to keep parameters in place so that cost savings achieved do not come at higher costs in another category. For example, a labor savings incentive program may inadvertently incentivize the foreman to bypass safety protocols. An accident on the job will potentially result in long-term increased costs in worker’s compensation insurance (not to mention legal claims) that far outweigh the labor savings. Design the program so that any bonuses are not
paid until the warranty period has run in order to assure cost savings do not come at the cost of quality. Realization meetings can identify jobs that provided a healthy margin as well as jobs that lost money. By reviewing past performance, you can get a better sense of where bidding and costs were not aligned, the drivers for cost overruns and even whether a project type is still worth pursuing. For these meetings to be effective, you have to have accurate cost reporting. When looking at past jobs in which a company made or lost money, it’s a good exercise to understand exactly what drove the costs. Even though every company at some point has experienced a freak of nature, an accident or a materials shortage, there are usually more cost drivers that the company and its management can actually control. One of the other areas that a company can review — and this ties to a longer-term shift in the business strategy — is the type of job bid. Conditions change, and the jobs that used to be lucrative for a company can slowly whittle away margins due to higher competition, compliance issues or threadbare budgets. At the company I served, it was determined that K-12 school construction projects had experienced tightened margins, shortened project timelines and increased competition. Shifting the segment focus to junior college improvement projects, a market segment with less competition, helped the company to improve profit margins. Cornwell Jackson’s tax team can provide guidance on reigning in costs by reviewing your profit and loss statements, work in process and general accounting ledgers. Contact our team with your questions. Look for “Balancing Overhead, Budgeting and Risk to Increase Project Profits” in June’s Construction News. Scott Allen, CPA, joined Cornwell Jackson as a tax partner in 2016, bringing his expertise in the construction and oil and gas industries and 25 years of experience in the accounting field. As the partner in charge of the tax practice at Cornwell Jackson, Scott provides proactive tax planning and tax compliance to all Cornwell Jackson tax clients. Contact him at Scott.Allen@ cornwelljackson.com or 972-202-8032.
other safety program components provides a clear and objective reference resource and sets expectations for everyone involved. Likewise, companies need to hold drivers accountable for safety. When one MMA-Southwest client found he was continually dealing with auto losses, he started charging employees part of the deductible. After the drivers had to put up their own money to cover the cost of claims and repairs, his losses went way down. The business owner also implemented a zero-tolerance policy for drivers who had been with his company for less than three years. If a driver had an accident during this probationary period, they lost their job. In short, safety is a culture, and it starts at the top. That means continually communicating to drivers that safety is one of the most important things in your company, so they begin to take it seriously. Monitoring drivers with telematics can also help foster accountability. Tools like the Lytx Drivecam® video telematics safety program can help modifying driver behavior. For example, if the footage shows the driver’s tendency to continually slam on the breaks, he may not be paying attention while on the road—an issue that can be brought to the driver’s attention during a safety review. Similarly, telematics can help identify other risky practices, like speeding, cutting off other vehicles, and running stop signs, giving employers the opportunity to hold drivers to higher standards of safety. Drivecam footage of accidents can come in handy when filing a claim—including admitting responsibility and closing a claim quickly for accidents in which the company’s driver clearly was at fault. Most major commercial auto insurance carriers offer helpful materials to guide loss control efforts, including model fleet safety plans, driver selection tools, and vehicle accident kits. By taking proactive steps to improve driver selection and training and promote a culture of safety, businesses can minimize losses from auto claims, while doing their part to keep premiums down and make our nation’s roads safer.
Submitted to Construction News
Straight shooters
The Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Houston held its 12th annual Shotgun Invitational on Apr. 7 the Greater Houston Gun Club. L-R: Hunter Edmonds, Moore Supply Company, finished in second, Kevin Bickerstaff, Pipefitters Local 221, took first place and Eric Welfl, MLN Company, placed third in the Annie Oakley individual competition while Tellepsen Builders took first place in the team competition.–cs
Houston Construction News • May 2017
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Two days in College Station Making the most of early mediation R. Carson Fisk Andrews Myers P.C. Austin, Texas
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any dispute resolution clauses in construction contracts contain a requirement that the parties mediate prior to pursuing litigation or arbitration. Mediation, at its heart, is simply a facilitated negotiation, with the mediator helping all parties find consensus to resolve a dispute on their voluntarily agreed upon terms. A successful early mediation—before legal or arbitration proceedings have started—helps the parties save the time, money, and energy. Hence, early mediation is often contractually required. But success is never a foregone conclusion, and the parties should understand that successful early mediations often share a number of characteristics. Exchange information. Early mediations generally occur before there has been a formal exchange of information, such as through discovery in a lawsuit. That limits the knowledge the parties bring to mediation with respect to the others side’s position. A lack of information as mediation commences means more time is spent in mediation simply learning about the facts rather than focusing on resolution. Exchanging information beforehand can bypass this issue. Carefully select the mediator. Due diligence should be exercised when choosing a mediator to ensure that he or she is knowledgeable and qualified. There are a number of excellent mediators in the Texas market and beyond, but not all may be suitable for a construction-related dispute. Generally, websites are a useful source of information about potential mediators and objective criteria, such as board certification in construction law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, provide further insight as to a potential mediator’s qualifications. Similarly, mediators may have different styles (e.g., facilitative or evaluative) and practices (e.g., full-time mediator or actively practicing lawyer), each of which may be more appealing in certain settings. Provide information to the mediator Many mediators will request a mediation position memorandum from each of the parties prior to the mediation. The parties should take advantage of this opportunity to give the mediator some background and identify the settlement priorities for the respective party. At the very least, the mediator should be contacted in some manner so that such information can be conveyed. An informed mediator is able to more quickly focus on resolution rather than learning about the issues and background information. Be organized and prepared. Understanding the elements of claims and defenses is key to a successful
mediation, as is the ability of one party to show the other party that it can provide support for such claims and defense. Given the lack of or limited information provided in connection with an early mediation, organization and preparedness are of paramount importance. If a claim is comprised of several items, each item should be addressed and having a comprehensive damages model, supported by documentation, often proves useful. If the other party asks for certain information as the mediation progresses, one should readily be able to locate it. Being prepared also encompasses having an understanding of the party’s settlement goals heading into the mediation, and taking the time to prepare a draft settlement agreement in advance may prove to be immensely valuable. Be open-minded One of the major benefits of mediation is control of the outcome. When mediation occurs before the parties have had the benefit of full discovery, it may be more difficult to assess the likelihood of a positive or negative outcome. When decisions must be made with only partial information, considerations have to be made on factors other than simply the likelihood of prevailing or losing. Matters such as time saved, costs avoided, and relationships preserved should all be considered, and may be more easily considered in early mediation as the parties may not have become fully entrenched in their positions. Mediation is a valuable tool for parties in a dispute who wish to avoid the time-consuming, costly, and distracting aspects of formal proceedings. In general, the earlier mediation occurs the greater the benefit that can be achieved. However, to increase the chances of success, parties to an early mediation should give particular attention to the various tips discussed above. Success is never guaranteed, but these tips will undoubtedly aid the parties and make success more likely.
Submitted to Construction News
Chip of glass
The Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) hosted its annual golf tournament at Apr. 7 at the Houston National Golf Club. Nabco was first place net, while Tristar claimed first place gross. The event also featured lunch, prizes and gift bags for the competitors. –cs
The first day of TACA’s Short Course ended with a panel discussion relating to concrete truck safety and reducing rollovers within the industry. L-R: Paul Stalter, Cemex; Kerri Todd, Burnco Texas; Rick Welton and James Welch, Martin Marietta
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he Texas Aggregates and Concrete Association (TACA) hosted its 2017 Short Course Mar. 2-3 at Cavalry Court in College Station with 57 attendees from across the state. The two-day conference hosted several educational seminars and included a golf tournament at the Traditions Club, a sporting clay shoot at the Tonkaway Ranch, a mountain biking trip, a private winery tour, and a networking reception. On the first day, Gary Mullings, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, (NRMCA), spoke about workforce development in the ready-mixed concrete industry, and Rick Kolster, Peak Performance Group, got everyone thinking about generational changes and how they affect how business is done today. On the second day, Melissa Fitts, Westward Environmental, and Chris Pepper, Winstead PC, discussed recent changes to the Air Quality Standard Permit for Concrete Batch Plants. Also, John
Smart, Winstead PC, reviewed changes to laws affecting human resources, and Dr. Mark Dotzour, real estate economist and former chief economist of the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University, was the final speaker. –mh
Golf Winners 1st: Brad Bowman and Shaun Griffin, Allied Concrete; Doug Ulsh, Sika Corporation 2nd: Jack Langston, Quality Trucking; Shane Bass, Hanson Aggregates; Eric Reinhart, Trinity Lightweight; Brian Skomp, United Rentals 3rd: Rob Van Til, River Aggregates; Joey Biasatti, Austin Materials; Mike Bess, Vulcan Materials; Ryan Miley, Alleyton Resource
Sporting Clay Winners 1st: Joe Mathia, Martin Marietta 2nd: Jorge Hinojosa, Bexar Concrete Works I 3rd: Frank Koy, Koy Concrete
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
now you are writing the paychecks because you can see both sides? I do. My employees are the most important things in the company. They are the company, as far as I am concerned.
William Sanchez President Oxford Builders Inc.
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illiam Sanchez takes an employee-first approach with his company, Oxford Builders. Oxford specializes in doing jobs contractor do not think about until the time comes, and that niche has led to the company celebrating 20 years in business. Safety and being able to complete difficult jobs is the cornerstone for Oxford Builders. Sanchez has seen it all after working his way up through the ranks since he was 20 years old. What is your background and where did you grow up? I grew up in the Heights in Houston. I went to Reagan High School. I first got into construction at about 20. I joined the carpenters union and went through an apprenticeship program and worked my way up to a foreman, superintendent, project manager and a construction manager. When did you start Oxford Builders? In fact, this is our 20th anniversary that we’re going through right now. I started in 1996. What’s the first 20 year been like for you? Very, very difficult. It’s hard because I understood the work but I didn’t understand the business part of it. I think I finally have a grasp on it. What is the biggest hurdle on the business side? Collecting money. Just as far as getting payment on stuff? Yes. I do public work, and public work pays kind of slowly. So 100 days in not unreasonable. Surviving for 100 days without a payment was quite a task. I’ve always had my own employees, so every week, I pay payroll, payroll taxes and worker’s comp. What has been the biggest change in the industry since you began to right now? The biggest change has been that the labor prices are going up. Labor cost is going up. It didn’t change for about 15 years, and finally, in the last five years, there was all this pressure to pay more to the craftsman. That’s been a big, big difference. What is that like for you, someone who started off as a craftsman and
Where did you get the name of your company from? Well, I was running out of time and I really wanted to incorporate. I finally came up with Oxford. It’s known around the world, it is easy to say, you can say it in almost any language, it starts with an O, has an X and an F. I wanted it to be Oxford Construction but someone else already had that name and they didn’t want to trade with me. They were builders, if you could imagine that. What is the main service that you offer right now? You offer a lot of things, but what is your go-to? We are carpenters. We work with wood. Our niche is very, very small. We’re the least that our customers think about until it is our time. Whether that is doing roof blocking–we are the first ones on the building as soon as the deck gets tacked down. There’s no safety up there. We are all in harnesses and have lifelines. We put 2x materials on the steel angles around the tops of buildings. This is for the roofers to fasten to. We also do the same thing around windows, and that is also for the glazer to fasten to. In my niche, when I first started, no one was hanging doors. The reason I started this is because I was a project manager for a general contractor. At the end of my projects, I couldn’t find anyone to hang my doors. So, I said, “I can do that.” From there, I started my company. Little did I realize that no one knew how to hang a door. We’ve been training craftsmen ever since. We train at Oxford Builders. What does that training process look like? Is it mostly out in the field? There’s a lot of that, but we also have in-house training and seminars. We teach blueprint reading in house, We teach construction math in house. Of course, we do safety. Most of my guys are 10 hours, at least. All of the foremen are have 30 hours of OSHA training. We also have a program in the field that takes four years to become a journeyman. You start off as an apprentice but we don’t officially call them that because of the federal government, but we call them alphas and you make a certain amount of money. Then you go on to beta, gamma then delta. That takes four years. Every six months, you are getting raises until you reach journeymen’s pay. How big of a thing is safety for you guys? When did you decide to go big into safety? Almost from the beginning, but I did have a couple of foremen talk to me and realized how important it is. Now, safety at Oxford Builders is very, very important. The worst thing you can tell me is that someone got hurt. We take safety very seriously. We have had one full day of safety seminars, where I pay for the space, the instructor and the whole company to be there. We have had one full day and one half day this year on safety. Safety is very
important to me. We have weekly safety meeting where we go over safety. It’s not just a lecture; it’s a discussion. We go over topics and not only do we read the topic, we have antidotes about when similar things happened to us. Let’s say a holding a stake for someone while they use a sledgehammer. Stuff like that. Do the guys embrace it? Yes, they do. I feel really lucky in that. I feel like we’re someone of safest guys on the job. How many employees do you have working for you? Right now, about 60. What else is unique about Oxford Builders? We do unusual projects. If a general contractor comes across something that is unusual, they give me a call. We have built treehouses and we’ve built a fort–a real fort with logs and that kind of thing. We’ve built towers and we’ve have built birdhouses. Anything that that is unusually, they give me call. We are also known for using a wood called Ipe. We build decks between office buildings on campuses. We do lots of that. When did you discover you had this niche? It just happened because we train the carpenters and we train the workers so when a superintendent says, “Can you do that?” or “Can you build these stairs?” our answer is yes. That is how we started getting our reputation. Where do you see yourself going in the future? I want to get my company in the best shape ever in the next two years and sell it to my employees so they keep it going. That’s very important to me that I accomplish that. It will give them something to work for. You seem to very employee-friendly. Is that something from your background? Yes, I would say so. It is from my background and my personal feelings about other human beings. Are you married, and do you have kids? I’ve been married for 46 years and I have a son that is an attorney. Do they all live in Houston? Yes. He has his own law firm.
William Sanchez, President
A lot of kids want to grow up and be lawyers and doctors. What is like to have one? I give the blame, or whatever you want to call it, to my wife. When my son was 11, he told her that he didn’t want to work like me because I worked all the time and brought work home and was always at work. He didn’t want to work like me. He wanted a nice car and a nice house. She said, “Oh, you need to be lawyer.” And it stuck. I have been married for about three weeks. Do you have any advice for me? Compromise. Everything is a compromise. If you can’t compromise, you won’t stay married. Do you have a project that you’re really proud of that you just finished? I just finished one before the Super Bowl. It’s called the Houston Marquis Marriot Hotel–the new convention center hotel. We installed 4,000 doors on that hotel and we got a lot of pats on the back from our customers. What was the process like for you guys with it being such a big project and there being a pretty important deadline? There was a hard deadline, and it held most of our company there. There was like 25 people there to be able to do the job and get it done on time. Oxford Builders Inc. was founded in 1996 and is specialty contractor in the construction industry.–cs
Mother’s Day Sunday, May 14 Submitted to Construction News
No clay is safe
Over 240 members and supporters of Associated Builders (ABC) of Greater Houston participated in the annual Spring Clay Shoot on April 17. Marsh & McLennan Agency took first in A Class, while D.E. Harvey Builders, Inc. (pictured above) topped B Class and Cokinos | Young won C Class.–cs
Houston Construction News • May 2017
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receive a one-pound bonus for their efforts. Deductions were also implemented for those fish brought in dead.
ent approach. Weigh-ins consisting of limits of trout, reds, and flounder are part of the past and being replaced with three to four trout, a redfish or two and maybe a flounder. There are a few tournaments going even farther than that incorporating a live fish weigh-in to their venue. All the professional redfish tourneys are live weigh-in and several trout tournaments also have gone to this format.
Mr. & Mrs. Big Trout Tournament by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Diawa Reels, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, and AFTCO Clothing.
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ishing tournaments are becoming more popular than ever. Whether it’s freshwater or saltwater it seems like there is a tournament to fit every angler’s level of competitiveness. Redfish, Trout, Bass, offshore or inshore there is a tournament for you. With all the conservation concerns and limits on trophy fish being implemented, tournaments are taking a differ-
This tournament has gone even further than most other in the area, offering Scholarships to two students attending Texas A&M in Corpus Christi. One female and one male student majoring in Marine Biology at Texas A&M will receive a $6000 Scholarship to further their education. This year’s tournament will be held on May 5th and 6th at Doc’s Restaurant on Padre Island.
Doug Niznik and the folks at Niznik Concrete Company run one tournament that has become very popular in the construction community. Most of you are familiar with the Charity Fun Shoot benefiting the Downtown Youth Center that has been going on for over 20 years. Like the charity shoot, Doug started Mr. Big Trout tournament for a few close friends and business associates to cut loose and have fun at the coast. This year they will celebrated their 21st annual tournament.
Bobby displays his 27” redfish while Randy Wyatt looks on. Both were fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
The tournament which started at the Bird Island Hilton with eight or 10 boats has grown to 60 boats and 200 anglers. For the last 10 years or more they have implemented a live weigh-in procedure and a guided division for corporate groups wanting to entertain clients. The tournament format has always been conservation minded using artificial lures only and never weighing in more than a handful of fish per boat. Recently the tournament went even further only allowing one trout, one redfish and one flounder to be weighed-in per boat. The tournament has gotten so big, they have had to base it from the lower deck at Doc’s restaurant.
Location is very important when a live fish weigh-in is part of your venue, says Doug. You must have a place to release fish back into the bay system where they can recover and regain their senses quickly. The ICW or any deep water area that has plenty of tidal movement usually is best. Another key issue is handling these fish at the weigh-in. Experienced personal were brought in to manage the process making every effort not to stress the fish before their release. Fish are measured and weighed and then placed into a holding tank to be observed before they’re release. If the fish weighed were alive and healthy the team would
For more information visit the website at mrbigtrout.com This tournament is becoming the way of the future and I foresee many other groups going to this format. I still have several open dates for the 2017 season. Don’t wait until all the good dates are gone! To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or email him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@ gmail.com. Good luck and Good Fishing.
Submitted to Construction News
Have an Outdoor Story or Photo?
Easter break at the lake
Send to: HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net or call at 832-595-0091 Submitted to Construction News
Teach them young
Jamie Goad, Tejas Materials, enjoys her Easter weekend on Lake Livingston in Onalaska, TX with her two girls. Goad works at the Spring, TX location. –cs
George and Henry Veneralla, sons of Hudson Building Systems’ Avrien Veneralla, get an up-close and personal look at a rattlesnake killed by Avrien while on his turkey hunt on April 1 in Sonora, TX.–cs
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Houston Construction News • May 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
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Summer’s just about here!
rom what we are seeing here on Lake Buchanan, it looks like we are in for a great summer! After the extended drought brought low lake levels, we had several years for trees and undergrowth to take over the empty lake bed. It went from looking like a barren desert to an open plain choked with dense vegetation taking advantage of the rich silt and moisture. Now as the experts predicted, the drought – flood cycle is pretty much complete. The water has been back for over a year now and the smaller vegetation has had enough time to decay, leaving the willow trees still somewhat surviving and covering the decaying skeletons of groves of chinaberry, cottonwood and mesquite trees. The water chemistry has returned to that of a normal healthy lake. The food chain has been recharged by all the nutrients added to the water. The schools of shad are plentiful and spawning every chance they get, so that means that the fish have all they can eat! The bottom line is that well fed fish grow and reproduce like mad, and that is what we are beginning to see hanging on our fish hanging board at the dock! We are just getting the season started,
but the truth is that there were so many other fisheries across the state that have gone through the same terrible drought and have come back too. For the lakes that are still awaiting the right rainfall, don’t give up! When that rain does come, good things will follow! If you have wanted to get back to fishing, this might be the time. I know a lot of people quit fishing when they couldn’t find water at their favorite destinations. Well now is the time to get back on the water, because you don’t want to miss the kind of fishing we have coming up this year. If you are new to fishing, come on! This is the best time to learn about fishing, when the fish are biting well and are big enough to brag about! Hope to see you on the water!
Texas Air Products brought a group form 5F Mechanical out fishing and pulled our first big fish for the year.
and already seeing bigger fish coming in than in recent years. The theory is that we may have lost quite a few hybrid stripers to the floods of last summer. That may have balanced our striper and hybrid populations a little better in the striper’s favor. They don’t seem to have as much competition for the food supply now and we are seeing the results on the scales. Folks below Lake Buchanan will get to enjoy those hybrids too.
Thanks to all the structure in the water we saw the best crappie fishing year we have had in a long time too. They were running larger and more plentiful that anyone has seen in years. Our largemouth stringers are heavier and the blue catfish are always a nice reward for the trotline and jug line fishermen as they too continue to get larger each year since they were introduced. I know I refer to Lake Buchanan a lot,
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Submitted to Construction News
Wanna iguana?
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Construction News publishers Buddy and Reesa Doebbler embarked upon a cruise in the Caribbean at the end of March. While on Grand Cayman Island, Buddy found an iguana that likes to pose regularly with tourists as they pass by. It’s currently unclear whether or not the iguana was tapped to write a special Caribbean issue of the paper, but rumors abound at the CN office. –mh
vrien Veneralla, Hudson Building Systems Ltd., bagged two turkeys on opening day in Fredericksburg, TX and another one on April 4 in Sonora, TX. The pair of Rio Grande turkeys were shot with a Remington 870 and had 9 3/4 and 11-inch beards, respectively. The turkey in Sonora was also shot with Veneralla’s go-to turkey gun, the Remington 870, and sported a 10-inch beard. Veneralla is an avid turkey hunter and enjoys hunting deer and fishing, as well.–cs
Houston Construction News • May 2017
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Well-deserved R&R
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art Plumbing Southwest sent some of its employees to sporting events across the state to give them a chance to relax. Luis Gomez, a foreman, enjoyed America’s pastime at an Astros game during opening week. The company had plumbers from
Houston and Dallas get together for a weekend getaway to the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, TX, where they enjoyed a weekend of racing. Carlos Ponce, Billy Dudgeon, Jim Wheeler and Jimmy Norman had a weekend to remember for Hart.–cs
Fire sale
L-R: Impact Fire Services’ Houston branch general manager Brian Tague and president John “Buck” Taylor are making their mark throughout Texas and the country.
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fter get its start in Houston, Impact Fire Services has expanded across Texas and into other states. The company, while rather young, has been able to grow consistently with services and identifying other businesses that match what it does. “Texas was all internal, natural, organic growth,” president John “Buck” Taylor said. “Our other locations are organic, like the one in Salt Lake City. But a lot of them are acquisitions, as well– finding good companies to partner with that want to be part of our team. “It’s become a lot of fun. The entire company has a lot of good people involved. It’s a really great place to work.” Taylor is started Impact in 2009 with two other collogues, John Randolph and Steve Shaffer. “All of us had been in the industry for 20-plus years,” Taylor said. “It’s a very regulated market that is going to be here
Drywall for all
forever. Somebody has to do it.” Impact Fire has branches in Texas, Utah, Florida, New York and Nevada. “Just getting your name out there and getting it branded,” Taylor said. “You have to become a household name against some of the other bigger competitors. That was a challenge at first, but once you’re around a while and people know who you are, they start to believe and trust in your abilities.” Although it is growing, the backbone of taking care of its customers and being a do-it-all business remains the same. “We do everything,” Taylor said. “We are a one-stop shop for fire alarms, sprinklers, everything. We do installs, inspection and maintenance. “I don’t think we have one go-to service, but we’re a strong sprinkler operation. We are very strong in all markets across the board. There isn’t just one thing.”– cs
Memorial Day, May 29 A day to remember those who died in active military duty
Jim Smith owns Shear Hampton Drywall, which does commercial drywalling along with other services.
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fter moving from Fort Myers, Fla. to the Houston area in 2009, Jim Smith is getting a grasp on the Texas landscape. Smith owns Shear Hampton Drywall, LLC., a company the specializes in commercial drywall projects and does metal framing, axial loaded studs, stucco, insulation along with other services. “My favorite thing is the volume of work, and the people are salt to the Earth,” Smith said. In a competitive space, Smith says he needs to find the right kind of clients and relationships to keep his business growing. “The prices are low, just because there’s a lot work,” Smith said. Smith, whose business is located in Katy, believes that subcontractors in the in the state should be licensed. “I’m licensed in three states and have
written for publications,” Smith said. “I also have my MBA. It all helps but there are very few subcontractor organizations in the state of Texas. I understand it. I think subcontractors need to be licensed here and they’re not.” Going forward, Smith would like to see his relationships with companies in Houston grow. “I just want to establish my customer base better,” Smith said. “I want to do $4-5 million a year. “It comes over time, before but I want to do it with good customers. Customers that will partner with you on projects and pay well.” Shear Hampton does all commercial work and has 20 employees. Smith projects include shopping centers, retail spaces, schools, medical facilities and apartment complexes. –cs
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or many, Memorial Day means a day off of work, barbecue cookouts, family picnics, and community pools opening for the summer. But as we all know, the true meaning of Memorial Day is much more than an “opening day” for summer fun. It’s a calling to honor those courageous men and women who have served and given their lives for the causes of freedom, liberty, and peace. Memorial Day is a Federal declaration and is observed on the last Monday in May. At dawn on this day, flags are lowered to half mast on state and government buildings, and American flags are placed on gravesites at national cemeteries. At 3pm, traditional ceremonies include the sound of TAPS and the 21-Gun Salute. In Washington, DC each year, a Memorial Day Parade is held, as well as other parades throughout the country. Veterans Day, usually observed on Nov. 11, is many times confused with Memorial Day. This day is designated to thank the retired Veterans who have served in the armed services - the difference being they came home. Veterans were also willing to dedicate their lives in service to prepare and defend our nation when necessary. We remember those who didn’t come home on this Memorial Day and thank those Veterans on Veterans Day who were also willing to dedicate their lives in the protection of our nation and protection of our freedom and way of life. –rd
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
Aspiring to new heights
More than three decades
L to R: Jim Stevenson, McCarthy Houston Division President; Ray Sedey, McCarthy Texas Regional President; Scott Wittkop, McCarthy Corporate President and COO Front row: Letitia Barker, Haley-Greer, Inc., Shannon MacArthur, MEMCO, Nancy Cagle, Eye Site Surveillance, Inc., Brianna Wright, ASA-Houston Chapter, Ron LaRicci, Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd., Craig Peterson, Peterson Beckner Industries Inc., John Glaze, Fast Track Specialties, LP., Robert Abney, F.L. Crane and ASA National President. Back row: Jason Wroblewski, Haley-Greer, Inc., Bud Walters, Pieper Houston Electric, L.P., Phil Nevlud, MAREK.
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he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) hosted its annual conference, SubExcel, in Denver, CO on St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Mar. 15-18, with a theme of helping contractors reach their peak performance. To top off the events, ASA-Houston Chapter took home a fair share of hardware: Chapter of the Year and Executive Director the Year. Brianna Wright was the co-recipient of the Executive Director the Year award, along with Carol Floco of ASA of Arizona. Ten members, including Wright, of ASA-Houston attended the event. Those in attendance include board members and members of the Houston chapter. The four-day conference included several education sessions, such as
“Increasing Your Professional and Leadership Power to New Levels of Excellence,” “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Construction Clients,” and “Working Together: Effective Ways to Build Successful Teams.” “We were there for three days and had all sorts of education,” Wright said. “We had classes on technology, the future of construction and a political national lobbyist came in and talked came in talked about politics when trying to lobby in legislature.” Events included a welcome reception, expo, silent auction, ASA-PAC fundraiser, and awards ceremony banquet in the Rock Room at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. –mh
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cCarthy Building Companies Inc. is not only busy building in Texas, the company is also celebrating 35 years in the state. “After 35 years of building in Texas, it is amazing to see all that we have accomplished. McCarthy has risen to the top of the market because we tackle the most challenging projects, such as Dallas’ world-renowned, award-winning AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dee & Charles Wyly Theatre and Klyde Warren Park,” said Ray Sedey, McCarthy Texas region president. “Focused on bringing exceptional value to every project, McCarthy has continued to diversify its project base, adapting and growing within the industry to ensure we are building the highest quality projects for our clients.” McCarthy is currently building the new Southwest Airlines’ new training and office facility near Love Field, the Texas Children’s Hospital in Plano and DFW International Airport’s Terminal E Enhanced Parking Structure. “McCarthy’s willingness to tackle the
Teeing off
most complex projects, industry-leading construction techniques and overall commitment to doing what’s right are the foundational elements of what drives all of McCarthy’s divisions across the nation, including Texas.” An employee-owned company, McCarthy performs general contractor, construction management and design/ build services for the following project types: healthcare, laboratory, biotechnology, bridges and highways, parking structures, entertainment, educational, office buildings, water/wastewater, aviation, federal, port/marine, microelectronic, solar, industrial facilities, tenant interiors and mixed-use project construction “McCarthy’s 35-year legacy in Texas is defined by long-standing client relationships and a focus on the client experience, while recruiting and retaining top talent,” Sedey says. “We have made major strides in growing our business, focusing on both heavy civil and commercial projects, and we are prepared to take on the next 35 years and beyond. –bd
In memoriam
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he American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Houston Chapter held its annual golf tournament on April 7 at the Cypresswood Golf Club. Picking up first place was Milestone Metals (pictured above) while Pitman Construction placed second and Harris Rebar Nufab LLC claimed third.–cs
atrick Douglas O’Brien passed away Mar. 27. Born Jan. 27, 1935 in Gainesville, O’Brien graduated from Texas A&M University with a Civil Engineering degree in 1957. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army and afterward began an engineering and construction career, co-founding Rogers–O’Brien Construction Company with Steve Rogers in 1969. He was past president of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of North Texas and founding member of the Construction Education Foundation (CEF) and Jerry Junkins Scholarship Program. He is survived by wife of 54 years, Ginger, son Preston McAfee (Barbara), grandchildren Justin (Allison), Kyle, and Katie (Cullen Amend), five great-grandchildren, brother Mike O’Brien (Sharron) and nephew Pat O’Brien.
Memorial donations may be made to Prison Entrepreneur Program, c/o PEP, Attn: Donation P.O. Box 926274 Houston, TX 77292-6274, and/ or Baylor Health Care System Foundation in support of Pulmonary Initiatives, 3600 Gaston Avenue, Suite 100 Dallas, TX 75246. –cw
Houston Construction News • May 2017
THIS TH MON
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ConcreteIndustryay Industry Concrete
Blazing a trail in a now trending market Felipe Carstens, President Modern Day Concrete San Antonio, TX
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hat’s the most pressing issue for you working in the concrete industry today? I would say the most pressing issue for us, on the installer side, is making sure that our company and other companies out there are doing quality work. That’s [an issue] that we run into all the time. We are a certified company. It took so many years to get here. In construction, most of it is hard bids with schools, universities, and so forth. And a lot of times, you get people who are not qualified bidding a job or underbidding a job. We’ve been through certification and all the training, and we run into this a lot. We get underbid by somebody who is not really qualified to do a job. And I think a lot of the bigger companies here in town see the same thing happening. I’ve talked to a lot of business owners that are in the same line of work we’re in, and that’s something that has come up over and over again. But at the end of the day, long-term, I think if we just stay on the path we’re on, doing good work, being honest, doing things with integrity, we’re going to be just fine. We’ve been able to double, even triple in size, almost yearly. So, as long as we keep those core things going, I think we’re going to be okay. What has it been like in the business since concrete floors became the trend? When we started, there were very few [companies] in San Antonio that
could do polished concrete, so prices were higher. Now there are some that are unqualified that really go low, but there are also some good, qualified companies, so it’s much more competitive. The industry is booming and there’s a lot of demand. Talking about trends, polished concrete and epoxy coating, seamless floors – if you go downtown to any condo, it’s going to be stained concrete or polished concrete. That industrial look is everywhere. You go to any of the new HEBs, and they’re all polished concrete. You go to any new store, and you see [a seamless concrete floor]. There has been so much opportunity on that end that of course other people are going to jump into it. The market is there. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s what I did. I branched off another company that I was working for. I think it’s natural, as long as we keep our standards. We’ve been doing this for a while already, so we can’t get hung up on the little things. We have a bigger picture to look at. When it comes to competition, that’s how I look at it; we just have to worry about ourselves.
Shortages, higher cost in concrete labor and materials Denis Gee, Vice President Structure Tone Southwest
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hat are the “hot button” issues in the concrete industry? Labor and material shortages continue to be issues in our industry. Qualified concrete labor is spread so thin that it can be hard to maintain quality. We’re celebrating our 40th anniversary in business this year, and part of the reason we’ve been able to maintain that success is we’ve built really great relationships with our subs. We treat them very well and we request the best of the best from our partners so we know we’re building at the highest quality possible.
How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? It’s very busy in North Texas. We’re not quite at the peak we saw in 2007 before the economy dipped, but we are extremely busy. I don’t think the industry has the labor to return to the pre-2007 peak, but the demand certainly seems to be there. Have you experienced an increase in business? Slowdown?
An increase for sure. What’s driving
NEXT TH MON
that is the almost 400 people a day who are moving to the Dallas and North Texas area. That population growth quite literally affects almost all sectors, from housing, to office buildings, to restaurants and all the other services that people rely on. How has this increase affected your company and how you conduct business? We have been able to expand into new markets considerably. For decades, Structure Tone Southwest was known as a commercial interiors contractor. But in recent years, we have expanded to not only build out the interiors of all kinds of spaces – corporate, restaurants, retail, manufacturing, etc. – but also built a solid business in ground-up new construction as well. We recently even became a Certified Tilt-Up Company given how much new tilt-
JUNE 2017 HVAC & Plumbing
What measures do you take to try to keep costs down so you can be more competitive? It’s a list of things. We try to be as efficient as we can with our equipment. For example, better, bigger, newer machines are usually faster, and you get more production done at a time. Organization. For example, when we start a job, Albert [Goss, project manager], usually talks to the GC ahead of time. If it’s a big job, he’ll go in and plan up construction we have been doing. We continue to conduct our business the same way we have for 40 years – with our focus on our clients and our partners – but we’re able now to bring that business to many more avenues. What are the major changes in the concrete industry in recent years?
Dallas, TX
As for materials, the law of supply and demand is certainly at play. Combine the high demand with the labor challenge related to truck delivery drivers and the issue is compounded even further. We aren’t seeing this issue quite as much with cement as we are with aggregate and sand.
What other ways do you distinguish yourself when a trend is everywhere? There’s actually a few things. You want to focus on quality and customer service. We are very good at customer service. That’s one of the reasons why we’re still here. If we hadn’t done things a certain way, we wouldn’t be where we are today. After a job, we go in and take care of touch ups. Even though it’s not our fault, it’s still our floor. I think overall, the majority of our customers see that. I think people realize that: “Even though it wasn’t their fault, they still came back and took care of all the issues.” I think those little things that you have to do sometimes [bring customers] back, and I would say 80 percent of our business is repeat business. There are only so many general contractors out there. So if you have a bad name around town, you’re going to start getting pushed out. We’re here for the long run. We’re not going to do anything that’s not ethical or right. We try to be as efficient as possible. We try to get the best pricing as possible in order for us to transfer that to the customer and give a better value overall. That’s how you stay in business when it’s really competitive out there.
What I have seen is more a change in the real estate market that concrete specifically, but those changes are affecting concrete. We are seeing more and more of what used to be called “value office” buildings – now called Suburban Class “A” buildings. The traditional office building was all glass and steel, but now concrete tilt-wall options are supplanting that since they are more economical to build and maintain. Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting the concrete industry relating to transportation or the environment? In the past you could put a batch plant on site for a large job, but the laws have changed to no longer allow that. Now it takes so long to get a temporary batch plant permitted that it doesn’t make sense. We are back to buying concrete from readymix suppliers. A few concrete contractors have built their own batch plants but those plants aren’t mobile, so they still aren’t batching right on site. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces?
the whole thing out before we actually get in there. So when the crew gets in, they have a guideline to follow, and everything goes a lot smoother. Productivity, organization, the fact that we’re getting a lot of the materials from the manufacturer, which has cut our costs down significantly – if you start adding all those little percentages, at the end of the month, they add up to a big cost savings. We’re able to get a 5 or 6 percent return on that. All those things make us more efficient, and the more efficient we are, the better value we can give a customer, the more we can grow. What would you say about the future of the concrete industry? For decorative, I think stained concrete and polished concrete is going to be even stronger. It’s been growing tremendously in the last decade. I think urethane mortars and epoxies are going to replace any other form of flooring on the industrial side. I think from now on industrial kitchens, food processing plants, commercial kitchens, restrooms, hospitals – you will not see VCT tile. I think these systems – urethane and epoxies – are going to make up 90, 95 percent of what flooring is on these types of jobs. They have so many benefits. [They] make people’s work easier when they’re maintaining the property, clean rooms, and kitchens. Even though it’s grown so much, I really see it doubling or tripling in the next five to 10 years, and that’s why we’re pushing forward so much with what we’re doing. Established in 2011 by Felipe Carstens, Modern Day Concrete specializes in decorative and functional concrete. –mh The No. 1 challenge is finding qualified labor. We have been trying to combat that by sticking with our name-brand, qualified concrete subcontractors that know us and that we have built a terrific relationship with over the last four decades. But it’s tough – everyone wants to work with them. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? In the last year, we’ve seen concrete raw material prices go up 10percent and labor by 15-20 percent. What is on the horizon for your industry? Aside from continued labor and materials challenges, I see two main changes affecting how concrete is used: 1: The finishes that we’re putting on tilt walls is starting to change. There are more options now than ever before. The technology of the raw materials has improved so we can now put all kinds of new materials on the wall panels, like form liners or brick. We’re beginning a project soon that is using stained concrete tilt walls; you don’t see that very often. 2: Height limitations are being stretched. It’s not uncommon now to see a six-story tilt-up building. The industry has learned new techniques for building tilt walls and for bracing them. With offices in Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Structure Tone Southwest is one of only a handful of general contractors across the U.S. to become a Certified Tilt-Up Company. –mjm
If you would like to represent your company in your industry, call your Houston Editor for an Interview Houston Editor (832) 595-0091
Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry July: Electrical Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing Aug: Service Providers
Sep: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
Around the State
Savie businesswoman
Industry FOLKS Jimmy Whited Jr. Director of HMA/QC Austin Materials
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Grapevine’s Chamber of Commerce help owner Patti Allen celebrate the opening of Cabinet Savie.
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ast year, Patti Allen was Christmas shopping in historic downtown Grapevine when she couldn’t resist buying a little something for herself. That “little something” happened to be a space that would become the home of her new cabinetry, countertop and hardware business, Cabinet Savie. Located at 411 S. Main Street, Cabinet Savie offers 20/20 design, sales, delivery and installation services. The location also boasts a sleek showroom featuring vignettes and product samples, including Silestone quartz, Sensation Granite and Dekton. It’s a gift that Allen, who formerly worked for J&K Cabinetry, has wanted to give herself for a long time. “It was a very easy decision to make,” Allen says of starting her new venture. “My kids would tell you that I always had a dream of opening my own business. All of the experiences that I’ve had have brought me to today.” To help her in the business, Allen has
recruited office manager Shere Dyar and designer Tabitha Bray, who has six years of design experience. Bray says Allen’s decision to branch out on her own in a Grapevine location makes perfect sense. “She loves the downtown Grapevine area; she’s been a resident here for more than 30 years,” Bray says. “She’s been involved in cabinets and construction for quite a while.” Allen and her team hosted a ribbon cutting and open house for Cabinet Savie on Apr. 11, nearly two weeks after the business’ grand opening. On hand to congratulate them was the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce and Allen’s many construction connections that she has formed over the years. “All of the responses have been very positive,” Allen says with a smile. Cabinet Savie in Grapevine is a supplier and installer of cabinetry, countertops and hardware. –mjm
t Austin Materials, Jimmy Whited Jr. takes hot mix asphalt (HMA) and quality control (QC) very seriously, bringing lots of experience and certifications to the table. As an executive level manager, Whited oversees two different divisions, HMA and QC, for the entire company, including its four hot mix plants and two quarries, floating between the Austin and San Antonio areas. “Our director of QC, Jimmy Whited Jr., brings roughly 25 years of experience and is highly regarded as one of the most influential and knowledgeable professionals in the business,” says Joey Biasatti, the San Antonio regional manager for Austin Materials. Having grown up in Austin, Whited began his career in the industry right out of high school in 1995. He was with Ramming Paving Company for 10 years prior to its acquisition, and when he came back to the company years later, it was operating under its new name, Austin Materials. Before returning to the company, he spent two years as director at the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association where he helped members statewide and helped bridge the gap between TxDOT and the association’s contractor members. After working for an engineering firm in Austin, he started taking certification classes through the National
Family way
Powered up
L-R: Gary Allison, Patrick Klaerner, Estaban Fernandez and Michael Melton welcome everybody to stop in PowerHaus Equipment.
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lmost everybody that works at PowerHaus Equipment in San Marcos worked together at a recently closed lumberyard. Started in 2015 by Patrick Klaerner and Michael Melton, co-owners, the store carries Stihl and Echo equipment, as well as repairs any brand small engine. “We were all employed together at Tuttle Lumber,” Klaerner says. “Michael and I put some money together and we all put our talents together and opened PowerHaus Equipment when Tuttle closed.” Klaerner, who was born in Fredericksburg, came to San Marcos to attend Southwest Texas State University (now known as Texas State University) and graduated with a degree in Industrial Technology. He went to work for Tuttle Lumber and worked there for 35 years, starting as an estimator, doing some of the accounting and more. “I did about every job there was to do there,” he says.
Melton, from Gonzales, also moved to San Marcos to attend college, but went to work for Tuttle and ended up as manager of hardware until the business closed. “It’s like he was born to do it,” Klaerner said. “He’s a real hands-on guy.” He says PowerHaus Equipment brought the same customer service philosophy to the new company they had at the last one. “We have a long standing tradition of personal service,” he explains. “When you come into our shop, you will be greeted by an owner. We offer good, personal, local service. We are locally owned and operated.” When not working, Klaerner likes to do woodworking at home. Melton, who just got married a year ago, says he is an outdoor type person. “I love bicycling, rock climbing and anything to do outdoors,” he says. “When I’m not selling our tools, I’m outside using them.” –cw
Institute of Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). He also took state certification classes through the Texas Asphalt Pavement Association along with TxDOT. The classes were cosponsored, and he earned three certifications pertaining to hot mix, aggregates, and base-type materials. He also earned certification from the American Concrete Institute (ACI). “I kind of learned everything in the construction business from asphalt to concrete to soils to base, how to lay it, place it, construct it, test it,” says Whited. “And kind of fell in love with the business.” Today, at 40, Whited lives in Liberty Hills with his wife, Laura, and their three children. Son Layne is 17 years old, and daughters Miranda and Chambree are 15. Laura is the director for admissions and marketing for their church’s private school. Whited and his wife are very active in their church, both serving as ushers. They are also on the committee to help the upgrade its school and church. They also participate in the Austin Rodeo BBQ Cook-Off and enjoy going to their place on the Frio River with the family to camp and go tubing. –mh
L-R: D&M Enterprise owner José Negrete and one of his five sons, Martin Negrete
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o matter how busy José Negrete, owner of remodeling business D&M Enterprise, gets with remodeling projects around the Metroplex, he’ll never need to clone himself to tackle it all. He simply assigns the work to four of his five sons, who have all learned at their dad’s knee. One of José’s sons, Martin Negrete, recalls working as a child with his father when he was on job sites, where he was usually assigned a harmless task such as painting. Martin found that he liked it enough to join his dad full-time in the business when he turned 18. José’s other sons – José Jr., Ricardo and Serafin – enjoy helping Dad as well and mostly work on Dallas Independent School District projects. Time will tell if D&M Enterprise gains more recruits. José’s youngest son, age 15, is still in school and hopes to become an architect. José’s two daughters, however, have yet to be lured into
working with Dad. Interestingly, before José started in construction, not one member of his extended family had worked in the industry or could show him the ropes. José fell into the industry when he came to Texas from Seattle for a visit. Despite his lack of experience at the time, a construction company quickly hired him, and José became an official Texan and construction worker. He learned on the job, eventually building up enough experience to establish his own remodeling business. Thirty-five years later, José and his sons can be seen in North Texas commercial spaces laying down floors, putting up walls, and of course, Martin says, the harmless task of painting. “I like it,” Martin says with a shrug, laughing. General contractor D&M Enterprise in Mansfield specializes in commercial remodeling projects. –mjm
Houston Construction News • May 2017
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continued from Page 1 — History of metal adhered to and if the systems is followed, it works. “We are more adaptable than most. It really goes into meeting the client’s needs.” Having employees who have learned the company from the ground up has allowed Berger to fix problems and to come up with new ideas. “We have meetings where no one has the right answer but you get the right people in the same room and throw ideas at it, we come up with a solution with the knowledge we have,” Eckhardt said. “It has saved us many times.” Berger does 98 percent commercial work and the other 2 percent is large residential work with just under 50 employees on staff. While some of the technology has changed how Berger gets its blueprints and information, the ability to do the job still comes from knowing the job. “For us, when it gets to the shop, it’s not a whole lot different because we’re custom fabricators,” Rigano said. “It’s more of the artist with his equipment. In the drafting and engineering depart-
ment, the computer advances are huge differences. The sophistication there is much more advanced. However, it does present other issues. “I was talking to a golf pro yesterday, and we were talking about how kids today have a range finder and can tell you within a foot where the pin is located. But, they don’t have a feel for the game. It’s the same with us. We have the tools but we like to train our people from the basics so they understand what exactly they get out of the those tools instead of letting the tools do the work for them.” When it comes down to it, no matter what century the work is being done in, the goal remains the same: provide the best product for the client. “It’s not a whole lot different,” Rigano said. “The jobs are bigger, the projects are larger but it’s basically the same thing from when Gary and I came in 40 and 45 years ago. We have clients that have been around a long time…what I’d call the cream of the crop in construction in Houston. They get the jobs that hopefully require a company like ours.”–cs
Round-Up Brian Broussard, PE, joins planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) as its regional water resources manager. In this role, Broussard will serve as a technical advisor for LAN’s water and wastewater practice, assist with project pursuits, mentor the firm’s water and wastewater engineers, direct and coordinate production and operations, and provide quality assurance on projects. He will also help lead LAN’s Montgomery County office located in the heart of Conroe. –cw
Round-Up Submissions
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Family fire
continued from Page 1 — Always moving forward Pace and T.I.A.S. recently completed 11 environmental rooms at Texas A&M University. “We have intense testing guidelines for each room, and we are required to track data that goes on record to show the rooms are working as intended,” Pace said, “It’s important for the temperature and humidity level in each room to be balanced and controlled for medical and scientific research.” After being in the HVAC industry with his father for many years, Eric started T.I.A.S. in 2001 and found success within the first six months of business. “One day the phone rang, then we got busy. We’ve grown our business every year since,” Pace said. Nine year ago, T.I.A.S. teamed up with Aire Serv to expand its services. “Aire Serv has helped develop our company and bring new things to our
realm of work,” Pace said. “We specialize in residential duct cleanings and insulation, and we offer solar powered HVAC units. “The biggest hurdle in the residential realm is the homeowner’s associations. They require ‘approved solar’ which requires providing extensive information to get their blessing.” T.I.A.S. has 10 employees and splits between residential and commercial work almost even. As Houston and the surrounding areas continue to expand, Pace and his employees hope to be along for the ride. “As the Houston area continues to grow, we have increased opportunity in our field of work,” Pace said. “Marketing gets our foot in the door, but you must do things right once you get in the home or business. You must have integrity and honesty.”–cs
L-R: Andrew Lane, Pat Lane and Jody Lane finished second in the team competition at the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Clay Shoot on April 7 in Lumberton, TX. The first place team consisted of Mark Banks, Jefferson Electric, Allen Grainey, NECA, Joe Rooney, Wholesale Electric, Kit Bass, Newtron Beaumont LLC.–cs
Electric growth
continued from Page 1 — Pearl in Pearland
Prism Electric opened up in 2010 and expects to continue to grow as Houston grows.
Questar Construction finished up a 30,000-sf warehouse that includes an office space in Pearland, TX.
“We self performed a lot of the work,” Riley said. “We only subbed out our mechanicals, of course: the HVAC and electric. We did most of it the with our own crews.” Questar has a diverse portfolio, constructing different types of warehouses and buildings for particular uses. “We’re proud of all of our work and we did a really good job on that one,” Riley said. “It was a fun project. We’re really proud of it. “Before that project, we finished a warehouse for the United States Post Office, which was a huge storage facility and maintenance warehouse at their Aldine Westfield Facility. We worked on
the Typhoon Texas Waterpark, where we worked under KDW on that. We did all of their buildings inside the water park.” Questar is a third generation, familyowned business that has been ran by Patrick Johnson since 2006. Its services include general contracting, construction management and design build, along with other services. “We did all the interior build out and finishes,” Riley said. “We did a warehouse managers office upstairs just in the warehouse envelope, which was kind of cool. “It was a huge project but was one that we were able to facilitate and manage very effectively.–cs
F
or seven years, the Houston branch of Prism Electric has been growing by attaining good work and having good resources. But not it that order. “You can use a low price to get a job but if you don’t perform, you’re not going to do anymore work with those clients or general contractors,” Houston branch vice president Fred Haranda said. “Growth is based on your ability to do what you say you’re going to do. “We put our resources in front of our work. We look for good people and good resources. Then, we go find good work to keep them busy.” The corporate headquarters is in Dallas, and the company has six office locations. “Blake Combs, who is the sole proprietor and owner of company, started the company,” Haranda said. “We’ve grown, and this year, we’ll do $200 million.” The list of Prism’s projects is exten-
sive, including Hotel Zaza, High School for Visual and Performing Arts and Amazon facility in Katy, TX. “We’re a full service electrical contractor,” Haranda said. “We do everything from a one-hour service call to a $12-14 million construction projects.” Haranda says the branches’ success stems from the trust that trickled down from the Dallas office to him and branch president Gary Lumsden. “In Houston, we’re about a $40 million contractor,” he said. “Most of that is from Blake hiring us guys that were local industry people and allowing us to build through our local relationships. The corporate office is very supportive and allowed us to make our own roadmap to get to where we are at. “You have to solid checks and balances to make sure that the work is you’re chasing is healthy and have the resources to perform the work.–cs
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
What are three things you have to have to do your job?
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC
IEC
Associated Builders & Contractors
Independent Electrical Contractors
May 4: General Contractor’s Expo/ Crawfish Boil May 25: CMEF Graduation May 25: Geotechnical and Environmental Considerations for Design of Petrochemical, Industrial, Pipeline and Port Projects
AGC Associated General Contractors
May 4: Membership Mixer May 11: CLC Poker Tournament May 18: Spring Membership Orientation
AIA
May 1: MC PLCs May 4: Motor Controls Class – Level 1 May 12: Fishing tournament May 31: Wire Off
MCA Mechanical Contractors Association
May 5: Continuing Education for ACR Contractor License May 10: Mechanical Contractor Membership Meeting May 12: Continuing Education for Plumbing License
American Institute of Architects
NECA
May 4: UH Art & Architecture Tour May 6: Rice University Walking Tour May 13: Houston Heights Bicycle Tour May 18: Montrose Walking Tour May 20: Urban Art Tour: Downtown
National Electrical Contractor Assn.
May 5: Coastal Sabine Division Meeting May17-19: Future Leaders Conference May 22-24: Safety Professionals Conference May 25: Board of Directors Meeting
FPA
NAWIC
Foundation Performance Assoc.
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
May 10: Meeting: Segmental Retaining Walls
HAGA Houston Area Glass Association
May: 4th Annual Top Service Truck/ Trailer Show
May 9: Chapter Meeting at Maggiano’s
Experience, great support system and great clients. Gary Eckhardt and Joe Rigano, Berger Iron Works I think the most important thing is relationships. I have relationships with my clients. A loyal working group in the field and a group that takes pride in their work. And, of course, I have to have a very sharp office, which I do. William Sanchez, Oxford Builders Solid back office support, great qualified technicians and leaders, and cash. It’s really the team around you, whether it’s the operations team or the sales team or back office team. Those are the people that make it all happen. Buck Taylor, Impact Fire Services Our quality of manpower is first and foremost. We’re nothing without quality manpower. I think the second thing is that we need good partners and good customers. The third thing is corporate support that gives us the opportunity to have buying power and growth potential. Probably those things in that order. Fred Haranda, Prism Electric I guess in order for me to do my job, I need my team. I know I can’t do it alone. I need our team at the office and the team
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at the support center. We, obviously, need our vendors. We need our manufacutors because they are our partners in this. Without them, we wouldn’t have any products to sell. Also, we need customers because if we didn’t have customers, we wouldn’t have job. So, the Fortiline team, our vendors and manufacturers and our customers are the three things I need. Quinn Kupish, Fortiline Waterworks Knowledge of how our systems works. Physically capable of performing the task at hand. Great attitude even in the adversity of the day-to-day challenges. Jessica McGehee, Texas Industrial Air Services, LLC. Technology wise, I need my computer to type of stores, my phone to reach out to companies and my recorder to record the interviews. Beyond that, I need a great group of coworkers to bounce ideas off of, businesses with great stories to tell and water to stay hydrated. Chris Schoonover, Construction News I need knowledge of the services we provide. I need technology, computer and phone, to be able to do my job. I also need customers with a need to make money. Jon Miller, Virtual Builders Exchange
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Houston Construction News • May 2017
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Houston Construction News • May 2017