Let's Blog Construction

Back from World of Concrete

We had a long day yesterday at the World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, but we're back in action Thursday! It was a very rewarding trip. We got to talk to a lot of our current partners, including Diamond Products, Bartell Morrison, Husqvarna, IMER, BNC Rebar, Benner Nawman, Dee Concrete, Wacker, Airplaco, EDCO, Construction Electrical Products, AGL, ICS, and many others.  We also had a chance to check out new products, categories, and manufacturers within the industry. Over the next week or so, I'll be highlighting what we uncovered in more detail.  In the meantime, I took quite a few pictures and some videos of the various booths and products, they're displayed below. 

 The New Diamond Products Electric Indoor Floor Saw - When you remove the motor and blade guard, the unit only weighs 75 lbs., perfect for moving downstairs when cutting in a basement

Gomaco Machinery, some pretty large equipment!

The SANY booth was impressively large, here's a picture of one of the Trucks they brought along.

 At this booth, they converted a Bulldozer to a 20 seat Theater displaying products.

 The Hilti Booth outside was a big hit.

Husqvarna had an indoor and outdoor booth, this was their sawing demonstration area.
 

 
Dee Concrete Forms' Booth displayed all the forms that are available. 

Need a huge Masonry Saw?  IMER's got what you're looking for!

The Remote controlled backhoe and demolition unit from Husqvarna.  I'd love to play with this bad boy. 

I got the chance to operate a small ride-on Power Trowel from Bartell Morrison at the show.

Some Guidelines for Building ADA Accessible Curb Ramps

As a part of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, there are certain specifications and requirements that curbs and ramps must meet in order to meet code standards.  Below, I discuss the different elements of these standards and the specs that they must meet.

ADA Accessible ramps must be provided wherever a curb meets an accessible route. Accessible routes are qualified as having a minimum 36 inch clearance. The slope of the ramp must be built with the least possible incline to allow for easier accessibility to all users, with a 1:2 slope being the maximum slope. The sides of a curb ramp must have flared sides if it is located where pedestrians are able to walk across the ramp or if it is not protected by hand or guardrails; the maximum slop of a flare is to be no more than 1:10.

Built-up curb ramps should be built so that they do not protrude into vehicular lanes of traffic, cars, bikes, or otherwise. Accessible ramps need to be located or protected to ensure they cannot be blocked by vehicles parking or driving. Any raised islands within a crosswalk must be accessible through installed ramps, the island must have at least 48 inches of clear space available for pedestrians in the area of the island intersected be the crosswalk.

The surface of ADA accessible ramps must be stable, firm, and slip resistant. If the surface of the ramp is separate from the concrete surface, it may be up to .25" above the ramp without edge treatment. For surfaces more than .25" vertical above the ramp must be beveled to accommodate access.  Detectable warnings should be used to ensure safety.  Detectable warnings are surfaces with raised truncated domes which must contrast visually with the adjoining surfaces (typically concrete). The detectable warning must extend the full width and depth of the curb ramp.

These are most of the required specifications of ADA accessible curb ramps, however, it would be wise to check the Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 144, pages 35632-35633 for in depth descriptions and exact measurements for requirements.  If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.

Small Construction Business: Marketing in a Down Economy

So the busy season has gotten well underway, but the market is still struggling.  Have you thought about how you can set your business apart from others within the industry?  Well you should!  In an economy that continues to struggle, creating differences between you and your competitors (at least in the eyes of your customers) can be what keeps you making money and even growing.

First, focus on your brand.  Put your efforts into ramping up recognition and customer retention by associating everything you do best with your brand; in particular, highlight processes and skills you have that your competitors don't, this will give you an edge within your niche market.  Remember, you will benefit most from upholding your talk with your walk. Try not to promise your customers something that you cannot provide on a regular basis at a high quality.

Uphold your brand's position by encouraging employees to be involved in the molding and direction of your company.  There's nothing better for your brand than an employee that feels as strongly about the business as its owners.  By keeping them involved, they can become advocates to your brand and promote the business in more ways than traditional marketing is capable of.

Finally, don't be afraid to utilize online mediums.  At the very least, your business should have a website to allow customers to review your mission statement, find your location, see some of the projects you're working on, and to collect leads (either by phone or online form).  Use forums, blogs, and customer review websites to give your brand more credibility online.  

If you have any questions or ideas to add, please leave a comment below!