Austin Construction News May 2022

Covering the Industry’s News

Texas Style

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Growing after 25

Two decades strong

L-R: Shad and Bill Zapalac

Mario Carlin, owner of Mario L. Carlin Management

n 2021, Zapalac/Reed Construction Company celebrated 25 years in business. The company was formed in 1996 as a means of continuation of the Austin office of EE Reed Construction.

EE Reed Construction was established in 1977 and started operations in Austin in 1984. In 1996, Bill Zapalac and Gene Reed founded Zapalac/Reed Construction, both of which are still working today and are still partners in the business.

Zapalac/Reed Construction Company is a diverse commercial general contractor/construction management firm.

Bill Zapalac has headed up the Austin office of EE Reed since 1989 and EE Reed was well established by the time Zapalac/ Reed was formed.

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Bill Zapalac, co-owner of Zapalac/ Reed started his career in construction as an intern working on roofs while playing football for The University of Texas. After a stint in the professional national football league, Zapalac returned to Austin and to the construction industry.

As a Zapalac male family tradition, Zapalac’s son, Shad Zapalac who is now vice president of Zapalac/Reed, went to work as a laborer in the field throughout high school and college. Enjoying seeing projects come together, Shad got a civil engineering degree from The University of Texas and went on to work for another general contractor before joining the family business with his father, mother and now wife. continued on Page 14

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rom a family of migrant workers, Mario Carlin’s mother wanted better for her son. She did not want him to work as hard as her family had, traveling from state to state, season after season, following the crops until finally calling it quits.

By the time Mario was in middle school, his mom’s family was working in construction. When he was in the eighth grade, she sent Mario to work with her brother who had his own concrete company. “I’m going to send you with the Castillos so you’ll learn how to work and appreciate what it means to work. Maybe you’ll go to college so you don’t have to work so hard,” Carlin recalls his mother saying.

Little did she know, according to Ma-

rio, most of the time while with her brothers, he and his cousins would go to the donut shop, have lunch at a restaurant or shoot pool at the pool halls. All the while, telling his mother they worked really hard. “I sure hope you go to school and do something with yourself, she’d say.

That went on for about four years,” says Carlin.

Carlin graduated from high school and went on to college, earned his degree and started working for an engineering firm who did a lot of design work for city projects. “It was nice, but it was inside work,” says Carlin. “I didn’t like being inside an office all day. That’s when I knew I was going to start my own construction company.” continued on Page 14

Building by example “I can build houses by myself from the ground up. I know all the different trades. Commercially, I have a core group of vendors that I work with and then I have my core group of guys. I’m training constantly which has been interesting. I’ve trained guys that have gone away to work for bigger builders and then later, will come back. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I think that’s a good sign that I’m doing something right.”

Based out of Cedar Park, Are One Construction performs work from as far north as Georgetown down to the Colorado River. ”We try not to go over the river. I don’t want to step on anybody’s toes in Buda or San Marcos,” he says. “We basically try to stay around downtown Austin and north – Lakeway, Steiner Ranch and all the way out to Manor for commercial jobs.”

With 44 current employees, Vito says he would like to get back into doing residential, the sector which helped him build his career. “My goal when I started the company was by the time I retired to employ 100 people,” Vito states. “Commercial is going to be a big aspect of that, with a home building business as another. Right now, my LLC is set up to do both, but there is actually an

ian Vito started his construction career working as a day laborer in 2001. He worked for several large national homebuilders until the recession of 2008 hit. In 2008, he moved to commercial work in Seattle, WA. Five years ago, Vito moved to Texas and settled in Cedar Park. In 2019, pre-pandemic, he started his own company, Are One Construction.

“I have 20-plus years of experience,” says Vito. “In the beginning, I focused on residential remodel work. I have since shifted to commercial work.”

When Vito started Are One Construction, he was a one-man show. Since then he has established a great crew and has people waiting in the wings who want to come work for him. “I have to get the contract for that next job and then I’ll bring on people,” Vito says. “I actually have what I call a mentorship program. The guys that tend to work for me are pretty green. Some of them are in college or just out of high school. Others might have a year or two of experience under their belt. I basically show them and give them the tools that they need to succeed.

Gian Vito, owner and president of Are One Construction

continued on Page 14

Page 2

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Coming together

Two companies combine

L-R: Brandt President Steve Hayes, Southland CEO Ted Lynch, CLO Brandt Kelly Carr, Brandt CEO Barry Moore, Brandt Chairman Mark Zilbermann, Southland COO Rick Blazier, Southland Chief HR Officer Lisa Starr, Brandi CFO Mike Arthurs and Southland Northwest Division Leader Dan Heichelbech

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n Apr. 4, The Brandt Companies, Texas’ largest mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractor, announced it has been acquired by Southland Industries in its 70th year of business. Headquartered in Dallas, Brandt has offices in Fort Worth, Houston, Waco, Austin and San Antonio.

Brandt was established in 1952 by Sonny Brandt. Seventy years later, Brandt has grown from Brandt Engineering, Brandt Mechanical, and Brandt Service in the ‘70s and ‘80s, to a suite of companies, offering full-service solutions as a single provider to large and complex construction and asset management projects.

Southland Industries was founded in 1949. As a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) building systems expert, Southland Industries provides integrated, full lifecycle solutions that optimize the design, construction, operation, and efficiency of buildings.

As Brandt becomes part of the Southland family, it is important to know that Brandt Companies will retain its name, leadership, offices and teams.

“This acquisition provides an exciting opportunity for our employees,” says Brandt President Steve Hayes.” It’s the combination of two great companies. We’re tak-

ing the best of both companies and we’re building a platform that we can continue to grow on and provide opportunities for our employees to grow in their careers.”

As Southland expands its geographical footprint to become a true national company that can better serve their customers, increase its industry influence towards more collaborative delivery approaches and create additional opportunities for their employees. Southland Industries CEO, Ted Lynch, Ph.D., excitedly welcomed the Brandt family. “I am excited to welcome Brandt to the Southland Industries family and look forward to what we will accomplish together.”

Southland’s acquisition of Brandt unites a team of over 5,000 talented individuals across 35 states, with full-lifecycle expertise from engineering through fabrication and installation to post-construction services including operations, maintenance, and energy services — on some of the most complex projects in the U.S. This partnership creates one of the nation’s largest privately-held specialty construction firms. “We’re owned and run by people that work in the business and live in the local communities we serve,” adds Hayes. -cmw

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Ryan Moore, Owner and Founder, PCB Datacom

yan Moore went to school for management information systems, a business IT degree, at Sam Houston State University. From there, he stepped foot into IT, starting work as a help desk technician while earning his MBA in the evenings. He quickly worked his way up the ranks on the infrastructure side as a systems/network administrator, before eventually moving into IT engineering as a consultant.

“I’m a network engineer by trade,” says Moore. ”It kind of just came easily for me from the network design standpoint.”

In 2019, he founded and bootstrapped his business, PiggyBack Cabling LLC, a low voltage wiring company that quickly evolved into PBC DataCom, an integrated technology solutions provider.

“We offer a diverse portfolio of products and services that help transform traditional buildings into Smart Buildings.

Our primary market currently is physical security, and we are doing a lot of video surveillance, access control, sensors and alarm installations. Most of these products are IP based and use Power-over-Ethernet, which simply put means, they need a network cable to provide power and data. The bigger picture is when all these systems come together as an integrated solution which saves costs and provides digital intelligence into facility operations.”

“While there will always be a need for system upgrades and retrofit, what we’re really trying to push is from the ground floor. It is time for architects and owners to embrace low voltage technology as the future of building infrastructure and the key to sustainability. We want to educate and promote awareness of investing in green buildings that are energy efficient, intelligent and pay for themselves over time.”

Despite the beginning of a pandemic, Moore says he just had to take a leap of faith that it was the right time to make a difference. “It was a little bit of luck, a lot of hard work and just having the confidence to be able to step out and do it. I was working for an IT consulting company, doing network/system engineering at the time. I had a former colleague reach out to me looking for a reliable cabling contractor, but it wasn’t something we handled in-house, and turns out we didn’t have anyone we could refer. We spoke again on it a second time, several months apart. They were still having trouble finding the right vendor who could also handle security installations. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t help, and didn’t think much more on it. When he approached me a third time, I finally had the ‘a-ha’ moment and realized I had an opportunity right here in front of me. I asked them to give me a shot, told them I could do it, and it was all uphill from there. I went on site to the first property to do a survey, not having a clue what I was stepping into. All I can say is I was extremely diligent and did a lot of research.”

What started as a side project with the help of a former AT&T installer, his lead tech who had been on board since day one, quickly grew into a fully operational company with a team of 12 employees and has already expanded with branch office locations in DFW and Austin.

“It started with a lot of word-ofmouth referrals. It became this job which led to the next job. It grew quite rapidly and I knew I needed to bring in people I could trust to help. Luckily, I have a few of my best friends in the world working alongside me now and for the remainder of our careers, I hope. These guys are my fraternity brothers, and we’re all best friends. They quit their jobs and took a leap of faith to join the mission, and they put their faith in me that the mission would be successful.” -cmw

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Page 3

Expanding for tomorrow’s Texas

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exas Gas is no stranger to the Austin and Central Texas area having begun providing natural gas to the area over 70 years ago. They are rapidly expanding their footprint to service this dynamic growing area.

We spoke with Casey Benjamin, Market Development Representative for Central Texas, to find out where they are expanding and what they can offer developers and home builders to help make their projects more efficient and desirable.

“We’re actually expanding our territory throughout the Central Texas area,” said Benjamin. “Around Austin, we’re growing in all directions – east to west, South Austin, even up north to support all the growth in the Austin area. We are also expanding up to Marble Falls in Burnet County and we have completed infrastructure in Hayes and Caldwell County. So, we are really growing to provide this energy choice to people as these communities grow and expand.”

we can answer the high-level details about providing natural gas, and then assist in moving forward.

“Working with us early allows us to take a line item basically off their plates as they’re starting their projects and gives us the time to do the proper due diligence and align our plans as well and be a good partner with them.”

BENEFITS OF NATURAL GAS

THE COMPANY Texas Gas Service is the third largest natural gas distribution company in Texas and currently serves more than 884,000 customers in 100 communities throughout the state – 275,000 of those are in the Austin area. “We pride ourselves on a long-standing reputation for great service during those 70-plus years we have been in the Austin area.” “We want to make natural gas easily accessible and empower our community to choose an energy source that works best for their budget and lifestyle.

“As Texas Gas Service expands its territory to the surrounding communities, we aren’t just delivering clean, reliable natural gas, but also energy choice for customers and external stakeholders.”

WORKING WITH TEXAS GAS “We are working to expand the infrastructure for what we are providing developers and home builders.

As we work with them, we know how important it is they are able to provide options and choices to potential homebuyers.

“From the planning stages to site installation, we want to work with them to find that right solution every step of the way and to help them plan and achieve their goals.

L-R: Bria Cole, Market Development Representative for Central Texas; Casey Benjamin, Market Development Representative for Central Texas

“To learn more about our company and how to get in touch with myself and my colleague, Bria Cole, visit the project website (https://www.texasgasservice.com/ extramile) “One other important point when we are engaging with developers, home builders and civil engineers, is that it’s very important we get involved early in a project so we can take a look at our current infrastructure.

“There are a lot of variables that come into these projects and we want to be there from the inception of a project, even in the feasibility stage. Reach out to us and

Happy hour

The Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) hosted a virtual happy hour for its Young Engineers Committee (YEC) on Mar. 31. Cheers everyone! -cmw

“Natural gas has a number of uses across the home like water heaters, furnaces, cooking range, power generators and more. We want the communities to have access to reliable affordable natural gas, even during extreme weather events that have become more common in the region.

“Natural gas helps lighten the load on the electric grid and is also the perfect partner for renewable energy sources. A lot of people don’t know that natural gas is a clean burning fuel and emissions from natural gas distribution systems have declined 74% over the past 30 years, and we continue to reduce the impact on the environment.

“We do invest heavily in our pipelines for system integrity and reliability improvements to safely deliver natural gas to our customers. In 2021 alone, we invested $161.3 million in the system infrastructure improvements.

“Natural gas usually is more affordable to use and it’s more efficient. With only 9% energy loss compared to electricity which has a 64% energy loss when it arrives to the home, this reduces the expense of the utility bills and other associated services and products.”

OUR GOALS “We are a highly responsive team here in Austin. We are ready to talk to folks and individuals about their upcoming projects. Myself and my colleague Bria Cole, can be reached directly and we do pride ourselves on being highly responsive. “Our goal is to provide a quality service and to provide that energy choice of affordable, clean andreliable natural gas. This is our ultimate goal. -bd

WATCH VIDEO

Page 4

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Emilie, are you from the Austin area?

I am currently living in Driftwood.

Juli Middleton, Partner Emilie Crockett, Partner Texas/Iowa Reclaimed Floors Wimberley, TX

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heir personalities clicked. They are each other’s yin and yang. Together, they bring a woman’s flare and sassiness to an industry dominated by men.

Where were you born? Where did you grow up?

Juli: I was born in Carroll, IA. I grew up in De Moines, IA. Emilie: I was born in Arlington, TX. I was raised all over this beautiful country.

Juli, what was it like growing up in Iowa?

It’s the heart of the mid-west. There are a lot of hard working Americans with their noses to the grindstone.

Emilie, what was it like relocating so much?

We were a tight family unit. We went from coast to coast. We got to see a lot of country.

Did you go to college?

Juli: Yes. I went to the University of Northern Iowa for a teaching degree. Instead, I jumped into design sales as an A&D rep and never looked back.

Emilie: I studied bio-chemistry. I had hopes of becoming a doctor but that quickly changed once I was out of school and making money. Long story short, I never used my skills or education as life usually has its dips and turns.

Juli: We use our gifts. I don’t believe design is something that can be truly taught. Design is a gift.

Juli, you founded Texas/Iowa Reclaimed Floors, how did you come to Texas?

I had my own interior design business in Iowa for 20 years that led me into a lot of designing with reclaimed materials. Once I was exposed to reclaimed materials, I wanted all in.

What is it about reclaimed materials that you like so much?

Juli: It’s organic, sustainable, and durable. It’s the densest wood you can buy.

You’ll never have to replace it. Reclaimed products are the most gorgeous material I’ve ever worked with; each board has its own unique characteristics.

When did you partner up?

Emilie: When we were in the design process of building our new home, I went to Jules after looking her up on google because we wanted reclaimed beams.

The night before we met face-to-face, I saw that she had posted on Instagram that she was looking to hire. I wanted to get back into doing my own thing. When I met Jules and we really hit it off. I had a really good feeling about her so I asked her if she was looking for a partner and if she would be willing to teach me what she does. I joined the team in July of last year.

How did you know you were going to be a good fit?

Juli: We complement each other.

Emilie comes across very authentic and real the moment you meet her. She has excellent people skills. She has a very calming presence. I, on the other hand, am very spunky.

Was it hard to learn about reclaimed materials?

Emilie: Yes! There is a lot more to it than you would think at first. I can certainly attest to that.

Juli: First you have to learn about species and textures. Then you have to know if your clients want to buy the raw or the processed material. Processed means we put it through a kiln and then we mill to their own specifications. Everything we do can be very raw or very custom including flooring, beams, and boards.

What is one of your most notable reclaimed projects you have done?

Juli: We sourced some of the wood from executive offices of the White House. It’s fun when we are able to figure out the origin of a certain order and relay that information to our clients. They love telling friends and family the history of their reclaimed wood.

Juli, when we first met five years ago, you were traveling back and forth between Texas and Iowa. Do you still travel back and forth?

My permanent address is Texas. I travel to Iowa for projects as needed. We can do about 80 percent of our work online without seeing the client. About 15 to 20 percent of our clients we want to get in front of and educate them further.

Their project might be a little larger and might need more education on products, lead times, expectations and such.

Are you married?

Juli: Single and ready to two-step!

Emilie: I am married.

Tell me about your children.

Juli: I have two daughters, both married. I am blessed to be GiGi to 5 grandchildren.

Emilie: I have twins. One boy, and

Texas/Iowa Reclaimed Floors Partners L-R: Emilie Crockett and Juli Middleton

one girl. They will be five years old in June.

What do you do when you are not working?

Juli: I’m a nature lover. Being in Texas you’ve got to take advantage of all the beautiful water. I’m a country girl. I love the country, and I love to dance to country music. Dancing is a good outlet for me.

One of my goals in life is to build a dance & gospel hall. To me it’s a modern way to a faith based community. Dance through the weekdays, and Emilie: I like to cut a rug with the best of them as well. Our children consume all our time! We love to spend time with family. Every chance we get!

Emilie, Juli said she would like to build a dancehall someday, what is something you would like to accomplish?

That’s a soul-searching question.

Right now, because the partnership is new and I’m so motivated, I would like to help build Texas Reclaimed just as big as we can. We’re on a great path to do so.

Juli: One of the things I would like to mention, along those lines, we are becoming more of a design build/consulting company. We have a new Studio/ Showroom location in Wimberley TX. We are available to consult with our clients in all hard finishes including countertops, cabinets, concrete, metals and woods.

We’ll be very turnkey.

Juli, you had an interior design business for 20 years, do you have any regrets going into the reclaimed business?

No, no regrets. I’ve spent 12 years procuring valuable relationships with our suppliers in this industry. I had to qualify suppliers that offer consistent and quality

Austin Austin

reclaimed materials. I forged through a male- dominated industry with perseverance and truth which, in the end, resulted in suppliers perusing me.

Emilie, do you have any regrets not sticking with your bio-chemistry degree?

No I don’t. I owned a few gyms before I had children. I really enjoyed using my skillset there, but I love what I’m doing now.

What would you like our readers to know about you?

Juli: Emilie and I are where we need to be. We love being around people. We are very service oriented and very detailed in our customer service. We make it a fun experience because so many clients are overwhelmed with the details of their new build or renovation. Hopefully, we can take some of that anxiety away and replace it with fun and value. As its obvious we are passionate about design and reclaimed products.

Emilie: We want our clients to get everything they expect and more with the design element. The hardest part about building is knowing what direction to go in. We take away a lot of that anxiety because we can offer quality design, opinions, and directions with a female’s perspective. We’re not just selling woodwe bring design value! Let us show you how to use old world materials with a modern eye!

What do you do at the end of the day to relax?

Juli: I love to cook and get outdoors into nature. I enjoy wine.

Emilie: I chase children. And I enjoy wine too! - cmw

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Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

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Page 5

A 36-year first

hen it comes to construction, it has its very own set of accounting rules and tax rules. There seems to be a lot of nuances, and not all CPAs learn them. From day one, construction is the direction Ridout Barrett & Co. PC traveled, developing a niche in construction accounting.

From its humble beginnings in 1986, the company has grown from a one-man show to a firm of 65-plus employees in two locations. With their expanding presence, the Ridout Barrett team sought to poise themselves further by unifying their company’s outreach within the communities they serve and their family within.

In Ridout Barrett’s 36-year history, the firm has never had a marketing coordinator. That is until last year. In November 2021, Megan Padilla joined the Ridout Barrett family as the firm’s marketing coordinator where she handles everything from designing new marketing materials, planning/coordinating events, sponsorships, and manages all direct marketing. Furthermore, she works with Ridout’s leadership to help develop a variety of marketing and business development activities to help the firm grow and to continue to succeed.

Padilla was born and raised in San Antonio. She is a graduate of John Marshall High School and an alumni from The University of Texas at San Antonio where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication.

While going to college and waitressing at TopGolf, Padilla introduced herself to the marketing manager, Katrina Funtanilla, at a marketing event being held there. She introduced herself as a college student seeking a degree in the same field and expressed an interest in joining Funtanilla’s team. The following week she interviewed and began working alongside Funtanilla in TopGolf’s marketing de-

Celebrating 125 years

Megan Padilla

partment planning events, developing partnerships, assisting in managing budgets, social media and sales. That experience confirmed a career in marketing was the right path for her.

After earning her degree, Padilla began working in social media for Beldon Roofing before moving into the field of commercial real estate where she worked more in graphic design.

Then in 2021, Padilla was introduced to Ridout Barrett. She did not know of Ridout’s presence in San Antonio until she began working for Ridout Barrett.

“For 36 years they have helped construction companies with their accounting needs. They have a huge presence in the construction industry. As their marketing coordinator, I oversee the marketing needs of RBC. “I love what I do and the awesome RBC team I get to be a part of,” says Padilla. “As cliché as it may sound, it’s true.

Since my first day, everyone has welcomed me with open arms. Everyone is so respectful and professional. Everyone wants to see you succeed in your career and grow as an individual. I love that my creativity is appreciated and everyone is willing to see change.”

Padilla enjoys working out, hanging out with friends and going to breweries.

“Hazy IPA’s are my favorite. Relaxing, to me, is watching YouTube or Netflix in a clean house with my favorite candle burning.” -cmw

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Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing’s Austin leadership team L-R: Josh Adrian, Sergio Lopez, Nick Flory, Adam Matthys, Tim Shaw and Pat Halaszyn

ounded in 1897 as a weather-stripping company, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing got its start selling their patented metal weather stripping products door-to-door to homeowners. Since then, it has evolved into a commercial waterproofing company.

“The Austin and San Antonio branches serve South Texas from Waco south,” says Austin/San Antonio Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing Vice President and General Manager Adam Matthys.

“John Kafka, who started Chamberlin in Texas in 1987, when he moved to the Houston market, established a pretty great foundation for us all to grow on. His legacy is really what we’ve been able to grow and improve on to become what we are today.”

While Chamberlin celebrates 125 years in business, it is clear that the company’s core values as well as their experience is key to their continued success.

“We have a set of 10 values called The Chamberlin Way,” adds Senior Marketing Manager Cristina Kinney. “I think that has really guided us throughout the years - that, and keeping in mind our core values. Working safely is most important because our employees lives depend on it.

Installing high quality installations is how we build our reputation and how we get more work. And then, working with the spirit of cooperation. Keeping those three core things in mind on every job we undertake, as well as the rest of our values, has really helped us develop the team members we have, the way we deliver our work, and treating each other and our clients with respect, has been a really, good way to develop and grow a company. Safety and quality teamwork, were a big player in our expansion, not only in our services, but in our company.”

Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing is a total building envelope contractor. -cmw

Page 6

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Giving a personal touch

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Carter Floors and More owners, Bonnie and Otis Carter

fter years of installing floors, Otis Carter was ready for a change. He knew he didn’t want to leave the flooring business. After all, it has been his life for as long as he could remember, but he was ready to give his knees a break.

Having always wanting his own store, in 2013, Otis and Bonnie Carter opened Carter Floors and More in Dripping Springs, TX. Carter Floors and More sales and installs a wide range of quality flooring – carpet, vinyl, ceramics, wood, tile and stone in addition to offering free design services. “We help design bathroom, kitchen backsplashes, flooring and custom showers,” says Bonnie. “If you need a little help, we are there to help. We walk you through the whole process.”

Otis and Bonnie take a personal approach in working with their sales team.

“We have a talented group of salespeople who are great at design,” she adds. “We step in whenever we’re needed. Customer satisfaction is what it’s all about.”

Seven short years after Carter Floors and More opened its doors, Otis and Bonnie opened a second location in Marble Falls in 2020. “We had so many customers coming from Kingsland and Marble Falls over to Dripping Springs,” she said.

“When we asked them why they drove so far, they said, ‘Customer service.’ So we decide to give it a try and it’s been going great.”

Bonnie manages their Marble Falls location. With a business degree, she also oversees the bookkeeping and the com-

pany’s marketing efforts.

Otis is a hands-on owner. He has been known to go to their jobsites, whether residential or commercial, to check on the status of the project and to address any concerns. He prides himself in giving that personal touch.

“We pride ourselves on making sure the installs are good and the customer is happy,” Bonnie states. “If there is an issue, we get it fixed. We stand behind our work.”

Carter Floors and More has a wide variety of clients from residential to commercial. No job is too large or too small.

They contribute to the community by donating floors to non-profits or by donating their time doing crawfish boils at nursing homes. Who doesn’t like a good crawfish boil?

They also donate to school athletics, have participated in the parade of homes, and are members of the Better Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce.

They have served teachers, nursing homes, fire departments, churches, retail, apartments, doctor offices, new home builds, older homes, banks and mobile homes. They have clients that want a specific design within a certain budget and they have some that are looking for that certain look they’ve seen before in a photo or in person. Whatever the case may be, Carter Floors and More is ready to lay the way.

Carter Floors and More is a family-owned and operated flooring company in Dripping Springs and Marble Falls, TX. -cmw

Roofing and solar unite

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McAllen Valley Roofing Co. team members have a little fun.

ounded in 2012 in McAllen, TX, McAllen Valley Roofing Co. owners Brian McSteen and Alfredo Villalobos have over 35 years of combined roofing and construction experience and have seen many changes in the roofing industry. One such change is the increased presence of solar panels.

As the cost of putting solar panels on roofs, per kilowatt of electricity becomes cheaper than coal, more and more people are looking into solar. As a result, the roofing industry is seeing a shift in services. Roofers are becoming solar installers and solar installers are now becoming the roofers.

For this reason McAllen Valley Roofing has established its sister company, Solur LLC in 2020.

“National companies that are doing solar want their local solar installation partners to also do the roof,” says Brian McSteen, Solur LLC managing member.

“Or, they want the roofer to install the solar. The reason why is the competitive advantage of shortening the lifecycle of the install time. There’s no gap between two different companies and there’s one warranty. There’s no argument on who is responsible for a roof leak.”

The crews of McAllen Valley Roofing Co. and sister company, Solur LLC, are unifying, working together. “Because they don’t want to have a gap in the install time, we’re sending our guys with our roofers on a job site,” adds McSteen.

“As roofers are now starting to install panels on the roofs, there’s this extra labor force. There’s these guys that are cer-

tified electricians that aren’t roofers that are now merging with the roofing crews.

Eventually, solar panels will fade in to futuristic solar roofing tiles and that’s when they are going to be completely unified because solar companies are not just going to disappear. They’re going to be installing roofs and installing the solar, and now you create more competition in the field.”

McAllen Valley Roofing Co. and Solur LLC provide start-to-finish services, from going through the loan process, the proposal process to the install and turning a roof to solar power seamlessly.

Headquarted in McAllen, TX and having offices throughout Texas on the solar side, they service California, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Nevada and Utah with increasing work along the east coast as well. On the roofing side, they provide virtual estimates, residential roofing, commercial roofing, shingle roofing, roof coatings, TPO, metal roofs, hail and storm damage assistance.

McAllen, Laredo and San Antonio office locations serves its surrounding areas as well through the entire state of Texas in residential and commercial roofing supply and installation.

“The roofing industry is a great industry,” McSteen adds. “We’re always looking for great talent.”

McAllen Valley Roofing Co. is a full-service San Antonio roofing company, offering residential and commercial roofing services. -cmw

Resource Guide Truck & Equip Dealers

Service Providers

Subcontractors

For info: Buddy Doebbler - Buddy@ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Page 7

INSURANCE

ACCOUNTING

OSHA’s National Safety Standdown to Prevent Falls in the Construction Workplace

Improving Your Cash Flow Melanie C. Geist Managing Partner Ridout Barrett & Co, PC San Antonio, TX

Stan Gregory Safety & Risk Consultant insurica San Antonio, TX

C

ash flow management is critical for any business or organization. Even when profitable, poor cash flow management is burdensome for a company. If your business has ongoing cash flow issues, there are steps you can take to assess and improve the situation.

Cash Flow vs. Profit Cash flow is the movement of cash in and out of a business. There are three categories of cash flow: • Operating cash flow is the cash generated by a business’s day-to-day operations. It includes cash from sales, receivables, and payments to suppliers and employees.

• Investing cash flow is the cash used to purchase long-term assets, such as property or equipment.

• Financing cash flow is the cash related to debt such as loans or credit card debt and equity such as new investment and return of capital.

Cash flow is the net inflows and outflows from operating, investing, and financing activities. Profit or net income is what a business earns after subtracting expenses from revenue.

One would expect a profitable company to have positive cash flow, but that’s not always the case. For example, a company may have had revenue in the last month, but customers were slow to pay, which caused a cash-flow deficit. Maybe a company had to purchase a considerable amount of inventory to gain lower pricing, but it caused a cash shortage. There are many reasons why a company may become short on cash.

Get Current on Financials It’s difficult to manage a problem without timely and accurate information. A company should keep all financials current.

Review assets, liabilities, and corresponding schedules. For example: • Review the accounts receivable and identify the amount of current, overdue, and uncollectable receivables.

• Review inventory and assess what is good versus what is no longer usable.

Taking a detailed look at your financials enables you to identify the root causes of many problems.

Create Projections While the financial statements provide a current and historical view of a business, they do not project into the future.

Create financial projections driven by key variables so the business can test a variety of future scenarios. Projections will provide visibility into what might happen under various scenarios and enable management to select the best path forward.

Improving Profitability A company’s net income is a significant factor in cash flow. If a company is profitable, cash flow is easier to manage because it typically has assets to support financing. However, if a company has not reached profitability or has become unprofitable, financing cash flow deficits can be challenging.

Cash flow problems call for a critical look at the income statement. A company may have a problem with sale or expenses. A company’s costs may be out of alignment with its revenue. Perhaps sales have trended downward over several months without any adjustment to expenses. The company may have experienced increases in the cost of goods sold due to inflation but has not increased the price of its products or services.

Challenging business situations cause an owner to make tough decisions that

strengthen the business. Improving profitability is a first step to alleviating cash flow issues.

Improving Cash Flow While improving revenue and expenses help cash flow, there are other tactics to alleviate cash flow challenges. Below are examples tactics a company can employ.

Collections. Accounts receivables may be an opportunity to increase cash quickly. An aging report will provide insight into the effectiveness of collections activity. A high amount of non-current receivables is typically the result of poor collections activity or problems with the product. Focusing on collections can be a quick win for building cash.

Customer Deposits. Is there the ability to collect a customer deposit with a new order? If a business must purchase and hold inventory to build the final product, collecting a customer deposit may help offset the cost of holding inventory.

Time to Invoice. Once the product is delivered, how long does it take to invoice the customer? Each day lost waiting to invoice is a day lost to receiving payment. Be sure to invoice as soon as possible.

Customer Terms. Extending generous terms can cause serious cash flow problems, especially if customers still pay late.

It may be wise to tighten the terms extended to customers.

Ease of Payment. Make it easy for the customer to pay you. Providing payment options such as credit card, ACH, or wire transfer can help speed the payment process.

Vendor Terms. Negotiate longer terms with suppliers, especially if customers are demanding longer terms.

Credit Card. Applying for a corporate credit card may help bridge the gap for smaller cash flow issues.

Line of Credit. Consider opening a line of credit with your bank or other financial institution. Lines are often based on collateral such as accounts receivable and inventory and can be expanded as you grow and establish a successful payment history.

Equity Investment. Startups and growing companies often sell equity to raise funds for growth. Mature companies can also sell equity to pay down expensive debt and provide liquidity.

The above are ways a company can improve its cash flow position. Planning is one of the best ways to prevent cash flow issues, but sometimes cash flow issues arise quickly and unexpectedly.

Contact our office if you’d like to discuss your situation and how we may be of service.

Melanie C. Geist, CPA, CGMA mgeist@rbc.cpa Melanie graduated from the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse School of Accountancy in 1998. She later received her Master of Taxation from University of Texas in San Antonio in 2003 and obtained her CPA certificate in 2004. Melanie became a shareholder of the firm in November 2014.

T

his stand-down occurs May 2-6, 2022.

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls account for the 34% of fatalities in the construction industry. To raise awareness about falls and to help prevent them, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created the National Stand-down to Prevent Falls in Construction.

What Is a Safety Stand-down?

A safety stand-down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. The National Safety Stand-down to Prevent Falls in Construction focuses on fall hazards and reinforces the importance of fall prevention. Since its inception in 2014, the free, annual event has helped train nearly 10 million workers on fall prevention.

How Do Businesses Conduct a Safety Stand-down?

Companies can conduct a safety stand-down by taking a break to host a toolbox talk or perform another safety-related activity, such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans or discussing job-specific hazards. A stand-down could be as simple as a 15-minute toolbox talk or several hours of training over a week.

A safety stand-down should provide an opportunity for employers and employees to talk about hazards, protective methods and the company’s safety policies, goals and expectations.

Who Can Participate in a Safety Stand-down?

Anyone interested in educating employees about fall hazards, or other job hazards, can participate in the National Stand-down to Prevent Falls in Construction. In past years, participants included: • • • • • •

General contractors Sub- and independent contractors Employers’ trade associations Federal, state and local governmental agencies Professional societies and institutes Consumer/labor-management interest organizations

To participate, businesses simply need to hold a stand-down with their employees during the week of the National Safety Stand-down to Prevent Falls in Construction. Then, they can go online to download a certificate of participation at OSHA’s Stop Falls Stand-down or National Safety Council›s (NSC) webpages.

One of the most important reasons a business should participate is to demonstrate to employees its commitment to fall prevention and other safety issues on the job site. Employees and employers alike recognize the importance of demonstrated top-level commitment to promoting a positive safety culture.

Stan joined INSURICA in 2015 as a member of the Risk Management Services team. He takes pride in providing risk management solutions for customers in all industries, with a special emphasis on behavioral safety solutions. Stan’s primary focus is working with large employers to improve their risk profiles and safety cultures by implementing custom-tailored safety and risk management plans.

EXPERIENCE As a true life-long risk management professional, Stan has more than three decades of experience working with safety and loss prevention. He has built a wealth of experience working with national and regional insurance carriers, as well as large insurance brokers. Additionally, he has worked as a regional manager with several safety consulting groups. His work has always been client-focused, providing risk management services, including risk assessments, consulting services, and safety training.

EDUCATION AND DESIGNATIONS Stan is a graduate from Oklahoma State University with a BS in Engineering Technology, focusing on Fire Protection and Safety. He obtained his Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation, which is widely regarded as the premiere designation within the industry. He is a 30-year member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), and he has served in many roles including, Chapter President and Delegate and as Area Director, Deputy RVP and ARVP for Professional Development in Region III.

Page 8

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

OSHA

LEGAL

Aerial Lifts and Electric Power Lines

Reassessing Dispute Resolution - Creative Approaches in the New Era

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

R. Carson Fisk, Shareholder Andrews Myers, P.C. Austin, TX

A

s pandemic restrictions wane and aspects of life and work more closely resemble the pre-pandemic world, long delayed cases will be placed on a path to trial or final arbitration hearing. With imminent deadlines, there may be a renewed interest in settlement, as the costs of litigation and arbitration are no longer deferred. But after over a year of remote proceedings, accommodations, and often-fluid deadlines, settlement through the traditional mediation process may be harder to achieve. Included among the challenges is that, due to the unexpected reprieve from case activity, parties (and sometimes even their counsel) may be less attune to the expense and other risk attached to litigating or arbitrating a case to final conclusion. For disputes where settlement is preferred (and it should often be preferred), preparing a case for a trial or final hearing may not necessarily be the best approach to optimize a case for potential settlement.

Mediation is essentially a facilitated negotiation, voluntary in nature. The parties in a dispute meet with a neutral third party, who serves as the mediator to help the parties reach a resolution on their own terms. While the styles of mediation differ widely (some mediators facilitate discussions while others evaluate the parties’ positions), the overarching idea is that the mediator is involved and helps guide the parties in reaching an agreement. There are numerous advantages to mediation over other forms of dispute resolution, primarily driven by the control over the outcome and creative components of resolution. In court or arbitration, someone else will decide the result, and any award is generally monetary in nature.

But mediation has it weaknesses, including the unfortunate reality that many mediations take place before a case is ready to be mediated. Dispute resolution clauses in construction contracts often contain a requirement that the parties mediate prior to pursuing litigation or arbitration. Thus, many mediations occur before there has been a formal exchange of information, such as through discovery in a lawsuit. That limits the knowledge that the parties bring to mediation, including understanding what the other side may want and why.

This means more time spent in mediation simply learning about basic facts, claims, and calculations, rather than focusing on resolution. Rather than proceed with a multi-mediation session dynamic as these matters are identified, other approaches may make sense to consider.

As a precursor to mediation or used independently from it, parties can utilize processes found in Chapter 154 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, which includes the summary jury trial, the mini-trial, and the moderated settlement conference. The summary jury trial is simply an abbreviated trial presented before a panel of six jurors, unless the parties agree to another number of jurors. The respective parties present their cases to the jury, who may issue a non-binding, advisory opinion on liability, damages, or both. This process is

unique in that it uses jurors to aid the parties in evaluating a dispute and developing realistic settlement positions. The mini-trial offers a different approach in that the parties present their positions not to a panel of jurors, but rather “selected representatives for each party or before an impartial third party.” The goal is to define issues. When retaining an impartial third party, the third party may issue an advisory opinion on the merits of the case, such an opinion being nonbinding unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. A moderated settlement conference removes the concept of “selected representatives” or a singular impartial third party in favor of a panel of impartial third parties. The parties present their positions to the panel, who may then issue a non-binding, advisory opinion regarding liability, damages, or both.

At the conclusion of each of these proceedings, the parties are meant to engage in settlement negotiations, now with much more information in hand with respect to their own case and their opponent’s case. Orders referring cases to these processes should address the appointment, identification and payment of fees for any third parties. They will also need to decide upon the completion deadline for the process, with time allotment for various applicable events (e.g., jury selection, opening statement, admission of evidence, closing argument, discussions with jurors). Lastly, they will need to identify required attendees and address confidentiality.

Parties in arbitration may avail themselves to even more flexibility given the contractual nature of the process. The prospect of an interim hearing or an advisory opinion is possible, with even the most creative of approaches having the potential for discussion. With such an experience or information in hand, there may be a more meaningful basis on which to conduct settlement negotiations.

The above approaches can be tailored to the needs of the case, and can be conducted in a way that offers value without prejudicing a party. For example, opening statements and closing arguments might be summarized in written form, direct examinations might be abbreviated, experts could be subjected to joint questioning, and cross-examination could be avoided altogether. The opportunities for potential customization are endless and can be crafted so that key pieces of litigation or arbitration strategy need not be sacrificed. Ultimately, amicable resolution is the outcome preferred by most parties and the state itself. To achieve that, those involved in disputes should be open-minded as to the options available to them and discuss such options with counsel, either when preparing contract forms or when a dispute is underway.

R. Carson Fisk is a construction attorney, mediator, and arbitrator and shareholder at Andrews Myers P.C. in Austin, Texas, and is board certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He may be reached at cfisk@andrewsmyers.com

Q

uestion: What standards apply to a situation where employees, not engaged in electrical work, operate an aerial lift within 10 feet of overhead electric lines?

Section 1926.416 General Requirements for work practices applies to your scenario. Section 1926.400(b) provides that: In addition to covering the hazards arising from the use of electricity at jobsites, [§§1926.416 and 1926.417] also cover the hazards arising from the accidental contact, direct or indirect, by employees with all energized lines, above or below ground, passing through or near the jobsite.

Section 1926.416(a)(1) Protection of employees provides that: No employer shall permit an employee to work in such proximity to any part of an electric power circuit that the employee could contact the electric power circuit in the course of work, unless the employee is protected against electric shock by deenergizing the circuit and grounding it or by guarding it effectively by insulation or other means.

Compliance with §1926.416(a)(1) entails a three-step analysis: Step 1: Did the employer permit an employee to work in such proximity that he or she could contact the electric power circuit in the course of work? “Contact” includes direct or indirect contact.

For example, a 15-foot separation when painting with a roller on a 20-foot aluminum extension pole poses the risk of indirect contact, and the employee is, therefore, too close to a live, ungrounded electric power circuit.

Step 2: Did the employer de-energize the proximate electric power circuit and ground it? If the employer did not de-energize and ground the circuit, then permitting employees to work close enough to “contact the electric power circuit in the course of work” would violate §1926.416(a)(1), unless the circuit was effectively guarded.

Step 3: If the proximate electric power circuit was not de-energized and grounded, did the employer guard the circuit “effectively by insulation or other means” of guarding?

Guarding by insulation means placing insulating blankets, sleeves or similar devices on the conductors to protect employees from shock hazards. Multiple factors including voltage, use, location, and the conductors’ own coverings, if any, will determine the appropriate insulating material to use.

Guarding by “other means” includes a long list of methods and devices. Section 1926.449, which supplies definitions for all of Subpart K, offers a catalogue of guarding by means other than insulation.

Guarding is effective if it successfully removes “the likelihood of approach to a point of danger or contact by persons or objects.”

In other words, if the proximate electric power circuit has not been de-energized and grounded, and if this circuit has not been guarded effectively by insulation, the employer must utilize other means of guarding to eliminate the potential for employee contact with the circuit. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

Right hand woman

A

Jenna Vineyard, US Lumber Brokers

fter a decade of experience in the Austin building materials market and a leap of faith, Ben Baker ventured out on his own to open US Lumber Brokers.

A unique company, US Lumber Brokers offers premium high quality domestic and exotic wood and wood products.

They perform one-on-one consultations with their customer to develop strategies to better their business and service. A key member of their consultation team is Outside Sales Representative Jenna Vineyard.

Vineyard earned a degree in fashion merchandising. By her senior of college, continued on Page 12

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Page 9

Today this channel is known as the Land Cut. In 1954 the corps dredged another channel across Lower Laguna and through the barrier island at Mansfield Pass. This pass is knowned as the East Cut. The Upper Laguna’s most famous feature makes its appearance in spring. When the air grows calm and bright, the waters sparkle with sublime transparency. Shallowness is the secret for gin-clear water. Fill a vast, shallow basin with water undisturbed by inflows from rivers or the sea, and you get Laguna Madre — a bay who’s sandy, grass-swept bottom is visible as far as you can see. For sight fishermen, it rates among the classic fishing destinations in North America.

My Office: The Laguna Madre

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine/Waypoint Customs, Shoalwater Boats, Mercury Marine, Shimano Reels, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Simms Fishing, Columbia ForEverlast Fishing Products, PowerPro, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines Power-Pole, and AFTCO Clothing.

Customer Mike Kiaman hooked this monster redfish last month free lining a live shrimp. The oversized brute was released after this photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

S

tarting at the JFK Causeway in Corpus Christi and reaching approximately 230 miles south into La Pesca, Mexico, Laguna Madre of Texas and Laguna Madre of Tamaulipas are mirror images wedged between the mainland and a string of barrier islands. In its Texas incarnation, the system is divided into Upper and Lower Laguna Madre. Below, in Mexico, the system splits into the Northern Laguna and Southern Laguna. The whole eel-shaped complex belongs to one water system that for centuries routinely has been saltier than the ocean. It is also extremely shallow, four feet deep or less in most spots. Midway between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, the water simply fades into tidal flats that often are dry enough to tramp across on foot.

This geography, to the annoyance of Corpus Christi oil refiners, made commercial shipping through Laguna Madre out of the question.

So, in the 1940s, at the urging of the refiners wanting to transport gasoline to Brownsville, the corps started an extension of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) which had stopped at the Laguna’s northern end. By 1949, the corps had dredged a canal 12 feet deep and 125 feet wide straight down the lagoon. The channel carved through the land bridge that divides the Upper and Lower Laguna.

It would be difficult indeed to see so little on another stretch of U.S. bay. As a whole, Laguna Madre is the least-developed bay in the country. In addition to its physical remoteness from urban centers, about 70 percent of Laguna Madre in Texas is protected by the federal government in the form of a national park known as the Padre Island National Seashore and by a handful of historic ranches, including the Armstrong Ranch, Kenedy Ranch, King Ranch and Yturria Ranch.

To a lot of people, the appeal of the laguna is its remoteness. There is a certain value in just not seeing the reflective glass of a condominium as the background of your fishing experience.

Redfish are starting to make their spring appearance in the Laguna Madre, as seen by this light color slot red caught by the author.

Don’t miss out of the action, contact Steve Schultz outdoors for all your fishing and hunting adventures.

The great ranches that border Laguna Madre have acted as barriers to such development. At the same time, outfits such as the King Ranch have also kept their shorelines pristine and wild. As we approach the shore, it gains definition, with mesquite trees lining the shoreline and occasional sightings of wildlife such as white-tail deer, nilgai antelope, coyotes and an array of birds which are much more scenic than commercial buildings. This pristine complex is my office for about nine months of the year and I wouldn’t trade it for any other bay in the world. Come and experience a day on the water with me and let me show you why we a so blessed to have the Laguna Madre in our back yard.

I still have dates available for the summer months and plenty for fall fishing. Don’t wait until all the good dates are gone! To schedule your next bay fishing or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail him at: SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com Good luck and Good Fishing.

Page 10

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

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

I

have been in the charter fishing business for striped bass trips for 41 years. Even though my home lake, Lake Buchanan has variable lake levels that can seem like a see-saw ride, and we are always left guessing about Texas weather, some things are always just supposed to happen. Maybe early or late, in a big way or a slight one, but they happen. Until now.

Some things never change…

Oh, yes, they do!

Here it is the month of May and we are still not limiting out on stripers!

Springtime limits are what we all look forward to and it is time, but they are just not happening. We have plenty of stripers in the lake. We can look at them on the graph and they are looking back at us, but that’s about it. We are finding undersized fish that will bite and hearing about people catching large numbers of those fish and releasing them just for fun.

This is where I have to step up on my soap box and try to be heard! If you are catching lots of fish too small to keep and turning them loose like you are supposed to, are you paying attention to how many of them you are leaving floating and dying around you? Catch and release is a good thing if done properly. If however the fish are mostly aggressively swallowing the hook and not going to survive when you turn them loose, then please do the really right thing here and pull up your lines and go look for some larger fish. When every striper that you find in a lake has had to be stocked there, he is a precious resource. Don’t blow his chance to become a thrill to catch when he grows up. Some years stripers are more scarce, don’t make it worse!

The really strange thing is that even though the white bass were slow to get going this spring, they are really good now and we are getting good solid fish.

The same thing seems to be happening with the crappie. They were on again and off again for quite a while, but now they are coming on strong and we are seeing

some nice stringers brought in. The weirdest thing though is that we have blue cats and even yellow cats coming in from open water striper trips. We had one trip that brought in a 12-pound yellow cat on an umbrella rig! You can bet that rig got torn up plenty! The catfishing has been very good this spring on jug lines and rod and reel, but we don’t usually hook them up on our striper trips!

Even if the bigger stripers aren’t ready to bite yet we are having good productive multi species fishing trips.

You still get a fish fry, but it’s more of a smorgasbord! We are thinking that once the high winds start to back off and we round the corner into summer fishing, things should get back to normal. Those larger stripers didn’t get that way by not eating!

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

D

Page 11

Great shot!

arby Wright, owner of SERVPRO of San Marcos/New Braunfels and Demi Hebert, office manager & large loss project coordinator, recently traveled to the famed King Ranch in deep south Texas for a Nilgai antelope

hunt. Hebert was successful in harvesting a big mature Nilgai bull. She made a great shot off the shooting sticks and the bull was down. The meat from these animals is delicious and was shared with everyone. -cmw

Have an Outdoor Story or Photo? Share them with us!

Send to: SAEditor@ConstructionNews.net or call 210-308-5800 today!

San Antonio H Austin H www.ConstructionNews.net

Demi Hebert poses with her trophy Nilgai bull harvested at the King Ranch.

L-R: Darby Wright and Demi Hunt with Demi’s harvested Nilgai bull.

Page 12

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

A colorful homage

Breaking ground

Located on Austin’s east side, Cadence McShane broke ground on a 34,364-sf multi-family project, Sixth and Chicon. The multi-family community will feature 60 micro-housing apartments, perfect for those who travel and work in various cities or those who work remotely. -cmw

W

AGC Chapter President Phil Thoden addresses attendees at the mural dedication and newly renovated AGC open house

ith thousands of motorists and pedestrians passing by the Austin AGC office location on S. Lamar every day, AGC decided to brighten up the building with a colorful homage to the local commercial construction industry. A grand opening was held on Apr. 1.

The design was created by Emily Mente and showcases notable buildings in town – some newer ones built by AGC members and some older, iconic ones that represent Austin – along with tower cranes, a concrete mixer truck and industry professionals. The mural also reflects the natural beauty of Austin that, along with the built environment, makes a great

quality of life for the Austin community as a whole.

The mural also includes the line, “Build a Great Life” because, fundamentally, that’s what construction professionals do. Their career in the industry benefits themselves and their families while, at the same time, they are building a great life for everyone in the community who enjoys the offices, schools, churches, hospitals, hotels, apartments, restaurants, sports venues and many other structures throughout town brought from concept to reality by construction professionals.

Stop by with your team to check it out and snap a pic! -cmw

continued from Page 8 - US Lumber Brokers she had worked her way up to manager and was on the store opening team for Ralph Lauren stores. She traveled around the country, opening stores. She knew eventually she wanted to be a mom and decided she wanted out of the retail world.

Vineyard started with US Lumber Brokers 14 years ago this coming August.

Straight out of college, Vineyard was looking for a job when her father recommended she contact Baker. Vineyard’s father had worked for a large wholesaler and knew Baker was looking for someone to help him with his new company. Hesitantly, Vineyard made the call and thanks God every day, she did.

“I started working for US Lumber Brokers in the very early days of the company,” recalls Vineyard. “Ben was still working out of his house. We moved into an office with a yard and started hiring a few more employees, and finally got a lumber truck, a delivery driver and somebody to pull orders.”

Being US Lumber Brokers first employee, Vineyard worked side by side Baker where she did everything from invoicing to sales, pulling orders, to delivering samples and orders. “Ben pretty much did everything by himself in the beginning,” says Vineyard. “Once I came along, I kind of helped him get the company up and running.”

Vineyard likes that there’s something always going on. “Somebody is always building. This industry never slowes down. There’s always a new product. I enjoy meeting new people every day. Being outside sales, I like being out and about and not necessarily in the office. I like that I can still be a mom, run my household and work.”

US Lumber is at the forefront of finding new products that they think architects might want. With prices always changing and materials cost going up, US Lumber works to find other alternatives that are still good performing products. -cmw

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Page 13

Association Calendar

What did you do for Spring Break?

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ABC Associated Builders & Contractors May 19: Clay Shoot, Capital City Clays, 8707 Lindell Ln., 9am-5pm, $575 50-Bird Team, $775 100-Bird Team.

May 24: Design Defect Update with Andrew Myers PC, ABC Central Texas Offices, 2600 Longhorn Blvd. #1105, 11:30am-1pm.

May 25: Coffee and Contractors ABC Central Texas Offices, 2600 Longhorn Blvd. #105, 7:309am. For more info, contact Brian Bisgard at 512-719-5263 or email bbisgard@abccentraltexas.org ACEA Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Association May 13: ACEA Symposium, Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez St., 8am-5pm May 13: Monthly Membership Luncheon, Norris Conference Center, 2525 W. Anderson Ln. #365, 11:30am-1pm. $35 Member, $40 Onsite Member, $50 Non-member. For more info, call Silvia Pendleton at 512-893-7067 AGC Associated General Contractors May 9: Crawfish Boil Networking Event, Zilker Park Clubhouse, 200 Arnulfo Alonso Way, 11:30am-3:30pm, $20 Member, $30 Non-Member May 19: Spring Golf Tournament, Plum Creek Golf Course, 4301 Benner, Kyle, TX. For more info, contact Toni Osberry at 512-442-7887 ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers May 17: ASCE General Meeting, Zoom Webconference, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, go to www.texasce.org or contact Jenni Peters at 512-910-2272 or jpeters@texasce.org CTSA Central Texas Subcontractors Association May 6: 2022 Golf Tournament, Star Ranch Golf Course, 2500 FM 685, Hutto, TX 12pm Check-in/ lunch, 1:30pm Shotgun Start, $120 per golfer.

May 10: Lunch Membership Meeting, Location To Be Determined, 11:30am-1pm. For more info, email Wendy Lambert at wendy@ ctsaonline.org or go to www.ctsaonline.org CENTEX IEC Central Texas Chapter Independent Electrical Contractors May 6-7: BBQ Cook-off & Family Fun Day, YMCA Camp Twin Lakes, 204 E. Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, TX, $540 Cooking Team, $600 Camp Cabin. For more info, contact David Johnson at 512-832-1333 or email djohnson@ centexiec.com

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May 7: IEC Apprentice Appreciation Luncheon & Family Fun Day, 204 E. Little Elm Trail, Cedar Park, 11am-4pm. For more info, contact Suzanne Johnson at 512-461-0723 or email sjohnson@centexiec.com DACA Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Association May 12: DACA Austin 16th Annual Golf Classic, Avery Ranch Golf Club, 10500 Avery Club Dr. For more info, contact Eddie McCormick at 214-557-0356 or email eddie@dacaaustin.org I-LinCP Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects May 13: 6th Annual I-LinCP Benefit Golf Tournament, Olmos Basin Golf Course, 7am-1pm, $775 Team, $225 Individual, $1,250 Hook & Slice – Foursome and Hole Sponsorship. For more info, contact Carla Bingaman at 512-2635521 or email Carla.bingaman@i-lincp.org NARI National Association of the Remodeling Industry May: 14: 2022 Cornhole Tournament, Arizona Tile, 2121 Sarbrough Dr., 2-6pm, $150 Team – 20 Team Limit. For more info, contact Kayvon Leath at 512-997-6274 or email Kayvon@austinnari.org NAWIC National Association of Women in Construction May 4: Derby Day NEF Fundraiser, Cherry Coatings, 1911 S. Bell Blvd., Cedar Park, TX, 5:30-8pm. For more info, contact Misti Shafer-Webb at 512-930-7733 or email mshafer@ complianceresourcesinc.com SEAot Structural Engineers Association of Texas May 26: Virtual Chapter Meeting. For more info, call 512-301-2744 TGA Texas Glass Association May 13: TGA Glass Conference, Kalahari Resort, 3001 Kalahari Dr. Round Rock, TX. For more info, email Jennifer Fontana at jennifer@texasglass.org

I’ll be honest, my wife and I just moved.

The house was in downtown Round Rock underneath the old historic water tower right across from the bakery, Round Start Round Rock Donut. The world-famous Round Rock donuts. The City of Round Rock donated the house. I just had it move it. It’s a 100-year-old shotgun, craftsman-style house. I moved that house next to my mother’s hair salon in downtown Round Rock. I spent spring break moving this house and having fun with it.

Mario Carlin, Mario Carlin Management LLC My wife and I dog sat our oldest son’s dog while he went to the beach.

Shad Zapalac, Zapalac/Reed Construction I don’t have any children, so it was just another week for me.

Cristina Kinney, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing I didn’t realize spring break had already come and gone. I worked all week.

Bonne Carter, Carter Floors and More I built a deck in my backyard so now I can sit back, relax and enjoy my backyard.

Gian Vito, Are One Construction We have a spring break. At our age? Nothing. I worked. Unfortunately, as lame as that is, my wife and I were supposed to go on a vacation to the Dominican Republic but that ended up getting canceled so I worked.

Ryan Moore, PBC Datacom We went camping at Guadalupe State Park and visited Grist Mill there in New Braunfels.

Louis Natale, Proven Plumbing

Our kids are all grown and gone so my wife and I went to the Indian Wells tennis tournaments out in Palm Springs, CA. My wife is a big tennis player. She played in college. We’ve gone out there a couple of years to go watch some of tennis matches. We got to see Rafael Nadal play a couple of times. We had the time to get away, so that’s what we did.

Steve Hayes, Brandt Companies I’ve had the same group of girlfriends since middle school, some have been added of course, but with everyone’s busy schedules and living in different cities we always celebrate my birthday together since my birthday is in March. We all got together to celebrate during spring break!

Megan Padilla, Ridout, Barrett & Co. Inc. I didn’t even know it existed. There was no break in my spring.

Brian McSteen, McAllen Valley Roofing Co. What did I do for spring break? Well, I just did kid activities. My real break came at the end of March when I went to Mexico on friend’s trip.

Jenna Vineyard, US Lumber Brokers Spring break? What? Well, working and getting ready for our big opening.

Lori Wilbanks, Austin Landscape Supplies We went down to Mardi Gras in Galveston the week before. We always we try to do something with the family. We usually go skiing every year for spring break.

Joe Fazzone, Fazzone Construction

A second location to serve

TSPE Texas Society of Professional Engineers May 4: Monthly Lunch Meeting, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 10910 Domain Dr. 11:30am-1pm, Member $40, Non-Member $50, Government Official or Full-time Student $30. For more info, go to www.tspetravischapter.org/ monthly-luncheons

Submitted to Construction News

Round-Up

BGE Inc. happily announces that Wes Jasek, PE has been named Central Texas Operations Leader, overseeing the firm’s offices in Austin, San Antonio and Yoakum.

In this role, he will focus on operations and growth within the region, as well as key strategic initiatives within the company. Jasek joined BGE in 2009 as a senior project manager and has been instrumental in establishing the firm’s presence in Central Texas. He became a Shareholder in 2014. -cmw

White Construction Company is pleased to announce Rob Baugher, Senior Vice President has been named Regional Director for White Construction, Austin.

Baugher has 32 years of construction experience. Some of his notable projects include: NI (formerly National Instruments) Headquarters Campus, SHSI Corporation Inc., SailPoint Technologies, Paragon Outlet Malls and Westminster Manor. -cmw

Pickett, Kelm & Associates Inc. (PKA) is pleased to announce the promotion of David M. Cole, P.E. to Principal. Cole has 20 years of experience in the practice of structural engineering, including 16 years with PKA. In his new role, Cole will continue his leadership in the design of K-12 facilities, as well as lend his expertise to projects on a company-wide basis. -cmw

Red Design Studios is proud to announce that Kylie Knipscheer, Interior Designer, has joined the firm as a Senior Associate. Knipscheer has a proven track record of delivering successful solutions for a workplace environment. With only fouryears of work experience, she has a solid and loyal client following including Aquila, Transwestern, Pacific Oak, PacTrust, and Nimble Design. -cmw

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Austin Landscape Supplies, 5501 RM 2243, Leander, TX

ver the years, Austin Landscape Supplies’ service to Georgetown and the surrounding areas has grown into a thriving business. It was first opened in the mid ‘80s. It was located off FM1325 and Louis Henna. It moved to its current location in Georgetown shortly thereafter. A second location was later established for brush recycling.

Patrick Whittlesey owned and operated Austin Landscape Supplies until it was purchased in August of 2021 by Earth Property Holdings. Since the acquisition in 2021, Austin Landscape Supplies has continued to grow and has grown substantially with the addition of more personnel to assists their growing clientele.

They have a small fleet of trucks and equipment to source their own material and the delivery of material.

Austin Landscape Supplies’ second location, located on RM 2243 near Leander, TX has grown as well. For three years, it has been a brush and pallet recycling yard, now it is open to the public for retail sales. “We quickly realized our customers needed a second retail location on the west side of I-35,” says General Manager Craig Crawford. “This area is expanding exponentially with new housing devel-

opments and new construction, having access to our materials so close to where they are working will help save them time and money.”

This new location will allow closer access for customers to purchase materials for their personal homes. “We have added some of our top materials our customers use on a regular basis to this location,” adds Retail Director Lori Wilbanks.

“Opening it for retail sales as well as a recycling center is a win-win for all.”

Austin Landscape Supplies is an environmentally friendly company and comply with all TCEQ and local environmental regulations. They turn brush and pallets into several different types of mulches, including certified playground mulch.

The 2243 location now offers gravels, ALS’ own soil mixes, and sands, all of which are available at their Georgetown location as well as blocks, boulders and various supplies. We offer delivery within two hours of our locations.

“We care about Central Texas and we are here to serve,” says Wilbanks. “We love helping make our customers successful both in their business or with their personal projects. We offer senior citizen, military and first responder discounts.” -cmw

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Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Hands-on experience

he Austin Contractors & Engineers Association’s (ACEA) Construction Expo held on Apr. 1 at the City of Austin Public Works and Watershed Protection Department’s yard, was an exciting opportunity for students to explore the many careers related to the construction industry. The event showcased the civil side of construction work with demo stations ranging from surveying to heavy road equipment to drilling for soil samples and more. Students from Del Valle and Lago Vista High Schools attended along with several teachers and counsel-

ors. The City and ACEA members had various pieces of equipment on display to illustrate the many opportunities for learning and earning.

ACEA hopes to make this annual event and thanks the City of Austin for their collaboration on this program. The ACEA members provided demo stations, operators to visit with the students, a safety presentation and lunch. The students also received information about career opportunities and were invited to contact the exhibitors for job opportunities. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Zapalac/Reed Construction Company Zapalac/Reed is a true family business. Mark Reed, Reed’s son, has taken the role of president of EE Reed Construction while Reed continues as CEO of EE Reed Construction.

“EE Reed provides services from West Coast to East Coast with seven offices around the country with different ownerships in local areas,” says Shad. “Zapalac/ Reed is specific to the Central Texas area.

EE Reed has Davis/Reed on the West Coast. EE Reed East Coast with another local ownership, Doug Peterson who actually used to be one of our vice presidents back in the early 2000s, is on the East Coast.”

Zapalac/Reed practices a simple but effective management philosophy. It is based on a single-source responsibility plan that is applied to all stages of the project. “Our mission is to provide superior construction services that will satisfy every client’s expectations through communication, ‘on time’ performance and production of quality,” adds Shad.

“The tenure of our employees is something that I’m very proud of. We

would be nothing without them. We do everything with integrity. We’re always looking to gain repeat business with our clients and treat everyone fairly. I tell my clients when they hire us, ‘our job is to not let my subcontractors take advantage of you, but our job is also to make sure that you don’t take advantage of our subcontractors.’ We kind of play that middle fair game and hopefully that always comes across. We are fair and honest, a hard-working group of people.”

As Zapalac/Reed enters the next 25 years in business, they seek to continue business as usual. “We’re riding the wave of this market. We’re really heavy in the industrial scene currently and we will see where this cycle take us. We’re not trying to take on every project out there. We’re just trying to have modest growth to take advantage of the times and continue to provide exceptional service and quality.”

Zapalac/Reed Construction, a is a derivative of E.E. Reed Construction, is a full-service general contractor in Bee Cave, TX. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Mario L. Carlin Management LLC

Student at drill rig

Student gets hands-on equipment training

Students learn surveying equipment

Carlin learned early on that concrete work wasn’t easy. He learned that while working with uncle and cousins, that is, when they weren’t visiting the donut shop and other eateries around town. In 2002, Carlin Contracting, now known as Mario L. Carlin Management LLC was established as a concrete contracting company in Round Rock.

“I started doing small patios and wheelbarrow jobs that nobody else wanted to do. They were mostly jobs that were labor intense. Gradually I worked my way up to doing commercial jobs. I started working with some general contractors that have been real good to me.

One of them is Jamal Smith. They are a company out of Houston. Greg Smith, the owner, gave me a lot of work. I’ve probably done 300 jobs with him over the last 20 years.”

Mario L. Carlin Management performs concrete flatwork, reinforced concrete, landscaping and construction related services for commercial and residential clients throughout the state of Texas. Many of their clients include retail chains, banks, government agencies, property owners of local and chain restaurants. “No job is too big or too

small,” says Carlin. “We perform a wide variety of services. I also have a real estate license. Sometimes I buy houses or work on properties and sell them. We do a lot of masonry and landscaping work. We do framing, carpentry, landscaping, irrigation, fencing, decking, roofing, masonry, power washing; whatever we need to do to work.

“I’m always telling my guys, ‘Whenever it’s cold and we can’t do concrete work, we’ve got to cut trees. Whenever roofing is strong, we’ve got to do roofing.

Whatever we got to do to make work, we’re going to. We’re not going to sit here and wait for the phone to ring.’“ Carlin celebrates 20 years in business and is grateful for his team of talented, versatile employees and his clients who have continued to support him. “I am nothing without them. My employees are the most hard-working and detail oriented group of men anyone could ask for. My customers are the best. They are the engine that keeps this machine going.”

Mario L. Carlin Management LLC is a Texas-owned concrete contracting, general construction and landscaping service company in Round Rock, TX. -cmw

continued from Page 1 — Are One Construction

Students receive PPE equipment

Women & clays

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Austin Chapter held their 2022 NAWIC Clay Shoot. The event was held at Reunion Ranch on Apr. 21. Congratulations to this year’s 2022 NAWIC Clay Shoot winners: 1st Place – Cherry Coatings; 2nd Place – Rosch and 3rd Place – Opifex. Pictured: Cherry Coatings. -cmw

Are One Homes LLC that’s waiting in the wings. I have four lots right now that I would like to build houses on. When those lots start being developed, Are One Homes will be created. That branch will be set off on its merry way to grow hopefully, and the commercial side will become its own entity. I will be training people to take over those positions and then I will become kind of an overseer of the companies.

Coming from Washington, Vito was used to extensive building codes. “Things were more stringent in Washington,” Vito explains. “They’re a little bit more relaxed down here. We still build to that higher standard that I’m accustomed to in Washington. There’s that saying, ‘do your best even when people aren’t looking.’ I fully embrace that and I teach that to my guys.

Sometimes it costs us more time, more money to process, but I sleep very soundly at night knowing that everything that we’ve done was done to the best of our abilities.”

Are One Construction’s client focus is apartment communities and property management companies doing exterior reclads, tenant improvements, and apartment renovations. Vito still likes to push a broom on all his job sites. He says it allows him to get his eyes on every part of the job. It’s that work ethic that has evolved Are One Construction into the construction company it is today and will be tomorrow. -cmw Are One Construction is a member of the National Association of Builders, the Texas Association of Builders, and the Home Builders Association of Austin. -cmw

Happy Mother’s Day Sunday, May 8

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Page 15

Dealt a winning hand

Memorial Day Honor and Remember

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Supernova Electric & Construction partners L-R: Arturo Silva and Fernando Pizano

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onstruction has always been in the cards for Arturo Silva. His passion to build led him to architecture.

While in Mexico, he earned a degree in architecture after graduation from Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura, Tecamachalco, IPN in 2007. With a desire to start his own construction company and to gain some on-hand construction experience, he went to work as a project manager supervisor for a local contractor.

He recently earned his specialization in bioclimatic architecture in 2021.

With 15 years of experience in creating architectural projects for the residential, luxury residential and government projects in Mexico and leading construction projects in Central Texas, Silva was ready to start his own company. He partnered with Fernando Pizano who has been working in the electrical trade for 25 years in Austin, Lake Travis, La Grange, San Antoni, Lago Vista, Burnet and Cen-

tral Texas doing residential and commercial projects.

Together, Silva and Pizano started Supernova Electric & Construction in 2021, offering a full line of construction services that include an in-house licensed electrician.

“With our combined experience,” says Silva, “we are working together to give better quality work on construction sights through organization and maximum efficiency.”

Supernova Electric & Construction is a general contractor with electrical experience. As the new kid on the block, they are currently working on residential work and gearing up for larger commercial projects which is their passion. The young twoman show is currently serving the Austin, Lake Travis and Lago Vista.

Supernova Electric & Construction is a general contracting/electrical company in Austin, TX. -cmw

t’ can be confusing what Memorial Day really means, especially when planning that backyard barbeque, going to the coast, etc., on that three-day weekend.

Memorial Day is an American holiday on the last Monday in May; this year, May 30. This day of observance is for honoring the men and women in the U.S. Military who died while serving in wars.

This day originated following the Civil War and officially became a federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe this day by visiting memorials, having family gatherings and participating in parades.

Although unofficial, it also marks the beginning of the summer season.

Did you know: Each year on Memorial Day, a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 pm local time?

Many confuse Memorial Day with

Veterans Day mainly because they both honor our military. Memorial is the key word for Memorial Day – remembrance of those who died in service to our country.

Veterans Day is honoring those Veterans who have served in the military and came home. We “thank them for their service.”

At Fort Sam National Cemetery, as with all national cemeteries around the country, American flags are placed on each and every gravesite. It can be breathtaking to see.

As for me on this Memorial Day, I will take a moment to think about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I will visit Fort Sam to see this spectacular sight and visit my own son’s gravesite, making sure his flag is standing tall. -rd

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Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Uptown ATX

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he construction of the $3 billion, 66acre master-planned neighborhood, Uptown ATX, is well underway! This mixed-use community will introduce nearly 7,000,000sf of workspace, multi-family, retail, hospitality, and a new Capital Metro Rail Station. The project, formerly referred to as Broadmoor and known for decades as “The IBM Campus,” will be the largest transit-oriented master-planned community in Austin. The first phase, One Uptown, a $328 million mixed-use project, is underway and is being developed by Brandywine Realty Trust in partnership with Canyon Partners Real Estate.

“We are delighted to begin realizing the ultimate vision for Uptown ATX – which will accelerate establishing this area as Austin’s second downtown. This community brings unmatched lifestyle and work experiences and is intentionally designed to prioritize bold architecture, community connections, greenspace, walkability, and mass transit access,” said Jerry Sweeney, President & CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust.

One Uptown is situated on five acres and will deliver 348,000sf of Class-A workspace, 341 apartment residences, 15,000sf of street-level retail, a six-story parking garage, and a public park. The 14-story office portion, being built by White Construction Company (WCC) and designed by Page Architects, includes workspaces with 13-ft floor-toceiling glass windows, flexible 44,000-sf floorplates, and an 8,000-sf lobby featuring a café with indoor and outdoor seating. The residential portion, also being built by WCC and designed by GFF Architects, includes expansive views with

Uptown ATX

floor-to-ceiling glass windows, private balconies, custom lighting, and high-end finishes. The elevated 35,000-sf amenity deck includes a resort-style pool, a 5,000sf club room, and a 3,100-sf fitness center for both residents and office workers to enjoy.

WCC Senior Vice President – Regional Director, Rob Baugher, elaborated, “Our 40-plus year history in Austin has allowed us to develop excellent relation-

ships with valued clients such as Brandywine Realty Trust.” He continued, “We’ve successfully delivered numerous projects with them in the past, and with construction well underway on the Uptown ATX projects, we proudly continue our working relationship to bring this mixed-use development to life.”

As master developer, Brandywine has assembled an award-winning team comprised of Trammell Crow Residential,

Page, GFF Architects, Lake|Flato Architects, Kimley-Horn, SWA/Balsley with Coleman & Associates – Landscape Architects, Lionheart Places, White Construction Company, Drenner Group, Blum Consulting Engineers, JLL, and CBRE help bring the Uptown ATX vision to life. The Austin-based JLL Capital Markets group facilitated the equity placement. -cmw

Uptown ATX under construction

White Construction Company (WCC) Austin, TX

Aerial view of Uptown ATX

Steck Condominium

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n 2018, when Bright Spot Painting was first introduced to the readers of Construction News, they were primarily just painters. Today, they routinely remodel homes and offices.

When Janette Chermely, owner of Bright Spot Painting and Vice President Zach Smith, son and partner, stepped into the newly acquired Steck Condo-

minium, their first impression was a blast from the past. “The first step inside takes you back to the 1980s, the sad, neglected ‘80s. The condo had honey oak cabinetry, vertical blinds and the former owner’s nicotine habit preserved forever in the carpeted bedrooms,” says Chermely.

As it happened, the new homeowner had a true gift for design and all Bright

Spot had to do was fulfill her vision of “clean, contemporary.”

To make the new owner’s vision a reality, they had to first remove the acoustic from the ceilings which appeared to lift the ceilings and brighten the rooms. The knocked-down texture of the walls was skimmed to a sleek level four finish, primed and painted with Sherwin Wil-

Dining room Steck Condominium living room

Kitchen

Bathroom

Hall, island and living areas

liams Alabaster ProMar 200 flat. SWP Extra White semi-gloss ProClassic was used for trim and doors. The ceilings were done with SWP Emminence, a paint intended for ceilings.

Bright Spot then transformed the dingy brick fireplace with a coat of Loxon primer and several coats of Sherwin Williams color Cyberspace, which certainly did the trick in bringing the fireplace back to life. The flooring was replaced with engineered floors. Charcoal hexagon tiles in the entry, kitchen and dining areas really defined those key areas.

Old appliances were removed old and the kitchen was demoed to bring the plumbing up to code. Electrical was ran for recessed lighting to fully capture the openness of the home.

The existing cabinets and furdown were removed to make room for IKEA cabinets rising to the ceiling. Butcher block countertops and an island were installed as well as a crisp white subway tiled backsplash. To complete the kitchen transformation, new appliances and vent hood were installed.

“Bathrooms, like kitchens, must be made up to code to accommodate today’s technology,” says Smith.

The hall and the primary suite bathrooms were demoed to allow the electricians and plumbers to do what they do.

Mirrors, lighting, bathtubs and showers were all replaced. “The tile in the owner’s suite is marvelous,” adds Smith. “The black fixtures and shower frames amid the extra white cabinets and alabaster walls gave it the contemporary look the owner was looking for. The results speak for themselves...another successful project.” -cmw Bright Spot Painting Austin, TX

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Page 17

What’s happening in trucks

Chevrolet Fleet Lineup

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he construction industry is dependent on trucks for most parts of their businesses. Ample supply of these vehicles has been strained recently and Construction News wanted to provide information to our readers of where we are headed in 2022 and beyond in this regard.

We spoke with Edward Munoz, Commercial Manager for Don Hewlett Chevrolet and Chris Mitchell, Commercial District Manager for General Motors Fleet to get a few answers.

STATE OF THE MARKET “In a nutshell, I would characterize the state of the market for construction vehicles as well as fleet vehicles, in general, as red hot and I don’t use those words lightly,” said Mitchell. I think it’s driven by the pent-up demand that we’ve seen in our industry. We’ve had inventory availability problems dating back to 2019. We’ve had a labor disruption, in 2020, we had the Coronavirus and then a microchip shortage last year.

“As the industry recovered from the pandemic, we saw an immediate uptick in demand and it continued unabated despite inventory shortages, not just for us, but the entire industry. Our inventories were pretty much decimated by the lack of microchips. Vehicles are one of the heaviest users of microchips with between 4000 to 8000 chips in every one of our vehicles.

“The demand from the commercial customers right now is even outpacing what we’re seeing from our retail customers. Great, great market,” concluded Mitchell.

“The Austin construction market is very busy,” stated Munoz. “We were told there are 43 permitted high rises for downtown. So that, along with the housing industry boom, and the labor shortage, make things a bit challenging.

“The truck shortage blindsided a large portion of the industry. People were used to coming in and buying trucks off the lot and that’s no longer the case. We are trying to communicate with our customers to explain to

them how the new process works. We communicate order deadlines and work with them to plan their fleet, so the downtime is minimal.”

“So that’s the conversation we’re having. The sooner we know that you need something, the sooner your name will be added to the list. It’s a challenge because a lot of people are not used to that business model.”

HELP FROM CHEVROLET Mitchell says Chevy is working in many ways to help the current supply shortage.

“Up in Detroit, teams of our global purchasing organization literally work 24 hours a day on the supply chain, making sure we have as many chips as we need which is a challenge, because the producers of the chips have been challenged. I would tell you that given the shortage, we made a strategic decision to prioritize production of our trucks. In the 2021 calendar year, we experienced very little downtime with our light duty and heavy-duty truck lines. We gave up production of crossover and other popular products in our lineup to prioritize those trucks.

“Another thing we specifically did at Chevrolet was to reopen one of our assembly plants in Canada. It was one of the fastest re-toolings in our history. We were able to open it in late 2021 and have gone through a great acceleration in production with two shifts right now, and a third planned in May.” COMING CHANGES “So, it’s a very exciting future,” says Mitchell. “You know, if you go out and look at what’s available to purchase today, from an electric standpoint or hydrogen standpoint, it’s very slim pickings. About a year from now though, we will start production of the all-new Silverado EV. “With the Silverado, we’re really focusing on work truck customers. In fact, when we start producing all electric trucks, the first several months of production

L-R : Chris Mitchell, Commercial District Manager for General Motors Fleet, Edward Munoz, Commercial Manager Don Hewlett Chevrolet

are going to be dedicated to the work truck version, specifically going to large fleet customers because of the demand to transition to all electric vehicles.

“A lot of companies are very interested in quickly getting on the map in terms of what they’re doing from a sustainability standpoint, we would like to give them an opportunity to promote their transition to EVs .

“There are a lot of questions surrounding EVs, including cost, payload and range“, says Munoz. “Our customers don’t have all the facts. They can just see the narrative starting to shift to electric. With the recent spike in fuels though, they’re thinking maybe this is a possible solution.”

IN CONCLUSION “I would just say that we’re very optimistic about 2022 and beyond,” stated Mitchell. “We have an aggressive ramp up, particularly in the second half of this year in our production capability. So, we know that we’re going to sell every vehicle that we produce, and we’ll be able to satisfy a lot more customer demands this year than in the last so we’re excited about it.”

Munoz also says his dealership sees lots of good things coming. “We have a program that we are unveiling, a fleet cycling program, to help fleet owners and managers better control their vehicle needs. The program provides them with a better understanding of their fleets so they can plan accordingly. Most fleet managers will allow their vehicles to run until they die. We have a preservation program available that helps managers look at real costs and provides an understanding of when to cycle these vehicles out.”

Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick is one of the largest Chevrolet dealerships in Texas. The business, which began in Georgetown in 1971 as a Chevrolet, Buick and Oldsmobile dealership has steadily grown to nearly 300 employees. -bd

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Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

Build expo

he Palmer Events Center was filled with exhibitors and expo-goers at Austin’s largest building and construction show Apr. 12-14. Attendees met with over 115 exhibitors, learned about thousands of products and services, and attended more than 35 expert industry-related seminars and workshops – all free of charge. -cmw

Austin Construction News • MAY 2022

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Page 19

Barbeque, chili & OSHA

he Central Texas Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) hosted the ABC Central Texas/OSHA Partnership BBQ/Chili Cook-off on Mar. 25. The event was held at the VFW Post 8787 for a truly successful event. -cmw ABC/OSHA Partnership cook-off winners: 1st Place Dessert: Bergelectric 2nd Place Dessert: TDIndustries 3rd Place Dessert: Rogers-O’Brien Construction

It’s only a paper moon

3rd Place Beans: Trade Management 1st Place Chili: Bergelectric 2nd Place Chili: Turner Construction 3rd Place Chili: American Constructors 1st Place Chicken: Harvey-Cleary Builders 2nd Place Chicken: White Cap 3rd Place Chicken: Rogers-O’Brien Construction 1st Place Ribs: White Cap 2nd Place Ribs: Harvey-Cleary Builders 3rd Place Ribs: TDIndustries

1st Place Beans: Biggs Plumbing 2nd Place Beans: Rogers-O’Brien Construction

W Bergelectric

Harvey-Cleary Builders

Biggs Plumbing

White Cap 1 Bergelectric

Paper Moon Painting team members

hile in high school, trying to make some extra money, Peter Moon began hanging wallpaper as an afterschool job. That afterschool job became a career. For almost 10 years, Moon continued hanging paper with the assistance of one helper.

Peter met his wife Lisa Moon while installing wallpaper on a job. Lisa, a faux finisher, was doing some glazing. The two came together and realized that they could incorporate their skills into a joint business with long-term sustainability and Paper Moon Painting was established.

Together, Peter and Lisa have over 40 years of collective experience in a wide range of services: interior painting, exterior painting, wallpaper installation and removal, plaster finishes, cabinet painting, cabinet glazing and color consulting.

“Cabinet finishes is one of our differentiators. No everyone can do cabinets. Cabinets have to be sprayed. We use lacquer,” Lisa explains.

“We take pride in our work. We care as much about the beauty of someone’s

home as they do. We will happily talk someone out of painting if it’s something that is not the best design or decision. A lot of times when people buy a house, they want to repaint. They often pay for everything. They don’t realize that painting the trim, baseboards, the crown molding or the closet shelves is a huge chunk of that. If they’re already in great condition and a nice pleasing off white as a customer likes, we’ll talk about not doing that part, focusing money where it is needed, which is changing the walls. We really do care about aesthetics. We’re not order takers. We have several trained color consultants in house that we send when a customer needs help with paint color, especially with cabinets. Redoing cabinets is not as simple as repainting a room if you get the color wrong. You really don’t want to make mistakes. We really think that aesthetics and the environment that you live and work in affects your quality of life. So we want it to be beautiful.”

Paper Moon Painting is located in San Antonio and Austin. -cmw

Engineering excellence

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ince 1975, the Engineering Excellence Awards competition has been held by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Texas to honor and recognize outstanding achievements within the engineering community. The 2022 Engineering Excellence Awards Gala was held on Mar. 28 at Hyatt Hill Country Resort.

The panel of distinguished judges from around the state recognized 13 Gold Medal and 5 Silver Medal winning projects from 35 entries based on uniqueness, originality, technical, and value to the engineering profession, complexity and how successfully the project met the needs of the client. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskins Photography. -cmw

Studies, Research & Consulting Engineering Services: Halff Associates - City of Fort Worth, Halff Associates, City of Fort Worth Storm Drain Rehabilitation Program

Building/Technology Systems: Freese and Nichols – Texas Military Department, Camp Mabry Building 1 Historical Renovation

Structural Systems: Walter P Moore - HKS, Globe Life Field

Surveying & Mapping: Halff Associates – TxDOT El Paso, I-10 Bridge Modeling & Construction Verification

Small Projects: BGE Inc. – TxDOT, IH 635 Dallas North Tollway Split Diamond Traffic Signal Design

Industrial: Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. – Gulf Coast Water Authority, Joseph A. Willhelm Industrial Pump Station

Water Resources: Huitt-Zollars – City of University Park, Caruth Park Underground Detention Storage

Special Projects: Walter P. Moore – West 8, Houston Botanical Garden

Transportation: Huitt- Zollars – Captial Metro, North Operations Battery Electric Bus

Environmental: Parkhill – City of Big Spring, Big Sandy Landfill

Water & Wastewater: Pape-Dawson Engineers – Central Texas Regional Water Supply Corp., Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply

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Austin Construction News • MAY 2022