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The Industry’s Newspaper Page 5
www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 15 H Number 6 H JUNE 2018
Building up a teardown
Concrete from Wimberley
Building Abatement Demolition (BAD) Company Inc.’s Jud Stringer
The Myers Concrete Construction team.
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ud Stringer owns a construction company, yet he doesn’t have the “building gene” his father, uncles and cousins do. “Most of my family members are master carpenters. There isn’t anything they couldn’t build, but I don’t necessarily have the ability to build a doghouse!” Stringer explains. “I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work out very well; I’m not sure why. I learned at a young age that building was not for me.” However, tearing down buildings was. At age 17, Stringer began doing asbestos abatement and demolition. It was only meant to be a summer job, but the solid wage and freedom made it too attractive to quit. A few years later, he began working for Austin-based abate-
ment and demolition company Southwest Constructors and earned his supervisor’s license in 1995. He then joined Basic Industries for seven years, first as a supervisor before moving up to division manager. When a merger threatened his job security, Stringer established Building Abatement Demolition (BAD) Company Inc. in 2008 and worked hard to overcome the ramping-up recession. “It was a rough row to hoe for a solid three to four years, and then it got better,” he says. “Now, we stride pretty well. We’ve hit our plateau to where we are comfortable doing what we have and we know our limits.” continued on Page 16
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estled in the beautiful Texas hill country, a small concrete contractor with a big reputation calls Wimberley home. In the late ‘70s, Randy Myers worked for various homebuilders while in high school. It was during that time the young Randy saw the need for a concrete contractor in the Wimberley area. After graduating high school, he started up his own concrete company, Myers Concrete Construction. But home building didn’t spark his interest in construction. No, his interest was sparked years ago as a young boy. Raised by a single-mom, Myers’s grandfather, who worked in construction, would take him to work with him. It was the experiences with his grandpa
where he learned to love the industry and found his niche. Since 1977, Myers Concrete Construction has been doing concrete work, asphalt and excavation. While the company’s excavation is in conjunction with the concrete and asphalt work they perform, they also perform excavation for ranch roads. In the early days, Charlene Myers, president of Myers Concrete recalls, “we used to do a lot of low water crossings and dams. We don’t do much of that anymore, but early on, Myers did a lot of that in Wimberley.” The company has come a long way since the early days. Today, Myers Concrete can be seen on jobsites from Austin continued on Page 16
Luxury with garden-style appeal
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he Hilton chain of hotels has introduced another luxury hotel to Austin, the Hilton Garden Inn, Austin Airport. Located just three miles from the airport and five miles from downtown Austin, this modern style hotel is a welcomed feature to the Texas hill country. Built on the philosophy of open communication and partnering with clients rather than being adversarial, McComb Construction Company Inc. was the perfect fit for the construction of the new 92,000sf facility. Construction was completed in 20 months at a cost of $13.8 million. Constructed of structural and light gauge steel with structural concrete at each floor, the 149-room hotel offers a full bar for its guests, banquet and kitchen facilities, business center, convenience shop, guest laundry facility, garden grille, fitness center, sparkling outdoor pool, patio and fire pit. Hilton Garden Inn Austin Airport is
Hilton Garden Inn Austin Airport located at 7610 John Glenn Way.
not the typical prototype Hilton Garden Inn. The owner and architect added many custom features to make this the premier property to be near the airport. “When we broke ground at the beginning of 2016, it started raining and we didn’t think it would ever stop. We had over 24 in. of rain in the first six months of the project. Just prior to breaking ground, we decided to completely redesign the foundation system from a drilled-pier, slab-on-grade to a driven steel pile, elevated structural steel slab. This required several months to re-engineer and resubmit to the City of Austin for re-review of our permit,” said Keith McComb, owner and president of McComb Construction. Keith McComb also acted as Sr. Project Manager alongside Project Manager Daniel Landeros. Together, they worked closely with JC Crowdus & Associates, the project’s architectural firm to overcome obstacles and maintain the luster continued on Page 16
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
Rodeo, equipment style
ECO friendly
ustin Contractors & Engineers Association (ACEA) partnered with the ACE Mentor Program to help the students understand the full scope and the partnership that exists between architects, contractors, and engineers. The inaugural Equipment Rodeo was held May 12 at Marcelo’s Sand & Loam and featured informational and hands-on demos on various machines and equipment. –cmw
Dan Keiderling, head of Texas operations for ECO Roof and Solar Cody Schroeder, Advanced Drainage Systems, explains and demonstrates the importance of proper trench excavation, backfill types and pipe installation for storm sewer drainage.
Duane Clark, MLA Geotechnical, demonstrates how to operate the equipment to Chase Johnson, ACE Mentor Program Participant.
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an Keiderling used to be a bartender, then a roofing salesman. Then, he founded and ran Assurance Roofing with headquarters in Austin and branches in Dallas and San Antonio. But after a meeting with Ryan Nichols, co-owner with Dylan Lucas of ECO Roof and Solar, Keiderling now runs the Texas operations for ECO, as Assurance has joined forces with the Denver-based company. A mutual supplier brought its customers to a Dallas Cowboys game event, but instead of watching the game (Nichols is a Broncos fan and Keiderling Steelers), the two talked the whole game and shared business philosophies. Keiderling’s working model is to put integrity before profits and not be a hailstorm-chasing, fly-by-night roofing company. He liked Nichols’ vision for business and growth. Shortly after the game, he flew to Denver to further check out ECO. Keiderling liked what he saw and also ad-
mired its commercial side of the business. The conversation continued, and a mutual win-win was reached, leading to ECO acquiring Assurance this past April. One factor was ECO could expand its reach into Texas without starting from the ground up, as Assurance had a strong foundation in three major cities. Keiderling, likewise, wanted to better his company and ECO provided that with a dynamic home office and systems. Keiderling travels a lot up and down I-35 as he is the boots-on-ground man for ECO in the Lone Star State, keeping southwest gainfully employed. What started at a Cowboys game (that neither watched anyway) ended up with one roofing company joining another to form a new alliance. What remains the same is the commitment to provide outstanding customer service. ECO Roof and Solar is a residential and commercial roofing contractor with offices in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. –dsz
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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Crawfish open house
Concrete calling
ravis Roofing Supply hosted their 4th Annual Crawfish Boil and Open House Apr. 20 at 5010 Burleson Rd. with over 400 customers, vendors, family and friends in attendance. Guests were treated to great BBQ and crawfish and live music provided by the People’s Choice Band, face-painting, petting zoo, and balloon art. –cmw
ina Harryman had worked in direct sales since she was 18 years old and then she became sold on decorative concrete. After meeting a woman who owned a decorative concrete business and listening to her explain the creativity and chemistry in her work, Harryman was transfixed. “The more I learned about it, the more I became intrigued,” she says. “I asked if I could show up to just watch because I was amazed with what I was seeing. Eventually, I was able to help her out on the weekends and then she wanted to bring me on to run her business. I’m a problem solver and a solution-based person, and I got to explore my creative mind. There was chemistry involved and it Tina Harryman, owner of Artcrete Designs challenged me. I was motivated to learn more.” In 2002, she started her own stained, integrity and quality I stand behind.” stamped and scored decorative concrete Sixteen years later, Harryman is still company, Artcrete Designs LLC. After sold on her profession. being heavily involved in the beginning, “I enjoy people and building she eventually hired three employees so relationships,” she says. “I enjoy that she could focus on clients and the transformation, being able to listen to a business. Her team takes up to three client’s vision and being a part of bringing projects a week, such as the 10ft. by 10ft. that to life. I enjoy bringing beauty into medallion they did for a south Austin the world, whether it’s in their home or church. It is her hope that her company commercial space. I get to explore my can take on more projects. creative side, look at the space and help “I’m looking to partner with a to bring that alive.” competitor so we can expand and grow Subcontractor Artcrete Designs LLC is locally,” she says. “My interest is to find located in Austin. -mjm someone who operates with the same
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Guests partake in good food and the many activities provided.
This little guy shows his excitement for his new look.
Guest eating a big plate of crawfish.
Kids enjoy the animals at the petting zoo that was on hand.
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★★★★★
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
those types of people that can talk to anybody. Sales and marketing fit my personality. I enjoyed it, but the reason I moved on is because the high tech industry started to commoditize and it wasn’t fun anymore. I worked for a small company in Austin doing what I’m doing now, and I knew in my heart that I wanted to start my own company. The timing was right, and in 2007 I established Cotham Construction Services & Roofing.
Marlon Cotham
Owner Cotham Construction Services & Roofing Cedar Park, TX
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hroughout his life, Marlon Cotham studied business icons to get an idea of what made them so successful. He absorbed the lessons he gleaned from their lives and implemented them when he established Cotham Construction Services & Roofing. Eleven years later, he knows that the greatest lesson he learned, to believe in himself, is the main reason for his success. Share about your early life. My father was a naval aviator [and we moved around a lot]. We lived in Puerto Rico, Key West, Huntington Beach, Corpus Christi, Rhode Island, and Virginia Beach. When you’re a kid, you don’t like it because you move away from your friends, but when you get older, you appreciate it. I had been an athlete all of my life, and my first choice was to be a teacher and a coach. I was trying to figure out which way to go, and I was steered towards business. I got a BBA in Marketing in 1982 and ended up in sales and marketing most of my career in corporate America. I grew up in construction though; I had friends who were working in it. I decided to learn it and get a job when I was 17; one thing led to another and I worked in it through college. In the summers, I would build houses, and during school I would work in lumberyards part-time. I got a little help from my parents, but I pretty much worked all through college. What path did you pursue after college? After college, my first job was for [global tech company] NCR in Fort Worth and then in Austin. I then had two tours of duty at Dell Computer and worked for a couple of start-ups in an 18-year period. I got a lot of good corporate sales and marketing [experience] and I am one of
Was it a difficult decision to go into business for yourself, especially in a different industry? Yes, it was. You always have the “FUD” factor – Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt – but you have to believe in yourself. I had saved money, I knew what I could do, and I knew I could always get a job; that wasn’t going to be a problem. What were those first years as a business owner like for you? I started out with a Suburban and a ladder, got the business cards and started making calls. I got lucky because I had friends in the business and so I would get leads from them. I also got lucky because, along with remodeling, I did roofing. In 2008 and 2009, Austin got hammered with huge hailstorms. We made a lot of money, and the roofing side of the business during that time really propelled the company. That’s how we started, really. What are some keys to your success? From the things I learned from sales and marketing, I formed a company motto from soliciting customers and my company motto was “On time. On budget. Every time.” People would tell me all of the time how someone they hired for a project wouldn’t show up. I just do what I say I’m going to do. Also, I have always loved reading about how people succeed through perseverance, believing in themselves. I always read about companies like Hershey Chocolate and Milton Hershey; he went bankrupt three times before he developed milk chocolate and the rest is history. I read things like that and it gives me great insight. I have always believed that if you believe in yourself, you can do it. What was a rewarding experience you had through your business? One very rewarding experience was something I did with the Rotary Club; I started an English as Second Language (ESL) class. It was a class for Hispanic mothers who had children in kindergarten through the fourth grade. One of the reasons we did it is because we wanted them to be able to communicate with teachers about things like PTA and meetings. It was very rewarding because I had hired retired teachers to all be in the classrooms; watching it, it was amazing to see that the mothers obviously wanted
L-R: Bob Jones, Mary Cotham, Marlon Cotham, Kiva Cotham and Margarito Ortiz
to learn. That personally was probably one of the highlights businesswise. We also did a large reroofing project in Washington, of all places. It was 500 squares for a huge retirement center. I knew it was going to be a long project when I got there in the summer. I talked to the manager there, and said, “It’s almost as hot here as it is in Austin!” and he said it was a record high. It was fun, though. Who has served as a mentor to you? My dad was always a mentor. With my studying of successful businesses, he always told me there is no substitute for hard work. You will succeed if you work hard and work smart. I instill that in my kids too. He was always a hard worker, very smart, very talented and could do just about anything. He was a great craftsman and painted oils. When you grow up with someone like that, you learn. I also had several corporate people that I looked up to. Share with us about your family. My daughter, Kiva, is 30 years old and she’s an adjuster for Liberty Mutual. She worked for me for about four years, so I taught her everything she knows! My son, Grayson, is 23 and is attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. He’s into design and he’s a very cool kid. I have to brag on him a little bit: When he was a high school senior, he was the starting cornerback for Cedar Park High School, and they won the state football championships in Dallas! He’s doing great as a Texas kid in Brooklyn, and is doing really well in school. I’m really happy for him. What do you like to do in your free time? When my kids and I are together, we do a lot of outside activities. We like to go on the lake; I’m an avid sailor from my time in Puerto Rico. My son and I like to play golf together. I also enjoy hunting and fishing. I just like being outside. I love to travel, especially to my brother’s home in Mal Pais, Costa Rica on
www.constructionnews.net publishing the industry’s news
the Nicoya Peninsula, one of the five blue zones in the world. I also travel to Albuquerque, NM and St. Augustine, FL. I have a couple of lofty goals I’m working on. I want to write a book; I have a couple of ideas. I’ve also been writing down lyrics for a couple of songs. I used to play the guitar when I was younger and I am starting to play again. One thing I have gotten into in the last year – and I have really enjoyed it but it has taken me a while to get there – is meditation and yoga. I have seen a really big benefit to those. I’m a Type-A, a Myers-Briggs ESTJ, so I had to really learn to slow down and wind down. It has been really good for me. I work out, I go and do Crossfit and other classes, but yoga is a little bit different than all of that. I have a self-guided meditation that I listen to first thing in the morning before everything starts to happen, and it does make a huge difference. I just start my day at ease, I don’t let the little things get to me and I get very quiet. I know that if I continue to incorporate that into my lifestyle, I think I can live a lot longer. What do you think you will do professionally in the future? I think I am probably always going to do something in this field for a long time. I do want to get to the point in the next five or six years where I can spend three months out of the year in Costa Rica, but I want to have a little more flexibility as far as where I can go. My brother in Albuquerque and I were talking about a couple of projects right now in the Cedar Park community or maybe out west of here or in Llano, TX where I have a lot of contacts. I do invest in real estate on the side for my company and so I buy some houses and fix them up, I may flip them, or I may rent them. I’ll always be volunteering and doing something. I’m always going to stay active. General contractor Cotham Construction Services & Roofing is located in Cedar Park. – mjm
Texas Style
★ ★ ★ ★
San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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Training & mudbugs
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ron Workers Local Union No. 482 celebrated their 9th Annual Crawfish Boil & Block Training Apr. 21. -cmw
Chili, barbecue & fun
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he temperature was just right for having fun in the sun and cooking. The Associated Builders & Contractors Central Texas OSHA Partnership hosted their ChiliBBQ cook-off Apr. 5 at the VFW #8787. -cmw Winners included: 2nd Place Beans: Texas Concrete 3rd Place Beans: McKinney Drilling
2nd Place Chili: Texas Concrete 3rd Place Chili: Slater Painting Co. 2nd Place Ribs: HD Supply 3rd Place Ribs: McKinney Drilling 2nd Place Chicken: HD Supply 3rd Place Chicken: Bergelectic 2nd Place Dessert: Beckett Electric 3rd Place Dessert: HD Supply
Patriot Erectors Inc.’s Safety Director Eric Dick gives aerial lift safety instruction.
People’s Choice Award winner Bergelectric
1st Place Chili HD Supply
1st Place Bean Harvey-Cleary Builders
1st Place Ribs Slater Painting Co.
1st Place Chicken Bell & McCoy Companies
1st Place Dessert FL Crane & Sons Specialty Contractors
Greg Schulze, Texas Ironworkers Statewide Apprenticeship Coordinator, prepares to boil a batch of crawfish to feed the hungry crowd.
Grand champion cooks
Construction News ON LOCATION
Great team spirit The Reynolds Company was the big winner at the Brushy Creek MUD BBQ Cook-off May 5. L-R: The Reynolds Company’s Mark Trlicek, Tina Reeves and Kevin Trlicek, ULine Dallas. –cmw
Everyone who was behind the counter wanted to say hello to Construction News On Location at the American Bolt Co. in Austin, TX. –lv
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
Elements
Engineers, contractors & golf
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he Austin Contractors & Engineers Association (ACEA) held its summer golf tournament at the beautiful Wolfdancer Golf Club at Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop on May 22. The sold-out event is always a popular activity for members who enjoy the networking and camaraderie. The summer golf tournament is also popular because it includes the opportunity to take home the coveted trophy. The winning team gets to display the trophy, along with bragging rights, for a full year and is immortalized on a plaque attached to the trophy. The tradition was started in 2011 and continues today. –cmw
The SERVPRO San Marcos/New Braunfels team lined up and ready.
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disaster can strike causing fire or water damage. Ask SERVPRO of San Marcos/New Braunfels because they specialize in fire and water damage cleanup and mold remediation. They are part of a national franchise system. While it is unfortunate when these natural disasters occur, it is reassuring to know there are solutions to the problems. SERVPRO of San Marcos/New Braunfels has been in business for 34 years. Owners Darby and Tammy Wright operate their franchise on five acres in San Marcos, with an office complex and a 10,000sf warehouse. The Wright’s have two children, Travis and Kayleigh, who both help operate the business. Travis is a production manager for the team. He’s been with SERVPRO for 12 years; both him and his father are licensed state mold remediation contractors. Kayleigh is the team’s commercial marketing and event coordinator. This location has 20 employees, which complete the sales, production and office divisions. Wright explains,
”Every job comes with its own set of challenges; every job and customer is different.” That is why the SERVPRO team is always ready for the battles with disaster. Some service areas include Kyle, Buda, Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Wimberley, San Marcos and New Braunfels. Then, of course, during the devastation of Hurricane Harvey the crews were called out. “We have worked all the big floods that have hammered these areas,” said Wright. Aside, from the busy year and what is to come, SERVPRO commits to community outreach. Recently they held a fajita cookout at Rio Vista Park in San Marcos for their customers. “Fajitas, beans, queso dip, rice and tea were served and our event was a big hit,” said Wright. The construction industry needs restoration because no one knows when disaster can strike a property. SERVPRO is a fire and water damage cleanup and mold remediation franchise in San Marcos, TX. –lv
Top Team: Ergon Asphalts & Emulsions, Inc. L-R: Cole Moreland, Marsh & McLennan Agency; Raul Campa, Grayhawk Companies; Joe Jackson, Jimmy Evans Company and Cody Chambliss, Ergon Asphalts & Emulsions Inc.
Eric Bailey playing on the CAS Consulting Services Inc. team took home both the Longest Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin honors.
L-R: David Johnson, Golf Committee Chair, presented the Sponsors Award to Blake Ortega, SIP Industries.
Birds of a UT feather
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John Atwater, co-owner of Franklin-Alan Construction
o be clear, John Atwater and Ken Burger are co-founders and co-owners of Franklin-Alan Construction. So, why the name “Franklin-Alan”? Answer: The duo discussed what to call their new company and decided that “Atwater-Burger” sounded too much like a fast-food restaurant. “Franklin” is Atwater’s middle name, while “Alan” is Burger’s middle name. Mystery solved. The pair are both University of Texas (Austin) graduates, although Burger graduated first and they didn’t know each other from school. Burger had his own construction business, and Atwater worked for a carpentry crew his last two years of college, going to classes two days a week and doing construction the other three. Atwater’s crew did work for Burger’s company, and they met that way. Upon graduation, Atwater, who has always liked construction despite being an economics major, continued to work for Burger as a project manager. Then,
the two linked up to form their company in 2006. Today, Franklin-Alan employs 13 people and has made Austin its construction hub. The firm gets most of its job leads via having good relationships with the architects and their satisfied clients who like the job Franklin-Alan did for them. While the labor market is tight for most everyone in construction, Atwater says, “It’s our responsibility to know when not to take on too much work…to where quality suffers.” That eye for quality has kept the firm busy in the Texas capital, with a healthy list of completed projects and plenty on the horizon, like working on Austin’s own Chuy’s restaurant’s new corporate office. “We take a lot of pride in working on projects downtown that have an impact on the skyline,” Atwater said. A pair of Longhorns have done good. Franklin-Alan is an Austin-based construction firm that specializes in high-end commercial construction. –dsz
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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For retirement-minded contractors, ESOPs offer benefits worth considering Denise Bendele, Partner RSM US LLP San Antonio, TX
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or some construction company owners ready to retire, selling their business to outsiders or passing it down to relatives seems the easiest and fastest way out the door. There is another option, however, that is growing in popularity: selling the business to employees by means of an employee stock option plan (ESOP). Although not appropriate for every construction company, an ESOP carries several inherent advantages, including the ability to change ownership gradually or all at once. It also allows owners to retain a share of the company – even a majority share – if they wish. While they function to reward longtime employees with an ownership stake in the business they helped build, ESOPs also offer the most tax advantages in an ownership-transition vehicle available to business owners. An ESOP is a qualified employee retirement plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ESOPs function as a tax-advantaged ownership transition plan for owners and sponsoring ESOP companies. Once the sponsoring company adopts the ESOP trust, the trust can then purchase shares of stock from the owner using borrowed funds from the company, a bank or the selling shareholders. ESOPs provide two primary tax advantages The first major advantage benefits business owners: If an ESOP acquires at least a 30 percent block of stock from the seller – and the company is a tax-paying C corporation at the time the ESOP acquires the stock – the seller may choose to defer paying capital gains taxes on sale proceeds by electing section 1042 of the Internal Revenue Code. The second major tax advantage of an ESOP benefits the sponsoring company. Businesses can borrow money to fund ESOPs and repay these loans with pretax dollars, effectively making the cost of the entire transaction tax deductible. In addition to the deductibility of the ESOP loan principal and interest, ESOP trusts themselves are tax-exempt entities. For surety agents, ESOPs often are appealing because they provide an ownership-transfer vehicle that ensures continuity and provides an incentive plan to retain key employees. Downside of an ESOP However, there are some disadvantages to ESOPs as well. If a company borrows money and then lends it to the ESOP to enable the ESOP to make a leveraged purchase of company stock, accounting regulations require that the loan be recorded as a liability on the company’s balance sheet, and a like amount debited to the equity account. The net effect is a reduction of the company’s net worth by the amount of the bank debt. This reduc-
tion could affect the company’s financial leverage, which in turn affects bonding and financing. Additionally, the trustees of the ESOP will need to monitor the repurchase obligations of the ESOP. The company will need a formal annual valuation. The timing of redemptions will need to be monitored in order to ensure that there is significant cash available. Ideally, the ESOP will maintain a portion of the fund in liquid investments in order to provide liquidity for retiring or terminating employees. Timing and implementation The timing for making ESOP account distributions is defined in the ESOP plan and trust agreement. Business owners should revisit and re-evaluate these distribution policies regularly to ensure existing policies are appropriate for the everchanging dynamics of the business. Implementation of an ESOP requires significant management time and resources and it can complicate financial accounting. The ESOP also follows complicated Department of Labor rules, making it necessary for the company and the ESOP to employ professionals with significant ESOP experience. For retirement-minded owners, ESOPs provide a way to leave the business gradually. Many ESOP transactions are structured as minority interest transactions, where the ESOP acquires less than a 50 percent block of stock of the company. Minority interest ESOP transactions provide business owners with an opportunity to create liquidity and still control the company. Contractors interested in pursuing an ESOP should visit with their certified public accountant regarding the tax and accounting implications. ESOPs aren’t for all contractors. Considerations include the company’s debt, revenues and net profits, cash reserves, company benefits, total assets, and potential for future growth. But for those companies that are suitable, an ESOP offers a good way for owners to transition out of the company on their own schedule. Denise Bendele is a partner at RSM US LLP in San Antonio. She can be reached at +1 210 828 6281 or Denise.Bendele@rsmus.com.
Contracts and the CGL Mark Gaskamp CSP, CRM, CIC, CPCU, ARM, ALCM Managing Director Wortham, L.L.C. Austin, TX
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hat were you doing in 1986? Listening to the latest tunes from Van Halen or Hank Williams, Jr., watching “The Fridge” do the Superbowl Shuffle, wishing you had gone to flight school so you could be like Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”, or saddened by the “Fire Fred” sign flying above Memorial Stadium. Maybe you were wondering how a nuclear power plant could explode in Chernobyl or the Columbia space shuttle disaster could ever happen. Or maybe you were beginning your risk management career like me. Of course many of you millennials out there were not around to fully appreciate the ‘80s, but I think you may get the picture that times have changed. You may not find it in the history books or Wikipedia, but 1986 was a big year in the insurance world. In 1986 ISO introduced the new Comprehensive General Liability (CGL) policy. This marked a significant change in the way liability coverage was afforded and much of the terminology used in today’s insurance policies. Why bring up the history lesson? need to require a medical payments limit Well, many attorneys crafting subcon- as this does not restrict the coverage aftracts and lease agreements have failed forded by the per occurrence limit on the to appreciate these changes and contin- CGL policy. ue to reference coverages and terms that This may sound like a list of pet no longer exist. It is a cycle of using the peeves from an insurance agent that resame contract verbiage year after year views these poorly worded contracts on without looking at the changes required almost a daily basis, but when it comes to to match today’s coverage terms. Even contracts, words matter. At the time of the millennial attorneys out there con- the law suit or claim, vague or inaccurate tinue this practice by “borrowing” ver- wording must be vetted to determine libiage from old contracts. This practice ability exposure and potential insurance becomes problematic because it be- coverage. This is particularly true in tocomes impossible to technically meet the day’s world when most insurance enrequirements of the contract. Signing a dorsements stipulate “as required by poorly worded contract that cannot be written contract.” The beauty of the procomplied to could well put you in breach cess (tongue in cheek) is the only party of the contract. that wins with a poorly worded contract There are a few common provisions is the attorney who may well have draftthat are often found in contracts with ed the contract in the first place, spendoutdated verbiage. Number 1, it’s not a ing (i.e. billing) countless hours litigating “broad form comprehensive” policy. It is who should be responsible for damages simply a “commercial” general liability based on the contract’s specifications. policy. There is no such thing as “broad The solution to this problem is to upform property coverage” or “broad form date contracts with the appropriate contractual liability”. The requests to de- wording and if you receive a contract that lete the “contractual liability exclusion” is poorly worded by today’s standards, or include the “cross liability endorse- communicate this to the upstream party ment” are not appropriate for the current so they can address these concerns. It CGL. These coverages were incorporated will save everyone time and money… into the 1986 CGL rather than added by well almost everyone. endorsement. It makes it very difficult for Mark Gaskamp is a Managing Director you or your insurance agent to prove for Wortham Insurance & Risk Management, something that does not exist. In most an independent insurance agency in cases what the requirements should stip- business since 1915 and one of the leading ulate is that there be no exclusion that construction insurance brokers in Texas. would take away these coverages, which Mark has over 25 years of risk management in many cases is the exact opposite of and safety experience. His role with Wortham how many contracts are worded. is to partner with Wortham Construction A couple of my other favorites…a Practice Group clients to help manage their reference to “public injury” or requiring a exposures and reduce their overall cost of “combined single limit” on the CGL. The risk. He is an active member of the American term “public injury” does not exist in the Society of Safety Engineers Construction insurance world. This term should be re- Practice Specialty Group, and serves on placed with “bodily injury,” “property safety committees of the Association damage,” and “personal and advertising of Building Contractors, Association of liability” coverage as outlined in the CGL General Contractors, Texas Aggregate and policy. The coverage limits should also be Concrete Association, and is a National specified for each area of coverage as Faculty Member of Certified Risk Managers outlined in the CGL (per occurrence, gen- International. For more information visit eral aggregate, products/completed op- www.worthaminsurance.com or contact erations and personal and advertising li- Mark at (512) 532-1536 or mark.gaskamp@ ability). As an aside, there really is no worthaminsurance.com.
Construction News ON LOCATION
Hays county hello
Arctic Fence owners Mimi and Keith Ingalls are waiting for a client to arrive in Kyle, TX. –lv
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
Trench Safety Week is June 18 – 23
Assessing impact of Houston’s overhaul of Floodplains Building Regulation
Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
Ian Faria, Partner Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP Houston, TX
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n April 4, 2018, the Houston City Council voted to significantly overhaul regulations on building within the 100- and 500-year floodplains. The proposal to amend Chapter 19 of the City of Houston Code of Ordinances, the City’s Floodplain Regulation Ordinance, was first introduced in late January and was specifically fasttracked through the ordinance revision process. Several groups voiced concerns about the unintended consequences of such a drastic change. For instance, the new requirements will likely have a negative effect on housing affordability and inventory in Houston. In short, the new floodplain develop- Class I permits for sites outside the 100ment regulation changes will be effec- year flood plain and Class II permits for tive Sept. 1, 2018. For anyone developing sites within the 100-year flood plain. Both and building in Houston, they need to be Class I and II permits have raised the minaware that the 100-year floodplain will imum finished floor elevation required now be regulated at the 500-year Base by the county. Class II permits will now Flood Elevations (BFE), plus two feet. The require pier and beam foundations and 500-year floodplain will be regulated at additional wind design requirements. the 500-year BFE, plus two feet. Further- That means no more slab on grade conmore, net fill will not be allowed in the struction, a standard in the industry. Me500-year floodplain (it is already prohib- chanical and electrical units will have to ited in the 100-year), unless a property be elevated to the first floor. Requiring owner can demonstrate no impact to ex- foundations to be constructed with pier isting sheetflow. Finally, additions larger and beam allows water to pass through than one-third of an existing property in and be detained beneath the foundathe 500-year floodplain must be raised to tion. While taking action to prevent major the 500 BFE, plus two feet. This is a significant step for Houston catastrophic loss due to natural disasters that may have a wide impact on residen- is necessary, the implications to the contial and commercial development. Many struction industry as a whole should be cities in the greater Houston area use or taken into consideration. It is unclear draw from the City of Houston and Harris what impact these new regulations will County development criteria in lieu of have throughout Texas. However, based their own floodplain regulations and may on the focus on Houston post-Harvey, it update their own ordinances to reflect is reasonable to expect that other cities and municipalities will follow the lead of similar changes. While many view the new regula- Houston. It will be very important when tions as only impacting residential con- looking to develop new commercial and struction, that may not be the case. The residential projects that these new reguregulations apply to any “structures.” A lations are taken into consideration and are strictly adhered to. “structure” is defined: …shall mean an edifice or building Ian P. Faria is a member of the Conof any kind or piece of work that is artifi- cially built up or composed of parts struction and Government Contracts Pracjoined together in a definite manner, in- tice Group and Managing Partner of the cluding, but not limited to, a modular Houston office of Bradley Arant Boult Cumhome or a manufactured home, or a gas mings LLP. He represents developers, genor liquid storage tank when such tank is eral contractors, subcontractors, homeprincipally located above ground. Sec. builders, business owners and individuals in a variety of disputes, as well as in OSHA 19-2. Definitions. The new City of Houston regulations compliance and investigation matters. He follow those implemented on Jan. 1, can be reached at ifaria@bradley.com. 2018, made by unincorporated Harris County. In fact, some consider the new Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP regulations adopted by unincorporated has offices in Birmingham, AL; Charlotte, Harris County to be some of the nation’s NC; Houston, TX; Huntsville, AL; Jackson, strictest flood plain regulations. These MS; Montgomery, AL; Nashville, TN; Tamnew regulations split permitting into pa, FL and Washington DC.
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SHA has set June 18–23 as Trench Safety Stand Down week. OSHA is asking all contractors that do trenching conduct a training session on excavation hazards. Free training materials are available on the National Utility Contractors Association website at http://www.nuca.com/tssd including free tool box talks, a PowerPoint presentation, sign-in sheets and worker handout materials. Regardless of the depth of the exca- any other hazard-increasing event. vation, OSHA requires a competent per- • Keep excavations open the minison to inspect conditions at the site on a mum amount of time needed to comdaily basis. Inspections must be made as pleted operations. frequently as necessary during the prog- Should a third-party be required to ress of the work, to assure that the haz- stop work, or the designated competent ards associated with excavations are person does not halt unsafe acts and eliminated, before workers are allowed conditions, this individual is not acting to enter the trench. “competently” within the meaning of the The following concerns must be ad- standard. dressed by a competent person: Protective systems are methods of • Evaluate soil conditions and select protective workers from cave-ins of maappropriate protective measures. terial that can fall or roll into an excava• Construct protective systems in ac- tion, or from the collapse of nearby struccordance with the standard require- tures. If an excavation is less than five ft. ments. deep, OSHA does not require a protective • Preplan; contact utilities (gas, elec- system unless the competent person tric) to locate underground lines, plan for sees signs of a potential cave-in. (It is traffic control if necessary, determine important to remember that a wall colproximity to structures that could affect lapse in a trench four and 1/2 ft. deep can choice of protective systems. still have serious results!) • Test for low oxygen, hazardous For trenches between five ft. and 20 fumes and toxic gasses, especially when ft. deep, shoring and sheeting, shielding, gasoline engine-driven equipment is sloping and benching are all acceptable running or the dirt has been contaminat- protective measures. It is up to the planed by leaking lines or storage tanks. In- ners of the construction project and the sure adequate ventilation or respiratory competent person on site to determine equipment if necessary. which systems will work best. If an exca• Provide safe access into and out of vation is greater than 20 ft. deep, a registhe excavation. tered professional engineer must design Provide appropriate protections if water the protective system. accumulation is a problem. natarajan.joann@dol.gov • Inspect the site daily at the start of 512-374-0271 x232 each shift, following a rainstorm, or after
Keepin’ it cool
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Kristen and Kristopher Ali
risten and Kristopher Ali are longtime Austin residents. Kristen arrived in Austin in 2000 to attend the University of Texas. Kris came to Austin in 1997 for work. Kristen obtained a master’s degree in architectural history and Kris is an engineer. They met each other at a mutual friend’s New Year’s Eve party in 2003, rapidly fell in love and were married five months later. They each worked in corporate America for many years, but took a break to enjoy life and reflect, moving to France for three years, living off their savings and earning income as landlords. Over the years, the couple managed and maintained several properties while working full time day jobs. Kris went to A/C school at night and helped with handyman services on the properties when he could. “That’s kind of how we got into the HVAC industry, Kristen says. “It was just so difficult to find a trustworthy, straighttalking (HVAC) company. We would cycle through them, and just never got a good feeling from any of them,” she added.
They decided that there was a true need for a reliable and trustworthy HVAC company in Austin, run by people who like to diagnose and fix things – like they do. In 2016, they looked at their portfolio and decided to acquire the assets of Indoor Weather Professionals. “I come at it from the construction standpoint,” says Kristen. “I love construction and I go out to the jobsites every day.” The business currently employs nine people including themselves. About 30 percent of their activity is with new construction of custom homes. They are also in the planning stages on a LEED project to build a new firehouse for the City of Austin where they will be applying the latest in HVAC technologies and design. “We are committed to making Austin a cooler and more comfortable place, while respecting our urban and natural environment,” says Kristen Decker-Ali, the president of Indoor Weather Professionals. Indoor Weather Professionals is an HVAC commercial and residential company located in Austin. –alk
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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I am looking forward to our summer fishing season and seeing lots of my clients and friends return to create many more fishing memories. Over the past 20 years I have seen many of my clients’ kids grow into young adults. Some of those young adults have become clients also. This is what makes my job so gratifying. I can honestly say that I look forward to every fishing charter I launch my boat for. My 2018 calendar is now open for bookings throughout the year. Don’t hesitate in booking your fishing trips because my dates usually go pretty quick, especially during the more popular months. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting adventure, give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or email me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good Luck and Good Fishing.
Summertime fun on the water by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Diawa Reels, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, and AFTCO Clothing
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y the looks of the boxes of fish that have been hitting the docks lately, I’d have to say that the masses of trout we have been waiting for have finally arrived. I must say that the spring of 2018 is one of the worst ones I have seen in quite some time. Windy conditions combined with endless cool fronts made catching fish a real challenge, but we made it through all of that. Now we begin our trek to summer weather patterns and hope the fishing continues to stay as good as it’s been in the month of May. Another worst for 2018 was the lack of guides I have seen on the water the last couple of months. I’m talking about the majority of our seasoned guides that have seen their business decline for some reason, with the exception of weekends. Granted, we had a major hurricane hit the coastal bend late last summer and I can understand some of the areas to the north that are still in the rebuilding process, but I’m talking about the Corpus south business. I’m hoping that things
Brandon Dewbre caught his personnel best trout last month while fishing in Baffin Bay with Steve Schultz Outdoors. Brandon released his trout and will have a replica mount made of his 29-inch trout that weighed 8.5 lbs.
turn around real soon and people start getting back on the water. As summer approaches, you can bet on one thing, it’s going to get hot. Be prepared by staying hydrated and keeping cool. Get an early start to your day and get off the water before the heat of the day. Weekdays will be your best bet to catching fish because of the lack of fishing pressure from weekend warriors and
fishing tournaments. You can bet there will be several fishing tournaments on every weekend throughout the summer. If you have no other options and must fish on a Saturday, be prepared for long waits getting bait and launching your boats at the ramp. Just have an open mind and get an earlier start than the rest of the crowd.
Hiking in the Grand Canyon
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ast year, Avrian Veneralla, Hudson Building Systems, traveled to Arizona with his cousin. They hiked in different areas starting in Phoenix and making their way up to the Grand Canyon. “This was truly one of the most scenic and memorable trips this far.” -rd Hudson Building Systems has offices in Dallas, Austin, and Houston.
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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
Fish are hungry!
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t’s funny how just a few things can change a little bit and all of a sudden the fish seem to wake up and say, “It’s on!” To say we have been through a weird spring season would be putting it lightly. Between seesawing temperatures and very little spring rain to freshen the watershed, conditions haven’t been the best for turning the fish on. Once we stopped having one or two cold fronts a week, we started seeing nice stringers come in off our boats. At first they were made up of stripers, hybrids, blue catfish and even a few largemouth and crappie. It was like everything in the lake was waking up hungry. Then the stringers became mostly stripers and hybrids and the big fish started coming in. We even ran across some topwater fish last week! A more consistent weather pattern was just what they needed. I love to see spring settle in around the lake. Fishing gets good and the weather seems to get more summer-like every day. People start to get out of the house and bring the family for the weekend and the lake comes back to life. The kids start off squealing at the cold water as they wade in, but are soon hard to get out of the water for supper. You can tell fishing was good when you smell fish and french fries cooking. Morning sunrises come with the smell of sizzling bacon and quiet, good natured banter between fishermen loading up their boats to go fishing. Our little collection of fishing camps here at Tow on Lake Buchanan becomes a community again. Strangers who have never met become neighbors and friends all drawn together by their love of the lake. It doesn’t matter whether you soak in it, splash in it, read and reflect by it or
fish in it, there is something for everyone at the lake. I see it all the time. There might be a couple of groups of people waiting on the deck to catch their charter boat. They come from all different places and backgrounds. It never takes long before they are trading fishing stories and hunting tales and such, like old friends. When you come to the lake you just become a lake person for a while and leave the rest behind. Stop and think about how you came to love the water. How old were you and who taught you to fish or took you swimming or showed you how to ski? Are you passing the love of water down to your kids and grandkids? School’s out for the summer. Are you planning to load up the gang for a trip to the lake or the coast? I know it’s hard to get kids to unplug and go with you for a new adventure, but keep trying. They often soak up more of it than they’ll admit. I worry that our younger folks may not be getting acquainted with the outdoors the way we did and they may need to escape the pressure of the world even more that we do. Keep it in mind while you make summer plans because I think we are in for a great season this summer!
JW Materials (concrete), Austin
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips All Bait, Tackle & Equipment Furnished Your catch Filleted and Bagged for You Furnish your TPWD Fishing License & Refreshments, and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
Father’s Day Sunday June 17
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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What kind of outdoor are you?
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ver since we began our first Construction News paper in October 1998 for the San Antonio area, the center of the paper has always been devoted to outdoor. Each paper after that in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston has followed the same path. The folks in our industry work hard and play hard and The Great Outdoors
section is a place to show your peers just how much fun YOU are having and making them a little jealous is okay too. Hunting, fishing and other types of outdoor adventures are always welcome. Don’t be shy and there is never a cost. So contact your Construction News editor and be a part of the Great Outdoors. -bd
Send us your photos & stories Outdoor Activities & Sports Fishing • Hunting Biking • Racing
Hobbies • Crafts Entertainment
Meditor@ ConstructionNews.net
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
Rocks of ages
Construction News ON LOCATION
Right now
L-R: Marcus Ozuna and Victor Romero at the front entrance by their office logo at Now Specialties Inc. in Austin, TX. –lv
Fire station breaks ground
Williamson County Emergency Services Dist. No. 4/Liberty Hill Fire Dept. broke ground on Liberty Hill’s second fire station. The new facility, to be constructed by Sabre Commercial Inc., will be located at 22799 Ronald W. Reagan Blvd. -cmw
David Lawhon, founder and owner of Black Diamond Masonry.
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hen thinking about his family’s ties to masonry, David Lawhon comes to the conclusion: “I guess I was born to be a mason.” Lawhon is the founder and owner of Black Diamond Masonry. There’s no special reason why he named it so; he just thought it sounded good. The Austin native has been involved in masonry his whole life, beginning as a 9-year-old working for his father, which he did for 17 years. His father, meanwhile, did some genealogical research, tracing the family’s roots back to Ireland where his ancestors were – you guessed it – masons. Before Black Diamond, Lawhon had another company called Design Masonry. But after nine years of doing that and getting frustrated with the self-employed angle, he ended that and worked for other construction and masonry outfits. But in 2012, while working on Ft, Hood, the superintendent offered to help if Lawhon should ever decide to go back into business for himself. Thus, Black Diamond
Masonry was born. The company has done a lot of work on Ft. Hood, as well as projects like the Texas State School for the Blind and for the Fiesta Restaurant Group. Lawhon’s son now works for him and his daughter handles administration. His other three children have no interest in following their father in the trade, as Lawhon wants to steer them into something else anyway. As to the future, Lawhon laughs and says, “I might continue doing this for another 10 years or I might decide next week I’ve had enough.” The plan is to leave the company to his daughter and son which will be good as “she can make it a minority-owned business.” The Lawhon genealogical tree is built upon the foundation of stone and mortar, not sod and grass. Black Diamond Masonry began not in 2012, but generations ago in the old country. It continues in Texas. Black Diamond Masonry is a mason contractor in the Austin area. -dsz
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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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
Wanted: YOU Alicia Dover, CAE Executive Director Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Texas Austin, TX
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orkforce shortages! The need for more skilled tradespeople! Bring back the trades to the schools!
These and other phrases are being heard throughout the plumbing and HVACR industry. In addition, there is a cry from the education community: We need teachers! Tell us how to do it. What do we teach? In the current climate of high demand, low supply and a desire to train for the skilled trades, what is our next step? The need has been shared. The schools listened. Now what? As the Executive Director for the plumbing and HVAC trades in Texas, I am often asked to attend introduction meetings with school systems across the state. I share our desperate need for workers; they share their desire to meet that need. Problem solved, right? Wrong! What needs to happen at that point is the exchange of information. The practical “know how” of creating a program, selecting curriculum, obtaining the supplies and tools required and ultimately
finding the qualified instructors to teach the students. To add to the mix, how will they market the program to attract students when there can be over 10 other career clusters from which to choose? The question I am often asked is: How do we make plumbing “sexy” so that kids will want to select this highly viable and financially rewarding career path? And therein lies the dilemma: How do we come alongside the schools in our area when education issues are well outside our wheelhouse? I often feel left out and uniformed when I am asked to sit in on advisory councils, school district meetings and even legislative conferences dealing with bringing career training into the school setting. I mean, who really knows what accountability ratings, Teks and approved certifications really are? How do they apply to our need for more skilled labor? These issues matter if a school system is going to receive funding
Dependability is key Wesley E. Baker, Vice President Business Unit Manager TDIndustries San Antonio, TX
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36-year veteran of the mechanical industry, Baker began learning his trade in high school. He continued learning his trade in 1982 through the Plumbers & Pipefitter apprenticeship program, graduating in 1986. He continues as the business unit manager for TDIndustries.
How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? The construction industry is still very strong in Texas. North Texas and Austin continue to remain strong in growth and San Antonio continues to see moderate growth. And while Houston continues to remain flat, as the energy market stabilizes and the effects from Hurricane Harvey fade, we anticipate an uptick in construction towards the end of the year. Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business? What factors are driving this increase/slowdown? With the continued population growth in Texas, we continue to see steady growth in 2018 and into 2019. We continue to see strong growth in the healthcare and mission critical markets. We don’t see as many “mega” projects in San Antonio; however, this has been offset with the revitalization of downtown San Antonio and the Pearl area. The Texas economy continues to remain strong with the population growth. The only concern that could limit construction growth is the tight labor market for skilled tradespeople. TD has placed a heavy focus on trades training, growing partners from within, as well as on recruiting more women and Veterans to our industry. How has this increase/slowdown affected your company and how you conduct business? With the tight labor market, TD is
very intentional of the jobs that we pursue so that the quality of our work remains high. Design-build/design-assist work has enabled us to engage early with the team to minimize rework. Additionally, we have invested in VDC and prefabrication to not only complete the work faster, but also safer. Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting your industry? The steel tariffs are generating a lot of activity and concern about future cost of commodities. We are working closely with our suppliers to understand the impact and manage the risk associated with the volatility of this market. Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? With the Texas economy being as strong as it is, we are seeing more contractors and competitors coming into all regions across Texas. In the San Antonio area, they are primarily companies that have worked in San Antonio in the past without setting up a permanent office and are currently looking to establish themselves in the area. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? Besides the skilled trades shortage, safety is always a “hot button” in the construction industry. We all strive for zero accidents and protecting our workforce. At
HVAC & Plumbing Sept: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment
for each of their students. There must be some sort of path or result to get the state of Texas to bless their endeavors. So, how does all of this affect you, the plumbing or HVAC contractor? Your expertise is needed. For schools that have never had any sort of vocational education in the areas of building construction, or those that are trying to resurrect or improve current training, they need you. Many of my district level meetings are focused on what needs to be taught. Will it be relevant? Will students be able to secure gainful employment upon graduation? Can students intern with local companies while in high school? What can you teach them that require real world experiences? Those who will one day employ these students must answer these questions and more. What can you do? Look to your own school district; find out who has a program or who is looking to add construction related programming. Offer to serve on an advisory committee for the program’s implementation and ongoing evaluation. Provide access to local suppliers and manufacturers for lab items required. Be willing to offer internships. Speak about your industry during a class period. Be willing to host an instructor for a day or two of real world training (what to take back to the classroom). Put your best young people forward and let them share with the students. Offer to teach a concept or skill – kids love to think that
what they are learning is being taught by an expert. Encourage your employees to volunteer. You may find a true mentor or teacher in your own backyard. Pretty simple stuff, right? In an economy of being too busy to even imagine reaching out in a volunteer mode is daunting. I am reminded of a saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person!” I believe this applies to coming alongside education to help grow your trade. They want to do it right and they want you to tell them how. My question to you is, won’t you consider helping at a school near you? As a representative of the trade in which you work, I need your assistance. I can bring curriculum data, industry statistics, and lists of local area contractors, but ultimately, they want the real deal. They desire to partner with the one who is going to provide employment for their students. As I mentioned earlier, the need is known, and the education world has listened. Now it is time for us to step up and provide the missing link to create high quality and relevant learning for high school students in Texas. Would you like assistance in finding a local program in your area? Do you need help with an existing program? Please do not hesitate to contact me at alicia@phcctx.org. PHCC is a construction trade association in Austin and through-out Texas.: cmw
TD, we have formed a team of safety leaders that is focused on best practices and safety at the source. This “World Class Safety Team” has been directly led by our CEO, Harold MacDowell, and is focused on a company core value of “Fiercely Protecting All Partners.”
sive training in-house, and focusing on innovations to do more with less.
What is on the horizon for your industry? TD is always researching and experimenting with new technologies and we pride ourselves with being on the cutting edge for our industry. We recently established two funds for innovation, the R&D Fund and TDBank. These funds allow for testing new innovations such as robotics, virtual and augmented reality, as well as for applications to improve productivity. With this funding, partners are able to fully vet out various applications and determine the maximum capabilities to be implemented on a long-term basis. What are the major changes in your industry in recent years? The focus on safety continues to be a major change for our industry. Construction site conditions vary and require unique solutions. There is no canned answer for any situation in the industry. The use of new technologies is driving our jobsites, whether it’s the use of drones, GPS Technologies or new tools. This is moving at a faster pace than some are able to keep up with and taking large investments on our company’s part. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages? Other? The lack of skilled labor is probably the most significant challenge for us as a trade partner, but more specifically, the lack of superintendents and expert supervision. As the baby boomers begin to retire and with the lack of experienced tradespeople coming up to take their place, TD is tackling the trades training head-on through exten-
How are you dealing with these challenges? We are investing significant resources, both in dollars and people, to solve the lack of training. We are implementing inhouse training programs that not only address entry level training, but also on-going skills enhancement in leadership, technical and cultural development for our current workforce. Continuous aggressive improvement is a part of TD’s mission statement and we are committed to our Partner’s personal development, which in turn will ensure TD’s ability to grow in spite of the industry challenges. What are the rewards of the industry? The biggest rewards of the construction industry are being able to put your hands on a tangible end product. Most construction workers take great pride in being able to show their kids and families the projects they have built. Our work is very visible, tangible, and last a long time beyond the end of construction for us to enjoy. Being a part of changing the skyline and landscape of Texas and of San Antonio is a very rewarding career opportunity. What are the keys to being successful? The biggest key to being successful in any industry, and construction is no different, is building trusting relationships. Being trustworthy, honest, dependable and a true partner on a project is critical. When you are dependable and provide a quality product at a fair price your customers will return in any industry. TDIndustries is a mechanical construction company in San Antonio and throughout Texas. -cmw
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
THIS TH MON
HVAC & Plumbing
To represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact Austineditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800
NEXT MONTH (JULY) ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY
A change in direction
goods that we are purchasing. In addition, our collaboration with Milwaukee Tool has provided us a safer more productive means to perform our work safely and efficiently.
Chuck Fell, President CFI Mechanical Inc. Houston, TX
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n addition to his role as president of CFI Mechanical Inc., Chuck Fell served as the president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) in 2014 through 2015. He continues to attend and serve as a past president of the association.
How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? In the Greater Houston area, the market is fairly healthy. Many school districts have projects starting or in the design phase, and multi-family construction is booming. Office tower construction has slowed since the peak in 2015. Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business? What factors are driving this increase/slowdown? As far as a slow down, it would be in the construction of major commercial projects like office towers and large hospital projects. Houston just finished a large office tower boom along with many new hospitals. How has this increase/slowdown affected your company and how you conduct business? We have ventured out into multifamily projects. We have plenty of school work and have built-up a sizeable service department for commercial clientele. We have a good niche in chiller change out and cooling tower change outs. Our cus-
tomers appreciate our ability to keep their buildings downtime to a minimum. Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting your industry? There have not been any significant changes concerning Texas legislation. The steel tariffs are cause for concern. We have numerous projects with steel pipe that we are now paying a premium for and the manufactured goods we purchase have gone up accordingly. It’s hard to bid a current project and hold our pricing more than seven days, when typically an owner wants you to hold your bid price for 30 to 60 days. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? The continued skilled labor shortage and, now, the possible steel tariffs are the “hot button” issues in the HVAC and plumbing industry today. What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology, equipment, other) “The Internet of things” is having a positive effect on the manufactured
Obtaining your HVAC riches Richard Gutierrez Founder & Operations Manager Hot Rod Mechanical Inc. Austin, TX
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or more than 19 years, Richard Gutierrez has been servicing the Austin commercial market. Having established a team of professionals with knowledge and experience, Gutierrez oversees his staff in commercial refrigeration, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, HVAC boiler and chiller maintenance services and installation.
How would you describe the state of the construction industry in general terms? The construction industry is very strong in the central Texas area.
Have there been any recent changes in legislation affecting your industry? HRMI keeps up with all proposed changes and we try to be proactive to any changes.
Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business? We have not heard of any slowdown in the Central Texas area. Commercial construction seems to have a good log of projects in the works.
Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? We have seen an increase of outside contractors over the last five years. This is partly due to the population explosion in Texas from out-of-state residents.
What factors are driving this increase/ slowdown? I think consumer confidence is a driving factor for the increase as a result of the new administration. How has this increase/slowdown affected your company and how you conduct business? The increase in construction has kept our team members busy. As a result, we have been able to expand our service base.
What are the major changes in your industry in recent years? Augmented and virtual reality is gaining more traction in construction such as 3-D BIM Modeling which has now turned more toward Revit Software in which we coordinate with the architect and engineers to provide life size building models in which we use in the design and coordination specific mechanical and plumbing systems. Also, our tech savvy workforce and the use of tablet and cloud computing to communicate with our field foreman are the biggest changes we’ve seen in recent years. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages? Other? We often hear about the challenge of staying ahead of the curve when it comes to changes in technology and project delivery methods. Building Information Modeling (BIM), mobile technologies, modularization and prefabrication are good examples. And then there are the related challenges of enhancing your firm’s efficiencies and maximizing your competitiveness. One issue in our industry, unfortunately, is the ongoing need to replace today’s aging skilled work force with new skilled plumbers, pipefitters and service techs. Our apprenticeship schools need now, more than ever, to recruit talented individuals and our contractors need to put them to work. We
Automating our sales and service processes and cutting our customer acquisition costs to keep pricing competitive. What are the major changes in your industry in recent years? The major change in this industry is automation and new high-tech tools. Everything is computer-driven. What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages? Other? The most significant challenge HRMI faces is labor shortage, but this is not restricted to HRMI, it is everywhere, in every trade. How are you dealing with these challenges? HRMI has adopted an apprenticeship program to teach young people how or
also need to provide ongoing training on today’s new technologies and techniques to keep us all competitive, and our workers employed. There is a labor shortage, specifically skilled labor such as HVAC service technicians, licensed plumbers, and welders, along with other construction trades. The loss of vocational classes in high schools back in the late 80s has hurt this industry. How are you dealing with these challenges? We are aggressively working with the United Association of Plumbers & Pipefitters in recruiting new apprentices into our trade. What are the rewards of the industry? Building a trusted loyal client base that turns to us for repeat business. We pride ourselves in building a reputation up and down the supply chain, from architect and engineering firms to general contractors and the subcontractors that work for us to the building owners that depend on us for their air conditioning and plumbing needs. What are the keys to being successful? Our employees are who we are as a successful mechanical contractor. We enjoy our work and our customer base and we take pride in the subcontractors we choose to do business with. They represent CFI Mechanical. CFI Mechanical Inc. is a HVAC and plumbing contractor in Houston, TX. -cmw
want to realize their dreams, HRMI has adopted a no ceiling policy where we will help anybody grow as much as they want and make as much money as they want. What are the rewards of the industry? Beyond the sky IS THE LIMIT. A person can get rich, very rich, if they are willing to learn and apply themselves. What are the keys to being successful? Any company that is serious about growing must learn to reproduce itself with a commitment to serve others and always do more than the minimum. Give back to the community and be honest in all areas of life because your private life does affect your public life. Hot Rod Mechanical Inc. is a full-line mechanical service company in Austin, TX. -cmw
What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? One of the “hot button” issues in our industry is the training of technicians to sell HVAC additional services, equipment and supplies. In addition, finding skilled technicians to carry on after the baby boomers retire. What is on the horizon for your industry? (Changes in technology, equipment, other)
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
Fishing with roofers
T
he Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) had a great time at their Annual Fishing Tournament held May 3-5 at Woody’s Sport Center in Port Aransas. –cmw
Friday Winners: Heaviest Stringer 1st Place: Capt. Jim Davis 2nd Place: Capt. Jeff Mason 3rd Place : Capt. Aron DeLong
1st Place: Capt. Will Short 2nd Place: Capt. Jeremy Jackson 3rd Place: Capt. Larry Brown Heaviest Trout 1st Place: Capt. Hunter Wisnoski 2nd Place: Capt. Jonathan Hildreth 3rd Place: Capt. Crystal Cabrera
Heaviest Trout 1st Place: Capt. Bob Ashley 2nd Place: Capt. Bob Ashley 3rd Place: Capt. Eric Kapp Heaviest Redfish 1st Place: Capt. Rodney Darneal 2nd Place: Capt. Jim Davis 3rd Place: Capt. Eric Kapp Saturday Winners Heaviest Stringer:
Heaviest Redfish 1st Place: Capt. Will Short 2nd Place: Capt. Thomas Alden 3rd Place: Capt. Jeremy Jackson Non-Guided Winners 1st Place: Bryan Meyer 2nd Place: Chris Cuellar 3rd Place: Jim Davis
continued from Page 1 — Building up a teardown As director, Stringer runs eight crews with the help of division manager Chris Moreau and operations manager Joe Roberts. He says the company has changed a little in the past decade, but it has begun focusing more on long-term contracts. Some notable ones include a mitigation contract with the City of Austin for Onion Creek in addition to another multi-million on-call contract, a statewide contract with the Texas Department of Transportation, and all abatement for the United States Postal Service in Texas and other states. A few surprises have popped up over the past 10 years thanks to the crew working in old and interesting sites. Underneath the Driscoll Hotel, for instance, Stringer’s crew dreamed of early retirement after finding a huge diamond in a crawlspace under Lyndon B. Johnson’s secret room. Their hopes were soon dashed when they realized the jewel was plastic. “For a minute, life was made!” Stringer says, laughing. Still, Stringer’s life is pretty good,
especially when his business has the opportunity to help others. One way BAD gives back is by cooking in the annual military appreciation barbecue “Heroes Night Out,” which it has done for the past six years. “It’s a huge event, and we’re in way over our heads,” Stringer says of the cookout which has swelled to 4500 attendees. “But it all comes together and it’s awesome. I didn’t serve in the military but my family has, and the event is both humbling and rewarding.” Building up a teardown business has also been rewarding for Stringer. As BAD celebrates its tenth anniversary, he is confident in its future. “There aren’t that many competitors that do abatement and demolition inhouse,” he says. “I have zero vision for the future of any change. I always felt that since we got through the ruts of getting started and past the five- and now tenyear mark, we’ll be fine.” Subcontractor Building Abatement Demolition Company Inc. is located in Liberty Hill and Waco. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Concrete from Wimberley
Friday’s Heaviest Stringer
to San Antonio to Hallettsville, covering a 100-mile radius around San Marcos. They have laid miles and miles of concrete. Most recently, Myers Concrete did all the flat work around the Fairmont Hotel. Speaking of coming a long way, the company recently purchased a new curb machine and is hoping to expand more into curb work. “We are very excited about our new curb machine. We used to form all of our curbs by hand. “We do a lot of municipal work and downtown renovations. People don’t like to do work in downtown areas because you have to deal with a lot of small business owners in all these little shops, but that’s become our niche. We have good managers that work with these folks in helping to keep their businesses going while we are performing the work,” says Charlene. As with many small companies, Myers is family-owned and operated. Randy, vice president and manager, oversees the
day-to-day operations. Charlene oversees what she says is “an exceptional administrative and project management staff.” Their two sons are involved in the company as well. One son is out in the field, while the other is an estimator. In addition, the Myers are extremely proud of the people working for them and couldn’t emphasize that enough. “We have really, really good people working for us. Some of our people have 20plus years with us,” adds Charlene. They are proud to be part of Texas State University’s new Concrete Industry Management degree program in which they have been invited to speak on behalf of small businesses in the concrete industry and recruit within the Texas State program to help students get onthe-job experience while going through the program. Myers Concrete Construction is a concrete specialty contractor in Wimberley, TX. -cmw
continued from Page 1 — Luxury with garden-style appeal
Saturday’s Heaviest Stringer Patio and fire pit area
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of the project. McComb Construction Company Inc. was founded by Jim McComb in 1987 and recently purchased by son Keith McComb in 2017 after working along-side his father for 28 years. Together, the company
has successfully built a reputation in the Austin area as one of the leading small general contractors in the Austin area with only eight employees. McComb Construction is a small general contractor in Austin. -cmw
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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Association Calendar
What is your most memorable vacation?
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors
Jun. 14: ABC Sunset Cruise, Austin Party Cruises, 2215 Westlake Dr., 5-7pm. For more info, call Amy Grace Torress at 512719-5263 ABCA Austin Black Contractors Assn.
Jun. 5: Meeting, City Hall, Board & Commissions Room, #1034, 301 W. 2nd St. For more info, call 512-467-6894 ACEA
Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Assn.
Jun. 14-15 : ACEA 35th Anniversary Celebration, JW Marriott Austin Downtown Luxury Hotel, 110 E. 2nd St. For more info, go to www.aceatx.com or call 512-8937067. AGC
Associated General Contractors
Jun. 22-24: CLC Fishing Tournament, Sea Drift, TX. For more info, call 512-442-7887 AGC
Associated General Contractors Heavy Highway
Jun 4: Membership Luncheon, Hyatt Hotel. For more info, call 512-478-4691 Jun. 10-13: 2018 AGC of Texas Management Conference, Belmond Charleston Place,205 Meeting St., Charleston, SC. For more info, call 512-478-4691
Jun. 22-24: CLC Fishing Tournament, Seadrift, TX. For more info, call Toni Osberry at 512-442-7887 AIA American Institute of Architects
Jun. 12: Lunch Meeting, Mercury Hall, 615 Cardinal Lane. 11:30am-1pm. For more info, call 512-452-4332 Centex IEC
Central Texas Chapter Independent Electrical Contractors
Jun. 29: Apprentice Graduation Ceremony, Norris Conference Center, 2525 W. Anderson Ln., #365, 5-8pm. For more info, call 512-832-1883 CTSA
Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.
Jun. 1: Golf Tournament, Star Ranch Golf Course, 2500 FM 685, Hutto, TX. For more info, call 512-255-6373 NAWIC
National Assn. of Women in Construction
Jun. 6: Chapter Dinner Meeting, For more info, contact Misti Shafer-Webb at mshafer@complianceresourcsinc.com SEAot
Structural Engineers Assn. of Texas
Jun. 20: Chapter Meeting, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10910 Domain Dr., #100. For more info, call 512-301-2744 TACA
AGC TBB
Associated General Contractors Texas Building Branch
Jun. 6-9: TBB 2018 Convention, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, 1001 Lafayette Dr., Farmington, PA. For more info, visit www. agctbb.org
Texas Aggregates & Concrete Assn.
Jun. 11-13: TACA 64th Annual Meeting, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort, 23808 Resort Pkwy, San Antonio. For more info, call 512-523-8094
Golfing at Lakeway
I
t was a sold-out tournament with 144 golfers for the Associated General Contractors’ (AGC) spring golf tournament. The event was held at Hills of Lakeway Golf Club May 21. Steven Alloway, Steve Konze, Jose Moncivais and Peter Nelson from Team Koetter Fire Protection won Most Honest team. –cmw
Winners: Longest Drive: Jake Doggett, WeatherTexas Waterproofing Closest to Pin #7: Blake Green, SpawGlass Contractors Closest to Pin#14: Brian Tarbox with CTA Architects
Frist Place: WeatherTex Waterproofing L-R: Larry Doggett, Jake Doggett, Bryce Doggett, Hayden Doggett
Studying the green
My most memorable and special vacation was last summer when my husband and I drove from Texas up to Canada, camping along the way. There are so many amazing sights to see here in our own country. We visited Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle, Carlsbad Caverns, beautiful mountains and streams in Colorado, and Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming. It was just nice to unplug, enjoy nature and family time. Megan McCray, DIRTT By far the most memorable vacation thus far was going to California with my grandpa to see my aunt and uncle. We flew over the Grand Canyon and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! Julie Reinecke, Myers Concrete Construction LP When mom and dad took us camping at Lake Roberts and Gila National Forest in New Mexico when we were kids. Even though I fell down a mountain hiking with my brothers, it was still the best time ever! Stan Rothman, BlueLine Rental My wife, son and I were volunteering as coaches for youth football and cheer; my daughter was a cheerleader at the time. We had to be certified as coaches in Corpus Christi. We went to the Texas State Aquarium and the USS Lexington on the first day after the certification. The best part was when we went on a guided fishing trip. Our guide was the best! My daughter caught her first fish ever and she was the first one to put one in the boat. The best part was seeing my kids’ faces as dolphins showed up in the bay. In fact, one got so close my daughter got
s
to touch it. They both still talk about that today and they are 22 and 16. That’s the most memorable to date but that just might change as my wife and I go on our first cruise in eight days to Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and Cozumel. Timothy Goodwin, Ferguson That’s a hard question. We take about three trips per year. We love the Sandals resorts with butler service in Jamaica. Our favorite excursion ever is Rhythms of the Night in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The most relaxing was a cruise in Alaska. John Marshall, FireTron Inc. My most memorable vacation was when I was 10 years old and my parents, my brother and I drove from Las Vegas to Virginia and stopped along the way at places like Mt Rushmore. It was a long trip! Sara Wilkus, Travis Roofing Supply My most memorable vacation was Greece, honeymoon with my sweetheart. An added bonus, we got to see some of the oldest stone structures in the world; the Parthanon in Athens, the Delphi. So many great places! Katherine Teal, Continental Cut Stone My most memorable vacation was to Mal Pais, Costa Rica. Mal Pais is a tranquil fishing and bohemian surfing village on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. The Nicoya Peninsula is one of the five “Blue Zones” in the world. Mal Pais is a place where the rain forest mountains reach to the ocean. It is the most relaxing place I have been to. Marlon Cotham Cotham Construction Services & Roofing, LLC.
Submitted to Construction News
Round-Up
Perkins+Will is pleased to announce the promotion of Angela Whitaker-Williams, AIA, LEED AP to Principal in which she will serve as the practice leader for the firm’s Austin Office. She has more than 20 years architectural and planning experience in the K-12 market. -cmw Pape Dawson Engineers Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of Fancisco “Paco” Guerrero, PE as a new Practice Leader of Water and Wastewater in the firm’s Austin Water Resources department.He will serve as a key leader in the Austin and I-35 corridor promoting and managing the firm’s Water Resources services. -cmw
Structure Tone Southwest is pleased to announce the hiring of Adam Kohler as the company’s new Austin office Director of Operations. Kohler brings nearly 15 years of construction experience, particularly in the commercial corporate interiors, healthcare and higher education sectors. -cmw
Round-Up Submissions
Brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. Submit Info & Photo: Austineditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
Most & Least popular Fathers Day Gifts
Construction News ON LOCATION
Good day to you
According to MarketWatch, the following are the most popular:
#8
Automotive accessories
#7
Personal care items
#6
Sporting goods
#5
Home improvement and gardening tools
#4
Gift cards/certificates
#3
Clothing
#2
Electronic gadgets (tablet)
#1
Most popular! A special outing, such as a sporting event or dinner
Steve Corte works at Pavestone in San Marcos, TX. He is not camera shy. –lv
Least Popular according to Liberty Voice
Father’s Day Sunday June 17
Novelty clothing: silly ties, boxers, socks, joke t-shirts “World’s Greatest Dad” paraphernalia: mugs, shirts, hats, medals,, etc. “Singing Bass” wall decoration Specific car accessories: hanging dice, seat covers, bumper stickers Novelty cologne: BBQ scented, bacon scented, etc. Personal hygiene: mouthwash, nose hair trimmer, nail clipper Flasks: would rather have the alcohol
Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018
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Underneath it all
JOB SIGHTS
Top L-R: John Paul Cortez and Billy Conley are working hard on the Memorial Presbyterian Church in San Marcos, TX. They work with Quintero Construction. –lv L-R: Stephen Reveile and John Nelson
R
ecycling is part of their demolition process. “We [deteriorate] everything from the landfill that we can and recycle as much as possible,” said President of A&R Demolition and Heart of Texas Demolition, Stephen Reveile. Recycling has always been “a very big part” of their progress and success. “We try to maintain an 80-90 percent recycle rate,” said Reveile. Reveile is a born and raised Austinite, running two separate companies, both of which are Austin-based. While A&R Demolition has been around for 20-plus years, they actually started as a hauling and clean up company. Eventually Reveile and his brother Raymond ventured into demolition. “My older brother started this; we started as kids and grew the business into what it is today,” said Reveile. A&R Demolition service areas are state line to state line. “We try not to travel outside of the state anymore. We are focusing on Texas right now,” adds Reveile. Some of the major jobs they have accomplished are the Austin Convention Center, Cowboys Stadium in Irving and Maverick Stadium. The company also services to small jobs, they do not limit themselves to the big jobs. Reveile says, “We are very active in the Austin community, on the small level as well as whatever comes up large.” The slogan Reveile has used for the past 20 years is, “When we knock ‘em down, they stay down.” He shares, “Believe it or not, a lot of people like it, so we are known as that.” Today, Reveile has a business partner, John Nelson, who is part of his business now. Both are very active in the company. Not only is Reveile president to both companies, he is also acting project manager. When circling back to the recycling process, Reveile mentions an active proj-
ect A&R Demolition is completing in San Antonio. The project is a million sf factory. “We are recycling all the concrete and then putting it back into the foundation of the building pads,” said Reveile. He goes on to mention that it is not something you see done in the demolition industry very often. “It will probably pick up and become more popular, but right now there are not many people doing that.” In terms of recognition of their projects, a reason for being awarded is because they are “so big on the recycling.” Recycling is also done with Heart of Texas Demolition. Heart of Texas Demolition is a company Reveile started eight years ago. Heart of Texas Demolition service area is Austin. They do not travel outside of Austin. We agree that Austin is a busy city in many aspects. The growth and restructure are reasons why we need demolition. “Where there is something being built, there was something torn down prior to. We have a pretty active role in most of those jobs,” he said. Reveile’s goal for Heart of Texas Demolition is to maintain the Austin market. Even though, Heart of Texas Demolition focuses on the Austin market, they are still spread out with work. They maintain 10-20 jobs at all times. “Sometimes there is more, sometimes there is less, depending on what’s going on in Austin.” So, to be clear, Reveile runs two separate companies. Yes, he is occupied with work, but one day his children may come on board to help. He shares his love for his two children, an 8-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. Reveile said, “Both have expressed the desire to take over my business (laughter). So we’ll see how that works out.” A&R Demolition and Heart of Texas Demolition service commercial, industrial and residential. –lv
You can too
In May, JQ Engineering marked their second year for Day of Service Activities. The JQ Austin office participated with the Central Texas Food Bank. A few JQ Austin team members: L-R: Liz Rodriguez, Henry Anthony, Michael Hammontree, Christine Mahler and Emily Jaster Seed. 6,825 pounds donated to the Central Texas Food Bank on May 16. -lv
L-R: Framers Nick Trevino and Aldo Ramos finished their lunch and are ready to get back to work on the Hops & Grain Brewery in San Marcos, TX. –lv
Corridor Electric’s Felix Rodriguez is grabbing his toolbox to work on a job in San Marcos, TX. –lv
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Austin Construction News • JUNE 2018