Tactics to Protect Your Construction Business

Have a series of these completed and on hand when OSHA comes snooping around. Show that you are serious about safety.

If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen. Nothing is more effective at answering vague accusations than a written record of what happened on the jobsite day-by-day.

Get all the important jobsite information gathered into one location on your jobsite. The Job Board is the answer for jobsite communication.

When all the information relating to a project is gathered in one place in your office, you can sleep better knowing that the details are handled. The Job Binder is a low-cost, efficient way to accomplish that task.

Shorten up the permit issue lag by having everything you need in the first permit submission. This comprehensive, editable checklist can save you time, save you money, and help your processes be more professional.

This lesson contains a list of the business considerations you should include in your contracting package.

Acquiring this booklet from the NAHB will be some of the smartest risk management money you ever spent. learn how to use the booklet in this lesson.

If you build spec, and wind up selling the project before completion, this document provides reminders of some important considerations in the transaction. Selling a spec project is good, selling it smart is better.

Use the Initial Specifications document to establish and document the baseline materials list from which you develop your proposal. Eliminate the confusion your clients might have about what is or is not a change to their contract.

How to actually complete and use the Initial Specifications document.

An alternative Initial Specifications form. Not as comprehensive as the Initial Specifications document, but it is more visual. You can also use this form as a training tool for the Client.

Here are five of the most important documents in the Builder Academy library. The Confirmation of Instructions, Notice of Completion, Draw Request, Delay Notice and Restart Notice are key to controlling your client relationship. Failure to use these documents could put your business at risk.

Clarify what the Buyer wants. Inform the Buyer of the effects of changes on the finances and the schedule for the project. The Confirmation of Instructions is the document to accomplish these important tasks.

A series of mini-punchlists and signed acceptances is far superior to the usual practice of the final walkthrough. See how to use this document to move the project along and protect your company at the same time.

This draw request contains all the information the Buyer and the Lender will need to make payment. Speed the draw payment up with this document.

If you are going to stop production on a project, you must document why, provide remedies for the problem, and explain the impact on the schedule of the decision. This document provides that information to the client and for your records.

The Restart Notice documents the remedies that offset the Delay Notice and, importantly, document the effect on the building schedule. Like peanut butter and jelly, the two documents have to work together.

One of the biggest frustrations and largest source of profit slippage is dealing with subs who aren’t on the same track as you. Use the Terms and Conditions, Scope of Work, Work Order, and Inspection Report to get the results you want at the jobsite. Control jobsite quality and profit slippage with these documents.

If you want to be a member of my team, this is how you will conduct yourself.

If you want to work on my project, this is how you will build it.

If you do what I need done, this is how much you will be paid.

If you have done it the way I want it done, I’ll pay you.

A major portion of the risk you face comes from the work of your subcontractors. Your insurance carrier requires that you monitor the insurance coverages of your subs. Quickbooks has an easy way to do that built into the platform. Here is how to set up and use that feature.