Houston Construction News October 2017 by Construction News

Covering the Industry’s News

Texas Style

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

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

Change Service Requested

San Antonio H Austin Dallas/Fort Worth H Houston

Houston

CONSTRUCTION

™

The Industry’s Newspaper See Page 10

www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 14 H Number 10 H OCTOBER 2017

Spreading the knowledge

Staying in the game

Russell Construction Company family and staff

George Parker (middle) with two of his employees

he old saying of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can be witnessed by a 30- year-old company which continues to use the same business model it began with. Russell Construction Company was founded in 1987 by John Russell, Sr. He was the sole originator of the company and worked hard to provide great service. While doing so, he taught his four children all about the business. “My father built the bicycle, he taught us how to ride it, and when we took over ownership of the company, we didn’t change anything. Things are still done the exact same way they were done in 1987,” explains Vice President Matt Russell. Matt and his two other brothers, Ty and John, Jr., along with their sister

Rosanna, took over the company after their father retired in 2000. Matt explains that the design of operations his father set up is what has made the company so successful. “This business model is what has kept us out of debt, even during the downturn in the industry.” Although they have no plans to open any other locations, they are working on spreading education about the construction industry to schools. “We are working on putting together a small program to visit high schools in the area to show them a different avenue for their future. It would be like a school mentor program to expose kids to a different field of construction and something they might not think is available to them,” Matt shares. continued on Page 13

t 84 years young, George Parker has paved the way for the emerging generation who want to be a part of the construction industry. His business, Specialized Building Systems, Inc. (SBS) has been selling wall and ceiling protection products for 41 years. Parker got started in this business when he was living in Pittsburg. After graduating from Temple University, he moved to Houston in order to expand his knowledge of the trade. “Houston had the largest insulation market in the world so I knew I could come down here and get a job.” Parker became very successful and says that reason, and the fact that he enjoys the people he gets to work with, are what have kept him in the industry. When he first started SBS, there were

many other companies of the same type that were already established. “I knew they questioned whether I was going to be able to make it. Of course they were all gone a little later on. We still have a lot of competition, though.” All of the competition is what keeps him in the game. “I like what I do and I’m good at it. I was 84 in July and I haven’t slowed down since.” There used to be other SBS locations: Atlanta, Fort Worth, and New Orleans, but odd situations happened causing Parker to close them. “In the Fort Worth office, the manager died. The managers in New Orleans and Atlanta wanted to retire, and I just couldn’t find anyone to replace them.” He’s okay with having just the Houston location now because they continued on Page 13

What was old is new

Austin & Associates was the contractor for the new VCA Spring Branch location. VCA Antech, Inc., which is a veterinary service company, had their new building constructed on the same site as their existing location. Shane Johnson, contractor for KAustin & Associates, says they did run into some challenges because they were using a current structure. “The existing building was in poor shape. We had to continuously make repairs to the existing building to keep the client operational.” The client remained operational during the entire project. Johnson also shares that building the new clinic in the parking lot was also a challenge. “There was no room to stage materials and very little access to the site. We had to keep employees, subcontractors, customers, and VCA’s clients safe during all phases of construction.” The new VCA clinic in Spring Branch

The $1.6 million project took approximately two years to complete and was done in two phases. The owner of the clinic wanted to continue working, which is why Johnson and his team had to work in segments. “We constructed Phase 1 of the new building in the parking lot of the old building. We tore down the old building and partially built the parking lot. We then constructed Phase 2, which included finalizing the site work and parking lot. The client had zero downtime other than moving in over a weekend.” The exterior of the clinic features a brick and stucco finish with multiple windows and a glass door entrance. The VCA Spring Branch sign is located along the side of the building where it is visible to people driving by. The interior qualities include a neutral color palette throughout, with dark wood cabinetry. The waiting room is spacious and offers ample seating and showcontinued on Page 13

Page 2

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Paving his way to success

Eric Murphey, owner of Murphy Paving, celebrated the one-year anniversary of the company in August.

fter working at running the family concrete business for 10 years, Eric Murphey (with “e”) decided it was time for him to start his own company. Murphy Paving (no “e”) celebrated its one-year anniversary in August, but it took a lot of hard work to get there. Murphey says the most daunting part of starting his own business was taking on a large amount of debt in the beginning. He knew he had some good projects on the horizon, but he needed to make it through the first couple of months. The wait was definitely worth it. “About two and one-half months into the business, I was awarded a $300,000 to $400,000 project, then a project for the Speed Sports Stadium started, and one of my best clients cut me a large check even before finishing their project.” Murphey knows the business – he’s a 4th generation paving contractor. “My granddad started placing concrete back when people were able to buy it in bags

for the first time, some time in the early 20th century. The city of Corsicana, TX has Murphy Concrete stamped into a lot of the old downtown sidewalks. I started working full time for my dad and granddad in 1995.” The employees he has now give him the motivation he needs to keep going. “My two foremen are go-getters. They’re excited to work and they want as much work as I can give them. They love what they do.” The best things about his job are helping a client with their needs and having them feel confident about their decision. He also loves seeing the final product he and his team complete, and getting compliments from his clients. Since starting the company a year ago, Murphey says, “The most memorable thing is that I made it.” Murphy Paving is a subcontractor for site work and paving with asphalt and concrete. - te

The future of architecture

R. Michael Lee is the founder of 3D Green Planet Architects

ouldn’t it be great to have a job where you felt like you were playing a game all day? That’s exactly how R. Michael Lee feels about what he does. Lee’s company, 3D Green Planet Architects, has been running for two years now, but he has been working in architecture for 35 years. “The company is a spin off from another company, which basically just did drawings, and it was in business for 30 years.” He says his first interesting project was designing a city in Saudi Arabia, which took about 18 months to do all the design work - he was still drawing at that point. “Doing drawings by hand is very

tedious and not so much fun. What I’m doing now is fun. It opens up windows for things I would have never conceived before.” Although all of Lee’s materials and resources are on his computer, he works with structural and mechanical engineers to get projects done right and on time. The time it takes for Lee to complete a design is phenomenal. He gave an example of how quickly he can complete a project design and still have it look professional. “The Women’s Crisis Center in Galveston had an architect that was doing a design for their new facilities and they were going to have a fundraiser at the Tremont Hotel. Some drama happened in the office – one of the girls was terminated and her boyfriend was the architect so he backed out. The contractor, whose wife was the director, contacted me and asked me to finish out the design. They needed it in 48 hours and I had a design in 24, which included a virtual walkthrough.” What Lee does doesn’t seem like work to him. “Whenever I start working on a project, I pull an all-nighter because it’s like a video game. In fact, Revit is the program of choice used to create Hollywood sets and gaming companies use the same type of software to generate what is seen in the games.” “I’m basically assembling components rather than drafting lines. It’s like a virtual world.” - te

Customer service is tops

Gary Vossler (middle) with Tara Swisher and Liz Hernandez

or most people, starting their own business by themselves is difficult, and Gary Vossler, president of Vossler Plumbing Company, can attest to that, but it’s all worth it in the end. He has been running the business for 30 years now and although it’s been challenging at times, he says it’s also been very rewarding. “This started as a summer job in college and I just never went back to school,” Vossler shares. He found something that he was good at that came natural to him, so he stuck with it. Although there are 18 employees now, Vossler plans on expanding the business. “We are working on building the business right now and focusing more on customer service, and training and building highly-qualified service technicians.” Vossler’s customers and the work he provides to them are very important to him. “I want the customers to know they can rely on us. I want to build lasting rapport with people based on the service we

provide,” he emphasizes. “I enjoy the people in this industry and the relationships I build.” “My favorite projects have been what we’ve done in Downtown Houston in some of the municipal buildings and some conversions of some old buildings into new residential lofts.” Vossler says he takes pride in seeing what his company has accomplished after a project is complete. “What I love most about the business is looking back on projects that we have done. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to see how we took it from nothing to something.” Amid all of the hard work that takes place at Vossler Plumbing, they still find time to help others. “We will be doing some charitable campaigns this year for breast cancer awareness in October. We always support the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as well as local churches.” Vossler Plumbing Company specializes in commercial and residential plumbing and jetting services. – te

Construction News ON LOCATION

More than plumbing

Ferguson Plumbing Supplies is offering clean up supplies for those who need help in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. L-R: Kyle Johnson, Trevor Schmittle, and Isaac Manrique. –te

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Page 3

Texas spirit

s hurricane Harvey devastated Houston and the surrounding areas, the staff at the IEC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter counted their blessings. Even though it came close, both the office and all staff members’ homes were not damaged during the storm. In the true Texas spirit, each staff member sprang into action helping those around them. To support the community, Executive Director Bob Wilkinson assisted with the coordination and unloading of seven big rig trucks full of supplies at VFW Post 8790. Helene Webster, Deputy Executive Director, and Tori Barrett, Membership Director, rushed to friends’ houses where everything was gone. Many staff members spent countless days taking up floors, removing sheet rock and insulation, but most importantly providing a support system for the friends and neighbors completely overwhelmed by the loss. Anniston Banda, IEC, was collecting items to donate to the shelters before the flood waters receded. Many IEC members were affected by the storm and the entire membership is stepping up to help their fellow IEC friends. An outpouring of support has come from chapters across the

Women to the rescue

Membership Director Victoria Barrett IEC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter country. The entire Gulf Coast Chapter team could not be more proud of their membership during this difficult time. To continue assisting as much as possible, the IEC Texas Gulf Coast Chapter is partnering with Gold Star Dad’s to raise funds for their Patriot ReAct Team. This team is assisting veterans with putting the pieces back together after Harvey. Many of their “Old Veteran Guard,” made up of World War II veterans, lost everything. -te

his past month has been a nightmare for so many because of Hurricane Harvey. He hit hard and fast in the Corpus Christi area before moving to Houston and causing catastrophic flooding in our area. Personally, I was very fortunate that my home and office remained safe. Sadly, not all of our Houston NAWIC members were as fortunate. Some were forced to leave their homes and all their possessions behind. They do feel blessed, as the only things lost were property and that can be replaced. During this time, I have come to realize how truly wonderful the women of The National Association of Women in Construction are. Our regional director, Laurie Jimenez, and I have been inundated with offers of help, donations and prayers. Our NAWIC sisters have sent supplies to our Corpus Christi Chapter. They have sent gift cards to our displaced members from the Houston Chapter. A member from New York donated her hotel miles to pay for the lodging of a displaced Houston member. Offers of homes have come from Dallas, Little Rock and New Orleans. Do-

President Tracy Shoemaker NAWIC Houston Chapter 2016-2018 nations have come from Virginia, South Carolina, Maine, Louisiana, Mississippi and of course from other Texas Chapters. Prayers, thoughts and well wishes have been pouring in from Chapters all over our great country. We have been humbled by the outpouring of love and concern from our NAWIC family and feel extremely blessed to be a part of this great and caring organization. -te

Joining together

Durotech

Durotech Superintendent Jason Murphy walked through the storm every single hour on the hour from his nearby home to the new Katy Legacy Stadium jobsite to make sure the pumps were working to keep the stadium site clear. The stadium site stayed dry and in the storm aftermath, became a major staging point for First Responder teams from around the country. -te

TANYA ERICKSON, Editor Houston Construction News (832) 595-0091 HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net If you are a construction-related company in the Austin area and would like an article about your company and personnel, call Tanya for an interview in person or over the phone. There is absolutely no charge for interviews, articles and photos. All content is free. If you are interested in advertising in any of our 4-city papers, contact Buddy Doebbler, Publisher, at our home office, (210) 308-5800.

Houston

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

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 Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend or Montgomery counties and are not receiving a free copy of the Houston Construction News, please call for a Requester Form, or visit our website.

The Houston Construction News (ISSN 15477630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Houston Construction News, and distributed by mail to constructionrelated companies in Houston 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. , dba Houston 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.

hile the Associated Builders & Contractors of Greater Houston (ABC) and Construction & Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) offices did not suffer any damage, we saw the impact the storm had on our city, and launched a “Members Helping Members” Campaign. We created an interactive tool to help identify members in need and potentially match them with other members who can provide support or assistance. Updated multiple times daily, the map allows members to list their specific needs for materials, supplies or volunteer labor. By creating this spreadsheet, we hope to connect members with other members in need, and have already seen several postings on the document. As we continue to help each other overcome the disaster of Harvey, we will rebuild our city better and stronger. We

Lauren Harrell, Marketing Coordinator for ABC

are committed to helping our city by being a resource to our members who need help now and in the months ahead. Together, we are Houston Strong. -te

Page 4

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Entity Selection and Changes Leann Ussery, CPA, Tax Manager Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, P.C. Universal City, TX

hether you set out to build a construction empire or started picking up odd jobs in your spare time, at some point, you made a decision about the type of entity you wanted for your business. What you chose when starting out may not be the best option for you now, but the good news is you are not locked in.

here are four basic types of entities for tax purposes: Subchapter C Corporations, Subchapter S Corporations, Partnerships (General or Limited Liability), or Sole-proprietorships. Below are some key characteristics of each: Subchapter C Corporations • C-Corps are formed at inception or when an S-Election is terminated. • C-Corps offer limited liability to directors, officers, and shareholders. • The primary advantage of C-Corps is the ability to “grow” your business through the sale of stock to an unlimited number and type of investors. • The most notable tax disadvantage is the double taxation that occurs when earnings within the C-Corp are taxed at the entity level and taxed again as shareholders take dividends from the corporation. In addition, because income is taxed at the entity level, there is no deduction on each shareholder’s individual return for any losses realized within the corporation. • Ownership transfers when stock is sold and produces gain or loss at the individual-level for the related shareholder. Other shareholders are not affected in most cases. Subchapter S Corporations • An S-Corp is formed when either a CCorp or an LLC timely files Form 2553 SElection, choosing to be taxed as an SCorp. • S-Corps offer limited liability to directors, officers, and shareholders. • The primary advantage to an S-Corp entity is the ability to limit the amount of income that is subject to self-employment tax for closely-held businesses. Owners can pay themselves fair wages, subject to payroll taxes, but can also take tax-free distributions of earnings, subject to certain limits. • Though the S-Corp is required to file its own income tax return, income is not taxed at the entity level, but at the owner/shareholder-level. • Use caution when selecting S-Corp status since the entity does not allow for special allocations of income, loss, or distributions; certain types of owners are prohibited; and the number of shareholders is limited to 100. Violation of any of these may terminate the S-Election. • Losses are limited to each individual shareholder’s at-risk investment. Partnerships (General or Limited Liability)

• Partnerships are formed when multiple individuals or entities come together with a profit motive. This is also the default entity selection for multi-member LLC’s. • General partners are personally liable, but limited partners have limited liability. • Partnerships are also pass-through entities where income is taxed at the owner/partner-level rather than at the entity level. • The primary advantage of partnerships is that income, loss, and/or distributions may be specially allocated. • General partners are subject to selfemployment tax on all income or on income designated as guaranteed payments if applicable. Limited partners who have no role in management will recognize their share of partnership income, but do not earn income subject to self-employment tax. • Losses are limited to each individual partner’s at-risk investment. Sole Proprietorships • This is the default entity selection for unincorporated businesses, single-member LLC’s, or multi-member LLC’s owned by husband and wife filing jointly. • LLC’s have limited liability, but for other sole-props, there is no separation of business assets from personal assets for liability purposes. • The primary advantage of reporting as a sole-prop is that there is no additional tax form required. All activity is reported directly on the individual tax return. • The most notable disadvantage is that all income earned by a sole-prop is subject to self-employment tax. Losses are generally not limited and are deducted at the individual level. Entity selection depends on a variety of characteristics specific to each business, so contact a tax professional and legal counsel to make an informed decision based on your particular situation whether just starting out or growing your business. Leann Ussery, CPA is tax manager of corporate/partnership returns and focuses on the tax needs of small-to-mid sized entities, including entities with multi-state tax issues. Leann joined Armstrong, Vaughan & Associates, P.C. in 2008 after graduating from Angelo State University with an MBA in Accounting. She can be reached at 210658-6229.

Holy Shift! What Happened to the Workforce? Lauren Allen, Vice Present-Sales BrookStone Insurance Group Dallas, TX

hile the days may seem long the years go by fast, and in the blink of an eye America’s workforce is changing dramatically. Instead of one identifiable demographic, the workplace now spans four generations: baby boomers, generation X, millennials, and post-millennials. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010, 42% of the workplace was aged 45 or higher, and by 2050 this age group is projected to encompass nearly 50% of the entire labor force. So what does this mean for you? Plan now or your company could pay for it later. To manage your company’s maturing workforce risk, it is imperative to review your current work environment and company policies. In collaboration with FCCI Insurance, consider the following when conducting an internal assessment: • Reaction Time Changes – As age increases so do reaction times. Tip: Implement regular training opportunities, employee performance reviews, and development of employee “soft-skills” (I.e. self-awareness and self-regulation) to help your workforce maintain and enhance their safety procedure habits. • Vision Changes – Maturing workers are faced with common age-related vision changes, including the need for more light, changes in color perception, problems with glare and depth perception, and decreases in peripheral vision. Tip: Regularly evaluate the work assignment, structure and exterior lighting on each project for employee safety and quality control. For high risk exposures (I.e. crane operators, forklift operators, and truck drivers), consider implementing annual eye exams for these employees. • Hearing Changes – Some degree of hearing loss is almost inevitable as we age. The most common age-related problem relates to changes in the auditory nerve, which can lead to difficulty in clearly hearing high-frequency sounds. Tip: Evaluate current communication methods for all employees as verbal commands may be more difficult for a maturing workforce. Consider various way to communicate (E.g. verbal, written, and/or hand signals). In an effort to avoid increased hearing loss, properly monitor employee noise exposure, provide the proper hearing protection to employees, and keep records regarding the level of noise exposure employees are subjected to on a regular basis. • Physical Changes – With increased

age comes changes to balance, muscular function and gait, which can lead to an increase in workplace falls and overall injuries. Tip: Utilize non-skid surfaces and the addition of handrails to prevent slips and falls. Proper footwear, adequate lighting, and “safety yellow” paint can assist in increased awareness of safety concerns. Limit activities that involve high repetition and force to avoid increased stress on joints and certain body parts. To properly manage your workers’ compensation costs, it is important to understand your company’s loss experience and determine which areas are driving loss frequency and severity. The harsh reality is that workers’ compensation claims cost more when an older employee is injured on the job, which is mostly attributed to the presence of additional chronic diseases in the worker. Incorporation of the above considerations into company policies as well as implementation of company wellness activities, which can merge the gap between safety and health for employees, and return-to-work programs for injured employees can help employers meet the needs of their entire workforce while ensuring they are managing their total cost of risk. With a maturing workforce comes a plethora of experience, leadership, and problem-solving skills, which is immeasurable to a company’s sustainment and growth. According to AARP, “By 2022 nearly a quarter of people 70 to 74 will be working – double the figure in 1992.” Companies must adapt their policies to properly meet the safety needs of their workers as the maturing workforce is here to stay. Lauren Allen is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas and the Vice President of Sales at BrookStone Insurance Group. She focuses on collaborating, innovating and delivering risk management plans tailored to her clients’ specific needs. She can be reached at lallen@brookstone-group.com

Construction News ON LOCATION

Supplies in the city

Robert Propp and Dennis Vincik at City Electric Supply in Katy can find the electrical supplies you need for any job. - te

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Page 5

Review of 85th Legislature on the construction industry JD Holzheauser, Associate Peckar & Abramson Austin, TX

he Texas Senate and the House of Representatives (the “Legislature”) meets every two years. The Legislature convenes on the second Tuesday in January of every odd numbered year. The session ends 140 nights later. The Legislature is required to pass a state budget for the next biennium. But the Legislature also addresses issues that are important to industry in Texas, the construction industry in particular. The 85th Texas Legislature adjourned sine die on May 29, 2017, and the Legislature is not scheduled to reconvene until the start of the 86th Legislature in January 2019. So a review of some of the important issues addressed by the 85th Legislature is important to keep the construction industry informed and involved. House Bill (“HB”) 2121 relates to the recovery of attorney’s fees by a contractor in a lawsuit against the state. A contractor may receive attorney’s fees from the state if the contractor prevails on its breach of contract claim pursuant to Chapter 2260 of the Government Code and if the breach of contract claim is valued at less than $250,000. The word “may” is important because that indicates that awarding attorney’s fees is at the discretion of the administrative law judge. HB 3021 relates to indemnity provisions in architectural and engineering contracts. Essentially, the law prohibits broad and intermediate indemnity provisions against architects and engineers in contracts with state agencies. A “state agency” is defined in section 2052.101 of the Government Code. HB 3270 clarifies the requirements for mandatory background checks for persons working on school construction projects. Some people who meet certain requirements in the law are not subject to background checks. Senate Bill (“SB”) 807 changed Chapter 272 of the Business and Commerce Code. It stated that certain choice of law and venue provisions were voidable if the provisions are in a contract “principally for the construction or repair of an improvement to real property located in [Texas].” This wording created confusion among practitioners, so, in an effort to create more clarity and predictability, this bill strikes “principally for construction or repair” and broadly defines the term “construction contract.” Now the treatment of choice of law and venue provisions is clearer for everyone. SB 1877 relates to notifications from TxDOT related to notifications of proposed contracts. A law allowing individuals to sign up for notice from TxDOT of proposed contracts already existed. But this bill expanded that law to allow those same notices to be received via e-mail if the so indicated on the form filed with TxDOT. Those bills represent the highlights of what the passed into law out of the 85th Legislative Session. But there are some other bills of equal importance that did not make it to the finish line in 2017. HB 2343 would have allowed a contractor an opportunity to investigate and cure any alleged construction defects on one of the contractor’s projects before the property owner could file a claim to recover damages for the defect. Chapter 38 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code says that a party who prevails in a breach of contract claim

against an individual or corporation may receive attorney’s fees from that individual or corporation. However, its application in breach of contract lawsuits for contractors has been affected by recent appellate court decisions that have held that LLCs, LLPs, and LPs are not “corporations.” That essentially means a contractor who wins a breach of contract lawsuit against a LLC, LLP, or LP cannot receive attorney’s fees under Chapter 38. The House tried to fix that loophole through HB 744 and HB 2457, but failed. Mechanic’s lien law in Texas can be confusing and time consuming, especially for subcontractors. Several bills were filed in 2017 to change the mechanic’s lien law. HB 2668 and 2073 would have changed language in the lien law regarding retained funds. And HB 3065 and SB 1506 were identical bills that were wholesale revisions of the mechanic’s lien law. None of these bills made it to the Governor’s desk. Despite these failures, the bills that did not pass represent important issues in the construction industry. Therefore, it is likely they will reemerge in the next legislative session.

Industry FOLKS Nabil Ghannam Field and Laboratory Supervisor Raba Kistner

any people will tell you that Nabil Ghannam is a fun-loving guy with a kind heart. He feels this way because he loves his job and the people he gets to work with. Ghannam is a Field and Laboratory Supervisor and is also involved in construction materials testing for Raba Kistner in Houston. He has been in this field of work for over 13 years and enjoys “working with people, but more so being able to mentor and assist people toward their goals.” He never wants to stop learning at work, either. “I like being able to gain more knowledge in the field, lab, and office. This helps in creating excellent results for clients.” He was born and raised in Amman, Jordan. After finishing high school there, he moved to Houston by himself. He graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Civil Engineering. His mentor, Martin Villa, office leader and senior vice President at Raba Kistner, has taught Ghannam a lot and he wants to continue to learn and follow in Villa’s footsteps. He has a NICET III certification in concrete and soils, an Asphalt II certification, and he is TxDOT Certified. He considers his office a home away from home. “It’s Home Sweet

Home for me and I love to work with my employees in the office, field, and lab.” When he is at his real home, he loves spending time with his family which includes his wife of 12 years and four children – Mohammed, 10; Maya, 6; Abdallah, 4; and Nadeen, 2. He travels a lot, having visited Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, California, Ohio, New York, and Washington, DC. His most memorable trip was the one he took last year with his wife and children; they went on a cruise to Mexico for five days. Every two years, the family travels to Jordan in the summer. He also enjoys watching soccer, he’s a Barcelona fan. “Soccer is a well-known game in Jordan. We grow up watching and playing the game. I played with my friends almost every day after school in the nearby fields.” Ghannam is “a standard bearer for the office with great moral, high standards, and a real leader,” according to one of his colleagues. - te

Page 6

Houston Construction News • October 2017

from college? M: I actually worked for Carlos’ mom as a certified dietary manager in a hospital. C: I worked for Interstate Batteries as a battery engineer and then when I got tired of working in a corporate environment, I decided to take over this business. Did y’all meet through his mom? M: No, we actually met online.

Carlos Alvarez owner

Misty Alvarez office manager Alvarez Striping

ow long have you been in business together? Misty: I started working with Carlos in 2005. Carlos, did you take over the business for your parents? C: Yes, my dad. He started the company in the late ‘80s. He did this while working for the City of Indiana at the same time. He eventually retired for the city of Houston as an engineer. Where did you grow up? M: In Ohio and I moved to Texas in 2005. Ohio was beautiful in the summer, but in the winter you had to dig your car out from the snow almost every day. I definitely don’t miss that. C: I grew up in Indiana. I left when I was kid and we moved to Houston. I grew up right across the street from the Astrodome. My parents moved down here to get away from the cold weather and because my dad wanted my brothers, sister, and I to all have opportunities to succeed. Do you have any brothers or sisters? M: I have one brother and one sister. My sister lives in Ohio and my brother lives in Indiana. C: I have two half-brothers and a half-sister. They all own their own businesses. One of my brothers is a famous surgeon in California, the other is a famous stockbroker, and my sister owns a bunch of different businesses and lives in Alabama. Where did you go to school? M: I went to Marion Harding High School and then I went to San Jacinto College. C: I graduated from Elkins High School and I went to the University of Houston. I liked college so much that I spent seven years there. What did you do after you graduated

Misty, how did you get started with the business? M: Before I started working for his mom, he asked me to help him out on the jobsites. I’ve been out in the field and I’ve done everything that his workers do. I worked for his mom full-time and on my days off, I would work for him. Did you really enjoy what you were doing with Carlos? M: I did, but I had a pretty bad accident in 2004 that handicapped me so I can’t work like I used to. That’s when I took over the office manager position. When and where did y’all get married? M: We had a backyard wedding on August 4th, 2010. How difficult was it to take over the company? C: It was really difficult because my dad had let the company stop, so I had to revamp it completely, and I had to go get new customers. It’s been a struggle. It took me 10 years to get out of working from a home office. I’ve been in business for 13 years now and we have a building, trucks, trailers, equipment, and we’re growing employees. We’ve got a lot of unique clients, too. What do you mean by unique? C: We were asked to complete a job at the Houston Zoo and we just finished working at Amazon’s center in Houston. We’ve got a big project going right now at a chemical plant in LaPorte. The requests just keep coming in and we are very grateful for that. M: We’ve also done some work at the Johnson Space Center. What did you have to do to revamp the company? C: I had $1,000 when I restarted this company. I had to hustle. I had to do a lot of advertising. I had to do meet and greets and I drove around every day. I had three companies that accepted me and gave me a shot and once that happened, we’ve been getting job after job. If it wasn’t for those three, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. 80% of our jobs are either repeat customers or referrals.

Carlos Alvarez (left) and some of the employees of Alvarez Striping.

Misty, how did you help in the beginning? M: In the beginning, I was actually out on the jobsite with him. I was painting handicap signs, and helping him put down wheel stops. C: This was after my mom stopped. My mom helped on three of my jobsites when she was in her fifties. She just kept saying, “One more job. One more job.” What are some other challenges you’ve had to face? C: When the construction industry took a downturn, I had to pick up other jobs. At one time Misty and I had three jobs. We were armed security guards, striping when we got jobs, and she worked for my mom still. We needed a bank to help us and none of them would. You either had money or you didn’t have money. Fortunately, my dad was able to lend us money when we needed it. We worked together for this company to make it. Security guards? How was that? C: Yeah, we were licensed guards. It was boring. This was before phones with movies so I didn’t have anything to do. We ended up laying on the conveyer belts trying to figure out what to do to stay awake. M: I actually had a job where I was locked inside of a Randalls by myself. They told me to bring stuff to read. I think our first security job was at a JCPenny. I worked at the port, too and it was scary because it was at night. They put me in my little booth and I locked the door. Misty, what do you do on a day-to-day basis? I answer phones and emails, and work on balancing out his accounts. It’s very hard

to keep up with what he spends on the credit card because he doesn’t give me all the receipts. How is it working together? Is there a rule for not talking about work after you are done for the day? M: We’ve had our moments. I have that rule. At 5:00, I’m done and I switch over to being a mom. He carries his phone and answers it until 2am if he has to. C: I always talk to her about work. I’m always on call because I can’t take a chance of losing a job because I missed a phone call. M: We took a cruise and he actually paid the fee so he could use his phone. We have an annual trip to Colorado and the phone goes with him. As a matter fact, I can’t remember a time that he hasn’t had a phone on his hip. What makes your business great? C: We prefer to help families. So if someone has a family and they want to work, we’ll hire them. We’re a minority-owned business and we hire a lot of minorities. They are great workers, take pride in what they do, and they are looking for a long-term position. It’s so hard to find people with those characteristics. We like the office and shop to feel like a place where the guys can bring their wives and children. I always make sure to take care of my guys. How old is your son? M: He’s 7. Tell me a little about him. M: His name is Alex and he’s in 2nd grade. He keeps us busy and he loves Pokémon. C: He’s always done well in school and he’s a good kid. He’s probably going to either be a lawyer, engineer, or take over this company. Do you want him to take over the company? M: He’s already told us he wants to grow up and be like Daddy. C: He goes with me on jobs because it’s nice to have him and he gets to see how I work. - te

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Page 7

Picking up the pieces 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.

ell, things are slowly getting back to normal down here in the Coastal Bend after an ending to an August I will never forget. Almost everyone was affected by one of the most damaging hurricanes this area has seen in over 30 years. Hurricane Harvey skirted just north of the Corpus Christi area and caused some major

T.W. Wheat and his group had steady action on a recent fishing outing with Steve Schultz Outdoors shortly after the Hurricane.

damage to some of the communities north of the city. Most of the damage was power lines, trees and fences down in the city of Corpus with several of the marinas receiving a bit more extensive damages. For the most part we were spared the brunt of the devastation that the cities to the north were not. Most of these towns from Port Aransas north to Port O’Connor were left in ruins. The rebuilding process will take years to complete and many folks lost everything. Needless to say, the fishing business has been rather slow as people try to get through the

shock of the storm Mother Nature brought ashore. A little closer to home, and just before Hurricane Harvey arrived, I was mourning over the loss of a dear friend and client. Randy Wyatt passed away the week prior to the storm and left many people, including this writer, with an emptiness that could not be explained. Randy had become one of my closest friends over the past 12 years and I was introduced to many other great people through his friendship and fishing/hunting trips. He was very well known around the fishing community in this area and

those who knew him will agree that he was one-of-a-kind and will be greatly missed. On to Fishing…. After several weeks off due to the hurricane, I finally got back on the water on Sept. 8. Fishing was challenging for the first week because of higher than normal tides, but things are slowly getting back to normal. Fall patterns should begin to set in as we start getting some cool fronts blowing in. Redfish and speckled trout will be the species most targeted with black drum and some occasional flounder rounding out the cooler. It’s still warm enough to wet wade and that might be the best bet to getting on some trophy trout before old man winter arrives. Speaking of trophy trout, winter is just around the corner and I will be booking some wade fishing trips in between my hunting trips. Most trips will be in the Baffin Bay complex and I will also be guiding some trips in the Port Mansfield area. If you are interested in either, please give me a call or shoot me a text. With all the high tides and great water conditions, I’m looking forward to a stellar winter for the big girls. I still have several open dates for the October 2017 season. I will also be offering some management deer hunts in South Texas if you are interested. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting 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.

Page 8

Houston Construction News • October 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

Whatcha doing today?

f you are lucky enough to have a day off in the fall in Texas, you are a lucky son of a gun! The tourist high season is mostly passed so the best places to go and things to do are suddenly easier and less expensive. The weather is finally feeling nice again. Summer heat is slowly receding and winter isn’t close enough to hurt anything yet. Sunrises and sunsets get a magical soft red glow that makes you want to stop and stare. So what can you do with a fall day in Texas? You can hunt! There are several things you can hunt right now, but most people are going after dove and whitetail deer. Bow season starts, you’re out sweating in a t-shirt and ends with you looking for your longhandles. It may be hard to stand hunting in the heat at first, but to get first shot at the new parade of bucks we will have this year is so worth it. It just gets better as the fall wears on because rifle season for whitetail isn’t far away, and then there is turkey, and the list goes on! Fall fishing is nice too – once summer stops baring her fangs we get a lot of nice days on the water. Temperatures are milder as the water starts to cool off which benefits fish and fishermen alike.

We usually don’t have the turbulent weather we can get in the spring, just temporary weather changes brought about by the return of cold fronts. But at least you can see them coming on the weather map. Those cooler water temperatures are what we are always relieved to see after summer passes. We get tired of the heat and run inside to cool off, but the fish are just stuck with water that is hard to tolerate. Hot summer water doesn’t hold oxygen as well, so they end up mostly just laying low waiting for things to get better, and fall is better. All of a sudden the fish find it easier to breathe and have energy to chase schools of bait fish. They feed hard to make up for doing without during the last weeks of summer. Fish are driven to feed heavily during fall and winter to prepare for spawning time in the spring. That means all a fisherman needs to do is get to the water with some tempting bait. It doesn’t matter if you bank fish or boat fish, you can probably find some fish that’s happy to see you! If you’d like to chase stripers and hybrids with us, call us at 325-379-2051! If hunting and fishing aren’t your cup of tea, then how about a road trip, or a visit to some of our amazing parks? Just check out the list of state parks on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s website and you will find parks you may not even know about. The same goes for national parks and local parks. If you have some time to get outside, we have the places to go. Fall is a big deal in the parks. The trees are getting their fall colors, the night skies are getting clearer and many of them host holiday events that are worth checking out too! The only bad thing about a day off this time of year is figuring out which way to go!

Autumnal heron - sunrise

Don’t forget to send us your company Halloween photos

Baker Triangle Houston, Halloween 2016 (Dec, 2016) issue

Email to HoustonEditor@ ConstructionNews.net Autumnal heron - sunrise Send photo and caption

Houston Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ October 2017

Page 9

Cajun country

Jeffery S. Robinson, territory manager for H&E Equipment Services, landed this giant gator in Chauvin Parish, LA. - te

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You

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

SEE YOU ON halloween!

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

Great day of fishing

Roger Pearce of The Nut Place, Inc. hit the jackpot on a recent fishing trip in Galveston, catching a beautiful Jack Crevalle. - te

Page 10

Houston Construction News â&#x20AC;˘ October 2017

Houston in the Hurricane Harvey rescue IEC

Harvey volunteers

The executive director of IEC, Bob Wilkinson, is the Commander at VFW Post 8790 in Spring Branch. This Post, along with others, provided five big rigs of supplies, and have helped with unloading, sorting, and donating other items for the flood victims of Harvey. - te

Several volunteers fromÂ CBRE, DPR, Harvey Builders, Fast Track Specialties, Karsten Interiors, Waltech, Turner Construction, Marek Brothers, and John Oliverio, the Alvin High School basketball coach, put this group together to help at Kidz Harbor in Liverpool, a foster kids home in Baytown and Kingwood. - te

Basic Builders

Raba Kistner Port Arthur/Beaumont

Travis Bennett, project manager with Basic Builders, provides help to his neighbors during the storm. - te

Gaurav Tripathi, senior project manager for Raba Kistner, delivered an SUV full of bottled water and other supplies to a collection center in Houston. These supplies were then sent to Port Arthur and Beaumont. - te

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Page 11

THIS TH MON Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry July: Electrical Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing Aug: Service Providers

Opening the door to success Michael Famolare, Division Manager ACME Architectural Hardware Houston, TX

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general? The construction industry has always had its ups and downs. We have seen significant growth over the past four or five years and everything points to at least a few more years of similar performance.

Have you experienced an increase in business, or a decrease? We have been blessed with significant growth over the past seven to eight years, especially in the service and installation division. We see this trending through our specialties division as well. What factors are driving this increase? We believe the demand we are seeing in our service division is fueled by a shortage of quality door technicians who take pride in the work they do. We have a large, loyal customer base from our distribution business that is looking for help with installing the products we sell. How has this increase affected your company and how you conduct business? Our growth is directly limited by the quality and experience of the leadership

team we have empowered to build each of our areas of focus. We are constantly looking for those individuals that fit in with our team and bring something to the table that can help us reach our goals. What are some “hot button” issues in your industry of construction? It seems like every area of construction that we are involved in has an increased sense of urgency. They are looking for products and services and they need them immediately. Price will always be most important to certain customers, but the demand for quality products with a quick response turnaround is shared by most. What are the major changes in the industry in recent years relating to your sector of construction? We have seen that technology has

Specialty Contractors Sept: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment

taken the lead with many of the hardware manufacturers we represent. Being primarily involved in the renovation side of the industry, we find ourselves late to the party sometimes with implementing the latest technology. We realize that as our customers’ needs change, we have to be prepared to help. As an example, a short time ago we found our customers asking for certain specialty items - toilet partitions and restroom accessories. Because of this, about 18 months ago we began offering those items to our customers. As time went by, more and more existing and new customers wanted these and more specialty items. Today our customers can choose from a wide variety of Division 10 and 11 products from the industry’s leading factories. What is the most significant challenge your industry is facing? Our greatest challenge is centered on hiring, training, and motivating our people. Putting the right people in the right positions has worked well for us. Have there been any cost increases for your company? If so, how are you handling this? Price increases have always been a part of our business. With the manufacturers’ calling the shots, we have to step up our game to justify the increases.

What is on the horizon for your sector of construction? With increased focus on the need for security across all industries, the advances in technology are certainly providing new solutions. Keeping our people trained and aware of the latest changes in technology can be quite challenging. Possible immigration reforms could potentially add to the complexity of finding technicians for the entire construction industry. What are the rewards of your industry? Our greatest rewards come from the feeling we get when we help a customer solve a challenging problem, and that reward is shared when our people have worked as a team to provide the solution. What is the key to being successful in your industry? Sometimes we tend to over-analyze our keys to success. It seems to continually come down to figuring out what our customers want and then simply doing what you said you would do. If you can accomplish success doing those two things, many times the rest will fall into place. ACME Architectural Hardware is a commercial door and hardware distributor. They install Division 10 and 11 specialty items, as well. - te

Uninsured, low bidders a problem Lee Houston, Owner WreckHouse Demolition LLC Forney, TX

ow would you describe the construction industry in general terms? We’re definitely in an upswing for sure; we’re definitely moving a lot of construction in the DFW Metroplex. Have you noticed more “out of town” demolition businesses popping up in our area, or newly established demolition businesses? Yes, definitely. I’ve noticed a lot of new smaller demolition companies coming into North Texas, but not a lot of big ones. They’ve definitely shown up in the last couple of years. Do you see anything on the horizon for your industry? I see new technology, and it’s really neat. We’re integrating technology right now from the office all the way down into the field. We’re definitely using technology to take our business to the next level. With the construction industry so far behind in technology, I’m definitely trying to get a jump on that and get ahead of it. The upcoming technology corrects a lot of errors and helps us out on the jobsites for sure. I can now measure building jobs with my phone. I can send estimates, bids and invoices and send clients photos from my phone also, which is wonderful. We’ve had the lasers on tractors for two years now, but they’ve been improved and now attach to the machines to keep the levels, grades and

Does it price you out of getting jobs? It’s a fine line between having to raise your prices and still be competitive. We have some good customers and friends, and they understand that and don’t try to get [the price] down too low. elevations tighter. The errors that crews were making when they were doing it before with a telescope and a stick are gone. What else has been a focus of your business? We have stepped up our safety to cover us as well as our general contractor clients. We do a lot more training. Because we do projects for TxDOT, we have morning trainings and safety meetings every other week. I know the trend has gone that way – the hard hats, the safety vests – but it’s always been mandatory when I worked for my dad’s construction company. Whether or not we need them on the job site, we always wear them. Have you noticed any fluctuation in business costs? Pretty much everything has gone up except the pay! Landfills have definitely increased in price; we used to pay $10 a ton [to dispose materials at a landfill] and now I am seeing prices as high as $35 a ton. The prices in the trucking industry are getting up there a little bit. Of course, diesel prices definitely fluctuate but are down compared to what it was, and that helps out a lot. Labor is harder to find now at a good price, but we use Craigslist, we find a lot of our CDL drivers through indeed.com, local newspapers, referrals and we have a pretty good following on social media.

What is a major challenge your business is facing? Low bidders are making it tough on us. Many have no insurance and are lowballing the bid. There’s one on almost every job we bid. Sometimes, it’s too low, and they’ll be thrown out if it’s understood why they’re able to get that price so low. The low bidders come in and throw out a number that is so low, I don’t even know how they could do the job and make a profit, since I know what my cost is on some of these jobs. I have tried to tell people [about this situation] at the beginning of jobs, but they hire the lowest bidder anyway. Then, I will get a call from the general contractor saying that that company has left in the middle of the job, or has stolen all of the copper out of a job, or they didn’t have insurance. I tell general contractors that if a demolition company does not have insurance to watch out, because if someone from that company is injured, the general contractor could be sued. I try to give them as much information as I can so they can avoid these situations, but some take the chance. It’s tough to bid against some of these business owners who get their bid so low, but we’re making it. What are the keys to being successful in this industry? As they say, it’s not how much you make, but how much you keep, and that’s been our goal over the last year. I’ve been trying to keep our costs down and our

overhead as low as possible so I can compete with some of these low bidders and big companies too. The larger companies have all kinds of equipment that can keep their costs down. Since we’re getting a lot of larger jobs now, I’m just trying to lower our overhead. That’s also where the new technology comes in; it decreases man hours when we can draw up bids and send them instantly instead of having to run them through a couple of people. We can save on costs a little bit and keep on growing. Other than that, we have our name out there pretty well. When I first started, it was about getting our name out there and getting established. Do you think the recent hurricanes will affect how you conduct business at all? So far up here, all of our truckers seem to be staying around. Other than our diesel and the gas shortage for a while, I don’t see a lot from it right now but it could take a month or two to see some of the repercussions. As of right now, it hasn’t affected the local demolition business too much – we’re still swinging and rolling in it. What are the rewards of the industry? The people we get to work with are the rewards; we have the opportunity to work with some amazing people – general contractors, excavation companies and land developers. We meet some pretty cool people. WreckHouse Demolition LLC is a commercial and residential demolition and excavation company. –mjm

Page 12

Houston Construction News • October 2017

NEXT TH MON

Architecture & Engineering

If you would like to represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact your Houston Editor for an Interview Tanya Erickson 832-595-0091 HoustonEditor@ConstructionNews.net

On top of roofing relationships Bernard Boling, Owner Boling Roofs and Sheet Metal Kyle, TX

ow would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? Austin is booming! I think it’s booming all over the state. How has Boling Roofs and Sheet Metal benefited from this “boom?” We’ve been growing, especially in the last four years. It’s just been nonstop. Have you had slowdowns in the past? If yes, how did you handle them? We did experience slowdowns during the drought, and there was also a sort of economic downturn from 2009-2011. We were a young company and smaller during that time, so it was a great trial by fire. When I started in the roofing industry in ’94, a metal roofer was hard to find. It’s not that way anymore. That is a good thing. To survive economic downturns, we branched out into other services. What factors are driving Austin’s thriving construction economy? I think things are set up in Texas better than other places. Central Texas is a place that is friendly and open to people and businesses starting out. There are also a lot of people trying to work. Texas is a ranching, working state. Anytime you have people connected to the land, willing to work with their

hands, it goes a long way. It affects everyone’s attitude. Specifically, how has the economy affected Boling Roofs and Sheet Metal and how you conduct business? We’ve had to expand our number of employees and crews and get more certifications because we have expanded our services. Also, I’m now working in the role of an owner mostly. I’ve had to step out of installing full roofs myself, and I’m directing others. It is a different viewpoint, but it’s a good problem. What are the “hot button” issues in the roofing industry? Scheduling. When there’s a lot of construction going on, and you are waiting on other trades to finish their part, scheduling gets hard, and I worry about over commitment. I try to treat everybody with respect. You have to constantly be working toward quality and integrity: quality, integrity, and timeliness. Start with achieving those and you don’t have problems.

Keeping you insulated Henry Schmueckle, President Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing Inc. San Antonio, TX

lpha Insulation & Waterproofing (AIWP) was established in 1982 and currently has eleven offices in seven states performing all types of insulation, spray fireproofing, waterproofing, fire stop, spray foam and spray insulation on signature projects across the southeast and Midwest regions of the United States.

How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? The construction industry is currently healthy and provides great opportunity. We are still in the early innings of this cycle. Due to the state of the construction industry, has there been an increase or a decrease in business? We have experienced an increase in business over the past several years. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming into the area? General contractors have been branching out and servicing a larger geographic area, followed by some subcontractors following their customer base as well.

How has this increase affected Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing and how AIWP conducts business? The expansion of our business has required Alpha to have stronger procedures and processes in place. What are the “hot button” issues in the insulation & waterproofing industry? The “hot buttons” for the insulation and waterproofing industry is staying educated on the building codes. Air barrier, life safety and insulation requirements have been rapidly changing over the past few years. How do you stay up-to-date in your industry? We stay up-to-date with changes in our industry by participating in various trade organizations. We also do extensive training with our manufacturing partners.

Rain is a big deal, too. You get better at predicting the weather than the weatherman. What have been the major changes in the roofing industry in recent years? Mainly, the popularity of metal roofing and also the rise of the TPO flat roof system. No particular type of roof is the “go-to” roof anymore as shingles and modified once were. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Mine is, again, scheduling issues. But more broadly, if a tradesman doesn’t honor their commitments it makes construction workers in general look bad. People develop low opinions of trades. What it comes down to are relationships. That’s a short sentence, kind of a cliché, but achieving it is a daily process. What are some of the cost increases roofers are incurring now? Shingles keep going up; metal goes up more slowly. Labor and insurance costs have gone up, too. You always have fluctuations, and once they go up, they don’t come down. How are you dealing with these challenges? You bid the cost into the job. I think people understand. I have great relationships with my suppliers, and that helps. We get the job done regardless. What is on the horizon for the roofing industry? Are there changes in tech-

What are the major changes in the construction industry relating to the type of work you do? The major change in the construction industry over the last 10 years has been the emphasis on safety. All aspects of safety have gone up tremendously from PPE, certified training, overall awareness and jobsite enforcement. We welcome this change and it has only made the industry stronger across the board. What is the most significant challenge the insulation & waterproofing industry faces? Labor shortages? Cost Increases? The most significant challenge facing Alpha is an aging workforce and the ability to attract and retain a younger workforce. How is Alpha Insulation & Waterproofing dealing with these challenges? Alpha has created a cloud-based training program that is available to all employees. The Alpha U can be used to train new employees or be used as a preparatory tool before scopes of work begin on projects. We have developed in-house training videos to address how to install the scopes of work we perform. Alpha has a fulltime staff constantly addressing these training issues.

www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news

nology, codes, ordinances, and laws forthcoming? I think there are going to be changes, but I don’t know exactly what. Austin has built up a lot and continues to grow. That affects laws and codes and the people already here, including the people in construction. I think that also gives us opportunities as well. What are the rewards of the industry? There’s always a lot to learn in roofing – new techniques and materials - it changes and challenges you. Roofing is exciting! It’s about helping people. We’re not first responders, but when a tree falls on someone’s house, it’s important to them to find someone to help them and to be quick about it. It’s also a big deal when you can solve a problem for someone such as a builder or homeowner. What are keys to being successful in the roofing industry? Growing as a person and working on relationships and communication with my customers and the people I work with every day. Roofing is essentially taking something challenging and working through it. I’ve seen a lot, but I don’t think I’ve seen it all. Roofers deal with weather, physics, and logistics. But for me, it’s definitely been learning how to work with people, get agreements and work through the disagreements. Boling Roofs and Sheet Metal specializes in custom metal and roofing. They serve Central Texas, North Texas, and Oklahoma. - ke

What advice would you give to a young person who wants to work in your industry? My advice to a young person wanting to work in the industry is to get a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management; any of the outstanding universities offering this specific type program is a good start. What are the cost increases related to the insulation & waterproofing industry? Over the last five years, there has been a dramatic increase in wages and benefits. We have experienced an increase in materials, but the labor issues far outweigh the material issues. What are the rewards of the insulation & waterproofing industry? The industry is rewarding because it provides great opportunity for personal advancement if you have the “right stuff.” In addition, it is rewarding to pass signature projects you have been a part of and knowing you’ve played an important role in developing the city. What are the keys to success in the insulation & waterproofing industry? The keys to success are attention to detail and rewarding your employees. -cmw

Texas Style

★ ★ ★ ★

San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Page 13

continued from Page 1 — Spreading the knowledge

continued from Page 1 — Staying in the game are getting lots of work and the employees enjoy Parker and the business. “We go through probably 4 or 5 million square feet a year. It’s our primary product, but we work at it. We have sales people out on the street and estimators inside. Everybody’s been with us for a long time. My secretary came to me two days after she graduated high school and she has a daughter who is graduating from A&M now, so she’s been there a while.” Parker says the most rewarding thing about what he does is seeing the good life he’s able to provide for his employees. Another thrill is receiving a very large order. Although Parker works hard, he always puts his family first. “Family always comes first and they know it. My family

has always been very tolerant. There were times when I had to work late or be out of town, and my wife was very accepting. Family should always be first and foremost in your life.” Having been in business for 41 years, Parker offers some advice to the younger generation who may just be starting out: “You have to continue to learn and keep your mind open to new things. When I started, we had typewriters and adding machines, so I’m not good with computers. I hate them and I hate my phone, but you have to learn something every day and you have to be open to learning something new.” SBS specializes in Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic wall and ceiling panels. - te

Round-Up Slack & Co. announces the promotion of Claudia De La Torre to Safety Supervisor. After graduating from Texas A&M University, she worked for Zachary Industrial and A.H. Beck Foundation. -te

Submissions

bery take place in the store.” Their business spans the United States and Matt is certain their father’s teachings will carry them through another 30 years. Russell Construction Company is a general contracting company that specializes in the retail industry. – te

Round-Up

When not at work, the boys like to participate in charity fishing tournaments and events and Rosanna volunteers at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter. The family has experienced some crazy things, but one incident in particular involved them “working in stores in the middle of the night and seeing a rob-

Shepley Bulfinch announces that Robert (Bob) Simmons has joined the firm as a principal. He has been central to more than a million square feet of projects at prestigious institutions nationwide. -te

This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month). Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– San Antonio: saeditor@constructionnews.net Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Fort Worth: dfweditor@constructionnews.net Houston: houstoneditor@constructionnews.net

Construction News ON LOCATION

Staying busy

continued from Page 1 — What was old is new

Walt Klupsch and Antonio Reyes say they have been busy at Elliott Electric Supply in Katy with companies needing materials to rebuild after the storm. - te

The waiting area in the VCA Spring Branch vet clinic

cases comical photos of animals. There is a large operating room with two surgical tables and other needed equipment. The brown, tan, and off-white color scheme creates a calming atmosphere for both the animals and their owners. It is carried into the examination rooms that have plenty of cabinet and storage space. “The owners had high expectations of building quality and maintaining operations during construction. The communication and willingness to work through the phasing plans and construction was exceptional,” Johnson shares about working with the owners. KAustin & Associates was founded in

2003 by Ken Austin and has one office location in Humble with nine employees. Their scope of work ranges from small tenant build-outs in office buildings to large-scale renovations. The firm specializes in private work that includes funeral homes, animal hospitals, medical facilities, metal buildings, and high pile storage compliance. Mark Nowlin, KAustin & Associates, was the project manager and Stephen Kramer, with Stephen J. Kramer Architects, was the architect for this project. KAustin & Associates is a full service construction, construction management, and design build-out firm. - te

Durotech

Durotech Sr. Superintendent John Cook joined with his neighbors in a fishing boat to evacuate residents from flooded subdivisions and apartments. – te

Page 14

Houston Construction News • October 2017

Making the right choice

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC

FPA

Associated Builders & Contractors

Foundation Performance Assn.

Oct. 5: BBQ Cook-off and Expo, Pasadena Convention Center, 3 – 8pm Oct. 18: Excellence in Construction Awards Gala, Wortham Theatre, 6 – 9pm Oct. 26: Construction Careers Expo, Pasadena Convention Center, 7am – 3pm Oct. 27: EHCMA Golf Tournament, Wildcat Golf Club, 7am – 4pm

Oct. 11: Simpson Strong-Tie presents an overview of FRP Systems for strengthening or protecting concrete

AGC

IEC Independent Electrical Contractors

Oct. 13: PAC Fundraising Dinner, Guest Speaker is Ted Cruz, Redneck Country Club, 6 – 10pm, event website cvent.com/d/ttqn2z

Associated General Contractors

Oct. 19: AGC Houston Membership Orientation, 11:30am – 1pm, contact membership@agchouston.org

Danielle and James Wright

tarting a construction company was an easy decision for Danielle Wright, and one she says that was strongly encouraged by other companies. Before establishing Right Choice Development & Construction in Nov. 2016, Wright owned many other businesses. “I’m kind of a serial entrepreneur. I owned Ageless Med Spa for seven years and just sold it in Dec. 2016. Before that I owned Katy Cab and Limo Company, and before that I owned an employment screening company.” Right Choice Development & Construction is family-owned and operated. Many customers have commended Wright’s husband, James, for his work. “They were so impressed by my husband’s leadership and the quality of work,” Wright beams. It was these customers who put the idea of starting the company into Wright’s head. “It was very easy to get the company started because we had companies coming to us before we even started. Our customers talked us into doing this.” Wright says she has always been fasci-

nated by the construction industry because her father owned his own construction company, so she grew up in the industry. She’s noticed some changes since that time, and not all of them have been positive. She says her goal is “to pioneer bringing customer service back. We have a good eye for quality and we care about what the lasting mark is on the project and that it’s perfect.” When asked if she faces any challenges with being a woman-owned construction business, she admits that there aren’t many. “The only challenge that I see is when I boast about being a female-owned company. I wonder if customers think I am going to be the one swinging the hammer,” Wright laughs and adds, “A lot of our Houston-based businesses and corporations love to support women-owned enterprises and I’m very proud of that.” Right Choice Development & Construction specializes in commercial interior and exterior remodels and build-outs. - te

MCA Mechanical Contractors Assn.

Oct. 20: 7th Annual Golf Invitational

AMCH

PHCC

Associated Masonry Contractors of Houston

Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Assn.

Oct. 19: Annual Sporting Clays, American Shooting Centers, 3 – 6pm

Oct. 11: Evening Social, Top Golf Spring, 6 – 8pm

ASA

WCA

American Subcontractors Assn.

Women Contractors Association

Oct. 4: Schmooze & Mingle, Cedar Creek Bar & Grill, 4 - 7pm, for members only

Oct. 11: WCA Annual Reception, Grappino’s, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Trick-or-treat

ave you ever wondered how Halloween came about? Or, when the fun of getting dressed up and walking around your neighborhood got started? Halloween, a contraction of All Hallows Evening, is a celebration in a number of countries on Oct. 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallow’s Day and Reformation Day. It is believed the many Halloween traditions originated from Celtic harvest festivals that may have had pagan roots. Trick-or-treating is a customary celebration for children on Halloween. Dressed in costumes from scary to simply adorable, children go from house to house asking for treats like candy, or in some cases, money. “Trick or Treat.” Trick implies a “threat” to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. This is believed to have roots in the medieval practice of mumming. Traditionally, costumes worn have been modeled after the supernatural figures such as vampires, monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches, and devils. In more recent times, fictional characters have been more readily introduced. Dressing up in costumes or going “guising” was prevalent in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween by the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, costuming became popular for Halloween parties in the US for adults as well as for children. The first mass-production of Halloween costumes appeared in stores in the 1930s when trick-or-treating was becoming popular in the United States. -cmw

Houston Construction News â&#x20AC;˘ October 2017

Football star

DJ Brown, son of Bill Brown, Senior Project Manager at Skanska USA Building Inc., is the starting wide receiver for the Northern Illinois Huskies. He scored his first touchdown of the season against Boston College. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;te

Page 15

Page 16

Houston Construction News â&#x20AC;¢ October 2017