Houston Construction News June 2017

Covering the Industry’s News

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Volume 14

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Number 6

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JUNE 2017

Story in stone

Keeping up with the times

L-R: Victoria Lara, Joel Reyna, Veronica Reyna and Irma Reyna own and operate Impact Stone Design, which has overcome many ups and downs in its 28 years in business.

Olshan Foundation Repair has been around for over 80 years and specializes in commercial and residential work in the Houston area and across the country.

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ictoria Lara joined her family business in 2009 as it was struggling through a recession. Instead of just plugging away with day-to-day tasks, Lara decided to take it upon herself to bring the company to a new height.

Through countless hours of training, education and networking, Lara has helped propel Impact Stone Design to a flourishing business.

Irma and Joel Reyna, Lara’s father, started Impact in 1989, and after 12 years, the business took a big step back after an employee hurt the business.

“Little by little, things became stagnant and money was disappearing,” Lara said. “They ended up finding out that their most trusted salesman was

embezzling. That’s when they realized why the business wasn’t growing. The salesman left, and they were pretty much left to start from scratch, because at that point, he took employees, instead of money and on-going projects. My parents were in a warehouse and were forced to go back to the small warehouse outside of our home to pretty much start over.”

Eight years ago, Lara talked to her father about joining the business as it was struggling through the recession and started taking classes to become a valuable member of the team.

“I ended up coming into the business and starting from scratch,” Lara said. “I

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aving been around since 1933, Olshan Foundation Repair has seen just about every problem a foundation can encounter. Olshan knows new problems will keep arising, prompting the company to invest in technology and methods to keep foundations secure.

“Even through today, we’re looking for new solutions and technology for the property and homeowners,” vice president of CL Support Services Susan Bryan said. “We are blessed with good people who have been with us long term and have that institutional know-how that just combines with our experience across the board to find better ways to do

continued on Page 13

things. It keeps us at the top of our game.”

Olshan started as a lumber, demolition and foundation company when Emmanuel Olshan founded the company. Now specializing in foundation repair, the company has added services based on the needs of the customers.

“Everything we do is foundation related,” Bryan said. “We’ll do a lot drainage, repairs and anything to make the foundation perform better.

“We try to be a group of people that continually learn and get better. In our industry, with a group of experts and engineers we work with, it’s all about finding better ways to keep people’s continued on Page 13

Half and half

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C Constructors recently finished up a project that followed specific instructions but included small personal touches.

MC Constructors completed a 4,200 sf retail and medical office at 7991 South Dairy Ashford. Exactly 51 percent of the building is for the doctor’s office while the other 49 percent is empty retail space up for rent.

“We did the development and all of that,” Mateo Castano said. “We do everything. We go from underground plumbing to the dirt on top, to the concrete, to the roof. We also did the interior build out of his medical center.

“We have guys that do custom millwork, so it was all custom made. We did custom millwork and granite. In the front reception area, we did the big, bay style windows. We put a custom stonewall where the doctor has his logo on it. We put specimen boxes in the restrooms. We also put a speaker system

MC Constructors recently finished up a 4,200-sf medical office and retail center.

throughout the office to be used as a PA or to play music through. They’re all individually controlled for each room.”

The project began as an empty lot in August 2016 and was completed on April 11, costing $1.6 million.

“It’s pretty detailed,” Castano said.

“We offered him stained concrete but he wanted tile. The tile was 9 inches by 18 inches, so it’s a very awkward measurement. Cuts were difficult. Details like that are very important when it comes to commercial builds.”

Castano has been a project manager at MC Constructors for four years and is the son of the owner, Mauricio Castano.

Mauricio likes to put his own stamp on each of the projects, and this one was no different.

“The ceiling on the porches on this commercial building isn’t regular stucco or particle board,” Mateo said of his father’s work. “He actually put tongue continued on Page 13

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Houston Construction News • June 2017

Creating a winning social media strategy

Michael Klasno, Media Specialist & Web SEO

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very business looking to achieve success through social media needs to have a well written social media strategy designed to reach their customers and get the desired result. Just as social media channels are not equal in scope, demographics and reach, all social media channels might not be right for your company goals.

Your social media strategy needs to be market specific just for your company. What works for a big box competitor with a large advertising budget and huge staff may not work or be practical for your market. Your custom social media strategy should contain everything from your goals, your target audience, and what that audience wants or needs. Then you can decide which social media channels can be utilized to best reach your customers.

Everyone from the business owner, to in-house staff, to your hired gun Social Media Specialist must be involved in setting the goals and building your branded social media strategy.

Setting attainable, measurable goals is an important component to a good social media strategy. These will

help you achieve the results you are looking for. Set measurable goals like getting more sales, customer leads, website traffic, and building credibility and expanding the brand image. Likes, followers and retweets should be a much smaller component of every business’ main goal. Making a profit! A strong ROI can be achieved by leveraging social media to build online credibility. If your brand is credible and trustworthy ‘Likes’, followers and retweets will happen organically.

For best results, begin with only two or three goals. Having too many goals can affect your focus. Once you have a list of goals it’s important to figure out your target audience.

The basis of every marketing strategy is the target audience. You need to know four things about your audience; who they are, what they want, how to reach them, how to please them. If you can’t please them and give them what they want, they won’t interact with your social media updates, buy your products or give way to forming any relationship with you.

Knowing who your target audiences are and what they want will help you choose the right social media, create relevant content, and write the perfect social media updates.

You want to choose social media channels that are frequented by your target audience. Looking at social media demographics can help you with this. For instance, if you find that most of your audience are baby boomers and senior citizens, then the right social media to use might be Facebook since 45% of internet users age 65 or older now use Facebook.

As stated, start out with only a few relevant social media platforms. Remember that having more than 3 or 4 social media accounts means more work (and

cost) for your in-house team or the hired specialist. I suggest you do a simple social media audit to inspect your current social media activities to determine where you are, what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

If you have been using social media for a while, you already have analytic available to compare. Begin by analyzing everything from what you have posted, what types of posts worked best, what posting time was most effective, who are your key industry influencers, etc.

If you are new to social media I suggest you look at pages owned by your competitors to see how well their social media performance compares to the industry standard.

You can use the results you get from this audit to continue doing more of the effective things and to tweak or discard the ineffective. If you don’t have any business social accounts on which to perform an audit, the best option may be to start by contacting a Social Media SEO Specialist.

Prepare a content strategy that includes everything: blog posts, white papers, well written social media updates, photos, quotes, videos, etc. The first thing

you must remember while creating your social media strategy is that every social media platform is different; what works on one network might not work on another.

That ‘Donut’ image by Social Rank is a fun reminder that each social media site comes at content from a different perspective.

Share different things on different social media and craft unique updates for each. Use the data you collect from your audit and other analyses to see what your audience wants and give it to them.

Your content strategy should be based on your goals, your audience, the social media you are using, what has worked for you in the past and what is working for your competitors. You want to use all this together to help you achieve your desired results.

Make sure you have a company blog where you create and provide fresh original content as well as industry wide news and announcements.

Providing free quality content can be a great way to build trust and with trust comes credibility. Remember, people on social media don’t want a sales pitch, they want to be engaged and there’s no better way to do this than with content.

Make sure you create fresh content, mix in a little from other sources and have a proper promotion plan to expose it to as many readers as possible.

In conclusion, social media success takes time. It doesn’t happen instantly.

You might notice some positive changes at the beginning, especially if you take the right steps by collecting data and giving your audience what they want instead of assuming. But achieving the goals you have set can take 3 to 6 months.

Plan accordingly and be patient.

Article provided by Michael Klasno Search Engine Optimization & Social Media Specialist in Southeast Texas. –cmw

Houston Construction News • June 2017

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Crawfish celebration

An organic evolution

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ore than 500 people attended the General Contractors Expo and Crawfish Boil, hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors (AGC) Great Houston.

The event featured all-you-can-eat crawfish and live music.–cs

The Houston team of Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing is celebrating the company’s 35 years in business as well as recently becoming part of IBP.

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elebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing has evolved and grown throughout its history, and in January, the company saw its latest big change when Alpha became part of the Installed Building Products (IBP) family.

Alpha’s new parent company is publicly traded with more than 140 locations nationwide, primarily focusing on the residential market. Alpha will continue to focus primarily on the commercial market with founder Vic Verma continuing to serve as its CEO and partner Henry Schmueckle continuing to serve as president.

“Our owners went to great efforts to make sure we were a fit for each other before finalizing the deal,” explains Greg Wiatrek, director of sales/estimating, who handles Alpha’s business develop-

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ment. “As we went through the transition, Henry and Vic ensured that Alpha and all the employees that have been part of this great company for 35 years would continue to be taken care of. The only thing we have been asked to do is to continue to grow.”

Since Verma established Alpha in San Antonio in 1982 as an insulation company, Alpha has grown steadily and organically, opening offices where their clients and work give them roots. In 1986, Verma’s friends, and clients, at Marek Brothers urged him to open a branch in Atlanta. By 1989, operations in that office had grown so much that corporate functions moved to Atlanta. In 1988, Schmueckle was hired to run operations, introduced waterproofing to the business, and became a partner 10 years later.

Alpha went on to open offices in Dallas; Charlotte, NC; Austin; Houston; Orlando, FL; Nashville, TN; Miami, FL; and this year, Tulsa, OK. The Houston office opened in 2003 and has worked on many projects including the Marriott Marquis, home of the most recent Super Bowl, and Houston Intercontinental.

Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing also does fireproofing, firestopping, and most Division 7 services, except roofing, metal panels, and EIFS. –mh

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Burrito building

Wyatt Management is close to finishing up a Chipotle at 6615 N. Grand Parkway in Spring, TX. The project in Spring is one of three Chipotles that Wyatt is working on in Texas, with the others in Bedford and Plano.–cs

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Houston Construction News • June 2017

Balancing overhead, budgeting and risk to increase project profits Scott Allen, CPA, Tax and Consulting Partner Cornwell Jackson Plano, TX

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onstruction companies experience unique accounting structures due to expenses driving revenue as projects move through various stages of completion. By managing a variety of costs, such as overhead, budgeting, and talent, owners and project managers can improve cash flow and bid smarter on fixed price contracts.

Overhead and Budgeting While profits (or lack thereof) are directly driven by job costs, don’t forget to factor in overhead: • Office payroll and benefits • Building rent or mortgage • Utilities • Internet • Insurance • Marketing • Equipment and supplies • Professional services • Professional dues • Meals and lodging • Shipping and postage • Cell plans

Every dollar of overhead reduces your ability to compete and bleeds money from profit margins. Make the time and effort to examine every overhead line item on the profit and loss statement. Look for opportunities to reduce overhead. If it has been 2-3 years since you last shopped the item, whether it is property and casualty insurance, a cell phone plan or your electrical provider, do so. You may be surprised at the amount of cost you can drive out of your overhead.

Finally, make the time and effort to develop a comprehensive budget incorporating your understanding of your job cost drivers, your targeted sales numbers and your refined overhead. Develop the discipline to compare your actual performance to the budget on a monthly basis, if for no other reason than to refine your understanding as to the cost drivers within your business.

Talent and risk This brings me to your pool of talent. FMI Quarterly noted in a 2016 survey of construction firm owners that lack of experienced field supervision and project schedules posed some of the top risks to their bottom line. This points to the critical role that the right talent plays in a company’s success. And, as we know, skilled talent is very hard to come by in this field.

Traditionally, many construction companies have had a busy season and a slow season in which workers are furloughed and start collecting unemployment. PostRecession, companies have downsized their primary workforce and brought on temporary labor through staffing agencies as needed. Others have changed their business model to eliminate the slow season

and keep employees busy year-round.

Whichever hiring and retention option you choose, the main idea is to right size your workforce and make sure you are hiring the right people in the first place. A temp-to-hire option through a staffing agency can reduce the risk of hiring the wrong person who costs money in training and time but ends up quitting a few weeks or months later. The more you can stabilize and train a strong pool of talent, the less likely you are to outlay unemployment, worker’s compensation or other employee costs.

Stay disciplined Over the past decade, the construction industry has seen even the biggest and longest-running construction companies fail. A regular study of contractors by risk management consultancy FMI concluded that getting too much work, too fast, with inadequate resources led to inadequate capitalization. Often, the hubris within leadership led to the company’s downfall, assuming they were too big to fail. Imagine the risks, then, to a small operation.

A dedicated CPA can perform an analysis of past jobs and predict the likelihood of profitability on future jobs. If your company is regularly averaging a negative margin, for example, it won’t be long before your company risks its bonding capacity — or worse — is headed toward bankruptcy. Before taking that risk, get to the bottom of your true costs so your company can thrive in a competitive fixed-price environment.

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.

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. Download the Whitepaper: The Real Cost Savings to Look For in a Fixed Price Environment on CornwellJackson.com

What is an Onerous Bond form?

Donnie Doan, Director of Surety/SW Region Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Dallas, TX

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bond form to be wary of is the notorious Onerous Bond. When a bond is determined to be extremely one sided or unfair to the principal or surety, the industry catch word is ONEROUS. Of course what is considered onerous by one party, such as the company being asked to write it, is often seen as perfectly legitimate by another, such as the entity requiring the bond. To make it even more frustrating, some sureties agree to write forms that others will not and vice versa.

Total conformity is rarely found. But even if your surety agrees to write a form deemed onerous for some reason do you really want them to? After all YOU are the first and last line of defense!

the Bond amount shall automatically be increased by any Change Order, but a Change Order which reduces the Contract price does not decrease the Bond amount.

What Are Some Elements That Make A Bond Onerous?

Here are a few pointers: First, watch out for key terms or phrases that make it easier to invoke liability or vary the burden of proof. A prime example of this is the following wording commonly found in some bond forms,

“The Surety further agrees that in the event of a breach of the Subcontract on the part of the Principal…as determined in the sole discretion of the Contractor…”.

There are at least two danger points in this clause. It only states “in the event of a breach,” but the extent of a breach can vary greatly and not every breach is material enough in nature to justify a default termination. This would potentially allow the obligee under the bond to recover from the surety what it could not from the principal to the contract. And this is all determined, “in the sole discretion of the Contractor (Obligee),” does that sound risky to you?

Does This Make You Angry?

If not, try the following; “If effective action to correct the noncompliance is not taken within seven (7) days of the giving of notice to Surety, then this bond shall be payable to Owner on demand.”

This clause severely limits the available options and makes it impossible for the surety to defend or even develop an initial response to the claim.

“Immediately Pay,” “Without Contest,” “Waiving All Defenses!”

Another example taken from an often used form says, “the Surety will upon presentation of bills by Contractor, immediately pay the same without contest, waiving all defenses which the Surety may have as Surety or which the Principal may have under the Subcontract…”. This probably sounds crazy to you but it is used by several North Texas contractors.

Some Bond Forms Increase The Surety’s Liability

Some City of Dallas bond forms bind the principal and surety to the City of Dallas for 110% of the contract price to cover additional court expenses, attorney’s fees, etc. The same form also states that

So, What Is The Moral Of The Story? You Must READ THE BOND FORM

These are only a few of the onerous bond forms being used today. You must read the bond form, or better yet, ask your MHBT Bond Account Manager to review them. Be prepared to negotiate the language in the form or use alternative bond forms if the assumed risk is not acceptable to you or your surety company.

Always remember that you are the ultimate guarantor when a bond claim is made. The surety may pay, but they will be knocking on your door shortly.

It is important that you do your contract and bond review early in the bidding process. Many jobs now require that modifications or changes be presented as a condition of the bid or negotiation process. If issues with the contract or bond forms are not addressed in a timely manner, your bid could be deemed nonresponsive and thrown out, or you could lose your ability to negotiate the terms or forms when it comes time to sign the contract.

MHBT serves clients from our headquarters in Dallas, Texas with branch operations in Austin, Fort Worth, Lubbock and Midland.

Houston Construction News • June 2017

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Important revisions to the 2017 AIA owner/contractor agreements Andrew Harris, Attorney Andrews Myers, P.C. Austin, TX

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very ten years the American Institute of Architects (AIA) revises its construction agreement templates. The AIA documents are widely used throughout the construction industry and while many parties amend the templates to address specific issues and/or projects, parties frequently utilize the standard language as the starting point for negotiating the modified terms of their agreement. This document addresses a few noteworthy revisions to some of the most commonly used AIA documents.

The following changes are contained in the updated A101—2017 Stipulated Sum Contract and the A102—2017 Cost Plus Fee with Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract.

• Date of Commencement and Substantial Completion: The revised AIA forms provide a “check the box” option for both the date of commencement and the date of substantial completion. For the date of commencement, the parties may select: the date of the Agreement, the date designated in Owner’s notice to proceed, or a mutually agreed date. For the date of substantial completion, the parties may select a specified date or designate the number of days from the date of commencement.

• Liquidated Damages/Incentives: The revised AIA forms now contain blanks that the parties can fill in to account for liquidated damages and for bonuses/ incentives (presumably for early completion) in the contract’s total sum.

• Retainage: The revised AIA forms contain a more detailed retainage provision, including a default assumption that retainage will be withheld.

• Termination for Convenience: The revised AIA forms still allow the Owner to terminate the contract for convenience.

However, the new version anticipates a termination for convenience fee payable to the Contractor. The parties may negotiate the amount of the termination for convenience fee and include it in this section.

• Insurance and Bonds: The revised AIA forms now include a separate exhibit to allow the parties to more specifically detail the project’s bonding and insurance requirements. The insurance exhibit is a large departure from the previous AIA documents and the changes too numerous to mention in this article. However, a contracting party should review the new exhibit in detail with its insurance carrier prior to executing the contract.

The following changes are contained in the updated A201—2017 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction.

• Written Notice/Electronic Notice: The revised A201 adds electronic transmission as a method of providing all contractual notices—except for notices of claims, which must still be served only by courier or by certified or registered mail.

• Contractor Indemnifies Against Lien: The revised A201 includes a new provision in which the Contractor agrees to indemnify and defend the Owner against any downstream liens or claims, provided that the Owner has properly paid the Contractor.

• Choice of Law: Like past versions, the revised A201 requires that the contract be governed by the law in the jurisdiction where the project is located. The updated A201 goes further and specifically excludes that jurisdiction’s choice of law rules.

• Minor Changes in Work: The revised A201 allows the Architect to order minor changes in work and if the Contractor believes the minor change will impact the contract sum or time, the Contractor shall not proceed with the work and must notify the Architect. If the Contractor proceeds without notifying the Architect prior to commencing work, Contractor waives any right to modify the contract sum or time.

• Arbitration: The revised A201 requires that arbitration be conducted in the place where the project is located, unless the parties agree otherwise.

These changes, like any other contract provisions, can be further modified or amended by the parties. However, contractors and owners should review the updated 2017 AIA documents to determine how these revisions may impact future negotiations.

About the Author: Andrew Harris focuses on advocating for general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and owners on a variety of construction–related issues such as litigation, arbitration, and contract negotiations. Mr. Harris is an attorney in the Austin office of Andrews Myers, P.C. and can be reached at aharris@andrewsmyers.com or https://www.andrewsmyers.com.

Submitted to Construction News

All the way up

McCarthy Building Companies Inc. celebrating topping out of the new Kinder High School for Performing Arts. More than 300 people, McCarthy’s team, subcontractors, the project architect along with other important contributors, attended the event on the fourth floor.–cs

Lightning safety when working outdoors Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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ightning is a dangerous natural force. Annually in the United States, cloud-to-ground lightning occurs 20 to 25 million times and over 300 people are struck by lightning. During the past 30 years, about 50 people, on average, have been killed by lightning strikes every year, and many more suffer permanent disabilities.

Lightning is unpredictable and can in the vehicle for at least 30 minutes after strike outside the heaviest rainfall areas or hearing the last sound of thunder. even up to 10 miles from any rainfall. Many Phone Safety: After hearing thunder, lightning victims are caught outside during do not use corded phones, except in an a storm because they did not act promptly emergency. Cell phones and cordless to get to a safe place, or they go back out- phones may be used safely. side too soon after a storm has passed. If • Stay away from all metal objects, signs of approaching thunderstorms occur, equipment, and surfaces that can conduct workers should not begin any task they electricity. cannot quickly stop. Proper planning and • Do not shelter in sheds, pavilions, safe practices can easily increase lightning tents, or covered porches as they do not safety when working outdoors. provide adequate protection from light When thunder roars, go indoors! If ning. you hear thunder, even a distant rumble, • Seek fully-enclosed, substantial get to a safe place immediately. Thunder- buildings with wiring and plumbing. In storms always include lightning. modern buildings, the interior wiring and

Check NOAA Weather Reports: Prior plumbing will act as an earth ground. A to beginning any outdoor work, employers building is a safe shelter as long as you are and supervisors should check NOAA not in contact with anything that can conweather reports (weather.gov) and radio duct electricity (e.g., electrical equipment forecasts for all weather hazards. or cords, plumbing fixtures, corded

Seek Shelter in Buildings: Employers phones). Do not lean against concrete and supervisors should know and tell work- walls or floors (which may have metal bars ers which buildings to go to after hearing inside). thunder or seeing lightning. NOAA recom- • Avoid isolated tall trees, hilltops, utilmends seeking out fully enclosed buildings ity poles, cell phone towers, cranes, large with electrical wiring and plumbing. Re- equipment, ladders, scaffolding, or roofmain in the shelter for at least 30 minutes tops. Avoid open areas, such as fields. Nevafter hearing the last sound of thunder. er lie flat on the ground. Avoid water, and Vehicles as Shelter: If safe building immediately get out of and away from structures are not accessible, employers bodies of water (e.g., pools, lakes).

should guide workers to hard-topped met- natarajan.joann@dol.gov al vehicles with rolled up windows. Remain 512-374-0271 x232

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Houston Construction News • June 2017

really started talking about passing it down to them. We really wanted to be successful so we could pass it down to them, if they wanted to stay within the company.

What do you do with the company now?

Ray: I’m the CEO and I come in every day for about five or six hours to do things here-and-there. I helped Mark and Joey with my expertise and experience in the business.

Ray Daigle, Jr. CEO

Mark Daigle President

Joey Daigle Vice President Fireproof Contractors Inc.

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ay Daigle, Jr. started Fireproof Contractors Inc. with his partner, Carl Messana, over 20 years ago. Ray recently passed down the business to his two sons, Mark and Joey.

Mark and Joey grew up in the company and have their chance to continue the successful business that their father started.

How did you get into the business?

Ray: I started in the insulation business in Atlanta, GA in 1972. I worked my way up and became a supervisor. I went down to Florida and managed an office down there for a while until the decline in Florida in the late 70s got us. I’m originally from Houston, and I came back to work with a business called Building Specialties. I was with them off and on for 12 years. Then I went to work for a company called Spray On Systems, which we eventually bought to form this company.

What has been the biggest change in the business since you started in 1991?

Ray: One of the biggest differences is the automation of the process. You used to have to go to a plan room or a customer’s office to give them an estimate. Now everything comes to you digitially.

Mark, when did you get involved in the business?

Mark: In 1995 when I was 14 years old.

Every summer and Christmas since then, I worked in the field, up until 2003 when I graduated and came to work full time.

What was it like getting involved in a business that young?

Mark: We all had jobs at young ages.

We were taught responsibility. We refereed soccer games and basketball games to make some money on the weekends until we got old enough to come to work. For us, it was just a job at the point. The more I got involved in the construction side of things, I started to really enjoyed it.

Joey, when did you get involved?

Joey: I’ve been working summers since I was 14. I was working in the warehouse and doing anything I could to help. I rode around in the trucks and helped dad out. I helped on some fireproofing and insulation crews. I ran some fire-stop crews until I got into college.

Where did you go to college?

Joey: I went to school at Texas State in San Marcos. Out of college, I worked for a big, nation wide contractor, Gilbane. That’s when Ray and I started talking, and he offered me the chance to open this office here so we could grow. I did that in 2010, and in 2013, they pulled me back and wanted me to help with all the offices.

Did you always want to pass the business down to them?

Ray: My original partner and I talked for a long time about passing this down to our sons. After he passed away, he passed his part of the company down to his son. In 2012 he decided he wanted to go his own direction, so he left. At the point in time, I

Was it as hard as you thought it would be to step away?

Ray: Not really, because I was ready to step away. It’s been pretty easy, and the boys have come along enough to where I really trust them.

Mark, did you know you guys were going to take it over?

Mark: Yeah, we had discussions with my dad over the years. As we grew with the company, I got more knowledge and confidence. I really enjoy that part of the business.

What is like having your dad there during the transition?

Mark: It is always good to have him here. Sometimes, working for a parent, they expect more out of you. It has its difficulties but not everyone has a chance to work with their dad, and we cherish it.

How has the family dynamic been over the years?

Joey: It’s pretty good. Like Mark said, it has its challenges sometimes, especially with me being in a different office, but ultimately, it’s pretty rewarding being able to talk to my older brother and dad every day. Even though it is mostly about work, we do talk about personal stuff every day.

But, it has its challenges, that’s for sure.

What’s your style compared to Ray’s?

Mark: I’ve learned from Ray that you always have to be changing with the times.

You can’t treat every employee the same.

You treat them equally but different personally. You’re always learning from your employees. There is always a better way to do things and trust your employees.

I learned that from watching Ray and watching the business grow.

Joey: I feel like we all have different styles, but we learned from him. It’s all based off his original style, which is to take care of the employees because without the employees, we wouldn’t have a business.

It’s all based off of that. We all have different styles, and that is based off him letting us have our own style. A lot of people I know, the original owner and the dad rule with an iron fist. He has let us learn from our own mistakes.

What was it like for you working with your kids?

Ray: It was good. I always had someone to holler at. Nah, it was good because it was a summertime job, and they were working hard. They had to work as hard as anyone else just to satisfy me, and they both realized they didn’t want to be considered just the owner’s sons and getting paid to do nothing. They both decided they were going to prove themselves to the guys in the field by working with them each day. They both did a great job at that. One of the big differences in their management styles is that when I came up in the business, my partner and I had our hand in everything in the business.

We knew every employee in the business; what they could do best and what they couldn’t do best. Now, it’s grown to the point, where we’re a bigger company. Mark now has five or six superintendents. All the things I used to do myself, we’re way too big to do that now. They’re learning more of a true corporate structure.

Mark: One thing to add on that, and Joey touched on it…as the company grew and we all brought our expertise into it, we’ve helped our part grow. Joey has opened the central Texas location, back in 2005. I started the waterproofing division here at Fireproof. It’s been going strong now for 11-plus years.

You both have added to the company. Is there anything else you would like to

Daigle: L-R: Ray Daigle (center) is passing on his business, Fireproof Contractors, Inc., to his sons Joey Daigle (left) and Mark Daigle (right).

add going forward?

Mark: One thing we don’t want to do is give away all of our secrets. That’s important, but I know Joey and I are not the types to sit there and be content. We both accept challenges very well, and we want to keep growing.

Ray, what has the highlight of your professional career been?

Ray: Watching this company grow and being able to keep the company going after my partner, Carl Messana, passed away. He was my original partner. We could have not done this by ourselves. We had to do it together. After he passed away, we were able to bring in people that had expertise, and slowly, it started growing.

Watching it grow and the longevity of 26 years, it’s a long time, and it’s very difficult to pass on a company to the next generation. I think we have got the framework for it to be a successful secondgeneration company.

Is it exciting for you?

Ray: Yes, it’s very exciting. To see them able to handle it and to see the business grow, to make things better for them and their families. Hopefully, one day, if the timing is right, it can go to a third generation.

Mark, did you go to college, as well?

Mark: Yes, I graduated from Lamar University. I went to a junior college first then Lamar to chase a baseball dream. I was on scholarship, when that was over, I went to work.

Do you have family or kids?

Mark: I have a wife and four kids ranging from nine to two.

Do you think they will be in the business someday?

Mark: I just want them to be happy, at this point. But when they get old enough and summer comes around, they’ll be here working. I’m not going to force anything on them, if they want to carry on, then great.

I’ll support anything that they do.

Joey, do you have family?

Joey: I have a wife but no kids at the time.

What is the biggest difference between the San Marcos and Houston locations?

Joey: I don’t know. I think Ray did a pretty good job when he saw that we were getting big and were going to be successful to integrate the offices so there’s not that many differences. Yeah, there are a few differences, but our goal is to be one in the same.

Mark: I think Joey is absolutely right that we don’t have a Houston branch or a San Marcos branch. We have one company with two locations.

Ray: One of the biggest differences is that we are bigger here in Houston. All the accounting and financial end of the business is done in Houston, which is something that one day we are going to have to get Joey more in tune with because he doesn’t see that end of the process.

Joey: A majority of the management is over in Houston, and the only manager here is myself.

What has it been like watching Houston

grow and become this big city?

Ray: I got to Houston in 1976 and I marvel at what it has become. When I got to Houston and was working in the construction industry, it was still, primarily, a union-based construction job. It’s gone away from that, to some detriment, I believe. Just watching it grow and seeing how things are done is just unbelievable.

What is like being in such a competitive industry in a competitive city?

Ray: We love it because all three of us are ultra competitive. It wouldn’t be fun if it weren’t competitive.

So you guys were a pretty competitive family? Did a lot of backyard football games get out of hand?

Ray: Oh yeah. At the Daigle family Christmas, all the cousins still get together and try to kill each other.

Mark: The Daigles always win.

What are your retirement plans?

Ray: My wife and I would like to travel some. We haven’t gone out of the country yet, but we like to go to two or three places a year. I don’t think I’ll ever be 100 percent retired. They’ll always have to have an office for me. I have to have some place to get away. I don’t think I’ll ever step completely back. By all intents and purposes, they’re running things already.

Do you have just the two kids or are there more?

Ray: I have a daughter, Stephanie, in between the two that is a teacher. She just moved up to being an assistant principal at her school. She’s quite successful herself.

She has a Master’s Degree and the business is always open to her if she ever plans on changing professions, but I don’t think she will.

If you got to choose a person, living or dead, to have a beer with, who would you choose?

Ray: I would love to go back and have a beer with my dad. He’s been gone for three years, and we really miss him. He always went out on deer hunts with us. It would be good to sit down and have a beer with him.

Mark: He’d be on my list, too. He didn’t drink beer but he’d sit down have a glass of wine with us while we all had a beer.

Joey: I’d probably choose my dad.

He’s always had a stern outlook on the business, especially when his partner’s son decided to go his own way. I’d really like to sit down after he’s actually retired and see how he actually felt. I’d want to know if he was actually more nervous than he made it sound.

What different services do you offer at Fireproof Contractors?

Ray: We handle four different scopes when we bid jobs. We handle fireproofing, building insulation, from fiberglass to spray on, and waterproofing. We also do firestop.

What is the majority of your business?

Ray: Fireproofing and insulation were our original services, and fireproofing is still a big division. Waterproofing is pushing to be right there next to the biggest. –cs

Houston Construction News • June 2017

Page 7

Summer Alternatives

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.

W

ell, in the fishing industry there is a saying, “The wind is your friend.” I really want to believe that, but lately the wind hasn’t been very friendly. I know you probably read this every year by anglers, but this year it seems like there is no relief. I know we will be begging for a breeze come August, but for now I wish it would give us a break.

Jeff Hawkins of San Antonio caught this 28-in. trout last week on the King Ranch Shoreline.

Fish was just over 7 lbs and was released after photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

Since the beginning of May and the arrival of Croaker, fishing strategies have changed. Rock structures, reefs, grass beds and potholes are areas which need to be keyed on. Anchoring up on the outside edges of these areas can be very productive on spawning trout. Setting up on these locations is the key to catching fish. Always approach the intended

area with the wind at your back carefully estimating the length of your anchor rope and the distance of your cast. Once you have drifted over the area you intend to fish because your anchor didn’t hold or you misjudged the wind, you might as well find a new area to fish and try that spot later in the day.

During the summer months here in the Coastal Bend anglers can find some of the best fishing along the entire coast.

Our bays are loaded with resident fish and tide runners which constantly are arriving form the Gulf. With school being out for summer and the weather getting better everyday, that can only mean one thing. Boating and fishing pressure will be one of the most important factors for not being able to find large quantity of fish or stay on those fish once you have a bite going. That is why I emphasize so much that the best fishing is usually during the week instead of on a weekend.

Another alternative to getting away from the heat and crowed bays is late evening fishing and night fishing.

Fishing late into the evening and into the night during the full moon can get you out of everyday crowds and into some of the more popular fishing areas without being hassled by novice boat operators and impatient anglers. I have experienced all aspects of these people trying to move in on a set of rocks or a sand pocket you are catching fish from and scare all the fish away. It has reached a point where you have to do some homework and really think about how you will go about catching fish on any given day.

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

Submitted to Construction News

Running for research

Out on the lake

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. participated in the 20th Annual MD Anderson Sprint for Like 5K on May 6. A group of around 30 participants ran the 3.1 miles in an effort to further research ovarian cancer. Throughout its 20 years, the race has raised over $4.9 million for ovarian cancer research and approximately $73,000 this year.–cs

Chris Schoonover, Construction News, and his wife, Cortney Schoonover, spent May 12-14 camping on Canyon Lake with a group of friends. The weekend consisted of swimming, fishing and plenty of food. –cs

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Houston Construction News • June 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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Boomer’s History

used to sit with my great, great grandma and listen to her stories of her life.

Childhood encounters between her family and the Native Americans, hearing the shooting during a Pancho Villa raid when they lived near the border and watching with a little girl’s big eyes when a notorious outlaw passed through town.

Her tales of daily life told of walking for miles to visit neighbors who were ill or who had a crop to bring in, toiling in the fields in the summer and hand sewing the precious old quilts that still warm our beds today. I was fascinated to imagine how it must feel to have seen so much change in the world.

I guess I fit in with the last snippet of the Baby Boomers. I was born in the late 1950s, not at the crest of the Baby Boomer wave, but before the Beetles and Love Children. I have been just rocking along, living my life and not really reflecting on how much change I have seen in my life, until the birth of my first grandchild.

Guess who’s becoming Grandma now?

The difference between the world this grandbaby will grow up in and the world of my youth is pretty astounding too. Sure, all the technological stuff I have seen is worth noting, but I think mostly about the way that people experience and learn about the natural world.

I was raised in a rural place by people who survived by farming, ranching, blacksmithing and such. I was taught that planting and nurturing led to the best eating in the world. Hunting wild game was just survival and also led to the best eating in the world. Children were still taught the old adages about weather omens and how to tell that change was coming without a weather report. The old timers had both hands wrapped around the pulse of the natural world. I am so fortunate to have had the chance to learn from them.

S & D Plumbing’s annual outing (both photos)

Now I meet so many people from different walks of life that come and fish with us. The majority of folks are from the large cities now. Cities have education and jobs and opportunities that people need and can’t find in the country.

But I’m beginning to worry about the way kids now experience the world outside. I almost fell over one day when a couple of kids jumped out of a mini-van in my parking lot and started chasing a “bunny” that was my in-laws dachshund!

It is not at all unusual to meet customers who show up dressed all wrong for the weather conditions we are about to face.

I think weather has just become what happens to you on the way to the car.

The human world has gotten so fast paced and demanding that I don’t know how parents manage it. They have my admiration and respect! It is no wonder that the natural world doesn’t get noticed unless it spoils someone’s plans.

My revelation in all of this is that it is up to us “Boomers” and grandparents to invest our time and experience in our youth so they can learn to value and appreciate the wonder of the great outdoors. Seriously, we don’t have time to get old! We have work (and play) to do!

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!

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

Submitted to Construction News

Fishing frenzy

L-R: Frank Higgins, Humphrey Company, Vic Schneider, Albert Sterling & Assoc., Dustin Schuller, Albert Sterling & Assoc., Ian Higgins, Humphrey Company, competed in the Local 68 Plumbers Union Annual Fishing Tournament on May 6 at the Galveston Bay Complex.–cs

Houston Construction News • June 2017

Page 9

Crowd for crawfish

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mpact Fire Services hosted its annual crawfish boil on April 21 at its Houston location to say thank you to its customers and employees. Over 635 attended the event, which featured all-you-can-eat crawfish and beverages.–cs

Garden gala

S

lack & Co. Contracting Inc. celebrated a big milestone as it marked 25 years in business on May 10 at the McGovern Centennial Gardens at Hermann Park.

Around 275 employees, clients and vendors enjoyed the celebration which included dinner and drinks. President Jim Slack, Jr., thanked the crowd for their contributions to the company’s success and other speakers addressed the crowd to congratulate Slack on a prosperous first 25 years in business.–cs

L-R: Dana Scott, regional office manager, and Randal Mills, corporate safety director, embrace for a quick photo at Impact Fire’s big event.

Dana Scott, regional office manager, Sandy Gross, controller and Brian Tague, general manager Houston branch.

L-R: James Fish, Paul Sanford and Mario Bustos enjoying time off work to eat some crawfish.

L-R: Kristen Davis, Jeremy Scott, Dana Scott, Sam Hewitt, Zach Scott and Mario Bustos.

20 years in the making

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he Women Contractor’s Association celebrated its 20th anniversary in style with a Boots & Bling event on May 4 at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery at 775 Gellhorn Drive.

The celebration featured music, dinner, drinks, music, a silent auction and a Western fashion show for the 135 people in attendance. The WCA also received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for the milestone. –cs

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Houston Construction News • June 2017

25 years later

L

azer Construction Company Inc. is celebrating a quarter of a century in business.

Ousley Lacy started Lazer in 1992 after his ambitions in the corporate world were not being met. He used his experience working with his father in high school and college to move forward with his new career.

“It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears,” Lacy said. “It takes a lot of sacrifices.

It’s not easy, but you got to be determined to make it happen.

“I had just given up my corporate job and I had to go out there and make it happen. It’s been good. You always have to keeping looking ahead. No one ever gives you anything. You have to keep fighting. It takes a lot of tenacity and determination.”

Lazer is primarily a civil contractor specializing in civil construction including earthwork, excavation, pavement and concrete foundation.

The biggest change in his first 25 years with Lazer is the technology that goes hand-in-hand with the business.

“The industry now is very high tech,” Lacy said. “It’s no longer strong backs and digging a ditch. Almost all of our equipment is high tech and the operators and mechanics need to be high tech.

Technology is taking over the industry.”

Lacy says, to his knowledge, that Lazer is the largest African American owned contractor in Houston.

“It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of money,” Lacy said. “As far as I know, in Houston, we are the largest African American contractor. You have to be 100 percent devoted. You have to have good credit. You have to be responsible.

“We worked hard and have been blessed. We make good decisions. We are African American and we are proud of that, but we want you to hire us because we do a good job, not because we’re African American citizens. We really want to do a good job for our customers and build a new relationship.”–cs

Father’s Day Sunday, June 18

Houston Construction News • June 2017

Page 11

THIS TH MON 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

HVAC business heats up Sam Kelly, President New Balance A/C Houston, TX

W

hat is the state of HVAC right now in Houston?

I think it’s quietly optimistic. As much as we try not to be, we’re tied to the temperature swings. When it’s really cold in the winters or hot in the summers, we’re busy. We try to promote maintenance and all of those things year-round, and every year is a challenge.

I’ve noticed with the economy from 2008-09 to now, it’s gotten better every year. With the political uncertainty that was going on before the election and now the post-election issues that are going on, I think it’s causing some people to hesitate.

We’re going to need air conditioning no matter what happens, but I think it’s keeping people from reaching into their wallets for $10,000 systems that they’ve wanted to do the last two summers. We’re just now getting people to move on that type of stuff where they have been putting it off for two years.

I’m a firm believer in global warming and greenhouse gas. Some people are pushing that as not being real, and unfortunately, it’s very real. In our case, we’re better off because if it does get warmer in more days of the year, we will be more in demand. I’d rather not be busy for that reason.

With Houston being so big and busy have you seen a number of outside contractors coming in to the area?

I’m not for sure about that in our field.

There are 100,000 to 150,000 people

moving into Houston each year. I think a lot of people are transferring people here, big corporations and stuff. I don’t think there is a lot of outside competition coming in and taking our work from us.

Do you have any big problems going on in the industry right now?

I think the big issue for everyone right now is finding qualified help or young people willing to learn this trade. When we get them, we really embrace them. We pay for their training and give them as much as we can.

I think the future is going to need hands-on people. The Internet and computers can only do so much for us.

They’re not going to install things for us.

They’re just going to design it. It’s going to take people with skills to make this happen.

Do you feel like there is enough training out there but it is not be utilized?

I think there’s a problem with the school structure. As far as junior high, and then in high school, they’re pushing them into college. I know my peers from the last

Plumbing provides “great lifestyle” Roger Wakefield, LEEP AP O+M, Owner Texas Green Plumbing Company Richardson, TX

H

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business?

There is definitely an increase in work. The number of plumbers, fitters and welders working right now is great.

Better than that, the future looks promising. We are always looking for great service plumbers and apprentices that are interested in something different and they are getting harder to find.

What factors are driving this increase?

Population increase in Texas has a lot to do with it. I think it goes back to Rick Perry trying to bring so much business here. It worked. There are 200 people a day moving into the Dallas area and it shows. Roads are more crowded, houses are harder to find, and even rentals are going fast.

Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area?

Unfortunately yes; not necessarily in the plumbing industry but there are some. Roofers and fly-by-night general contractors are starting up new companies every day. People really need to watch out whom they are working with – in any industry.

What is on the horizon for the plumbing industry?

Smart meters and meter monitors are something worth talking about.

There are many companies trying to get out ahead on this. MeterDog is one that I am really impressed with from Kona Labs.

You can get a report every morning let-

ting you know your meter movement and flow. I think this is going to be a great tool for homeowners or plumbers looking for water leaks. Also, LeakTronics has some fantastic listening devices that are changing the way we do leak detection and locating. These are two of the best products that I have started using.

With the recent emphasis on green building, what is the most environmentally friendly change relating to your industry?

This emphasis isn’t enough or soon enough. We are going to have to get busy teaching people about water conservation and not just teaching but getting them involved.

I’ve been involved with GreenPlumbers USA for many years now so I have seen this coming. I just had a booth at Earth Day TX 2017 at Fair Park in Dallas. It was a wonderful event. And there are so many people interested in water conservation that it makes me wonder why they have to seek out ways to save water. Each city should be actively getting this information out there. San Antonio Waters System (SAWS) is fantastic about that. I

HVAC & Plumbing Sep: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment

generation went to the trade fairs and school fairs to try and get students interested.

The counselors, themselves, were pushing them out and not letting them talk to the kids. There was this idea that if you don’t go to college, you’ll lose out in the end. It’s so unfair because it’s untrue and there are so many people that are not capable to go to college. We need people in trades.

Do you see any changes coming in the industry as far as materials, technology or equipment?

It’s changing dramatically and really fast. It is all going to “smart” homes and computers. Everything has a motherboard on it, and they talk to each other. You can access it from your phone or computer.

The other thing is the disparity between the U.S. and the rest of the world on what type of equipment we have. In the rest of the world, 97 percent of it uses mini-splits, like Frederick or Mitsubishi.

That is what you see in Europe and Asia.

Only about five percent of people in the U.S. are using mini-splits but it is growing by around 33 percent each year.

How has R-22 being phased out affected the industry?

It is causing a big stir because most companies are charging over $100 a pound for it right now. It’s going to be completely phased out in 2018, so they are going to sell off the stock that they have now. It’s quadrupled the price in the last three years. They’re having some replacement Freon, but when you change your outside condenser to the new refrigerant, you have to change the system. Instead of having to change a

attended my first GreenPlumbers USA training class there in 2008. Eddie Wilcut said then that San Antonio had doubled in population the previous 25 years but they were using the same amount of water. That’s what we should all be doing.

Do the new water restricting fixtures impact plumbing installation?

No, they are actually just as easy to install. There are no reasons that we shouldn’t be using them. When some low flow products first came out, there were some issues. Those have been resolved and improved upon. The American Standard H2Option Dual flush toilet is one of the best I’ve ever used. I have an American Standard ActiClean that I am putting in next. It will clean itself and it is a highefficiency toilet. Now that’s great.

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces?

Getting younger people into the trades. I don’t know why the millennials all want to go to college and have outrageous debt for a job skill that they will probably never get to use. You can sign up in the union apprentice training program for five years, get paid while you work, go to school at night two times a week and graduate making over $60,000 a year with no college loans to pay off.

Plumbing is actually fun. I love building things and I really love walking in a building and figuring out what the problem is. This really is a wonderful career.

Anyone can turn this into whatever kind of job they want, from plumber, foreman, and superintendent and all the way up to director of operations. You can do whatever you want to in this trade, even work on computers all day doing estimating and AutoCAD. The list goes on and on.

Is plumbing education available for those wishing to enter the industry?

condenser for $2,000, they have to do a system for $10,000. That’s the change that we have to deal with.

Have there been any costs increases on your side?

Not really. It has stayed the same with the economy. Equipment prices usually go up 2-3 percent a year. That has been going on at least a decade. The biggest spike is the Freon and precious metals.

What are some of the rewards of the industry?

It is the job satisfaction of making somebody comfortable or saving them money on their electric bill. It’s just something that we can do for someone that many people cannot.

The real reward is having second and third generation customers. I’ve been doing it for almost 30 years, and I’m able to take care of their needs.

What are the keys to being successful?

I read the other day “The only thing that needs to be in place is that you have to love the thing you do. If you don’t love what you do, you won’t be able to deal with the ups and downs that make you successful.” If you love what you do, everything else follows.

What can you tell me about your company?

We focus, primarily, on residential retrofit change outs. We do service, maintenance and replacing people’s air conditioning units. We do some new construction but not too often. We do 30 percent commercial service, maintenance and changing equipment in, mainly, the Greater Houston area.–cs

Absolutely. The union apprentice training program is available all over Texas, all over the United States. There is also the Construction Education Foundation (CEF) and Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC) Association that have training programs available. What I like about the union is that when you graduate, you can put those hours towards a degree.

What are the rewards of the industry?

You can have a great lifestyle in this industry. We are paid well for what we do.

Don’t get me wrong, we work hard for it.

At the end of the day, if you are willing to work for it you can have the lifestyle that you want to have, any level lifestyle.

What are the keys to being successful?

Always give 100 percent every single day. Love what you do! There are a lot of people that are lazy and don’t want to work hard. If you just give 100 percent, eight hours work for 89 hours pay, you will be ahead of most of the people around you. If you really want to do better, read about your trade every day. Every day, I read for at least 30 minutes from different sources about plumbing or business. I want to set myself and my company apart from all of the others. Knowledge is something that you can never lose. I am a LEED AP, and accredited GreenPlumber USA and I have every Master Endorsement that the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners has. I am also a certified HVAC technician. I want to know as much about my trade as possible. That way I can do the best job available for my customers every time.

Texas Green Plumbing owner Roger Wakefield was recently won American Standard’s “Plumber Know How” contest and has been named their “Plumbing Expert.” –mjm

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Houston Construction News • June 2017

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Conservation and plumbing codes for all seasons

ting, which is using a high-pressure hose that we send down the pipes in order to blast the pipes clean. It’s just that now, we’re having more of it. We’re making more money doing it, but unfortunately, it’s costing the consumer.

Would these be issues that only engineers can solve or is there anything the plumbing industry can do about them?

They’re requiring that we install these fixtures with these rates of water usage. So, it’s really now up to the code committees that rewrite their code every three years. There’s the UPC [Universal Plumbing Code], IPC [International Plumbing Code], and NPC [National Plumbing Code]. So, there’s a lot of different codes out there that different municipalities and states use depending on what they want to use. Right now, San Antonio uses the IPC. When you do the state exam, they use the UPC. I really think it’s determinate upon the codes and how the engineers are going to design their systems to allow them to work better with the type of water saving fixtures that we have. And we need to save water!

Why are these systems being made this way? Is there anything the consumer can do to combat these issues?

These are required by code – what size water consuming fixtures are put into homes and businesses. So, really, there’s nothing they can do. It’s now a matter of the engineers designing the plumbing piping system in a different way to allow this to work better.

When you flush your toilet, you want those items to float out of the pipe.

They’re not swept away by the water.

They’re actually floating on top of the water as it exits your pipes in your building. So, if you put more grade or slope on the pipe, then it leaves it behind, because the water runs out faster than the other items do.

So, it’s really an engineering issue that we’re up against, and I do not think that we’ll see at least water closets come down any more in the near future as far as water use – unless the engineers have a plan or the consumer decides it’s worth paying us more money, more often, to go in and unclog their pipes.

With all of these different codes and variations, does that make it difficult for plumbers or your students? Should there be one code instead of many?

No, I think that it benefits different parts of the country to have different codes. For instance, if you go up north, when it snows, there’s something that has to be done for the venting so that they do not fill up with snow and you no longer vent the plumbing system. And what they do is they actually enlarge the vents from about a foot below the roof line going up through the roof. This makes it to where as the vent air is exiting the vents – it has water in it, and that water condensates up against the pipe, which then freezes and it begins to make that opening smaller and smaller to where it doesn’t vent as well.

Now, our code here in town also mentions that, but we don’t need it here, because we don’t have those issues. But up north, there are different issues. On the West Coast, there are different issues – you have earthquakes, so you have to design those systems differently using extra sup-

Rene Lopez Responsible Master Plumber/Estimator SOS Companies San Antonio, TX

H

ave there been any significant issues in the plumbing industry recently?

Of course, everybody’s conserving water. So, all our flush valves, showerheads, lavatories need to be water conserving. The only issue that we’re finding now in the industry is that we’re getting to a point where not using enough water in our water closets, we are not being able to float the material down the pipes as far now, and pipes are becoming more likely to get clogged because of it.

We think we’re at a point where this may be as water conserving as we can be.

In fact, there’s a job that I’m working on now that SAWS came in and asked them to use smaller valves and fixtures and they’re already having problems with it clogging.

So, we are having issues with this already. There’s a thing with the urinals that Sloan has devised, and we’re trying to save water using waterless urinals now.

And we have for quite some time – probably the last decade, if not longer – but they’re finding that the uratic salts in the urine build up because they’re not flowing them out either.

So, there are different methods in which they’re doing it. They’ll put in waterless urinals or they’ll put in urinals that will flush every three days as opposed to every time you use it, just to make sure that they’re clearing out the pipe. There’s a lot of issues with that right now, and that’s one of the big things that I’m trying to teach our apprentices about.

What are plumbers able to do to try to rectify those situations? How are the new generations of plumbers tackling those new issues?

We’re still tackling them the way we’ve always tackled clogs, and that’s using mechanical augers and hydrojet-

Everyone needs water David Delgado, Manager 1st Plumbing Services Austin, TX

H

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms?

It seems like the construction industry is booming. We have been slammed since opening our doors eight years ago.

What factors are driving this increase?

We’re seeing a lot of people coming in from Houston, California and New York. The cost of living is cheaper here as compared to those markets.

Are you seeing an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area?

Yes, we see a lot of contractors coming from all over who have moved here.

They have to work and if they’re willing to take the chance and try to establish themselves, then so be it.

How has this affected your business?

If anything, it will help us out ten, fifteen years down the road. We are experienced with the elements and the water

down here. They are not accustomed to our water and climate. It’s not bad workmanship, and the work is up to code, but if you don’t use the best materials and techniques for all the hardness and other minerals in our water, then a few years down the road, we’ll be doing repairs on they’re work. We’re more experienced with our area, and incorporate higher standards because we don’t want problems eight, ten years down the road.

What are the “hot button” issues in your industry?

Code upgrades, the different municipalities and their infrastructures. Waterlines for example, with so many new projects being built, it limits the big suppliers that supply water. Instead of replacing

old lines with 36 or 48-inch lines, the old 24-inch stay in place. They just boost up the pressure. Because water pressure demands have doubled, the pressure is on the homeowners who had great water pressure for years, making them more susceptible to issues.

What specific codes changes have affected your industry?

The standards for efficiency ratings for water heaters is a big one, requiring water heaters to be made bigger with more insulation so they run more efficiently. In many cases, newer replacement water heaters will not fit in the same space, so you have homeowners saying “what do you mean, my new water heater won’t fit?” Having to explain to somebody why their plumbing needs to be redone, is tough.

What is the most significant challenge your faces?

Finding qualified employees, plumbers, is our biggest challenge. I could put eight more plumbers in vehicles right now. We turn down more work everyday.

We can’t get qualified people. They’re just not coming into the business. All the vocational training has been taking out of the schools. I wish I had taken a mechanics class when I was in school. The amount of

ports that we do not require down here.

Here, it gets real cold and you take a shower and you feel the difference – you feel how cold that water is. Up north, it would freeze if they put it at the same elevation below the soil level. Right here we use about 12 to 18 inches. Up north, they’re at 6 feet so that it doesn’t freeze.

I think you need all the different codes. I typically teach mostly the IPC, because that’s what they use here in this area, but I certainly let my students know that there are different codes.

Are there any other issues that are important in plumbing today?

One other thing that is very important, you have to understand that the plumber protects the health of the nation. Were it not for the plumber, we would have third world diseases here. We would have people dying more than normal from water issues such as what happened in Corpus and Carrizo Springs, what’s going on in Michigan.

The water that we ingest has to be protected by us through backflow prevention – once it exits the purveyor’s pipe, we do not want that water to reenter the purveyor’s pipe, because if something has occurred in that location that the water has entered in, and it has become contaminated and is able to reenter the purveyor’s pipe, now you’re making all the citizens sick in that neighborhood, in that region in addition to the location that has had the issue.

Backflow preventers here have to be certified every year, and this is just to protect the people and the purveyor from anything happening to their water or sanitary sewer system.

With SOS Companies since 2014, Rene Lopez has been a Responsible Master Plumber since 2007. He has also been a fourth-year instructor for the PHCC apprenticeship program for two years now. –mh

money I pay my mechanic hurts. I’m sure people feel that way about plumbers.

Is Plumbing education available for those wishing to enter the industry?

We offer training at our training facility in Austin.

What is the cost increases relating to your industry?

The cost of brass went up 20-30% due to lead-free requirements, which raised the prices of other materials like PVC. It becomes a chain reaction.

What are the rewards of the industry?

Unlimited potential. Plumbing is not the oilfield, but if you put in your time, you can make a great living. Everyone needs water.

Why did you decide to work in the Plumbing industry?

A buddy of mine called me up and asked if I wanted to help him out during the summer, so I did. The owner of that company asked me if I wanted a job, so I decided to give it shot and I haven’t looked back.

1st Plumbing Services is a commercial and residential plumbing company based in Austin with an office in San Antonio. -cw

Houston Construction News • June 2017

Page 13

continued from Page 1 — Story in Stone

continued from Page 1 — Keeping up with the times properties from moving after they’ve been built. Unlike a builder who goes out and builds things, we’re trying to troubleshoot after the fact.”

Olshan does a lot of both residential and large commercial jobs. Bryan says that is due to the fact that commercial foundations perform better than residential. The company is working on things to help that side of the business grow.

“Our goal is to always develop new technologies to improve on our systems,” Bryan said. “We are looking to grow our commercial and industrial parts of our business. We are doing things with polyurethane technology for sidewalks and walkways and industrial applications that should help the business grow.”

Being in business for so long, Olshan has seen repeat customers from decades before and enjoys seeing how the work holds up.

“Olshan is good people that are in-

terested in helping people with their properties and providing a valuable service,” Bryan said. “People know we will be around in the future to take care of them when something comes up. For me, one of the fun things that comes around from time-to-time is that we’ll have a customer that we worked with back in the 60s that will call us back for service. Seeing how the work holds up after 50 or 60 years is a lot of fun.”

Bryan does back office work for Olshan but her roots run deep in the company.

“My mom and dad originally owned Olshan Foundation Repair in Houston.

Myself and my two brothers joined the business and were looking for opportunities to grow,” She said. “One brother opened in Dallas and heads the Dallas Olshan business.”–cs

Olshan Foundation Repair was founded in Houston in 1933, and now Olshan has locations across the country.

continued from Page 1 — Half and half and groove boards up there. It’s got a stain and a clear on them. It makes it all look really, really nice.”

One of the biggest challenges on the project was a familiar problem contractors can have on a project.

“It’s challenging to have to move around your crews and equipment,” Castano said. “You have to make sure everything is on time: right materials and the right people. It’s doable but it’s not easy. It’s a challenge because of all the moving parts.

“You have to stay on top of your game and give them what they want and how they want it. You have to interpret what they want out in the field.

As of now, the retail section remains empty as Dr. Coung Trinh looks to fill the spaces with businesses looking for a

place to call home.

MC Constructors is a full-service general contractor that does commercial and residential projects.

“We have an in-house architect, so most clients that come through go from design to the building process,” Castano said. “We sit you down in the beginning steps with the architects when you’re trying to figure out what you want and how you want it. My father likes to invest a little more money into looks, on the economic side. He puts his own personal touch into it.”

Mauricio started the business in 1990, and the company is still family owned almost 30 years later with Mateo, his brother-in-law, sister and mother all involved.–cs

Round-Up Johnston, LLC. announces the following additions to its Houston office:

Hunton Group announces the following additions to its Houston office:

Sarah Eilek was promoted to Senior Design Specialist from Design Professional at Johnston, LLC. Eilek, a LSU graduate, specializes in commercial and institutional interior design.

Lloyd Coker was named Operations Manager with 30 years of HVAC and controls under his belt.–cs

Johnston, Inc. promoted Julie Holder from Design Professional to Senior Design Professional.

Holder is a Texas A&M graduate and has worked on projects for Harris County and Harris Health.

The Hunton Group announced that Kurt McColloch will be the General Manager of Convergentz and will be an advisor to the Hunton Group.

Slack & Co. announced its newest Project Manager, Andrew Landry. Landry previously worked as a project manager for J.B. James Construction in Baton Rouge, LA before relocating to Houston for the new position. Landry graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Construction Engineering Technology.

Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, Inc. (LAN) named Wayne Swafford as executive vice president.

Swafford has more than 30 years of experience as a structural engineer. Swafford will be responsible for the direction of the company, which does planning, engineering and program management.

Submissions

“That was something we had been dreaming about for all these years,” Lara said. “We were able to do that because of Vaughn Construction and the UT Systems.

They’ve basically been guiding us through this process. We’ve purchased new equipment, and I’m planning on launching a grand opening to be able to continue our exposure and grow in other areas.”

Lara’s journey mirrors her fathers in many ways. Reyna started off trucking, but found a passion for the world of stone.

“They had five kids, and I’m the youngest,” Lara said. “They really wanted to provide for their family because my dad was a truck driver. He had an accident and realized it wasn’t a career that he could pursue. He was offered a position in Austin at a stone quarry. He moved to Austin and that’s where he learned the trade existed. He became very passionate about it. When he came to Houston, he became an apprentice and learned how to do the fabrication of the marble and granite. He started working part time on his business while working at his job full time.”

Lara will graduate in December with a Bachelor’s Degree in Corporate Communications from the University of Houston. While they may be good enough for a lot of people, she has her sites set on continuing her education.

“Hopefully in five years I’ll be finishing an MBA or a law degree,” Lara said. “I’d like to have show rooms in different locations since the fabrication shop is already set up. I’d like to be in different storefronts.”

Lara’s sister, Veronica Reyna, is the chief estimator and her mother is the president of the company, while her father is the vice president of Impact. –cs

Round-Up

started networking, enrolled in school at Houston Community College and was taking all these communication courses because I had no experience in business and construction. I really had to take time to educate myself and get training. I pretty much started doing any training under the sun.”

Impact Stone Design does custom fabrication and design work on granite, along with other types of stone. The company also installs its products for commercial and residential jobs.

All the training and networking paid off as Lara, who is now the director of business development, aided the company in landing big commercial jobs such as the Texas Medical Center and the University of Houston. One of the big turning points was when Michael Dwight with Hensel Phelps Construction invited Lara to a master plan meeting for the Willy B. Hobby Airport.

“Thankfully, when I left the meeting, I was able to meet a lot of the key players and was able to get my foot in the door,” Lara said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to do it. We’re a small, family-owned business. A couple of days later, we got a call and they said we were selected. At that point, we negotiated the contract and were rewarded the Southwest Airlines International Expansion. It was a $1.5 million contract. It was nothing we had experienced and we had never had any type of large contract like that.”

After the airport job, Impact received a lot of exposure in publications, radio, with associations and from other arenas because a small, family-owned business took and completed such a large job.

From there the business was able to rise even higher, including building a new office and warehouse.

Jeffrey Crook was added to the staff as Sales Manager after 20 years of experience in commercial HVAC and controls.

Richard Landry was announced as the new leader of the Summit Electric Supply’s South Texas District. Landry will head up development and sales initiatives in South Texas. The area includes Houston, Le Porte, Clute, Beaumonth, Bryan-College Station, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Victoria. Previously, Landry was a location manager for an international wire and cable distributor.

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

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).

Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

San Antonio: saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net

Dallas/Ft. Worth: dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston: houstoneditor@constructionnews.net

Page 14

Houston Construction News • June 2017

Association Calendar

Industry FOLKS

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News

Tommy Lee Vice President of Safety W.S. Bellows Construction Corporation

ABC

MCA

Associated Builders & Contractors

Mechanical Contractors Association

Jun. 9: Fishing tournament Jun. 27: New Membership Orientation Jun. 29: PAC Summer Event

AIA American Institute of Architects

T

ommy Lee has been in the safety industry for almost four decades with W.S. Bellows Construction Corporation and saw his work rewarded with one of the highest awards he and the company can receive.

Lee, a Houston native, is the Vice President of Safety at Bellows, which was named the nation’s safest construction company by the Associated General Contractors of America.

“To me, it’s the highest award that you can receive,” Lee said. “In each of the 21 divisions, they select first, second, and third place winners. Then out of all the first place winners from all 21 divisions, they select the best of the best in the nation. It means a lot to us.

It’s probably the most prestigious recognition you can get.”

Lee attended the University of Houston where he was introduced to the industry.

“I was working in a chemical plant and there was a mishap,” Lee said. “I was part of the investigation, and a gentleman walked up and started talking to me because I was pretty in tune with the situation. He got me on a safety committee. That led me to the University of Houston where I enrolled in industrial technology courses with a specialization in safety.”

Lee is a big Houston Cougar football fan and enjoys spending time with his grandkids.

“I play golf and have six grandkids whom I enjoy. I love sports and being active,” he said.

“Houston was a great commuter school for my wife and me. I actually worked and went to college at the same time.”

Lee has been with Bellows since 1981 and enjoys the culture throughout the company.

“I enjoy the family business, the support and working with the field personnel,” he said. “I like getting to know them. They trust you and you train them. You get to see your efforts come full circle which is so rewarding to me.”

While he may have a new award on his shelf, Lee has big goals heading forward.

“I don’t think our work in safety is ever done. You can win awards and be on top of the world but anything can happen at a moment’s notice,” he said.

“My ultimate goal is to have no accidents - not just at Bellows, but in the industry. Some of the workers might rotate through other construction companies, but if I can properly train them and prevent them from being injured on any job for any company, then I feel that I’ve done my job.”–cs

Jun. 3: AIA SandCastle, Galveston East Beach, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Jun. 22: Authors in Architecture: Pino Shah and Stephen Fox, Architecture Center Houston, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Jun. 23–25: ARE Structural Systems Seminar

by David Thaddeus, 6909 Portwest Dr.

ASA American Subcontractors Association

Jun. 3: Fiesta on the Beach, AIA Sandcastle Competition, 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Jun. 14: Board of Directors, MAREK, 9 a.m. – 10:30 am.

Jun. 14: Risk Manager/Contract Admin Peer Group, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Jun. 20: Safety Committee Meeting, T.A.S. Commercial Concrete Construction, 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Jun. 23: Building Leaders Dev. Group (BLDG) Happy Hour, 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Jun. 14: Mechanical Contractor members only, HESS Club, 11:45 a.m.

Jun. 28: Joint Membership Meetings with Mechanical Contractor and Associate Members, HESS Club, 11:30 a.m.

NAWIC Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Jun. 13: Chapter Meeting, Maggiano’s, 5:30 p.m.

Jun. 3: AIA SandCastle, Galveston East Beach, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Jun. 22: Authors in Architecture: Pino Shah and Stephen Fox, Architecture Center Houston, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Jun. 23–25: ARE Structural Systems Seminar by David Thaddeus, 6909 Portwest Dr.

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Jun. 13-16: Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency Lost Pines

WCA Women Contractors Association

Jun. 1: Luncheon Jun. 23: June Membership Houston Dynamo Game

Mixer,

Blast from the past

J

oining the Construction News team is Carol Wiatrek. I’m her, Carol Wiatrek, the new managing editor. Many of you know me, at least in San Antonio, and a few in Austin, but rest assured, I’m no stranger to the construction industry.

In San Antonio, I was a part of the construction industry for 22 years through my

affiliations with The Builders’ Exchange of Texas and Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. South Texas Chapter. Through the years I have met many great people who have been great inspiration to me.

After being absent from the construction industry for five years it’s great to be back, and I look forward to establishing many more friends in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston.

I’m telling you about me, but I look forward to telling stories about you, your company, your employees, and fun activities you all are involved in.

I have three beautiful children, two daughters and a son. My oldest daughter, Regan, is a certified make-up artist and licensed cosmetologist. My daughter Kirsten is a second-year pharmacy student. My son Jacob is a junior in high school and varsity soccer player. I have an amazing threeyear-old grandson, Landen, who is the joy of my life. There is nothing better than walking in the door to hear the words, “Mimi’s here.”

Now you know my story, let me tell yours. We at Construction News want to tell the industry about you and your company.

We have a great section called “Industry Folks” where we introduce the employees behind the scenes from the receptionist to project managers. In addition, we have our “Great Outdoors” section; we like to publish the photos of your employees and/or their family members at play whether it being hunting, fishing, skiing, playing basketball, baseball, picnics, sky diving, etc. Don’t be bashful! Share your stories and photos with us by emailing them to your local paper editor. The construction industry is truly a tight-knit family-let’s all get to know each other. –cmw

Houston Construction News • June 2017

Page 15

Houston’s Hollywood

Industry FOLKS Donald Gautier Roofing & Sheet Metal Superintendent Chamberlin Roofing and Waterproofing

D

Hollywood Steel, Inc. specializes in structural steel fabrication and erection.

H

ollywood Steel Inc. started in 1960 building rails, stairs and carports. Hollywood changed to structural steel fabrication and erection in the 1970s and has since continued down that path.

Kelley Bitner took over the business from his father, Ray Bitner, 10 years ago and runs it to this day.

““We’re still doing business based on honesty, integrity and meeting the customer’s needs, like we’ve always done,” Kelley Bitner said.

With technology changing the landscape in construction, Hollywood Steel sticks with the process that made it successful for over 50 years.

“It’s still a very hands-on, manually intensive business,” Bitner said. “We can go into automation but it’s very expensive.”

With everything done with skilled workers, everything needs to be spot on to make a project come together.

“A steel mill makes the beam,” Bitner

said. “We just cut it to length, put the holes where there needs to be holes and put angles in where there needs to be angles.

“Materials are expensive and it is easy to ruin a piece. That’s very key.

Getting all the pieces on the right truck is very important too.”

While there is a big difference between Hollywood and Houston, including 1,552 miles on I-10, the original owner wanted the name to remind him of the time in California.

“The original owner had spent some time during World War II in California and was kind of enamored with Hollywood,” Bitner said.

Bitner grew up five miles away from the Hollywood Steel in northwest Houston. His goals for the company are simple but are important for every business.

“We’d like to grow some and continue to expand in the market,” Bitner said.–cs

onald Gautier has been in the roofing industry for 19 years and his recent work was rewarded at the National Roofing Contractors Association’s 130th Annual Convention in Las Vegas.

Gautier was selected as the Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress’ MVP. The criteria for the award included performance, safety and team effort.

“It was mind blowing to me because I never thought that I would be acknowledged in that way,” Gautier said. “I’ve never been out to Las Vegas, so that was an awesome experience.

“It gives you a morale boost and makes you want to keep growing with the industry. Hopefully, I can win it again, if I can. That meant the world to me to be acknowledged…just little old me from New Orleans.”

Gautier’s path to Houston and to his award was not smooth or easy. In August of 2005, his hometown of New Orleans was pummeled by Hurricane Katrina, leaving Gautier looking for a new home.

“I was displaced from that hurricane, and when I was finally rescued from out of there, I went to San Antonio for a month, left there and went to Paris, TX,” he said about his journey. “There was no work in Paris because I have a love for roofing. I was roofing when Hurricane Katrina hit my city.

“I got online and found Chamberlin

and it’s been great ever since.”

Despite the life-altering event, Gautier has turned the negative into a positive.

“It’s appreciation,” Gautier said. “It made me grow up and become the person and man I am today. I’m a calm, mild-mannered person. At one time, my attitude was bad, but going through that experience woke me up to life itself. It was a blessing to me.

Coming out to Texas has been a blessing for me and my family.”

Now, a decade into his new home in Houston, Gautier has been embraced

by Chamberlin.

“Working with Chamberlin has been awesome,” Gautier said. “They have a great staff and great owners.

They care about their employees. They put their employees before anything.

They treat you with respect here.”

His New Orleans roots are still strong as a Saints fan, but he has a soft spot for the Texans. Away from office and site, Gautier enjoys time with family.

“Outside of work, I spend time with family,” Gautier said. “I’ve been the assistant coach for the last year for my son’s little league football team.

Last year was his first year playing. I like to sit on the porch and listen to music.

If I’m not doing that, I’m working.”–cs

Eye candy

Tech in Texas

L-R: EquipmentShare owners Jabbok and Willy Schlacks founded their business in 2014 with the goal of integrating technology into the construction industry.

S

tarting in Columbia, MO, EquipmentShare brings a new way to look at renting equipment in a multimillion-dollar field in Texas.

EquipmentShare launched branches in Houston and San Antonio over the last two months, with another location in Austin on the way.

“Texas as a state is very scalable,” president Willy Schlacks, said. “There are not just one or two cities. It just made sense as one of our early markets, along with Texas having a great mindset for expansion and a great economy. It was an obvious choice, from our mindset.”

What makes EquipmentShare unique is the technology attached to its machinery. ES Track allows the user to follow exactly how and when the equipment is being used to manage cost, safety and security.

“We built out all the systems, but the hardware itself isn’t anything terribly new,” Schlacks said. “It’s really about the software, firmware and the tools we built

on top of that.”

Contractors can use ES Track to get information on their equipment and decide if they want to supply their machinery. EquipmentShare also will manage assets with low utilization, such as aerial drones.

Schlacks sees the company as a mixture of a tech and construction company.

Schlacks says the goals for his company are to continue to grow and to keep improving its services.

“We would like to continue scaling the market place,” Schlacks said. “We would like to get our tools to more and more contractors. Fundamentally, we figure out how this benefits our users. It’s really staying in tune with them. At the end of the day, they help us build our product more than anything else. It’s just listening to our customers. It’s about scaling and expanding but we believe our users will take us to places we never imagined.”–cs

T

he Gulf Coast Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) held its 4th Annual Truck and Trailer Show May 10 at Tommie Vaughn Ford.

Milton Frank Plumbing and Cooling won two awards: Best Looking and Viewer’s Choice.

The Epic Services truck was awarded with Most Efficient, and Pickett Plumbing claim the award of Most Unique.

Two food trucks were available to the 50 attendees, and eight trucks entered into the competition. Door prizes were also awarded to attendees at the event.–cs

Page 16

Houston Construction News • June 2017