Austin Construction News July 2017 by Construction News

Covering the Industry’s News

P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290

Texas Style

PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT #1451

Change Service Requested

San Antonio H Austin Dallas/Fort Worth H Houston

Austin

CONSTRUCTION

™

The Industry’s Newspaper Independence Day - July 4th

www.constructionnews.net

(210) 308-5800

Volume 16

Number 7

JULY 2017

Concepts in comfort

Business of faith

L-R: Tracey Reichanadter and Scott Roberts, owners of 360 Comfort Concepts

L-R: JR and Meredith Ketter

60 Comfort Concepts, an HVAC mechanical shop specializing in geothermo energy is relatively new to the Austin market. The company is in its seventh month of operation having been formed in November of 2016 with the purchase of Action Mechanical Services in February 2017. Scott Roberts and Tracey Reichanadter, co-owners of 360 Comfort Concepts are no strangers to the HVAC industry. Roberts grew up in his father’s mechanical, HVAC, plumbing and geo-thermo company, Roberts Service Company in Niles, MI from the age of 12. While doing consulting work for another company in Florida, Roberts met the owner of Action Mechanical Services, Tom Romberg from Austin. Both having

an interest in geo-thermo and the arguments of water-based versus refrigerant based and understanding the differences between the soils in Michigan and Texas, Roberts began consulting work for Romberg. With Romberg ready to retire, Roberts purchased Austin Mechanical Services. The business changed its name to 360 Comfort Concepts partially due to Reichanadter’s background, which is in business development and marketing and wanting to position the company differently in the market place, not necessarily just as a mechanical contractor but as a consulting comfort specialist. “Whether it is straight up HVAC or radiant floor heat or radiant ceiling heat to continued on Page 17

ith high Christian values, JR and his wife Meredith have built their company with Christian values. “Through the guidance of our Lord, Jesus Christ, JBK Electric was established. We are a small and relatively young company with old fashion values. “We try to price everything more than fair, but the installation and the quality is huge for me because if it’s going to be there, I want it to be there until after I’m dead and gone and still have no issues. That’s the way I was brought up in the trade. You should not go back on the warranty because it’s something you did faulty. Your equipment should fail before your workmanship does,” says JR Ketter, owner of JBK Electric.” Having worked as an electrician his en-

tire life from helping out his dad as a teenager in Midland, to working with larger electrical contractors as an adult, the day finally came that he decided he was ready to start up his own company. After praying about it for a year, he finally made that call to his then employer and told him he was going to strike out on his own. With the support of his employer who knew that day was coming, he did just that. Taking on small jobs here and there, he kept seeing a steady progression. “We did a lot of work on Sixth Street and a lot of that work came from word of mouth. Being in the trade so long, everything was pulled pipe and wire whereas now days, everybody takes a short cut using MC for everything. My dad was in the continued on Page 17

Innovative construction

he Cedar Park area is rapidly growing. CP Discovery Partners Ltd., and its relationship with Primus, a partnership formed with Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) and Kemp Partners, met those needs with the construction and opening of the newest ARC location in Cedar Park. “The project was built on a parcel that housed three existing buildings, and the piece of property had to be carved out and subdivided,” says Mike Nazar, founder and president of Austin Canyon Corporation. As all projects do, this one came with a unique set of challenges, some from the very start. “Due to the slope of the property, we had to raise the site to make the drainage work. The solution involved combing the existing detention and filtration systems with the new. The site had to be built up so as to allow for enough of a slope for the combined systems to drain properly.” Architectural firm, Office of Architec-

ture in Wimberley, designed the 20,287sf two-story clinic. The project includes 52 exam rooms; two procedure rooms, doctors’ and nurses’ work stations, a lab, offices and physicians’ lounges. The new facility will incorporate an electronic medical recording system. The architect utilized a product manufactured by San Marcos-based Bautex Systems LLC, known for its innovative wall system designed to construct energy efficiency and a healthier, safer and more comfortable working environment in its design. Bautex is an insulated concrete form (ICF) which increases the efficiency of R Value of the building significantly and lowers the electric and utility costs. The proprietary Bautex Block is manufactured from a mix of expanded foam plastic, cement and recycled materials. The lightweight blocks, while larger than traditional concrete masonry units, are strong enough to create wall systems for multi-story buildings, yet Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) Medical Center, Cedar Park

continued on Page 17

Page 2

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Concepts in comfort

stablished in Dec. 2008, Bautex System LLC has been manufacturing high performance insulated concrete wall systems out of a fully automated manufacturing facility in San Marcos since early 2013. Bautex Block is an insulated concrete block made of an expanded polystyrene (EPS) and cement composite material. The blocks are large and lightweight units that are stacked to form a wall, inserted with reinforcement bar, and finally poured full of structural concrete. The exterior face of the walls is then coated with a Bautex fluid-applied air and moisture barrier to complete the wall. Walls are then ready for attachment of roofs and floors as well as interior and exterior finishes. Paul Brown, president and business partner and CEO Oliver Lee, became very interested in energy efficient and resilient construction materials and techniques while working on a construction project of his own. “In the process of researching high performance building systems we came across this style of EPScement-insulated concrete block. The technology came out of Europe after World War II and is more extensively used in Europe and the Middle East. “Our goal in starting Bautex was to take the insulated concrete block concept and develop a high speed and fully automated manufacturing process that would allow us to produce significant volumes out of one plant and be cost competitive with traditional building systems. We have a number of patents pending on the process,” says Brown. The Bautex Block Wall System was developed to give architects, general contractors and building owners an easier and more cost-effective way to build high performance buildings. It is a fully integrated wall system that provides

Construction News ON LOCATION

Buda full timing

Paul Brown, President of Bautex Systems LLC

structure, enclosure, insulation and air and moisture barrier in one. A single contractor installs it as much as two times faster than conventional construction. Though the company’s main manufacturing facility and company is headquartered in San Marcos, they have architectural representatives in Dallas-Forth Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio covering the entire state. “Our newest market is North Texas and Oklahoma and we are very excited to begin building in this territory quickly. We recently offered $30,000 worth of materials to help support non-profits here in Texas build their next project. We just finished reviewing submissions and will be announcing the winners soon,” adds Brown. “We have a lot of fun with our company name – Bautex. People are always trying to figure out how to pronounce it. It’s pronounced “bough – tex.” We have even had people tell us that we are not pronouncing it correctly. “Bau” is the German root for builder or building (i.e. Bauhaus movement) and “tex” represents both technology and Texas. Bautex is about building technologies for building better buildings.” –cmw

Bobby Lasseter, owner of Buda Full Remodeling poses for photo during the remodeling of Buda United Methodist Church’s Fellowship Hall. -cmw

Construction News ON LOCATION

Glittering lights

Angela Stewart, Charles Camacho, Robin Miley, administrative manager and Bradley Friedrich pose for photo in the chandelier gallery at Lights Fantastic in Austin. -cmw

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 3

Accessing big

Tees and tackle

he Fire Sprinkler Contractors Association of Texas (FSCATX) held its 7th Annual Skins & Fins Tournament June 8-10 at the South Shore Harbor Resort. The threeday event kicked off with classes and vendor shows on Friday, followed by a golf tournament on Saturday and a fishing tournament on Sunday to close the weekend. More than 400 people from across Texas attended the event with 25 teams competing in the fishing tournament and 38 teams for the golf tournament.–cs

L-R: Luis Montalvo, Juan Aguilar, Memo Elizondo, Rogelio Soto, and Julio Soto

stablished in 2002, Big City Access has become a leader in the scaffolding segment of the construction industry. Since the establishment of Big City Access in 2002, the company has grown with locations in San Antonio and their newest location in Austin, which opened in October 2016. In addition to scaffolding, they provide swing stages, shoring, debris chutes, cantilever load platforms, bridge buggies, material hoist platforms and permanent anchor systems. They also provide labor services for all their products to ensure the satisfaction and safety of their customers. While all their products are rentable, they are also available for purchase. “Big City Access opened its doors in Houston 16 years ago and every anniversary we show our appreciation to our customers and vendors by having our annual Crawfish Boil. This tradition continues with the San Antonio branch, which just held its 6-year anniversary Crawfish Boil,” says Ben Cantu, Central Texas Branch Manager. The Big City crawfish boil has become an anticipated event by

the construction industry. The company is very active in their construction communities. In addition, to their annual crawfish boils, BCA believes in corporate citizenship through the participation of chili and BBQ cookoffs. As you can see, BCA has a flare for food. Apparently, they know the way to their customers’ hearts. With the recent NBA playoffs between the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets, and the company’s interest in both cities, the company participated in an inter-company competition regarding who would win the Round 2 series. Well, we all know how that turned out and as a result, BCA Houston (team Rockets) will be cooking rib eyes for their San Antonio and Austin branches (team Spurs). As the company continues to expand, BCA is excited about the opening of their fourth branch in Dallas in the very near future. Big City Access owns and operates the youngest and most technologically advanced fleet of scaffold related equipment. –cmw

L-R: Dan Merritt, David Stone, Lance Prince and Alan Hertz

Jason Zinn, Wes Davis, Carlos Rojas and Mario Moya

FSCATX gave its members a chance to visit with vendors.

Groundbreaking

A new command

LBJ Early College High School commemorated the groundbreaking of an approximate 5,000sf building May 13 to house a new health science imitative. Jamail & Smith Construction LP is the general contractor for the project.

The 2017-2018 National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) officers were elected on June 8. Incoming officers are: Top Row L-R: director Alex Janota, Flintco; president Taryn Ritchie, Ryan Companies; director Ann Kozial, Vanguard Fire; secretary Linda Cudmore, MTech; treasurer Nikki Guinn, Biggs Plumbing. Bottom Row L-R: director Jennifer Maxwell, Lott Brothers; director Misti Shafer-Webb, Compliance Resources; vice president Stephanie Hayes-Cook, Andrews Myers -cmw

Austin

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Carol Wiatrek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210-308-5800 Austin Editor@ConstructionNews.net

Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Wiatrek Production Manager . . . . Helen Greenwood Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terri Adams Account Manager . . . . . . . . . . . Dana Calonge Construction News Ltd. Home Office P.O. Box 791290 • San Antonio, Tx 78279 210-308-5800 Fax 210-308-5960 www.ConstructionNews.net If you are a construction-related company in Travis, Hays,Bastrop, Burnet, Blanco, Caldwell or Williamson counties and are not receiving a free copy of the Austin Construction News, please call for a Requester Form, or visit our website: ConstructionNews.net

The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., ★ Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction related companies of record in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd., ★ Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

Page 4

Austin Construction News • July 2017

David Shica Owner DS Surfaces Buda, TX

oming from very humble beginnings, David Shica has risen above many tribulations and hardships to own and operate a successful countertop shop. Where you born? I was born in Lima, Peru and came over to the US with my parents in 1981. Why did your parents decide to leave Peru? My father wanted to be a medical doctor. In Peru, there is a lot of competition getting into medical school and only people with a lot of money can get in. So he decided to come to the US with my mom, when he saw an opportunity at Andrews University. They brought us here after a year. We stayed with my grandma until then. Money started to run out. There was not enough work so he decided to go to Mexico. It was easier in Mexico because he could speak the language. He started going to medical school there in Mexico. After a while, my parents got divorced. My mom then met a fellow, they got married and we came back in 1988. What was it like to live in Peru? We lived in a Christian environment. It was beautiful. My grandparents were very educated with a college degree. They both worked at a university. Our childhood was great. We were not poor, but we were not rich either. But what I remember is that my mom and my dad to make and save money. Just behind our house they built an open oven made out of brick. In Peru when it is Christmas, the people make bread called panettone. Every family in Peru will receive a panettone. We would go out and sell it. That is how they saved up money to come to the US. It was not work to us, it was fun. My parents made it in a way it was not stressful for us. We had almost everything that we needed, which was love. Material things come and go, but the love, we had plenty. How old were you when you came to the US the first time? I was 7 when I came to the US the first time and 12 when I came the second time with my mom. What was it like to live in Mexico? It was different. In Peru, we have a different accent. The linguistic is different. Our Spanish is different. It is like American English and British English. The first year was kind of tough getting used to the different type of food and culture. In Peru, we did not have tortillas and we did not eat frijoles or hot and spicy food. The second year we were getting a little more used to it the customs. I have a funny story. I went to middle school in Mexico and every Monday they would gather all the kids from the school outside and they would have the pledge to the flag and salute the flag. In Mexico when you salute the flag, you do it like this (arm across his chest, palm facing the

ground, bent at the elbow), but since I wasn’t Mexican, my brother wasn’t Mexican, we would not do anything. The principal saw us and pulled us into the office. He asked us why we were not saluting and we told him because we are not Mexican. He said “what, you are not Mexicans, you look Mexican. Let me call your parents.” We told him we look Mexican but we are from Peru. My dad came and explained we were from Peru. The principal told us he understood we were not Mexican, but we needed to show respect for the flag because this is where we lived. So I showe respect wherever I go, whatever country I visit. I learned a lot about respect. Here I show respect for this country because this is where I live. Where did you meet your wife? Did you meet her here in the United States? I met my wife here in high school. She is my high school sweetheart. I went to Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas and we met my senior year. She was my best friend’s sister and they would hang out together. One day we were talking and my friend told me Norma is here and I asked who is Norma. After a little while I started liking Norma and I told my friend, and he told his sister and they arranged for us to meet. At first she did not like me. Then after a while she started liking me a little more and so I asked her out. We’ve known each other since 1990. We got married in 1994. We will be celebrating our 23rd anniversary. How many children do you have? We have just one, my daughter Danielle. She is in her second year of college. She is studying psychology. Did your daughter keep you and your wife busy with sports, dance, cheerleading? Not so much. She was in choir and we would go to her choir performances. Now days we go to Fort Worth to see her at least once a month. How did you get started in this business? After I finished high school I went to college on a music scholarship. That summer after high school, I didn’t have anything to do and my stepfather told me about this guy that does countertops and needed help. I didn’t have any money and I was just a kid living at home, so I went to work for him. We worked 14 to 16 hours per day. I didn’t like it, but at the end of the week I made $200. I worked for him for about six months. The company we were working with was a small company, but the owner needed another guy. He asked about me and the guy I was working for thought I could help him out but told him I was just a helper. When he asked me, I told him, “I don’t have any tools. I don’t have a truck. I don’t have anything.” This man told me “David, I’ll buy you the tools. I’ll buy you the truck. You pay me as you work, but I need you.” So I saw an opportunity and I had nothing to lose. He got me started and he gave me the opportunity. The first year was terrible. I was miserable but I liked working. I was going to school while I was doing the work and slowly I started making money. I was 18, 19 at that time making $900 to $1,200 per week. The company started building and brought us here to Austin because they wanted to start up a branch in 2006. By that time I had the experience with almost any surface. Then the market went down. We had become partners, but the partnership went down the toilet. I brought my wife; we were living in an apartment because we thought the business was going to grow. We lost almost all of our savings. I2009 came with

no work. He told us we should just be on our own and ride it out to see how it goes. I had nothing. The only thing I had was my truck, my tools, my family and first of all, my Lord, my faith. So I prayed, and with $500 in my pocket I told my wife I was going to start knocking on doors. We made up some flyers. I got one job out of a thousand flyers. But that one job got me another job. And that other job got me another job. I got about four jobs out of those flyers. Then I met a guy from a cabinet company who told me he could give me a job here and there. And I started meeting people. And I knew if I was going to do a job, I was going to do the best job and be upfront so if they ever needed me again, they would just call me. But not only did they call me, they referred me to other people. Was the struggle during that time hard on you and your wife? The stress was very hard on my wife. She was diagnosed with Lupus when we were in Dallas. The stress during the years we were struggling was very hard on her. At that time Lupus was not a very common disease but she was treated in Dallas. When my daughter was born, the pregnancy took most of her health away from her and she got really sick. We found this doctor that treated her with new medications and she got better. When we moved to Austin in 2006 she was doing really well. When the market crashed in 2009, she got really sick again with all the stress. She came down with Guillain-Barré and was in the hospital for seven days. When she got out the doctor told me she might never be 100%. Today she is 100%. My Lord is great. She has a teaching degree, but when the business got going, I asked her to come work here. She keeps the books and works from our home so the stress is not too much.

You were out of town last week, was it business or pleasure? It was pleasure. My wife and I went to Rome. We try to take a vacation every three to four months to relieve stress. What is your future plans for DS Surfaces? Last year we got this new machinery and that was a big step for us because we used to do it all by hand. My goal now is by 2018 to buy a new building here in Buda, along the I-35 corridor with new machinery, which will get us where we need to be with production and efficiency. After that I don’t think I can grow so much. I can grow enough that I can handle it. If I grow too much, it becomes a big company and I’m not about that. It’s all about what I can handle, what I can service. If it gets too big it is no longer fun. I don’t want it to be stressful. I want to give quality service. You said you studied music; did you get your degree? No, I did not finish, but I really wanted to. I wanted to be a musician, not one that played in concerts, but one that taught. I wanted to give music lessons or be a conductor. When you retire, do you think you will pick music up again? I would love to pick that up again. I love music. What else would you like me to tell our readers about you? You only live once. Take care of your family. Keep your faith up. Be strong in your faith. Do right to everyone. If I made it this far, it’s about that. My values. My values are very strong and I try to pass that on to my guys. -cmw

Making a move

It was moving day for Perkins + Will on April 3. The global architecture and design relocated to midtown Austin to the new Pioneer Bank Building, 623 West 38th St. and hosted an open house on May 3. Andrew Blocha, Diana Davis and Tom Reisenbichler pose for photo.

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 5

JOB SIGHTS

Jose Deloera-Ruiz, is the owner and general contractor for the addition and remodel of an automotive sales shop to an El Tacorrido Mexican Restaurant at 5303 Burnet Rd. Alejandro Arevalo preps for foundation reinforcement. JM Plumbing is the plumbing contractor on file for the site.

Batlett Cocke General Contractors is the general contractor for this upscale infill mixed-use boutique apartment complex. Project architect is LEVY Architects and KBGE, is the engineer. Eddie Bertram with Stewart Electrical Services is one of the electricians at the Burnet 64 project.

Construction match.com

L-R: Field representatives Luke Evans; Kelly Simpson; Mason Meuth; Nash Welling, general manager and Noel Moliar, project coordinator

stablished in 1992, Joe Wesley started Tradesmen International in Macedonia, OH. Wesley was an electrical contractor whose brother ran a data company. During their peak seasons’ offset, they started borrowing employees from each other to meet that uptick in labor needs while maintaining a lean workforce to lower overhead costs. Wesley soon realized the value in a lean workforce and expanded into other trades, eventually growing into the nation’s largest construction staffing service with over 15,000 field employees. Tradesmen International is the “match.com” for the construction industry. They take the time to learn the trades, sit down with contractors to build a profile on exactly the scope of work they need done, learn the project schedule and build a variable strategy for each project. Simultaneously, the project coordinators build a profile on each of their Tradesmen, learning the exact skill sets through MOC codes, skills assessments, reference checks, and NCCER/NCCO certifications. Then, they match the work to the worker. “Each field employee comes guaranteed, not just a guarantee on the field employee, but more so a guarantee that my Rep did his job in assigning the RIGHT

worker to right size your workforce,” says general manager Nash Welling. While staffing is a larger portion of Tradesmen International it isn’t all they do. Through their “Total Labor Support” service they are able to provide labor productivity consulting, OSHA safety training and provide labor relations and legal support. From their National Recruiting Center and network of nearly 150 offices, industry recruitment experts with multiple years of construction experience identify top craftsmen who are reliable, verifiably skilled and safety-minded. Each is thoroughly vetted and provided with safety training upon hire. When not working, the Austin team enjoys doing business with friends. This starts with their internal office culture, they work hard together all week, but still enjoy spending time outside of work on the weekends on the lake, barbecuing, playing basketball (some better than others!), and enjoying this beautiful city. The company has only one branch in Austin which opened in 1999. They have branches in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio and 150 nationally. Tradesmen International is a national staffing company. –cmw

FAKE NEWS

ollipop Guild Construction recently won the prestigious Crystal Ball Award in the $1,000 to $5,000 small condominium category at the Small General Contractors Association’s (SGCA) annual awards banquet held on June 14 at the Wizard’s Resort in Emerald City. Scarecrow Estates is a premium multi-family small condominium complex with yellow brick hiking trails, and emerald swimming pools.

L-R: Mike McGinnis; Don Johnson; Pat Wheeless; David Terry, supervisor; Santiago Figueroa; Alberto Sifuentes; Sergio Ibarrera; Samuel Araujo; and Rnady Huff with Wheeler Coatings take a breather while performing a utility cut and repair at 1601 Rutherford. -cmw

nakeline Rental, a division of Blueline Rental held a grand opening and open house celebration at 1430 Snake in the Grass on June 1. The company’s new division will provide the highest level of service in snake removal. “Our PREY (personal reptiles & earth yielding) Division specializes in personal hand to snake removal,” says store manager Brian Langhorst. In addition we have available state of the art equipment such as the viper lift 1036 which can stretch to the spontaneous reach of 36 inches with an articulating head or the diamond back hoe that can unearth brumation in any location.

Samuel Lopez; Orblien Rodriguez and Julio Vazquez, owner of JV Painters prepare for exterior painting at 1805 Rutherforld. -cmw

Consumers will be able to harvest their own lights and have an unending selection of styles, mounts and colors to chose from for their life-sustaining bug containers. These containers will feature dimming, solid light or twinkle lights. This is accomplished thru stem cell treatment during harvest, which is included in the bug kit.

nique Commercial Lighting is a company always on top of the latest trends in lighting. The company will be the first to introduce “Living Lights.” With the recent comeback of lightning bugs (which were thought to becoming extinct), they anticipate the first product rollout will be within the year, as soon as they harvest their first batch of lightning bugs from their other new product – lightning bug kits.

Outdoor lighting Indoor lighting also available.

ullies Barricades will soon be featuring a completely new style of barricades for public safety, while helping solve unemployment at the same time. Come September, ask for “Rent-ABully” and really scary guys will be delivered to your site, completely armed and with a sound system so your workers can better enjoy their jobs – not to mention passers-by who may even whistle at the macho contractors while admiring the job they’re doing. In the meantime, no one will get hurt and the jerks will keep the other really, really, bad guys away and prevent stupid people from walking into ditches!

Page 6

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Simplifying Sales and Use Tax: A 4-part checklist Stephanie Thomas, CPA Principal Thomas, Thomas & Thomas PC Houston, TX

or many of the construction firms we work with, sales tax is the bane of their existence. Texas has some of the most complicated, confusing rules that if not applied properly, can lead to steep penalties. Determining the property type, project type, contract type and entity type will help you determine your sales tax responsibilities. Once those questions have been answered, understanding your sales tax responsibilities will be a lot simpler. 1. What type of property is it? Commercial business – Commercial property is non-residential property. Examples include restaurants, manufacturing plants, office buildings, hospitals, malls, hotels, etc. Residential - A residential property includes property used as a family dwelling, multi-family apartment or housing complex, nursing home, condominium, or retirement home. 2. What type of entity is it? Taxable entity – entity is not exempt from Texas sales and use taxes. Tax exempt entity- governmental, educational, charitable or religious entity that is exempt from Texas sales and use taxes. 3. What type of project is this? New construction - all new improvements to realty, including initial finish out work to the interior and exterior of the improvement. It also includes the addition of new usable square footage to an existing building. Repair/Remodeling/Restoration - to rebuild, repair, replace, alter, modify or upgrade existing realty. A mix - is a project that has both elements. For example, adding a wing to an existing building has both new construction and repair/ remodeling elements. 4. What type of contract is it? Lump sum contract – the charge for labor and incorporated materials is one charge. Separated or line item contract- the charge for incorporated materials is separately stated from the charge for labor. How to Use the Checklist to Charge Clients The answers to these questions determine how clients are invoiced and when sales or use tax is due on purchases. The following information is general and reflects current Texas sales tax rules for repair/remodeling projects performed on commercial property for taxable entities. Repair/remodeling/restoration projects on commercial property for taxable entities are taxable, with few exceptions. Sales tax should be invoiced as a separate line item on the total charge, except separately stated unrelated services charges. The applicable tax rate is based on the jobsite.

In most instances, the contract type for commercial, repair/remodeling projects does not matter. However, there are exemptions for labor, if the repair/remodeling project is performed pursuant to a separated contract in a designated disaster area or the property listed in the National Register of Historic Places. For example, Thomas Construction is the general contractor on a commercial, remodeling project with a XYZ Corp, a taxable entity. The property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. If the construction services are performed pursuant to a separated contract, Thomas Construction only charges sales tax on the separately stated incorporated materials charge. If the service is performed pursuant to a lump sum contract, Thomas Construction should charge sales tax on the entire charge. Sales Tax the Contractor Should Pay The contractor can purchase incorporated materials and subcontractor services tax-free by issuing a properly completed Texas resale certificate to subcontractors and material suppliers. Sales tax is due on consumable supplies and equipment rentals. Conclusion Determining the project type, property type, contract type and entity type will help you determine your sales tax responsibilities. Once those questions have been answered, understanding your sales tax responsibilities will be a lot simpler.

DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is general in nature and is not legal advice. The provider of the information makes no representation regarding the law and/or its application to any entity’s specific situation. Because state tax laws, policies, and applications are dynamic, please consult with a state tax professional for a complete rendition of the law as it may apply to your specific situation at a particular time. Since 1998, Stephanie Thomas, CPA has helped clients with sales and use tax issues. Thomas, Thomas & Thomas, PC is a CPA firm that works exclusively in state tax issues only, helping clients all over the country address sales and use tax audits, minimize sales and use tax deficiencies, and understand how to comply with applicable sales and use tax laws. If you have more questions regarding sales and use tax, refer to Stephanie’s book, Texas Taxes For The Construction Industry, which can be found at www.thomaspc.com or contact Stephanie directly at (281) 4691103.

Taking back control in a difficult commercial auto insurance market Stan Gregory, Safety and Risk Consultant INSURICA San Antonio, TX

ommercial auto insurance is becoming more difficult to manage each year. Rates continue to increase, and insurance carriers are limiting their appetites for anything but best-in-class risks. Before we look at what you can do to take back control of your auto insurance program, let’s take a look at the reasons behind this hard market. 1. Cell phones are huge distractions. More than one quarter of all crashes involve distracted drivers talking on phones or texting. As younger drivers are hitting the streets, this problem is continuing to grow. 2. People are driving more. In the first half of 2016, we saw a 3.3% year-overyear increase in mileage driven, nationwide. This trend has been continuing for some time, and we are at an all-time high for mileage driven. Unfortunately, more driving translates to a higher frequency of accidents. 3. Medical costs are escalating. In fact, the rate of medical inflation is growing 1.5 times the rate of other costs. This is a big concern for insurance companies because experts agree there is no easy solution in sight. 4. Frequency and severity of auto accidents are both increasing. Claims costs can come from a rise in frequency or severity of accidents. With commercial auto, both are rising. 5. Auto repair costs are rising significantly. As the price of cars has gone up, so have the costs to repair them after an accident. With newer cars, even minor repairs can cost major bucks. 6. In 2016, auto insurance carriers in the state of Texas ran an average of a 110% combined loss ratio. Simply put, this means the commercial auto insurance industry is losing money. To make up for this, insurance carriers are tightening their driver qualifications, and rates are trending upward to compensate. There are a few troubling things to note about these trends. Many of the trends simply do not have solutions. The insurance industry cannot do anything about more drivers on the roads, rising medical costs, or rising repair costs. Many industry experts believe the auto insurance industry will continue the pricing trends we are seeing for years to come. For auto insurance buyers and commercial fleet managers, the time for proactive fleet management is now. While many carriers are limiting their appetites and increasing rates, the best pricing is

always reserved for customers with bestin-class fleet management programs. Here are six things every business should be doing to manage their fleet. 1. Hire qualified drivers. Insurance companies typically exclude drivers after three violations. Best-in-class companies will examine a potential new hire’s driving record to determine if their moving violations could result in future problems with procuring auto insurance policies. 2. Check driving records regularly. In addition to pulling MVRs for new hires, best-in-class companies will pull employees’ MVRs regularly to check for new violations. 3. Implement a robust fleet safety program. This includes documenting the program and consistently communicating the company’s expectations to all employees. 4. Adopt and enforce a company policy for personal use of vehicles. While a lot of companies have personal use policies in place, many don’t enforce the policy in a consistent manner. 5. Train your drivers. Whether your insurance agent offers decision driving training or you contract with a vendor to provide training, it’s important to train new hires and re-train existing employees using proven risk management techniques. 6. Monitor drivers and vehicles using technology. There are a variety of options available for fleet managers to monitor fuel economy, speed, hard braking, and aggressive driving. These systems may require initial an investment, but the potential insurance savings can pay for them many times over. Stan Gregory is a Safety and Risk Consultant and a leader on INSURICA’s Risk Management team. He has more than three decades of experience working with loss control, safety planning, and risk management for clients within the construction and energy industries. He can be reached at 210-805-5915 or sgregory@INSURICA. com.

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 7

The Economic Loss Rule and construction defect litigation Part 1: What is the Economic Loss Rule? Varant Yegparian Schiffer Odom Hicks and Johnson PLLC Houston, TX A. Introduction Litigation is the last place anyone in the construction industry wants to be in. That is why owners, developers, contractors, and sub-contractors should draft their contracts with an eye toward the possible lawsuit. To that end, a contract’s terms (capping damages, excluding claims, specifying specific types of relief, etc.) represent a careful allocation of the parties’ risk—the “benefit of the bargain.” Parties to a construction contract rely on the negotiated terms to provide a measure of certainty—letting them know what to expect over the course of a construction project. The ability to rely on a contract’s terms is especially important in litigation; being able to use a contract’s terms as defenses to a lawsuit can radically alter a person or company’s decision to sue. Therefore, knowing whether a contract’s terms can be used in a lawsuit is essential. A legal doctrine known as the “economic loss rule” is especially important in determining whether contractual defenses will be available in a lawsuit. Indeed, the rule provides a useful weapon to those who find themselves in litigation. This article is part of a three-part series which will explain what the rule is, how it works in a lawsuit, why it is important to the construction industry, and how some recent court decisions affect the rule. B. The Economic Loss Rule The economic loss rule is a legal sorting machine: put in information about the parties, the type of damage, and whether there is a contract and it will spit out whether you have a contract or tort claim. This sorting might not seem like much, but drawing a line between contract and tort claims can have significant consequences for a lawsuit. This is because tort damages cannot be recovered in contract – and – contract damages cannot be recovered in tort. C. Tort or Contract: What is my claim? In a construction defect lawsuit, the plaintiff usually asserts two types of claims: contract and tort. A breach of contract claim is straightforward: a party will claim that it had a contract with the defendant to, for example, to do all electrical subcontracting on the project. If the subcontractor fails to do its job properly, it will be liable or responsible to the plaintiff for breach of contract. A tort claim—i.e., one for negligence—is a little more complicated. In the example above, assume again the

★★★

subcontractor did not properly install the wiring for the project. If a third-party inspector is inspecting the electrical work and gets shocked due to the faulty wiring, he could bring a personal injury suit against the subcontractor. This would be a tort claim. Importantly, the inspector could not bring a breach of contract lawsuit against the subcontractor because there is no contract between the two. The inspector’s contract would be with the project owner, not the electrical subcontractor. Therefore, the inspector’s claims would be limited exclusively to tort—not contract—damages. D. The Economic Loss Rule, Again: What does it do? Returning to the example above, the inspector could not sue electrical subcontractor for breach of contract because no contract between the two existed (hence, tort damages cannot be recovered in contract). Likewise, the project owner could not sue the subcontractor for negligence because the damage suffered by the owner—improper wiring— is covered entirely by its contract with the subcontractor. This sorting of contract and tort is the key feature of the economic loss rule. E. Conclusion The legal “sorting” provided by the economic loss rule—its way of separating contract claims from tort claims—is important in litigation. While some might think the difference between a contract and tort claim might is obvious, sometimes it is not. As will be explained in next month’s article, the economic loss rule can be particularly useful for those in the construction industry when there is an issue regarding what type of claim— whether contract or tort—a plaintiff has actually pled. Varant Yegparian 700 Louisiana Ste. 2650 Houston, Tx 77002 • Tel: 713.255.4109 vyegparian@sohjlaw.com

Workplace violence Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

orkplace violence is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can affect and involve employees, clients, customers and visitors. Homicide is currently the fourth-leading cause of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. Research has identified factors that may increase the risk of violence for some workers at certain worksites. Such factors include exchanging money with the public and working with volatile, unstable people. Working alone or in isolated areas may also contribute to the potential for violence. Providing services and care, and working where alcohol is served may also impact the likelihood of violence. Additionally, time of day and location of work, such as working late at night or in areas with high crime rates, are also risk factors that should be considered when addressing issues of workplace violence. Among those with higher-risk are workers who exchange money with the public, delivery drivers, healthcare professionals, public service workers, customer service agents, law enforcement personnel, and those who work alone or in small groups. In most workplaces where risk factors can be identified, the risk of assault can be prevented or minimized if employers take appropriate precautions. One of the best protections employers can offer their workers is to establish a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence. This policy should cover all workers, patients, clients, visitors, con-

tractors, and anyone else who may come in contact with company personnel. By assessing their worksites, employers can identify methods for reducing the likelihood of incidents occurring. OSHA believes that a well-written and implemented workplace violence prevention program, combined with engineering controls, administrative controls and training can reduce the incidence of workplace violence in both the private sector and federal workplaces. This can be a separate workplace violence prevention program or can be incorporated into a safety and health program, employee handbook, or manual of standard operating procedures. It is critical to ensure that all workers know the policy and understand that all claims of workplace violence will be investigated and remedied promptly. In addition, OSHA encourages employers to develop additional methods as necessary to protect employees in high risk industries. OSHA recently issued a Directive on Workplace Violence that can be located at: https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/ Directive_pdf/CPL_02-01-058.pdf natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Summer shooting

ore than 125 members and industry people were in attendance June 16th at Capital City Clays for the Associated Builders & Contractors Central Texas Chapter’s annual summer clay shoot. -cmw

Independence Day ★★★

ndependence Days has long been marked as a patriotic day and have often taken place outdoors. Families often celebrate Independence Day by having picnics or barbeques or just an opportunity to gather with family and friends. 241 years ago, the United States declared their independence from Great Britain’s rule. The legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain actually occurred on July 2 when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia in June. After voting for independence, Congress turned their attention to the Declaration of Independence, which merely explained the decision for independence. Prepared by a commit-

tee of five, Thomas Jefferson, the primary author, the document’s contents had been debated and revised by Congress, giving final approval two days later on July 4. The one year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence was commemorated by thirteen gunshots fired in salute, once in the morning and once again as evening fell on July 4, 1777 in Bristol, RI. Congress made the Fourth of July an unpaid holiday in 1870, but in 1938, Congress changed the Independence Day to a paid federal holiday. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence to later serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day, July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. -cmw

1st Place Team: Lasco Electric. L-R: Sean Feasal, Mark Billings, Shannon King and Randy Barrington

2nd Place Team: SpawGlass. Rudy Cisneros, Austin Day, Tim Rosenberg with Chamberlin Waterproofing and Blake Green 3rd Place Team: Harvey Cleary. Weston Brown, Sean Mazanec, Steve Frintz and not pictured, Omar Morales

Best overall shooter Mark Billings Lasco Electric

Page 8

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Showing what they’ve got

ith more than 100 exhibitors and about 800 attendees, Blue Book hosted its Central Texas Who’s Who Showcase Jun. 15 at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos. –mh

Brelle West Construction

HB Construction

Wurzel Builders

BARNSCO Decorative Concrete Supply Epic Construction

Lott Brothers Construction Company

Structura

Structure Tone Southwest

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 9

Protecting yourself from the sun and heat 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. With summer in full swing and temperatures on the rise, you must really be prepared when spending a full day on the water. Temperatures have already started reaching the mid to upper ‘90s during the hottest part of the day and with the heat index, that could feel like 102-105 degrees. It’s very important to stay cool and drink plenty of fluids so that you don’t get dehydrated. Proper hydration improves mood, boosts brain function and prevents fatigue. When planning for your day on the water, pack your cooler with drinks that

Cameron Lopez of San Antonio had a nice mixed stringer of fish while pre-fishing with Steve Schultz Outdoors for a tournament. Note the sun gloves and sleeves that help protect this angles from the harsh conditions we work in.

don’t have high amounts of sugar and carbs in them. These drinks will not quench your thirst and instead make you crave something else to drink. Beer is not a very thirst quenching beverage either. I know what you’re thinking, “Steve Schultz is getting old and soft”. I remember him when he was younger, he’d have a

Small Superheroes

cooler full of Silver Bullets every time the boat left the dock. That’s true, and I’m not saying you should not drink beer while fishing, but it should be done in moderation and water should be added in between every couple of adult beverages. That’s enough on the speech of beer on the boat. One drink that’s good to have on your boat during the summer is several bottles of Pedialyte. Pedialyte is a medical-grade hydration solution specially formulated with the optimal balance of sugar and electrolytes needed to help re-

plenish vital fluids, minerals, and nutrients, which, when lost, can lead to dehydration. Electrolytes are minerals essential to your health. They help carry electrical signals that power your nerves and muscles, maintain your blood’s proper pH, and balance fluids in your body. You get electrolytes from what you eat and drink, and you lose them any time you lose fluids, like when you sweat or go to the bathroom. Another way I stay cool is by dressing in the proper clothing. Many of the fishing clothing companies make performance fishing clothing that helps keep you cool all day long. Columbia, Aftco, Under Armor and HUK are just some of the few that this captain wears on a daily basis. Light color garments work best on sunny day’s. This style of clothing has become very popular with most of the guides in our area because they also carry an SPF rating of at least 50 to protect you from the sun. You can also find shorts and fishing pants made of the same quality material. Speaking of sun protection, let’s not forget to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you hit the water. I typically use Neutrogena sunscreen products daily and try to remember to reapply midmorning if possible. Most of the time I forget to do this, so I always have my trusty buff around my neck that I pull over my cap to shield my face and neck from the sun the rest of the day. These buffs are also handy to help keep your cap on your head when running across the bay. Y’all know how guides hate to go back for caps!! Stay Salty my friends!! I still have several open dates for August, September and October of 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.

L-R: Chelsey Minchew, Cathy Minchew, Tony Meeks, Dustin Minchew, Debbie Meeks, Miranda Minchew, Terri Fleming, Alex Wildes, Chris Idelson, Jessamy Wieser, and Stephanie Myszka. In front, the adorable Asher Minchew.

erri Fleming with Rogers-O’Brien Construction shared photos from the 5K March of Dimes for Babies held in Round Rock on May 13. “Although these babies were born small, they showed us how big and brave they really are! The challenges they have faced and overcome are nothing short of superhero strength,” says Fleming. Miranda Minchew, Asher’s mother said, “I get to raise my hero. He has showed me more strength and courage than anyone my own age. When he was born at 24 weeks and 1 day, weighing only 1 lb. 13 oz., the first thing I thought of when I saw him in his transportation isolate was not how small he was or how many wires and tubes were connected to him, but I’m so proud of you! I walk for Asher and for other babies that had to fight to live, that persevered, and that taught us what true beauty is and for God’s grace. I walk for the little ones who went to God too soon for us to under-

stand and I walk for the preemies graduating from college who beat all odds. I walk so one day babies can just be babies.” –cmw

Asher Minchew

Submitted to Construction News

The big one

Fernando Chavez, F & V Drywall Acoustics Inc caught this 27-inch, 20-lb redfish in Port Aransas. –cmw

Page 10

Austin Construction News • July 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

Zebras attack!

know, it sounds like the name of a bmovie from the 1960s. Don’t worry, you won’t wake up one morning to find Zebras munching on the shrubs in front of your house or running rampant in the streets. I’m talking about another kind of Zebra. Zebra mussels. I bet you have already heard the public service commercials from Parks and Wildlife about Zebra mussels. You know, “Clean, Drain, Dry your boat” in a catchy little jingle. If you don’t have a boat you may not even pay attention anymore. But do you use water for drinking or bathing or keeping your grass alive? Then you need to know about this! Zebra mussels and quagga mussels are almost the same. They found their way to the Great Lakes in the ballast water of Eastern European ocean-going vessels in the 1980s and by 1990 have already infected all the Great Lakes. They are in 29 states already and sadly, Texas is now one

MB Construction

Horizon Construction

of them. A single adult can produce 100,000 adult offspring in her life and each of them will do the same. They are filter feeders that consume the plankton that is the very foundation of the native food chain from the water. This makes the water crystal clear as it has been stripped of nutrients and changes the amount of light that penetrates the water. More light leads to unnatural and sometimes toxic overgrowth of algae that can kill native fish and aquatic birds. If that’s not bad enough, they attach themselves to everything in the water. No more barefoot beachcombing or letting the kids play in the sand at the lake’s edge, zebra mussels shells can cut you to pieces. Anything left in the water gets coated with them, even crawfish. Worst of all they stop up intakes for water systems. From the cooling of a boat’s engine to supplying a thirsty city, if it pumps water from an infected waterway the mussels will clog it up! Expect your water bill to increase due to expensive efforts to clean and maintain water treatment facilities. Zebra and quagga mussels have had an easy time traveling with people from one waterway to another. We move a lot of things by water. Between shipping and recreational activities we never thought much about moving from one body of water to another until now. Our only hope is to slow them down by learning to be vigilant about adequately cleaning and drying out our boats. Something as innocent as a wet rope or soggy carpet on a boat trailer can introduce the invasion into a new lake. So far no one has any way to eradicate or control the mussels without causing harm to others. I hope you will take a little time to learn more about zebra mussels. You can go to my Facebook page; Great Outdoors Ken Milam Radio Show and listen to the podcast of the interview we had with Monica McGarrity, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Aquatic Invasive Species Team Leader about Zebra mussels in Texas Lakes, and “like” the page while you are there. The more people that understand what we are up against the better. Maybe one of you will hit upon the idea that will make a difference. You are the most innovative people I know!

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 11

Submitted to Construction News

It’s about the bass

First redfish of the day

Matt Tolbert of Global Electric and his son Thomas show off a few nice early summer bass caught and released on Lake Travis out of Jonestown Park.

9-year-old Victoria Marriott, daughter of Paul Marriott with ResFloor Concrete Solutions, caught the first redfish of the day in Port O’Connor, TX. When asked how much the 24-inch red weighed, Paul said “No idea how much it weighed, we only know how good it tasted.” Father and daughter “stole away and had a BLAST!!!” -cmw

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

Texas Style

★ San Antonio ★ Austin ★ Dallas/Fort Worth ★ Houston

Page 12

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Clash of the castles

he sands of time did not stop association members from competing in a childhood favorite activity. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Houston chapter hosted members across Texas for the 31st Annual AIA SandCastle Competition on June 3 at Galveston East Beach. Fifty-eight teams competed to win different awards and spend a day at the beach with fellow members, putting together masterpieces of sand. Kirksey + Metzger pulled off a three-peat, winning its third consecutive first place Golden Bucket.–cs

Winners

Golden Bucket: Kirksey + Metzger – Surf and Turf

Silver Shovel: Gensler + Harvey – Return of the Crawfish Bronze Shovel: Ziegler Cooper Architects – Quest for the Holy Pail Fourth Place: Pfluger Flintco – Clash of the Icons Fifth Place: Page –’Tis the Sea-sun Sixth Place: HKS with DPR Construction – Crash Sanding Annual AIA College Challenger: Richard Meier – Barcelona I “LIGHT” Best Team Signage: Browne McGregor Architects – Houston, We Have A Sculpture Best Team T-Shirt: Page – ’Tis the Sea-Sun Best Costume: Philowilke Partnership – 5th Element The Sydney LeNoir Public Favorite: ASCE Houston – Bowser’s Beach Bash!

Tallest Standing Structure: Kirksey + Metzger – Smurf and Turf Best Sports: VLK Architects – Pirates of the Super Bowl Best Science Fiction: HKS with DPR Construction – Crash Sanding Houston-Centric: Gensler + Harvey – Return of the Crawfish! Kidtastic! Lego Edition: Perkins + Will/HOAR Construction –The Truth About Legos Best Traditional Castle: Kirksey + Metzger – Smurf and Turf Best Architectural Icon: Freese and Nichols, Inc. – Mayan Pyramids

Kirksey + Metzger

Freese and Nichols, Inc.

Gensler + Harvey

Kirksey + Metzger

Ziegler Cooper Architects

Construction News ON LOCATION

Gazing out

Road to recovery

Comet Signs General Manager, Kenneth Shelton, gazes out as the Austin editor takes his photo outside his office in Buda. -cmw

Recovering from kneel surgery, Ed Lowenberg, president of Solis Constructors Inc. rests for a moment. -cmw

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 13

“Wire off”

Staying a-float

ay 4 was a busy day for the electrical industry. Over 40 contractor members and associates attended a luncheon prior to the CenTex IEC’s annual tradeshow and wire-off competition. 600 plus individuals attended the tradeshow throughout the day and to watch the wire-off competition enter its final hours. As the completion wound down, the excitement grew. The wire-off contestants did a phenomenal job and competition was extremely intense. The six competitors in the competition are 4th year graduating apprentices from the CenTex IEC apprenticeship program. Congratulations to all the competitors for showing off their craft, skills and knowledge in front of such a large crowd. -cmw Bianca & Fernando Chavez, owners of F & V Drywall Acoustics Inc. 1st place winner Jonathan Gibson, Allied Electric

2nd place winner Grant Kinane, The Brandt Companies

3rd place winner Kevin Thomas, RK Bass Electric

Something to crow about

L-R: Dan Thornson; Seth Young; Rusty; Layman Tedford, owner; Silky; Terry Ross; and William Hunter.

edford Distributors LLC got its start after Darrell Tedford came to Austin from Mississippi as a Singer sewing machine salesman. After leaving the sewing machine business, Tedford and a buddy got into the scratch and dent furniture and rug business in South Austin. It was not long before the two went from selling scratch and dent furniture and rugs to rolls of carpet and vinyl flooring and then installing. After things took off with the flooring line, they closed their little scratch and dent business, Truck line and Freight. In 1970, they began selling and installing vinyl flooring and carpets. The business did so well, that they had to relocate to their current location in North Austin at 9206 United Dr. “When they bought this place, there was nothing around here but a driving range,” says Terry Ross. “We’re infamous around here. All the flooring stores

know us. If they can’t find something, they call us.” As the company continued to grow, and many years later, Layman Tedford, current owner, joined the business when his oldest brother, Darrell, was ready to retire. “My guys take pride in being clean and honest,” says Tedford. “We’re able to get your job finished in a timely manner and we’ll make sure you have a great experience with us.” Between customers, the guys at Tedford Distributors entertain themselves with Rusty, the company dog, and the chickens they raise out back. Not just any chickens, they have a flock of Chinese chickens, which they are happy to carry around and entertain their customers with. Tedford Distributing carries and installs all types of flooring from hardwood to marble, from carpet to vinyl. -cmw

efore starting his own business, Fernando Chavez worked for several drywall companies learning the ins and outs of the drywall business. Now the proud owner and president of F & V Drywall Acoustic Inc., Chavez keeps his focus on providing quality work. F & V started out as a two-man crew. Today, just short of 4 years later, the company has grown to employ 40 employees. “When Fernando started the business, he took on 20 jobs. They were all small to medium size,” says Bianca Chavez, estimator and office manager. “Then he decided we should focus on medium to larger jobs, but only a few so we weren’t spread to thin.” Currently the company has five projects underway. “Owning my own drywall business has always been one of my goals. Now that I have my own business, I make sure I give our 100 percent in each job that we do.” The company has completed office buildings, schools, restaurants, retail

stores, banks and medical offices. And specializes in demolition, drywall, metal framing, acoustical ceiling, grid, finishes and raco. The majority of the work F & V performs is commercial, but is currently expanding into residential. The company has an experienced painting to crew to compliment their drywall workmanship to ensure a job that is 100 percent satisfactory to their project owners. With Fernando out in the field, working hands-on, and Bianca in the office estimating, ordering materials, paying bills and payroll, the young couple find themselves working seven days a week. But when they are able to get a way for a short break, they enjoy escaping to the coast to get in some much deserved fishing and relaxation. F & V Drywall Acoustic Inc. a 4-year old company specializes in acoustic, drywall, metal framing, demolition, finishes, grid and raco. -cmw

Page 14

Austin Construction News • July 2017

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

Electrical horizon Vincent Real, President and CEO Big State Electric Ltd. Austin, TX

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? I feel Texas has been vibrant and creative to keep our economy healthy. Texas leadership has always been proactive attracting large industry and Fortune 500 companies. No matter where I go or turn there is construction projects of all sizes including infrastructure and highway improvements throughout the state. I would say the economy in Texas is fair. Have you heard of any increase or slowdowns in business? Obviously the oil production decrease and under $50 a barrel oil has had an impact on Texas. Our Houston office has definitely been feeling it for the last 10 months, but we see light at the end of the tunnel. We have been budgeting many projects for large companies and we feel it is only a matter of time until they are released. We have also noticed a lot of consolidation in facilities with the larger companies. The Permian Basin is very active at the moment and we hope it trickles down to the Eagle Ford and other parts of South Texas. On the bright side, we are seeing a lot of activity in San Antonio, Austin and Houston with public education bonds being passed to build more schools. There seems to be a lot of activity in the higher education arena also. Medical and data centers, also seems to have some activity. What are the factors driving this increase/slowdown? I believe not only national, but also international companies focus on Texas. It is a company and industry friendly state that does not handcuff large industry with laws and regulations. Not that our state leaders

don’t protect our state and the people that live here, they just seem to be more sensible and use common sense when it comes to what is decided for the large companies and what is good for our state and its cities. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? We do see a considerable number of general contractors, mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors from other states setting up offices in the areas where we work. Especially in the last 10 years large contractors, from the East and West Coast, pursing large government and municipality projects in the state. What are the costs increases relating to your industry? We historically have had labor increases due to inflation and insurance coverage continuing to rise. We have invested a large amount of funding on two full time safety personnel and looking for a third so we have one in each office. We are also increasing safety and certification training. We have seen a positive side to this by lowering our modifier and reducing our insurance premium.

Living by the code of safety Ben Tijerina, Assistant Project Manager HJD Capital Electric San Antonio, TX

n September, the 2017 code will become effective. What changes can electrical contractors expect to see in the new code? The code changes every three years. It’s always minor changes. The NEC [National Electrical Code] has always been about safety. My view is that the NEC is there to protect people and equipment. There are always going to be changes, and most of them have to do with safety and safeguarding people and equipment. The arc-fault requirements always get expanded every time they do these revisions. The arc-fault, circuit interrupters, became required in 2011. This is because of personal safety. It’s geared more toward residential than commercial, but when they changed the code, they made it required to have every electrical circuit that is going to what they call “a living area” be protected by an arc-fault breaker to help prevent house fires. If an extension cord is broken and starts a fire, the arc-fault breakers will catch that and interrupt the circuit. That way there’s no damage down the line. Do you use the code often in the field? As an installer in the field, [the code] goes more into the design of these buildings and how they build them. It is something that as an electrician, you do need to know, but it’s not something where we’ll have a codebook right by us and pull it out. As far as requirements or arc-fault and other safety [factors], those usually get integrated into the design. We’ll be told, “You’re going to use this kind of breaker here now. A couple of years ago, we used this kind, and now, you’re going to use this updated kind.” Is it more relevant for new installation

as opposed to service and repair? When you get into service and repair – normally, when you touch a system, you do have to bring it up to code. For instance, if we did a residential call, which we don’t really do at Capital, but if we did, and the customer is asking for an interior panel to be changed out, then as an electrical contractor, you would have to go in and update everything to meet the new code requirements. When we go in and renovate places, if the systems aren’t meeting the code requirements, we have to update them. We go into buildings they want to renovate and [the electrical system] doesn’t meet the new code – or doesn’t even meet the code for the past 10 years – so you get in there and you have to update it. When you update a system that is so old that it doesn’t meet the code, do you have to update or replace the whole system? Depending on how old the equipment is, sometimes it’s easier just to pull it all out and start new. I’ve run into that several times. But then, you get certain

Electrical Industry Sep: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment

What is on the horizon for your industry? We have invested in various software, more computers, ipads, cell phones and state-of-the-art tools. We are doing more training, preplanning, prefab and taking more emphasis on material and logistics. In simple terms, reducing task and steps on the project site.

Back in the ‘90s, we did a project at a research facility where high voltage cable grids were installed overhead in the interior of a large building. This was to mock up high voltage utility lines that we see in our cities and rural areas. Monkeys lived in this facility for years and were observed to see if the frequent exposure had any side effects or caused medical issues.

Have there been any significant code changes in the last year? Yes, related to the energy codes regarding lighting, lighting controls, daylight harvesting and automation of window shades in large buildings.

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? I would say hiring. We have become a society that feels they are entitled to high wages and benefits when they have no experience. I had a friend tell me his son just started his first day as an intern at a large company and one of the other interns in the group asked, “I wonder how many hours they expect us to work?” That scares me when this type of mindset exists for potential new hires. I am seeing it too often.

With the recent emphasis on green building, what is the most environmentally-friendly change relating to your industry? I think in the electrical industry it would be the disposal of incandescent, florescent lamps and ballast. You can’t dispose a large quantity when doing a demo project. I know Big State Electric is doing a better job recycling and collecting cardboard, pallets, etc. for recycling instead of throwing in the dumpster. We have been on some large projects when owners are seeking LEED Certification for silver, gold or platinum recognition for their buildings. On these projects you have multiple dumpster separating cardboard, pallets, scrap metal, sheetrock, trash, etc. to score points. Have you seen an increase in safety awareness? Yes, I would estimate a 30 percent increase in the last five years in our company. As a minimum, all our employees are OSHA 30 or OSHA 10 trained along with many other special certifications. What is the most unusual application of electricity you have seen?

situations where you can retrofit what is already there and make it meet the new code requirements. It just really depends on how old the system is. Whenever we run into systems that are, let’s say, over 30 years old, that’s usually when we just completely replace. On some of these older systems, we’re working with a piece of switchgear that’s 30 years old, and they want you to pull a new subpanel out of it, you get to the point where we need a breaker for this switchgear, and the breaker for the switchgear just isn’t available new. It’s usually only available when it’s refurbished, and it’s so expensive that it’s actually cheaper to just replace the whole system. When it gets that bad, it just depends on what kind of system it is. Do you run into that often in commercial construction and renovation? What fraction of your work poses this kind of challenge? I would say it’s about one-third. We don’t run into a lot. Also, a lot of the work Capital does is with the government and the city, and a lot of the work is on a budget. When things like this happen, it comes back with a large cost, and they try to do something different instead. In addition to costs for the owners, what are the factors that affect retrofit-ting for electricians? One of the biggest things with the NEC and with us in general in the industry is safety. That’s always a big deal, especially when we’re dealing with electricity. That’s key for us. It’s very important that no matter what we do, especially in researching all these things. When you get into some of this older gear, and you have to start researching what it is we need to do to accomplish

What are the rewards of the industry? The friends I have made and every project we complete and getting that warm and fuzzy feeling of accomplishment. I am very proud of our company name and I smile every time I see one of our trucks on the road or seeing our sign hanging on a new construction project. What are keys to being successful? I think finding people to work in your organization that are self- motivated, driven with a desire to be a servant and that are engaged daily. We all work hard in our organization but we try to have a little fun while we are doing it. Big State Electric Ltd. headquartered in San Antonio, with offices in Austin and Houston Texas, has been in business for over 50 years performing all facets of electrical services from 38 KV to low Voltage telephone/data cabling. –cmw

the goals that have been given to us by the contractor, safety is always the most important thing. You never know what you’re going to get into when you pop open a cover of a piece of switchgear that’s 30 years old. When we get into these older systems, we’re very cautious. And I don’t want to say more cautious than we are with the new installation, but the luxury for us with the new installation is we can make sure everything’s correct before we turn it on. When we go to an existing system, we’re always challenged with what could be behind those covers that we’re not seeing. What’s an example of such a safety concern? Some of the locking mechanisms on some of the panel covers of older gear – the way they were designed, they could pinch wires. I’ve seen that before. I’ve seen bolts come loose on panel covers and fall inside a piece of switchgear that’s energized. That’s never a good feeling – to hear something fall in there. Everybody usually turns their head when they hear something fall because they know there’s a possibility it’s a bad situation. For instance, if a bolt falls – and it would have to be a perfect situation – but it could fall in between two of the bus bars or in between the bus bar and the metal frame, and then, that would cause that phase to ground out and you would have an arc-flash, which depending on the size of the system could be life threatening. It’s something that we’re always looking out for. Having been recently promoted to his current position, assistant project manager, Ben Tijerina has been with HJD Capital Electric for three years and has been an electrician since 2006. –mh

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 15

NEXT TH MON

Service Providers

If you would like to represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact your Austin Editor for an Interview Carol Wiatrek (210) 308-5800 AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net

Gaining strength through adversity David W. Johnson, Executive Director CentTex Chapter IEC Austin, TX

he current outlook for the electrical industry is strong. The number of construction projects in Texas has been steadily rising for both large and small companies over the past several years.

With industrial, multiuse and commercial construction thriving and residential housing developing, the architects, engineers, general and electrical contractors are all experiencing significant growth and the need for qualified, skilled workers has never been greater. Our contractors in Texas are encountering a serious challenge—the workload demand has surpassed the trained workforce supply. Why is there a shortage? There are basically three reasons for the lack of trained electrical workers we are currently experiencing. Each year more and more established workers are reaching the age of retirement. Due to the social pressure to attend a college or university, less high school graduates are pursuing jobs in the electrical construction trade. Additionally, a significant number of experienced workers left the industry during the years of economic recession to seek a different career. The resulting loss of talented tradesmen and not replenishing the workforce adequately with trained electricians has led us to where we are today.

When did it become apparent that the electrical industry was headed into a bad situation with a shortage of qualified electricians? In late 2010 the economy still had fewer jobs than it did before the recession started. This blended with an exceptionally sluggish recovery and fewer construction projects, the demand for electricians leveled. In 2014 construction started to turn around and amid government fostering a business friendly environment in Texas, development has flourished! What is being done by the industry to help resolve this issue? On June 15, 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order, expanding Apprenticeship programs that make sense. “In today’s rapidly changing economy, it is more important than ever to prepare workers to fill both existing and newly created jobs and to prepare workers for the jobs of the future. Many colleges and universities fail to help students graduate with the skills necessary to secure highly sought after, meaningful occupations. Far too many individuals find themselves with a tidal wave of student debt and navigating the sea of employment possi-

Workload, costs, labor shortages up Bill Groves, President Charles VandeZande, Vice President of Estimating Groves Electrical Service Inc. Farmers Branch, TX

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business? In the DFW Metroplex, the workload exceeds the available manpower. In the last few years there have been several large projects in the Metroplex that have taken a lot of the available workforce to complete. With large projects like The Star, Frisco Station, Toyota North American Headquarters, State Farm Insurance and Legacy West, everyone that is willing to work has a job. With all of this work, prices have gone up and budgets are getting exceeded. You have to be able to not only help with budgets and bid the projects, but find ways for owners to save money and get projects in budget. This includes working with the general contractor to redesign projects in a way that the owner still gets what he wants at the budget he can afford. At Groves Electrical Service Inc., we have an experienced and valuable estimating and design team to help with this. If you don’t have the ability to do this, the jobs go over budget and will not be funded or at least put on hold until they can get them redesigned and rebid at a later date.

What are the hot button issues in the industry? One of the hot button issues in our industry is safety. When you start a job, contractors want to meet the person responsible for the safety in your company. They want to see a specific person that will be held accountable if something goes wrong at the jobsite. It is every contractor’s responsibility to make sure that every employee goes home at the end of the day. The electrical trade has certain inherent dangers associated with the trade and contractors want to know how you are going to mitigate those dangers so that employees can work safely. The “Good Old Boy” way of doing things without the proper training and safety equipment is disappearing fast. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? We have found more general contractors opening up shop in the Metroplex every day. We receive email bid requests from contractors we have never heard of every week. We try to vet each general contractor before deciding if we will give them a bid on bid day.

bilities without a compass. “Expanding apprenticeships and workforce development programs will help address these issues, enabling more Americans to obtain relevant skills leading to higher paying jobs. Apprenticeships provide paid, relevant workplace experiences and opportunities to develop skills that are valued by employers. “Additionally, construction trades training programs provide affordable paths to steady work and ultimately, careers driven by hard work, honesty and integrity demonstrated by the worker”. [Excerpts from the EO] visit https://www. whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/executive-orders for more information. The Independent Electrical Contractors Association (IEC) offers a tremendously successful Electrical Apprenticeship Program, registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, for individuals who are interested in joining the electrical industry. The ‘earn while you learn’ model is appealing and motivating for men and women to acquire full-time employment alongside professional education. At the high school level, how are they looking at trade schools now versus in the past? Due to ‘No Child Left Behind,’ high school students have been steered towards pursuing a degree program through a community college or university. In 2013, House Bill 5 (HB 5) was passed by the Texas Legislature making substantial changes to the state’s education curriculum, graduation requirements and accountability system. HB 5 restructured the Texas public school graduation requirements by moving from the “4x4” graduation plan to a

With the recent emphasis on green building, what is the most environmentally friendly change relating to your industry? The lighting industry and LED lamps are the way of the future and the future is now. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages for the electrical industry are a big issue facing electrical contractors in North Texas. When a seasoned veteran retires, they are harder than ever to replace. At Groves Electrical Service Inc., we are training in the field and in the classroom. We have always trained and promoted from within, and now it is more important than ever. We are finding it harder and harder to find young talent these days. The electrical trade needs to be held in the same regard as a four-year college degree. Spend four years in the trade and become a journeyman while getting paid. Contrast that versus spending four years in college and receiving a degree along with student loan debt. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Labor and material are up. General contractors are utilizing “Doc U Sign” for subcontractors and are becoming more and more unwilling to negotiate favorable terms and conditions with subcontractors, shifting costs from the general contractor and forcing them upon the subcontractors. Texture payments are also an additional cost added to the subcontractor. Has the theft of copper affected pricing of work? Copper theft is still a big problem. In the past year, we have had a new school in

22-credit Foundation High School Program that allows students to earn endorsements in specific areas of study by completing four additional credits. The endorsements include Business & Industry, Public Service, STEM (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math), Arts & Humanities; and Multidisciplinary Studies. The chapters of the IEC have amplified our proactive outreach efforts across Texas to encourage young adults looking for an exciting profession or military veterans searching for their second career to consider Electrical Apprenticeship. The end goal is to build relationships in a community, increase awareness and help bridge the gap between separation from high school or unemployment by leading the way into the rewarding electrical career. In most cases, the apprentice will complete the program debt free! Visit www.myelectriccareer.com for more information on how to “Energize Your Career”. Do all IEC Chapters across the state offer an apprenticeship program and how effective have the program(s) been? YES. IEC chapters located in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, El Paso, the Panhandle and Rio Grande Valley, along with their contractor members, work together sponsoring hundreds of students to successfully achieve the title of Journeyman Electrician each year. And it doesn’t stop there; many individuals who work in the electrical trades move on to Foreman, Project Manager, Estimator, Inspector or Company Owner. The electrical trade is truly a lifetime of opportunities. -cmw

Dallas hit twice. Once they stole from the plumber and once from us. Our sports lighting projects are always susceptible to theft due to the secluded nature of the projects. Are there solutions to the copper theft problem? There is no foolproof way to stop copper theft. We cannot install the copper until the job is secured. We utilize aluminum conductors when allowed. What are the rewards of the industry? The rewards are many, such as the relationships that are created as time goes on with owners, general contractors, engineers and other trades. As with all construction trades, the feeling of accomplishment you get with each project, large or small. Whether you are a young apprentice installing your first ceiling fan or an experienced apprentice finishing a single room, you get a feeling of accomplishment. For the foreman and project manager, it might be the first football game on a new field or the opening of a school, restaurant or fire station. The electrician is the first on site with temporary power and the last one finished after we put the plug and switch plates on the devices. You get to meet or at least see all the trades work and learn something on every project. What are the keys to being successful? Hard work and good preparation is the only way I know to succeed. You have to keep current in your field and not let technology or code changes happen without your knowledge. Electrical contractor Groves Electrical Service Inc. specializes in a wide range of projects, including educational, municipal, hospitality, municipal and retail. –mjm

Page 16

Austin Construction News • July 2017

continued Texas thriving George Green, Vice President of Preconstruction VA Electric Houston, TX

he construction field is constantly changing with technology, code and different types of buildings being built. The electrical industry in the Houston area is no different as the technology changes and the customers look for the new and different in their projects. How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business? Despite rumors of a slow down in construction due to political games, we have been experiencing quite the

opposite, and with design firms still backed up, we don’t see it stopping abruptly or anytime soon. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area?

No. We are based in Texas and cover most of the state. The cat got out of the bag several years back about Texas having one of the strongest economies, and we have been fighting off non-local competition ever since. The vast majority of these outside contractors that sought to expand into Texas and have since retracted after taking their lumps. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? Skilled labor. The number of quality, skilled electricians, or young men/ women looking to pursue the trade is outweighed by the amount of positions becoming available. What is on the horizon for your industry? Electrical materials and installation techniques are constantly evolving. These evolutions are largely focused around safety, reduction of energy consumption and production increases. A few specific items we keep an eye on include lighting fixtures, intelligent lighting controls and equipment/installation testing requirements. With the recent emphasis on green building, what is the most environmentally friendly change relating to your industry? This answer varies depending on building type. An easy answer would be lighting and lighting controls. Those two components usually equal, and often times exceed, the cost of all other electrical materials on new construction projects. Much of this is due to advance-

ments in lighting fixtures and the everexpanding use of lighting controls to include daylight harvesting. Another answer that often gets over-looked is mechanical system demands. As building and insulation materials improve, so do the efficiencies of mechanical systems, which usually account for 25-plus percent of the tenant’s electric bill. Not only does this change get noticed monthly when your electric bill arrives, but your reductions in mechanical loads can also lead to reductions of service sizes saving you money up front on construction, or giving you extra capacity should you ever add equipment or realty. Has the theft of copper affected pricing of work? No, you will always have a few bad eggs but if you need to charge the customer for something they will never see nor use a better purchasing and handling protocol should be put in place. What are keys to being successful? We are still looking for those keys, but persistence and making sure the people that we take care of at VA has gotten us pretty far in a short amount of time. Tell me about your company. VA Electric was formed at the tail end of 2013 with simple “old school” core values, a handful of good people, a couple of great customers and a desire to produce quality electrical services. Four years later, a few more great customers, and around three hundred employees later we still stick to the same simple core values today, just on a much larger scale. –cs

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 17

continued from Page 1 —Concepts in comfort extend to the patio season down here in Texas, and taking some of the things we knew from Michigan and applying them to a new and interesting way in this market to really help folks that are moving into Texas figure out how to be comfortable here,” says Reichanadter. “There are so many people moving in from outside of the area that don’t really know all the technologies that are available and more specifically what will work well here. The Midwest has a more broadly adopted geo-thermo market than Texas seems to. The market down here is a very different market, but a very exciting market which is why we co-located here.” Geo-thermo technology is a science driven technology. People who are typically attracted to geo-thermo understand the science behind and appreciate using the earth as a heat transfer as opposed to a mechanical system. It is not widely known, but now that people are looking at alternative ways to creating comfort in the home and looking at the home as a whole instead of individual mechanical subsets of getting to the end goal. If you really want to get to net zero, the combining of solar and geo-thermo is about the only way you can actually do it. The business has been going really well having just moved to a new commer-

cial space two months ago in Cedar Park and now employs five employees. “We want to remain small and specialized because we want to keep a personal relationship with our customers. The family business, Roberts Service Company, up north is intra-generational with repeat cliental and we want to have the 20-30-year relationship with our customers here.” 360 Comfort Concepts has taken an interest in the governmental affairs work with the board of the Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Association (TACCA). Reichanadter joined the TACCA board of directors this year and getting out with the membership in talking to public officials and getting to know what the issues are, what the trends are, and what some of the decision points are. Roberts and Reichanadter grew up together in Michigan. “We never dated or anything like that, but we always had a shining for each other,” say Reichanadter. The two reconnected through LinkedIn and later married. The two enjoy going on rides on Robert’s Indian throughout the Hill Country, boating on the lake with their children and dancing. Together, they are proud parents of ten children ranging in age from 32 to 8. 360 Comfort Concepts is a HVAC geothermo contractor in Cedar Park. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Business of faith trade for 47 years in Midland and he taught me the quality of the trade.” With a steady pace, JR soon found himself in a position that he needed help running the business. “In the fall of 2015, JR came to me and said, ‘hey I think you need to quit Deloitte and come work for me.’ And I was like, what? Are you crazy? We have health insurance, benefits, and bonuses. So I prayed about it,” says Meredith. “The Monday after my last day at Deloitte, every contract started getting pulled. We literally didn’t have any major work for a year. JR had always had this business, and then I come on board and we suddenly have no work. “We decided we needed to get back to the basics of things. In the meantime, Meredith had filed the HUB paperwork. That took a while because it’s a long process.

That last year took a lot out us, but essentially all those contracts with the word of mouth from the smaller GCs paid off. They would call and say we need your bid, but you’re going to have to bid against other guys to show the owners a couple of numbers, but just do your thing like you normally do and everything will be fine,” JR recalls. The day came JR had been dreading. He called his wife and told her it was time. “We have to shut down the business.” But God had other plans for this business built in His trust. Before they could pull the plug, their prayers were answered. JBK got their largest contract to date and have been going strong since. “I remember going to the electrical supply house my first year in business and picked up a copy of the Construction News and I said I hope to see my company in this paper someday.” -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Innovative construction weigh next to nothing. When filled with concrete, they offer unsurpassed energy efficiency, durability, fire resistance and noise mitigation. “This was a pilot project. You kind of stack the blocks up like Legos and fill them with concrete like a rib cage of concrete. We all took the risk on saying it’s worth a try especially because it is a two-story building.” In addition to the Bautex system, the project is comprised of a structural steel frame, masonry veneer, aluminum store fronts and curtain wall systems, a TPO and insulated roof deck system, roof-top units for the air conditioning system and special exterior coating to go with the Bautex called Stuccomax, a plaster that is proprietary to the Bautex wall system. “It has to live on the Bautex system. So we had an outside coating called Stuccomax and some of the interior walls were finished with Plastermax, which is like a rougher form of a Venetian plaster.” The millwork also stands out as an extraordinary feature of the clinic. “It has some really nice elements of wood ceilings and architectural elements inside. It’s a very handsome building.” Austin Spatial Technologies, Matoka, Champion Site Prep, JM Utilities, Oldcastle Materials, Wheeler Coatings, Perfection Landscaping, Choate USA, GK Hall, Whitetail Construction, Construction Metal Products, JC Millwork, Walltech, Texas Fifth Wall Roofing Systems, Unity Commercial Solutions, Hinkle Insulation & Drywall Co., Hull Supply Co., AD Systems, Floyd’s Glass Company, Steve Hampton Plastering, Grafton Reid, GQ Tile Co., Rockford Business Interiors, Action Decorating, Spectrum Resource, Advantage Blinds, Custom Sign Creations, Hufcor, Thyssen Krupp Elevator Corpora-

tion, Air Communications Co., Casteel Automatic Fire Protection, Kenny’s Commercial, SI Mechanical, Tiger 2 Electrical Contractors, Tyco Integrated Security, Firetron, and Black Box Network Services were the subcontractors on the project. Project managers Dustin Akin and Chris Nazar ran the project, coordinating daily with the subs and field operations. The design and development of the project took about a year from going through land purchase, platting, design, engineering, and permit approvals. Construction of the project was completed within 10 months. “The final cost was about $5.3 million,” says Stacy Johnson Assistant Financial Manager. With only 11 employees, Austin Canyon Corporation performs 100% teambased negotiated work. “Because we are team-based we are more in a sub-bidders market than a bidders market. Sometimes we lead them, sometimes the architects come to us and we join their team, and sometimes the owners ask us to put a team together. So we always maintain a triangle between owner, architect, and contractor.” Nazar is a licensed architect who fell in love with the dynamics of construction and prides himself on professionalism. For its innovation, the ARC Cedar Park project received a 2016 Outstanding Construction Award from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) at their recent awards ceremony. Austin Canyon Corporation is proud to be an Austin-based company, founded on June 6, 1986, constructing a variety of building types, including medical clinics, medical offices, banking, office buildings, retail and church facilities. -cmw

Shooting high

ore than 100 participants from across the state participated in the Texas Crane Owners Association’s (TCOA) membership meeting and 2017 shotgun invitational. The event was held on June 5 at the Greater Houston Gun Club. “Our shotgun invitational is a unique event and wonderful for networking, for spending time with friends and customers,” says Keith McKee, Davis Cranes Services of Dallas, TX and president of TCOA. -cmw

Winners of the flurry and flush team competition with a score of 176 out of a possible 200, were the guys from the Maxim Crane of Houston, TX. L-R: Kenneth Lookingbill, Keith Desalvo, Jeff Meador and Scott Green.

L-R: 3rd place, Parker Holt with Higginbotham Insurance of Austin; 2nd place, Josh Matthew with TNT Crane of Houston; and 1st place, Colby Lawson also with TNT Crane of Houston, were winners of the Annie Oakley individual competition.

Industry FOLKS Shaun Vogel Director of Sales and Estimating

Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing Inc

orn July 17, 1978 in Houston, TX, Vogel grew up in the construction industry. “I got involved in construction at the age of 15 working under my father as an assistant superintendent in multifamily construction building apartment complexes in Houston coordinating rough and final punch work with subcontractors. My dad has been and still is my mentor. He taught me so much. “After high school, I decided to attend college in San Marcos at Texas State University where I earned a Bachelor Degree in Construction Management. “Alpha hired directly out of college. I went through a vigorous training program before starting my position there in estimating/sales in their San Antonio office. It’s been great. I enjoy meeting and interacting with new and old clients.” One of the first to graduate from the Alpha University Program, Vogel joined the team of Alpha Insulation and Waterproofing Inc. in 2004. A program was started to train and fuel future organic growth. Just four short years later, Vogel received Top Sales Producer of the year award. Vogel has been a part of the Alpha team for 14 years. He spent his first 10 years in San Antonio and has been in the Austin area for the past four years.

Today at age 39, Vogel is the director of sales and estimating for the Austin market. “I’m a pretty simple guy. When I’m not working, I enjoy fishing. Maybe someday, you’ll see one of my big catches in the paper. I’m single. I have not pets and no kids. But I do have a niece, Peyton, who is 9 and a nephew, Brayden who is 7 that I enjoy spending time with when I get to see them. They live in Cypress so I don’t get to see them as much as I would like. “When I can’t get to the coast, I like to go hunting. What guy doesn’t? I also enjoy, really enjoy, riding my mountain and dirt bikes. It really gets the adrenalin flowing. I’m also a big fan of working out. I work out a lot every chance I get. “I own my own house in Round Rock. I’ve been there four years so that can keep a single guy busy. Fortunately, I have no outside projects in the works at the moment, but I’m a guy so that can change with a flip of a switch. “When I retire, I would like to move near the coast. Preferably somewhere in Florida.” -cmw

Page 18

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Rounding it up

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Central Texas Associated Builders & Contractors

July 7: Central Texas STEP Application Deadline. For more info, call 512-7195263 July 12: National STEP Application Deadline. For more info, call 512-719-5263

bassy Suites, 5901 N I-35, Austin, TX. For more info, go to www.ctsaonline.org

ECAT Earthmoving Contractors Assn. of Texas

July 21-23: Annual Meeting, Holiday Inn NW Sea World, San Antonio, TX. For more info, call 325-340-8370

ACEA Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.

July 13: Membership Luncheon, 11:30am, Dave & Busters. For more info, call 512836-3140

AGC Associated General Contractors

Participants of sporting clay event.

t was a busy three days for the plumbing industry. June 13-16, the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) held its annual conference, Texas Round Up, at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop. Kicking off the event, PHCC hosted a golf tournament. With plenty of business enhancing workshops, speakers, industry knowledge and networking opportunities to tickle the fancy of the 100 plus in attendance. –cmw

Bonding time

llied Electric Services Inc. (AES) held their 12th Annual foreman fishing trip June 9 – 11 in Port Aransas. Approximately 30 foremen, service techs and management personnel were in attendance. The weekend included 5 bay boats, 2 off shore boats and 800lbs of fish were brought back. -cmw

July 19: Topgolf Outing, 4:00 – 7:00pm, 2700 Esperanza Crossing. For more info, call 512-442-7887

AIA Dallas

NARI Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

July 19: NARI Social. For more info, call 512-997-6274

NAWIC Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

July 5: Chapter Meeting, Big Daddy’s Burgers, 9070 Research Blvd., 4pm – 7pm. For more info contact Kayvon Leath 512375-2601

Associated General Contractors of Texas Heavy Highway

July 20 – 23: Administrative Conference, J.W. Marriott Hill Country Resort, San Antonio, TX. For more info, call 512-4784691

PMI Project Management Institute

July 25: Chapter Meeting, 6pm. For more info, call 512-943-2764

CTMCA

TSPS

Central Texas Masonry Contractors Assn.

Texas Lathing & Plastering Assn.

July 27: General Meeting, Texas Land & Cattle. For more info, call 512-312-6657

July 22: 12th Annual Hook, Line & Surveyor Fishing Tournament, Red Fish Bay Boat House, Aransas Pass, TX. For more info, contact bevans@unitech.com –cmw

CTSA Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.

July 11: Monthly meeting, 5:30 pm, Em-

Round-Up Armando Gamboa and Joe Ramirez show off this 14in Saltwater Trout they caught.

James Whiteaker with Badfish guide Travis shows off his 4ft Blacktip Shark.

Joey Vazquez poses with his 15in Saltwater Trout.

Headquartered in San Marcos, McCoy’s Building Supply announced the promotion of Joshua Whitley to Corporate Controller. He has been with the company for 17 years. Whitley holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas State University and became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in 2015. Baker Triangle is pleased to announce the promotion of Preston Pressley to Vice President, Business Development and Marketing. Pressley has been with Baker Triangle for six years and is a graduate of Texas A & M University.

Round-Up Submissions

L-R: Abe Ortiz, Armando Gamboa, Dillon Pfluger, Travis Johnson, Frank Merio, Ryan Johnson, Joe Ramirez, Paul Schroeder, Randy Hill, Rusty Crow, Top Right: Guy Slayton, Lower right: Jimmy Paul, Brian Walker, Jason Crespo and Matt Harriger poses with Saltwater Trout, Black Drum, Flounder, King Mackerel, Red Snapper and Atlantic Sharpnose Shark

Brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. Submit Info & Photo: AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800

Structure Tone Southwest is pleased to announce Matt Cunningham has joined their Austin office as Account Executive. After serving in the US Air Force, Cunningham has 16 years experience in the construction business. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and Construction Documents Technologists. He manages the company’s relationships and projects, which include both interior renovation and new construction. His responsibilities include all aspects of construction management, from field supervision and project management to sales and business development.

Howard Lyons, P.E. is the new Practice Leader of Transportation Construction Services for Pape-Dawson Engineers. He will serve as a key leader to promote and manage the firm’s transportation services in Austin and the 1-35 corridor. Lyons has 26 years engineering experience in the transportation engineering industry, specializing in construction oversight, administration and management.

Austin Construction News • July 2017

Page 19

Growth within growth

Newest branch of We Rent It at 8810 N. I-35 in Georgetown. L-R: Todd Brewer, manager; Nathan Howard, outside sales; Sully Bergeron, mechanic; Cody Skelly, driver; Chris Skelly, inside sales.

ay 22 was the first day of operation for the newest location for We Rent It. A new step for the company, We Rent It (WRI) decided to open a new location in the Georgetown/Jarrell area. The company’s decision to expand was due to the large amount of growth and potential along the I-35 corridor and in the North Austin area. “Us wanting to be the best resource that we possibly can for the construction industry, we made the move to dip our toes in the Georgetown area,” say Mallory Mobly, marketing coordinator. This new location will have some of the standard equipment like skid steers, lifts and some smaller hand tools like other WRI locations, but will be different from those locations. “Some of our other locations have retail items like trailers and lawnmowers. However, for Georgetown, we are doing things a little differently, we’re doing strictly rental items. Going back to making that our priority for this area since it is really booming.” They will continue to offer heavier equipment rental as well. “We have a pretty

large selection in our fleet, anything for the commercial construction guys down to the smaller items for the homeowners working on a weekend project.” In addition to rental equipment, WRI offers maintenance services at the store as well as in the field. Where possible, offers maintenance on outside equipment to ensure local crews are running to their full potential. The company was established in the early 2000s in the Bryan/College Station area under Allied Equipment. The current ownership acquired the company in 2010 and the company has been expanding the We Rent It name since. In 2012, the company’s first expansion with the WRI name resided in Pleasanton, with other locations following in Buda, Schertz, and Bastrop. The Georgetown location will have 10-12 employees from sales to mechanics available to assist their growing cliental. We Rent It is very involved it the community, participating in food drives, 4-H, FFA chapters, and toy drives. Being open only a week, the company is already doing its part with local fair in the Georgetown area. We Rent It is an equipment rental provider. -cmw

40 years of tile

Arizona Tile founder and owner, John Huarte presenting signed Notre Dame football to raffle winners. Huarte won the Heisman Trophy in 1964 while playing for Notre Dame.

uring the Austin location’s grand opening and 40th anniversary celebration, the crowd enjoyed dinner and drinks at Arizona Tile’s newest branch. The showroom is located at 2121 Scarbrough Drive. The location is now open and boasts an interactive and modern tile showroom as well as an extensive slab viewing facility. Customers visiting the Austin location will be inspired by installations of products displayed throughout the showroom. Customers can visualize ma-

terials in their own homes by applying them to room scenes in Arizona’s “Just Imagine” program using the showroom’s large touch-screen monitor. Arizona Tile’s beautifully designed slab viewing area is an indoor, userfriendly space. Homeowners can easily browse granite, quartz, marble, and several other stone slab materials in honed, polished, and satin finishes, as well as hand-select the slabs for their home. Arizona Tile is a flooring supply company located in north Austin. -cmw

During the Arizona Tile grand opening and anniversary celebration, guests enjoy a party in the slab warehouse.

Supplying the way

The crew at HD Supply pose for a photo. L–R: Eddie Pardo, Maria Ramirez, Matthew Sierra, Chris Villalobos, Nick DeRose, and John Yanis -cmw

Page 20

Austin Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ July 2017