June - Construction News

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
P.O. Box 791290
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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 13
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Number 6
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JUNE 2013
Keeping Texas floored
Great wide open
Pictured with President and CEO Bill Imhoff, far left, is the Intertech Flooring Austin team
Superintendent Larry Kean, his wife Patty, Laura Buchanan and Grant Buchanan
enjoy a night at a car racing event in Kyle, Texas.
“I
once had a boss who told me, “You
are either moving forward or backward, you are never standing still’,”
said President and CEO Bill Imhoff, Intertech Flooring. “That is not a bad way to
think about your business, or your life, for
that matter. “
Imhoff says he often thinks back on
that advice he received as a young professional.
“We are celebrating our 25-year anniversary this year,” he said. “We started
out as a forced opportunity. A group of
15 of us were working for another floor
covering dealer that went out of business.
This was during the Texas depression in
the late ‘80s.
“We had some very challenging early
days. We started with a 15 employees
and now we have 150 employees.”
According to Imhoff, the keys to staying in business for 25 years are to treat
your people the way you want to be
treated, be ethical in all your dealings, be
honest with your customers and deliver
the best product you can deliver.
Imhoff says on the side he likes to go
hunting and fishing when he gets the
chance. He enjoys spending time with
his children in all their activities.
“In the fall season we have an annual
company hunt where we have more than
100 hunters go dove hunting in Ulvade,
P
resident and Owner Grant Buchanan formed 6th Street Construction LLC four years ago. He
has a background in ground-up construction and restaurant remodeling.
Buchanan opened the drywall division 6th Street Drywall LLC a year ago.
“I started out sharing a conference
table courtesy of a customer I used to do
a lot of work for,” Buchanan said. “The
conference table was my office for a short
amount of time.
“Now we have our own office in Austin, TX and we currently have 15 employees. We have grown and we are continuing to expand. We have good prospects
on the horizon.
continued on Page 16
“In addition, we recently became a
licensed contractor in the state of Louisiana.”
According to Buchanan he has
worked in the Austin construction industry for more than 20 years.
“I have always enjoyed creating,” he
said. “It is very rewarding to physically
create something new and to stand back
at the end of the day and see how a project has progressed since the architectural conception.“
The folks at 6th Street Construction
and 6th Street Drywall like to go fishing
and spend time in the great outdoors
when they aren’t working during the
week.
The art of construction
T
he University of Texas System
brought the SpawGlass and Overland Partners Architects team on
board to construct the recently completed University of Texas at Austin Liberal
Arts Building (LAB) Phase II project, after
the firms completed the Student Activity
Center (SAC) project.
"In keeping the same team from SAC
for LAB Phase II, our expectations and
goals were already aligned," said Senior
Superintendent Eric Kennedy. "We knew
we could accomplish great things once
again because we were really just building on the trust we had already gained."
Kennedy says the new, six-level LAB
houses a student center, classrooms,
study spaces and labs. The building
serves as a central location for the College of Liberal Arts.
“Previously, the college's 24 academic departments and 600-plus faculty
members were spread across 30 build-
ings on campus,” Kennedy said. “A sky
bridge connecting the LAB to the SAC
and matching combination Texas Cordova cream limestone/Texas fossil shell
limestone, Chinese basalt tile and French
zinc metal panel cladding give the buildings a consistent, natural look and feel.
“Not only is the LAB designed to be
functional and comfortable, it's ecofriendly, too. The building is slated to follow in the SAC's footsteps and obtain
LEED Gold certification.
“Sustainable features in the 203,547sf
facility include reclaimed water, solar
pre-heated hot water panels, chilled
beams, demountable partitions and individual environmental controls.”
Taking an "outside the box" approach to preconstruction and construction, Kennedy says Building Information
Modeling (BIM) Coordinators Mike Sanford and Mayur Sethi pioneered and
The LAB Phase II interior at the University of Texas at Austin
Page 2
Austin Construction News • Jun 2013
Saying thank you
B
L-R: Galen Whisnand, Brad Gray, James Giddens and Mason Giddens,
Giddens Development and Myles Dance, Buffalo Framing & Truss
uffalo Framing & Truss held its 4th
Annual Customer Appreciation at
the Pflugerville, TX office Apr. 25.
Magen Harrison, project coordinator, says the 85 people attended the
event. Folks enjoyed barbecue, a horseshoe tournament and raffle prizes including golf packages, fishing trips, tools and
gift cards.
Buffalo Framing & Truss is a framing
and truss company. –ab
Construction News ON LOCATION
Powering up
L-R: Product Managers Sam Lynch and Rick Pereyda have a productive day at
Parker Electric. The electrical contracting company was established in 1982. –ab
Right on time
L-R: Jake Glidewell, Grand Haven and Colely
Thompson and Gilbert Loredo, Buffalo
Framing & Truss participate in the horseshoe
tournament.
Project Manager Kevin Billings arrives at the BCS Concrete Structures office
in Buda, TX after spending the day in the field. –ab
The Buffalo Framing & Truss staff serves
barbecue.
L-R: Shawn Jeffcoat, Grand Haven and John
Holloway, Buffalo Framing & Truss
Submitted to Construction News
Historic transformation
editions can be
Did you Pastdownloaded
at
know? www.ConstructionNews.net
A groundbreaking event and site tour took place at the soon-to-be renovated
iconic structure – Seaholm Power Plant in Austin May 6. Flintco LLC is the GC
and the design team is STG Design. –ab
Stucco & EIFS Products • Custom Color Matching
Cement, Lath & Trim Products
conveniently located to service Austin and San Antonio
23703 IH-35, #101B Kyle, TX 78640
512.268.5600
Page 3
Bugs and brisket galore
Classic concentration
Cathy Shearer works in the shipping department
at Patton Cabinet Doors in Austin. –ab
Austin
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Austin Editor — Abby BeMent — [email protected] — 713-599-1774
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler
Editorial/Production . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler
Production Manager . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson
Sales Representatives . . . . . . . Leila Gonzales
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kent Gerstner
Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Hughes
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©2013 Construction News, Ltd.
L-R: Tony Manti, John Torrance, Marvin Dworaczyk, Ryan Cole,
Matt Belew (Skinny), Mike Kanetzky and Lee Peterman
I
t was a spring fling of food and fun for
the whole family at Mike and the Boys
16th Annual Crawfish Boil and Barbecue May 11.
ELK Electric held the event. Attendees enjoyed live music, a washer tournament, face painting and piñatas for the
kids.
“We welcomed 300 to 500 people
throughout the afternoon and evening,”
said President Mike Kanetzky, ELK Electric. “We served 500 lbs. of crawfish and
250 lbs. of brisket. We had great support
from Crawford Electric, Elliott Electric,
Graybar Electric, CED, Legacy Lighting,
Vaquero Waste and Paqui Tortillas.
“For the last five years we have taken
donations to help with our friend’s Leukemia treatment expenses.” –ab
Judy Mac, ELK Electric and
JT, Crawford Electric
Page 4
Nick Page, Owner
Nick’s Bricks Masonry Inc.
W
ith over 35 years experience in
Austin and in Central Texas, Nick
Page has seen the ups and
downs, and has ridden them all.
“When I started venturing out on my
own, I vowed to work as hard as I could to
master the craft,” Page said. “ I wanted to
make every day a learning experience.”
During the 1980's, Page says he was
fortunate to work as a crew foreman for a
large Austin area masonry company, doing everything from fireplaces to jails.
In 1993, Page established Nick’s
Bricks Masonry after he completed a degree in Construction Management from
Austin Community College (ACC). The
company is celebrating its 20-year anniversary this summer.
Nick’s Bricks Masonry provides light
commercial brick, stone, CMU, and stucco, residential and commercial remodeling, masonry repairs, hardscaping, glass
block, tile, brick staining and masonry
cleaning, sealing and restoration.
Where were you born and raised,
Nick?
I am originally from Hillsboro, TX,
which is north of Waco.
What was your very first job?
I mowed yards when I was a teenager. I also worked as a helper for Big Red
Bottling Co. I worked with the driver. I
helped him move Big Red cases into various general stores around the area.
Where did you go to high school?
I attended Hillsboro High School. In
1973, before my senior year, I transferred
to Dallas Skyline High School to get into
the Masonry Trades Department. It was a
first class vocational training for all the
construction trades and the school offered quite a number of other vocational
career training paths. During my apprenticeship, a true craftsman trained
me. He was one of the best masons I
have ever seen. I graduated in 1974.
The school owned property in a
nearby subdivision where the classes
built houses. It was hands-on training
and a lot of in depth, technical classroom
learning. It was a good place for me to
land.
My teacher was also the instructor
for the masonry union apprenticeship
program. So, after graduation, I continued my apprenticeship in the same classroom with the same teacher three nights
a week. They had great training. In 1979
I came to Austin and I have been here
ever since.
What sparked your interest to get into
the trade?
When I was a kid, my dad brought
home solid antique bricks that came
from a church that was being remodeled.
He acquired the bricks and he put them
in our backyard and never actually used
them.
The bricks were basically Legos for
me. My friends and I would make a tent
and build a brick sidewalk through it.
When we were finished with that project,
we would tear it all apart and a few weeks
later we would build something else.
When I was older, I remember seeing
masons doing work on a ranch house.
They were doing artisticly detailed spiral
columns using brick. I was amazed at the
craftsmanship. I was bold enough to ask
them how much they made for a living. It
was good money compared to minimum
wage at the time. I realized I wanted to
go to work in the masonry trade. I became interested in masonry because of
the techniques and the artistic factor. I
didn’t know anything about the business
at first. That came later.
So, I latched on to the masonry trade
and I wanted to learn everything that I
possibly could. It turned out there was a
lot to absorb. It was a challenging trade
to master.
I always admired the old buildings
around town. Subconsciously, I didn’t
pay much attention to it, until years later
when it came back to me and I thought
masonry was a real art. I told my parents
I wanted to learn it correctly. I wanted to
get formal training.
What did your parents do for a living?
My dad was in the newspaper business in Hillsboro. He mainly wrote high
school sports articles.
My mother commuted to Dallas for
her job at a bank. She rode a commuter
bus to the city during the week.
My mom and dad both had a good
work ethic. They were very supportive
when I decided I wanted to work in the
masonry trade. The move to Dallas actually made it easier on my Mom and my
Dad could come back for the Friday night
football games. Both of my parents went
to college, but they didn’t push it on me.
I was really happy the way it turned out.
Did you have a mentor along the way?
Yes. Certainly my apprenticeship
teacher, Val Freeman. He was a funny guy
and made you want to learn. And also,
my boss at CD Lonestar Masonry, Chris
Toth. He is still a friend of mine and gave
me my first shot. I worked at his company all through the ‘80s. I think the world
of Chris and his wife, Donna. He gave me
a chance and I learned a lot.
What made you want to go back to
school in the ‘80’s?
There was a slowdown in the late
80’s and I found out about an Associate’s
Degree in Construction Management at
ACC. I worked and went to school at the
same time, taking night classes. Once I
graduated, ACC hired me as a part-time
teacher for the masonry class. The previous teacher had retired a few years earlier
and the head of the department asked
me to come on board. I taught for about
10 semesters. In the early ‘90s I landed a
job at Bergstrom Air Force Base for a general contractor using my Construction
Management degree and then spent
time with a GC working at Motorola, Oak
Hill. This was the bridge that led me to
starting my own business.
What advice would you give a young
person who wants to do what you do
today?
I’d say tough it out and don’t expect
things to be easy. You might be stuck out
there working in the rain and you will
definitely be out there in the cold and the
heat. That is construction. You don’t get
L-R: Nick and Evelyn Page
40 hours every week and you don’t get
pay raises whenever you want.
As we move forward in the future,
we need doctors, lawyers and teachers
but those doctors, lawyers and teachers
need buildings to work in. Engineers and
architects need skilled tradesmen to execute their designs. I’m a big advocate
for vocational training at the high school
and junior college levels.
When I taught masonry classes at
ACC I told the students, “You might be a
ditch digger today but if you put your
mind to it someday you may own the
equipment that digs those ditches and
you may even own the ditch.”
What were the early days like at Nick’s
Bricks Masonry, Inc.?
In the beginning, I had a pager but
no phone in the field. I was just a oneman show at first.
I started out installing a lot of glass
block. A supplier told me there was a big
demand for that but very few people
knew how to install it. At first it was glass
block showers and windows in large custom homes and it was a real good market
for us.
A couple of years into it, my wife, Evelyn, came to work with me and handled
the office side of things. She helped me
out with the glass block work as well. Evelyn has been a major part of the continued growth and success of the company.
I eventually hired more help because
I couldn’t do it all by myself, like I thought
I could. This put us into the light commercial and industrial phase of the business.
In your opinion, what does it take to
stay in business for 20 years?
This is all I ever wanted to do. As with
so many others in the industry, things got
tough for the last two or three years.
I have faith in God, that he led me to
the masonry trade. I have never regretted
being a mason. I can’t think of anything
that I would rather do or be better at.
You just tough it out. Sometimes all
you can do is just put one foot in front of
the other. You have to get up in the
morning and figure out that day. With a
supportive wife, the way Evelyn is, we are
in it together.
It’s also important to be a part of a
trade organization where you can
bounce ideas around and learn from other people in the business. I am in the
Central Texas Masonry Contractors’ Association (CTMCA). In previous years I have
served as President and Evelyn has
served in various positions. I dropped
out for a while but realized that these
competitors and suppliers had become
www.constructionnews.net
publishing the industry’s news
my good friends. I missed that companionship so I recently rejoined.
Where did you and Evelyn meet?
Evelyn and I both went to Hyde Park
Baptist Church at the time. We met at a
church camp one year. It was love at first
sight and we were married in 1985.
What other interests does Evelyn enjoy?
In January 2010, following in her
Aunt Helen's footsteps of eldercare, Evelyn started Evelyn Cares, a personal caregiving service. Recognizing that dementia is a disease that affects the whole family, her primary focus is companionship
for Alzheimer/Dementia clients living in
the family home.
Evelyn is also a singer and among
other venues, she is a part of a non-profit
organization called Swan Songs. Established by Christine Albert, a well-known
singer-songwriter in Austin, Swan Songs
fulfills musical wishes at the end of life by
organizing private concerts for individuals with a terminal illness. At their request, a favorite style of music or musician is brought directly to the home or
facility. The concert allows patient, family
and friends to focus beyond the illness
and come together through the medium
of music. Evelyn sings acapella hymns
and Gospel songs and has enjoyed being
a part of the organization for many years.
This organization runs on donations and
anyone can go to their website, swansongs.org, for more information.
What are a few of your favorite hobbies?
I am a songwriter and I have been
writing songs for 30 years. I have a new
album coming out with some very fine
musicians backing me up.
When Evelyn and I get home in Liberty Hill that is our little world out there
and we don’t really need to go anywhere
else. We host monthly house concerts
where our professional songwriter friends
come out and perform. We can get about
30 people in our living room. Anyone
wanting more information can contact us
at [email protected].
If we travelled anywhere it would be
to Santa Fe, NM. We love it there. It is a
nice relaxing place to go. If you go the
right time of year, you get just enough
snow to get a taste of it.
What are your future plans for the
company?
We are going to keep on truckin’. We
have a new website, nicksbricks.com, and
I traded the pager in for an iPhone – I’m
ready for the next 20 years! –ab
Texas
Style
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San Antonio
Austin
Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston
South Texas
Page 5
The Hull enchilada
H
Good estimate
An instructor answers questions about doors and veneers.
ull Supply Co. Inc. hosted a Customer Appreciation Fiesta event
at the Austin Crowne Plaza May 2.
The event featured lunch, classes and a
trade show.
Emily Merritt, accounting director,
says about 400 guests attended, with every facet of construction professionals
represented, including architects, general contractors, maintenance engineers,
building owners, project managers and
field installers.
“Education and training opportunities were the focus at this event,” Merritt
said. “This year there were 24 classes in
five classrooms covering topics ranging
from codes, access controls and networks, specialized hardware, restroom
materials, doors and veneers, frame systems, and advanced installation and adjustment of materials and systems.
“To keep everyone informed of the
newest technology and materials, manufacturers exhibited items at the trade
show. A mobile showroom offered a
'see-it-in-action' overview of access con-
trol options.
“In addition, Stanley, rolled out the
Stanley #9 NASCAR under the portico,
just for fun.”
Hull Supply fabricates and distributes
and supplies metal doors, frames, wood
doors, and hardware for doors both commercial and residential. –ab
1405 E. Riverside Drive
Austin, TX 78741
800-365-6065 512-447-7773
6609 Blanco Road, Suite 135
San Antonio, TX 78216
800-365-6065 210-342-9451
John Schuler • Tom Mulanax
Steve Smith • Travis Kelley
Walter Benson • Tom Brewka
www.timeinsurance.com
The trade show
Christy and Jason Duke enjoy the scenery in Hawaii after a friend’s wedding.
ounder and Owner Jason Duke,
AllStar Stained Concrete, says he is
from a small East Texas town. After
moving to Austin in 1997, getting his real
estate license, and starting another small
business, Duke found the world of concrete.
“I became fascinated by the process
of staining concrete and began researching how to do it for myself,” he said. “Together with my wife Christy, office manager, we cleaned and stained the concrete floor of the small retail shop we
owned in Wimberley, TX. I started AllStar
Stained Concrete in 2005.
“While she has always been an integral part of the company, Christy officially
came on board in 2011. Never dreaming
she would be doing paperwork or construction, she jumped in whole heartedly
to help organize and manage the company.
L-R: Justin Walker, estimator and project manager and Chase McNeil,
estimator and project manager, work on a bid at Marek Brothers Systems Inc.
in Buda, TX. –ab
Specializing in Surety and Insurance programs
for all facets of the Construction Industry
Concrete stars
F
“Bringing the strength of her love for
people and ability to get things done,
Christy manages all new accounts as well
as human resources and administrative
duties. Christy is a native Austinite and
she and I have four children.”
Duke says his brother-in-law, Mayo
Wagner, is the estimator at the company.
“When we aren’t at work, we love
spending time with our family on the local lakes,” Duke said. “We live near a lake
so we love to go boating on the weekends.
“In addition, I like to play baseball on
a recreational team after work just for fun
and exercise.”
AllStar Stained Concrete provides polished concrete, concrete coatings, restoration and project consulting services. The
company works on projects in Greater Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Central Texas areas. –ab
Page 6
Repairs or capital improvements
and their effects on taxes
Ginny Horrell, Auditor
Armstrong, Vaughan and Associates P.C.
Universal City, TX
Penny wise, pound foolish
Jeff Norwood, Executive Vice President
The Insurance Network of Texas
Temple, TX
I
s a little saved premium now worth putting employees
and a business at risk?
R
epairs and capital improvements can have a significant impact on your tax liability. Repairs are expensed immediately, creating a tax deduction for a
company, while capital improvements increase longterm assets and are depreciated over the life of the improvement. Capital improvements have a more subtle effect on taxes as the tax deduction is spread over several years, however it can be more advantageous for a company to classify the costs as repairs.
Because determining the difference between repairs and capital improvements
has historically been difficult, the Internal
Revenue Service has provided additional
guidance published in Treasury Decision
9564 (Federal Register, Volume 76, Number 248) to provide better clarification.
Under the IRS guidelines, repairs and
maintenance for performance of routine
costs such as inspection, cleaning, testing, and replacing of parts performed on
a regular basis are fully deductible as an
expense. Conversely, repairs must be
classified as capital improvements deductible over several years when the expense significantly extends the existing
useful life of an asset.
Classification of expenses as repairs per
IRS rules must meet specific criteria. To
determine the allowable deduction for
repairs, the IRS considers routine maintenance and repairs deductible if the repairs and maintenance are expected to
be performed more than once over the
life of an asset. For example, periodic service, such as oil changes or tune-ups on
existing capital equipment, qualifies as
repairs under the new IRS guidelines.
Conversely, IRS rules consider expenses
as a capital improvement if the expense
results in the betterment, restoration, or
adaptation of the capital asset. Capital
improvements typically will take an existing asset and significantly extend the
useful life.
To better understand capital improvements, we must look at the ways an asset’s useful life is extended. Betterment
of an asset generally entails the correction of a material defect or expansion of
existing asset to increase the capacity
productivity, efficiency, strength, or quality of the asset. Restoration is defined as
returning the asset to its efficient operating condition after losing functionality.
Adaptation of an asset requires adjustments made to the original asset for a
new or different use.
Under these IRS guidelines, replacement
of an engine on equipment to return the
equipment to working order qualifies as
a capital improvement. Further, rebuilding an engine component, such as a
transmission also qualifies as a capital improvement under the new IRS rules.
Even with the IRS guidelines, the difference between repairs or capital improvements remains open to interpretation.
Many costs qualify as both repairs and
capital improvements. In those cases, it
is important to carefully interpret the
classification of the costs. While making
your determination, consider the different effects of the timing of the tax deduction for repair versus capital improvements.
Although classification of repairs or capital improvements can be difficult, utilizing the IRS guidelines can assist the company in its tax planning. Properly classification of costs can assist a company in
determining their tax deductions and in
turn the tax liabilities, for the current tax
year as well as future years.
Ginny Horrell is an auditor for Armstrong,
Vaughan, and Associates P.C. and focuses
on providing auditing services for Construction Companies, Local Governments, and
Not-for-Profit entities. She has been with
the firm for four years, having spent seven
years before as an accounting manager
and controller of mid-size corporations.
She can be reached at (210) 658-6229.
Fifteen years ago, I was reviewing a workers’ compensation proposal with one of the principals of my agency. I
had been to class and even written some business, so I “knew all about workers’ comp.”
Less than 2 minutes into the review, he handed the proposal back to me and asked,
“Why have you excluded the owner?” The reason was simple: the current policy excluded him, and most owners do exclude themselves.
I couldn’t believe he was asking me this.
Then he asked if in the event of a horrible
accident, if I wanted to explain to the
owner’s spouse why I had excluded him
from the policy. “To save a few hundred
dollars a year in premium,” is not a good
answer. The premiums saved are not
worth the risk to the business, the owner
or their family. Unfortunately, the fact is
that this is the reality on too many workers’ compensation policies.
Many owners exclude themselves as a
way to save premium dollars. However,
one of the first things to understand is
that owners, partners, and executive officers will not all be under the same class
code, thus costs can vary for each. How a
business is legally set up will determine
which class code is used.
The fact is that in almost all cases, the
payrolls for owners are capped. And, the
class codes used for these positions are
the least expensive codes in workers’
compensation. It is not uncommon to
cover an owner for less than a $1,000.00
per year. So, let’s look at what you get for
this premium.
If you’re injured on the job, how will you
pay the medical bills? Will your health insurance cover it? The answer is maybe -or maybe not. It depends on your contract with the health insurance provider.
Let’s assume you are involved in a wreck
while on the way to visit a jobsite. The injuries are severe, and you are taken by
ambulance to the hospital. Surgeries are
done, and you are now looking at several
months of physical rehab along with various prescriptions and numerous visits to
specialists. If health insurance was paying
for this, the copays and deductibles alone
will run a small fortune. However, a workers’ compensation plan will cover these
expenses at little or no cost to you. The
medical benefits of a worker’s comp policy are also lifetime benefits, as long as
they relate to the original injury.
The next area to look at is income benefits. As an owner, understandably, you
are not going to stop paying yourself -but what about partners? There may be
procedures already in place for this situation. However, if not, workers’ comp can
step in and help take some of the burden
off the business.
Nobody wants to see a partner’s family
suffer economic hardship, especially
when they are out of work due to an injury received on the job. Income benefits
are limited, so they will not replace all
lost income; however a limited benefit
amount can be much easier to discuss
with the family than no benefit at all.
The worst imaginable scenario is a death
claim. Most owner operated businesses
and partnerships would not survive this
situation without the aid of a workers’
comp program. Workers’ compensation
will pay death benefits to surviving
spouses, children and other dependents.
Spouses are entitled to these benefits for
life, or until they remarry. Children are entitled through age 18, or 25 if they are
enrolled full-time at an accredited school.
Benefits also exist for other dependents,
which can range from dependent grandchildren, to adults who were being cared
for by the person at the time of their
death.
What it comes down to is safeguarding your business by getting the right
coverage upfront. The premiums saved
are not worth the risk to the business, the
owner or their family.
Jeff Norwood is a graduate of Texas A& M
and an Executive Vice President with Insurance Network of Texas where he has
worked for 15 years. He specializes in construction insurance and bonding, and can
be reached at 254-493-4600 or [email protected].
Page 7
Twelve tips to prepare your
company for an ICE I-9 audit
Jessica Cook, Immigration Attorney
Fisher & Phillips
Dallas, TX
T
he Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration
Customs and Enforcement (ICE) continues to issue
Form I-9 Notices of Inspection to businesses across the
nation. In fiscal year 2012, ICE served 3,004 Notices of
Inspection to businesses, totaling over $12 million in fines. Additionally, ICE made 520
criminal arrests tied to worksite enforcement investigations. These criminal arrests
involved 240 individuals who were owners, managers, supervisors or human resources employees.
The Notices of Inspection require senting it, you may accept that docuemployers to allow ICE to inspect their I-9 ment to complete Section 2 of the I-9
forms to determine compliance with em- form.
ployment eligibility verification laws. 7. Timely re-verify expiring work authoriOnce the Notice of Inspection has been zation documents before they expire
issued, the targeted employer has three and do not allow an employee to contindays to provide ICE with the company’s ue to work after his or her work authoriI-9 forms to be reviewed. In addition to zation document expires.
I-9 forms for current and recently termi- 8. Do not re-verify U.S. passports or passnated employees, employers will be port cards, Permanent Resident Cards or
asked to turn over payroll records, list of List B Identity documents.
current employees, and information 9. Keep I-9 forms in a separate binder for
about the company’s ownership.
current employees and another for ter Civil penalties for errors on the I-9 minated employees. Do not keep I-9
form can range from $110 to $1,100 per forms in employee personnel files.
violation. Civil penalties for knowingly 10. Ensure that the individuals in your
hiring and continuing to employ unau- company who complete the I-9 process
thorized workers range from $375 to are properly trained.
$3,200 per violation for first time viola- 11. Regularly conduct self-audits. Cortions. In determining penalty amounts, rectable errors on the I-9 form should be
ICE considers five factors: size of the busi- fixed, the change should be initialed and
ness, good faith effort to comply, serious- dated, and the words “Per Self Audit”
ness of violation, whether the violation should be placed beside the correction.
involved unauthorized workers and his- 12. If ICE appears to review your I-9 forms
tory of previous violations.
and conduct an audit, insist on a written
Here are 12 tips to help protect your Notice of Inspection and your right to
company and limit exposure for I-9 viola- have three business days before you turn
tions:
over your original I-9 forms.
1. Ensure that you are using the correct
version of the I-9 form. U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services recently released a new version of the I-9 form. Beginning May 7, 2013 only the 03/08/13
version of the I-9 form will be accepted.
2. When completing the I-9 form for a
new hire, the employee must complete
Section 1 before starting work on the first
day and you must complete Section 2
and the Certification by the end of the
third business day.
3. Ensure that the Preparer/Translator
Section is completed if the employee receives assistance completing Section 1 of
the I-9 form.
4. Do not accept any document with an
expiration date that has expired.
5. Do not engage in discrimination or
document abuse when completing the
I-9 process by requiring the employee to
provide specific documents or more documents than minimally required.
6. If the document(s) presented by the
employee is on the List of Acceptable
Documents, reasonably appears to be
genuine and relates to the person pre-
Have you
appeared in
ConstructionNews?
If not, Call us!
There is no charge
for stories & photos.
210-308-5800
It is clear from recent events that ICE
will continue auditing employer’s I-9
forms to ensure that all employers are
complying with immigration laws. Creating a culture of compliance and auditing
your company’s forms is the best way to
prepare your company for an ICE I-9 audit.
Jessica Cook is an immigration attorney in
the Atlanta office of Fisher & Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm. She
has extensive experience advising employers in all areas of business immigration, including Form I-9 compliance, and government audits. She can be reached at jcook@
laborlawyers.com
A guide to the heat index
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
O
utdoor workers who are exposed to hot and humid
conditions are at risk of heat-related illness. The risk
of heat-related illness becomes greater as the weather
gets hotter and more humid. This situation is particularly serious when hot weather arrives suddenly early in the season, before workers
have had a chance to adapt to warm weather.
For people working outdoors in hot
weather, both air temperature and humidity affect how hot they feel. The
“heat index” is a single value that takes
both temperature and humidity into account. The higher the heat index, the
hotter the weather feels, since sweat
does not readily evaporate and cool the
skin. The heat index is a better measure
than air temperature alone for estimating the risk to workers from environmental heat sources.
Heat-related illness can be prevented.
OSHA does not have a specific standard that covers working in hot environments. Nonetheless, under the OSH Act,
employers have a duty to protect workers from recognized serious hazards in
the workplace, including heat-related
hazards. This guide helps employers and
worksite supervisors prepare and implement hot weather plans. It explains how
to use the heat index to determine when
extra precautions are needed at a worksite to protect workers from environmental contributions to heat-related illness.
Workers performing strenuous activity,
workers using heavy or non-breathable
protective clothing, and workers who are
new to an outdoor job need additional
precautions beyond those warranted by
heat index alone.
Workers new to outdoor jobs are
generally most at risk for heat-related ill-
nesses. For example, Cal/OSHA investigated 25 incidents of heat-related illness
in 2005. In almost half of the cases, the
worker involved was on their first day of
work and in 80% of the cases the worker
involved had only been on the job for
four or fewer days. That’s why it’s important to gradually increase the workload
or allow more frequent breaks to help
new workers and those returning to a job
after time away build up a tolerance for
hot conditions. Make sure that workers
understand the risks and are “acclimatized”.
Outdoor workers include any workers
who spend a substantial portion of the
shift outdoors. Examples include construction workers, agricultural workers,
baggage handlers, electrical power
transmission and control workers, and
landscaping and yard maintenance workers. These workers are at risk of heat-related illness when the heat index is high.
Additional risk factors are listed below.
These must be taken into consideration
even when the heat index is lower.
• Work in direct sunlight
• Perform prolonged or strenuous work
• Wear heavy protective clothing or
impermeable suits
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
Page 8
100 years engineering
a better Texas
Spice it up
K
rieg Field was the place to be for
the Annual Chili, Gumbo, Beans
Cook-off May 9. The Associated
Builders & Contractors Central Texas
Chapter held the event.
“We had 19 teams compete for first,
second and third place in beans, gumbo
and chili,” said David Ford, ABC President & CEO. “More than 120 people attended the event. The cookers started
arriving around 8:30am and the members came out at noon to enjoy free soda,
water, chili, beans, gumbo and sausage
wraps.” –ab
Congrats to the winners!
Beans
1st: Hull Supply
2nd: United Rental
3rd: Impact Fire
Gumbo:
1st: United Rental
2nd: Berg Electric
3rd: Slater Painting
Chili:
1st: Western Fire Protection
2nd: Biggs Plumbing
3rd: NAWIC
People's Choice Award: Slater Painting
Camera ready
L-R: Claire Eernisse, Klaudia Jurczenko, Wally, David Scroggs and Ryan Craft
take a minute from their busy day to take a photo at Roofing Supply Group. –ab
Texas Section 2013 Spring Conference and Centennial Celebration Mar. 19-23 in Corpus
Christi. Today, the section boasts a membership of more than 9,000, a far cry from their
humble beginnings of only 101 members. Photo credit: Jerry Hughes Photography
O
ne hundred years ago, a chance
meeting on a train between civil
engineers spawned one of the
largest sections of the American Society
of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
The group started with little more
than 100 national ASCE members scattered across the state of Texas, eventually
growing to its own section comprising 16
branches and around 9,000 members.
By 1913, railroads had been the most
popular form of land transportation in
this country for decades. Even though
cars were becoming commonplace, there
were less than 1000 miles of paved roads
traversing the more than 260,000 square
miles of Texas, and really no highway system to speak of.
So that year, in July, engineers and
concerned citizens from across the state
converged on Corpus Christi for a meeting of the Texas Good Roads Congress.
At the conclusion of the three-day
Congress, seven engineers from that meeting reconvened at the newly built Beach
Hotel to discuss the possibility of organizing the 101 members of the ASCE in Texas
into its own state-wide organization, explained Allan Hayes, P.E., ASCE Corpus
Christi Branch, History and Heritage Committee. ASCE had been around nationally
since 1854, but at the time, there was no
separate section for the Lone Star State.
Following the impromptu meeting
over that weekend in Corpus Christi, a
more formal affair was held that fall in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas, explained
Hayes. Coincidentally, that was also year
the State Fair's first automobile building
showcased 175 new automobiles.
While that meeting - with nearly 20 engineers in attendance - was held in September, it was not until ASCE's annual meeting
in December that the national board approved the constitution and established the
charter for a new Texas Section.
"Even then, ASCE was concerned
with promoting the profession of civil engineering; focusing on the technical aspects and technical advancements of the
profession," said Anthony Gavlik, P.E.,
president, ASCE Corpus Christi Branch.
"You get better building materials, building techniques, building design, practices, and philosophies. ASCE is kind of a
conduit for fostering these improvements and advances."
When the organization was first
founded, most of their activities were
limited to yearly meetings and newsletters, explained Gavlik . "As time has progressed, and technology gets better,
we've branched out to offer more services, more classes, and more opportunities
for continuing education."
Involvement in the association is not
only important because of access to continuing education necessary to keep a
civil engineering license current, but it is a
way to exchange ideas, explained Gavlik.
"If you just sit at your desk and work away,
there's all kinds of knowledge out there
you're going to miss out on because you
don't have the opportunity to listen and
meet other people sharing their knowledge," he said. "[You] gain more knowledge for your practice, but there's also the
networking aspect of it. [There is also] the
fellowship aspect -- the camaraderie of
your fellow engineers and being able to
give back to your profession."
Many of our modern conveniences
over the past one hundred years - all
things we take for granted - have come
about because of civil engineering, explained Hayes. "When you do something
as simple as flush a toilet, there was a
civil engineer behind all the drainage ...
and treatment plant to take that water
and clean it so that it can be safely discharged into the environment again
without it doing harm to anybody.
"Civil engineers are all about serving
the public. We want good roads, we want
good drainage, we want good water and
wastewater. That's what drives civil engineers in serving the public," said Hayes.
"Not only do we [the industry] benefit, but
because of the professional meetings we
have and information we exchange, the
public gains by the fact we're bettering
our education and learning [new things]
that make us better civil engineers."
In honor of its two birth cities, the
Texas Section of ASCE celebrates every
five years in Corpus Christi in the spring,
and every five years in Dallas in the fall.
Without those two cities, the Texas Section would not be what it is today.
"Those seven men got together and
said this is important ... they were thinking that far ahead ... that Texas would
benefit from having an organization ...
concentrating on civil engineering," said
Hayes. "So it grew from that very small
spark to an organization that has more
than 9,000 members now ... and still going strong after 100 years." –bt
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The historic Beach Hotel in Corpus Christi where the meeting between seven engineers:
Charles Terrell Bartlett, Julian Clarence Field Jr., John MacDonald Blackstock Hawley,
Joseph Milton Howe, Robert Joseph Potts, James C. Nagle, and J.F. Witt reconvened
after the Texas Good Roads Congress in July 1913, to discuss the possibility
of creating a Texas Section of ASCE.
Shake, rattle
and croak!
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek
Boats, E-Z Bel Construction, Power
Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate
Haulers, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing,
Mirr-O-Lure and Columbia Sportswear.
B
y the time you read this article, I
predict the weather will still be unpredictable. This has been one of
the most bizarre years of weather patterns that I have seen in the 15 years that I
have been guiding the Upper Laguna
Madre. As of mid May, the weather patterns have not stabilized into the summer
patterns that we are accustomed to. This
has made fishing very inconsistent to say
the least.
Usually by the middle of May into the
month of June, croakers become the pre-
Page 9
and out of reach from the birds and into
the strike zone where the fish live. These
chatter weights have little to no resistance for fish to feel when they pick up
your bait. They are proven to be a necessity when fishing dirty or stained water
we sometimes encounter in our bay system. Now that you are rigged up and
ready to fish, hook a three to five-inch
croaker on your hook and put him in the
game.
For the next couple of months. I will
be concentrating my efforts along the
King Ranch shorelines between Pita Island and the mouth of Baffin Bay. There
are miles of broken up grass beds and
sand pockets that can be worked with
live croakers and this time of the year this
stretch of bay produces quality specks
and redfish most everyday.
Last month’s column was titled “Expect the Unexpected.” Well, this week
we caught the unexpected - a 75 lb. Loggerhead turtle that was injured from a
prop was brought to the boat. With the
help of my clients we managed to get it
in the boat and back to the marina. It was
later picked up by Tony Amos with the
University of Texas Marine Center in Port
Aransas where they are caring for it.
ferred natural bait for
most guides and recreational anglers. Croakers feed on trout eggs
which make them a
natural enemy. If you
are in an area where
there are trout, they will
more than likely try to
eat, or at least try to kill
that croaker to protect
their eggs. It is very important to keep your
bait as fresh as possible
because weak or beatup bait is just a waste of
money and time. Most
of the time I can tell
when I’m going to have
a successful day just by
the condition of the
croakers I just purchased. If you see that
your bait has a red nose
or belly and some of the
fins on the tails have
been chewed off, you’re
probably going to have
Photo of the 70-lb. Loggerhead turtle that we rescued last
some dead croakers month. The turtle was transported to the UT Marine Center in
Port Aransas to recover from prop scar injuries on its back.
soon.
Fresh healthy
Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors
croakers will be at the
bottom of your bait tank and usually stay When rigging your favorite rod and
there most of the day. If you start to see reel for fishing croakers, I like to use a 12your bait swim to the surface, you should in. to 15-in. leader with a 5/0 or 6/0 Kahle
start adjusting your oxygen settings ei- hook. Tied between your leader and
ther higher or lower, or maybe change fishing line, use a Chatter Weight made
out the water, or else you’re headed for a by Steve Walko in Houston. The minichatter weight are weighted slightly to
long day.
help get your croaker below the surface
Now booking dates for summer
months. I can be reached by phone at
(361) 813-3716 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Also please visit my website at www.steveschultzoutdoors.com for more info and photos.
Good luck and good fishing.
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Page 10
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Sponsored by Tropical Marine and Honda Marine
My name is Ken Milam and, for the past 27 years, I have been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on
Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity of getting to know
a good many folks in the construction trade.
It’s Summertime!
once in a while. In our everyday world we
make things happen. We order things,
program things, make appointments and
meet deadlines, until we could scream.
Sometimes we really need to spend time
on the water, with none of that, completely at the mercy of some fish’s skittish
appetite to get our next set of orders.
“Fish ON! REEL! REEL! REEL!” You get the
picture.
If fishing’s not your cup of tea, then
just translate this advice to whatever
feels worth enjoying and sharing with
someone else. If you don’t, all too quickly
you’ll end up with a 40-year-old son who
has to hire me to go catch his first fish.
Remember, having fun is a legacy we
need to pass on to our kids, just as much
as having a good work ethic is. Everyone
struggles to balance this in their lives,
and it’s good to share that experience
too.
N
o excuses now. It’s time to go fishing! Ever since spring break we
have had the best fishing on Lake
Buchanan we have seen in years. Whatever kind of fish you’re after - stripers, hybrids, crappie, catfish, you name it,
they’ve been biting. Even the wacky
spring weather (frost in May!?!) didn’t
slow them down much. I think the low
water levels are making for a sort of “fire
sale” scenario on Buchanan. Lots of fish
– less and less water – these fish gotta be
caught!
The kids are out of school and can
come fishing with you now. Don’t wait
until the end of summer when it’s hotter
than the devil and you only have a few
days left until school starts. Hotter
weather can slow down the fish’s appetite, and you really want to get your kids
on a catching trip when you go fishing
with them so you can teach them to love
fishing like you do.
Did you have a graduate in your family this year? A family or school friends
fishing trip can make for some good
memories and pictures before college
and jobs send everybody off in different
directions. How about Father’s Day?
Load up Dad and come on out to the
lake! Do you know someone who is
about to get married? A fishing trip can
make a nice gift or get-together before
the wedding. There are just so many excuses to go fishing this time of year; you
might have trouble picking just one.
The main thing is not to get so
caught up in the day-to-day stuff that
you forget to round up the people you
care about and go have some fun. I’m
the world’s worst at looking at the calendar and being amazed at how time flies
when I’m busy. What my Dad told me is
true too - time seems to speed up the
older you get. There is always so much
I’m trying to cram into each day that
sometimes I lose track of the big picture.
That’s why it is so good to make yourself
take a little time to step out of the norm
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
At sunset - a storm that just missed Lake Buchanan
Page 11
Cooper’s catch
Fish finders
Shawn Ford and Chris Crow, Elliott Electric Supply and Gene Tramp, E-Tel, recently
went on a guided fishing tour with Ken Milam at Lake Buchanan. –ab
Bait and hook
Richard Mauck, Richard’s Electric LP, says he and his grandson Cooper got in on the
White Bass running on Lake Travis in March. Cooper insisted on using his Spiderman Pole
and that’s what he caught it on. –ab
Hiking at Hamilton Pool
Co-owner
Kim Butler,
Cat Trax
Rentals,
caught her
personal best
largemouth
bass this year
on Lake
Marble Falls.
–ab
Where is your favorite place in Texas? Send us a photo to:
[email protected]. –ab
STEVE SCHULTZ
OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY
LAGUNA MADRE
LAND CUT
SPECKLED
TROUT
REDFISH
FLOUNDER
FISHING AND
HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 949-7359
www.baffinbaycharters.com
steveschultzoutdoors@
gmail.com
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
Page 12
T
Pedal to the metal
he civil engineering firm Big Red Dog held a Big Red Dog Grand Prix event at On
Track Experience in Kyle, TX Apr. 25. Company team members and clients attended the event. –ab
15 to 500 Ton
Capacities
Gentlemen, start your engines.
Available for your
Toughest Projects
80-ton Terex
Crawler at
White Construction
job at Bull Creek
The race car drivers in action.
from
El Paso to
Beaumont
Amarillo to
Brownsville
L-R: Michael Hsu, Alex Papavasilion, Patrick Byrne(2nd place winner),
Nicholas Kehl(1st place winner), Russ Hooper, and Bob Brown
Happy Mother’s Day
34 Years of Service to Texas
www.alamocrane.com
San Antonio (210) 344-7370
Austin
(512) 282-6866
Toll Free
(800) 880-0134
Woman-Owned Business
City–94–020011/WBE
State–13580/WOB
L-R: Rolando Jaimes Jr., vice president and his mother Beatriz Lopez Jaimes, office manager, enjoy working together at PCW Construction Inc. in Austin, TX. –ab
T
Page 13
Where the deer and the antelope play
he Associated General Contractors
(AGC) Austin and San Antonio chapters joined forces for the first time
for the annual Fish Fry, held Apr. 25 at the
Texas Disposal Systems Exotic Game
Ranch, where animals from faraway lands
greeted guests on their way to the event.
–mp
Hill Country Overhead Door
L-R: Rick Vargas, Deborah and Joe Bondick
L-R: Barney Cruz, CMC; Justin McDaniel, Hensel Phelps;
Chris Shelton, Hensel Phelps; Ben Giniewicz, Hensel Phelps;
Richard Jones, Hensel Phelps
L-R: Jim Stricklan; Terry Underhill, Rogers
O’Brien; Matthew Knippa, Insurance Network
of Texas
Hull Supply L-R: Mike Fitzwater, Jessica Gripp,
Fernanda, and Clarence Spitler
L-R: Monica, Jasmine, and Rogers Osberry; Jonathan Betcher,
McGraw-Hill Construction; Toni Osberry; Marie Betcher,
McGraw-Hill Construction
Equipment Depot
L-R: Courtney Tucek, Bob Wilkes, Ben Garner,
Chaundra Callaway
Braun and Butler L-R: Kaci, Miranda,
Samantha and Matt Roberts
Patriot Erectors
L-R: Jason and Julie Puckett, Chris and Allie Oliveira
Seretta Construction
L-R: Issa McDaniel and Robert Emmerick
L-R: John Dunn, Joeris; Sergio Montoya,
Baker Drywall, John Large,
Austin Community College
Page 14
How did you end up
in Austin?
In 1979, I came to Austin after my apprenticeship at a vocational school in Dallas
and I have been here ever since. Today, I
live in Liberty Hill.
Nick Page, Nick’s Bricks Masonry Inc.
After graduated Texas A & M University, I
moved to Austin and took a job with a
cabinetmaker.
John Tolbert, Cab Interior Design
I moved to Austin in 1986 and after I
graduated William B. Travis High School, I
began working in the construction industry.
Ignacio Dominguez, Empire Roofing
I was born and raised in Acajutla, El Salvador and moved to Las Vegas, NV in 2001.
Next I moved to the Austin area and now
I live and work in Buda.
Rudy Lopez, B & A Texas Masonry Inc.
I am originally from Bellaire, TX. I moved
to Austin to attend the University of Texas at Austin. I decided to stay after college. I am very glad to be here. I love
going to the local concerts. That is one
of the best things about living here.
Scott Miller, Tex Painting
I always thought Austin was a really cool
town. I lived in College State for a little
while and I knew I wanted to get to Austin eventually. When I moved to Austin in
1989, it was still a small college and government town.
James McKinney, Waterloo Plastering
I grew up in Austin. I remember the
north city limits were just before where
Highway 183 crosses Burnet Road.
Terry Norris,
Safe Way Rental Equipment Co.
On a mission
I came to Austin from New Mexico. Living in Texas has its perks: strong family
roots, country music and great hunting.
Tyler Sloan, Sloan’s Custom Cabinets
I moved to Austin with my husband and
our two children from Lebanon, so our
son could attend the University of Texas
at Austin.
Glades Naufal, TexBest
My wife and I moved from Greensboro, NC
to Austin in 1993. It was really a blessing
for me in that we moved over Memorial
Day weekend. By that Wednesday, I had a
job with Precision Commercial Plumbing.
Richie Blevins,
Precision Commercial Plumbing
I lived in San Diego, CA moved to Houston and then to Austin. Austin is just a
nice area. The people are more friendly
than other places I have lived and it
seems to be easier to do business. My
wife and I enjoy the lakes and rivers.
Scott Carter,
Concrete Surface Innovations
USGBC members and guests enjoy local food and drink at the ZACH Theatre.
M
ission Matters drew a more than
100 people from Austin and San
Antonio to the new ZACH Theatre for a green building tour, reception
featuring local food and drink and documentary screening.
The United States Green Building
Council Central Texas – Balcones Chapter
(USGBC) held the event.
Irene Nemitsas, USGBC chapter coordinator, says Dr. Scott W. Tinker, Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology,
was on hand to answer questions about
his film, Switch.
Companies that participated in the
event include Meritage Homes, Interface, Clean Scapes, UTE, Resource Design, Texas Fifth Wall Roofing, Facility
Solutions Group, Structures, Encotech,
JE Dunn, Green Fern Events, Sherpalux,
Atkins, House + Earth, EEA Consulting
Engineers, CTA Group, Skout,, BCL of
Texas, Myers Verde, Holos Collaborative, Green Mountain Energy, The Austin
Chronicle and Net Impact Austin. –ab
I lived in Midland, TX for years and finally
decided to relocate to Austin. My sister
always wanted me to move to the Austin
area. Once my kids got older and I knew
it was time to move to the Hill Country.
Brad Jones, Sunrise Construction
I was born in Fort Worth, TX and spent
my childhood in Leander. My dad offered me a job at Whitetail Construction
and I came over here to work.
Travis Reed, Whitetail Construction
I moved to Austin in the ‘60s with my family.
My father worked at IBM and we relocated
when IBM came to Austin. Today, I live between Lago Vista and Marble Falls, TX.
Rick Davis, Davis Electric
Texas Fifth Wall Roofing Systems representatives Michelle Marshall and Todd Hewitt (back)
at one of six green building tour stops
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Maintenance
Program
Austin (512) 385-3535
A roaring good time
L
adies in the Austin
construction industry attended the Region 7 Forum in Tulsa, OK
May 17-18. The National
Association of Women in
Construction
(NAWIC)
hosted the event.
“The Forum went off
without a hitch,” said Terri Underhill, NAWIC Austin president. “Everyone
had lots of fun, connected
with old friends, made
new friends and got to enjoy the hospitality of the
NAWIC Tulsa Chapter. In
addition, we elected Jennifer Swinney
as the new Region 7 Director.” –ab
Page 15
HVAC & PLUMBING
Construction defines civilization
Ray Jones, PHCC Texas President
Raven Mechanical
Houston, TX
W
hen either traveling abroad – you know, some
place other than Texas – or watching a cable TV
program about some fascinating world or time far away,
I am amazed at the many styles of architecture and
types of structures that have been built amidst often-spectacular struggles. From
towering skyscrapers to the simplest pueblo, from grand cathedrals to bridges and
tunnels that connect land masses and nations, we are surrounded by the fruits of
man’s labor and engineering skills. It has been wisely stated that construction truly
defines civilization. After all, without the efforts of the builder, what is left?
The result of such determination and gredients in construction. Without our
passion is most often a structure that will specialties these structures are but mere
serve us well for generations, and even storage facilities, barns void of a higher
centuries. Think for a moment of the calling. But when our teams join in the
pride of accomplishment that a person process we add systems that will turn
must feel after painstakingly laying the that simple building into something
beautiful mosaics in a basilica floor, or greater – a school, a church, a hospital. It
the stretching of the massive cables that is we who provide indoor air quality, safe
will support thousands of tons of travel- potable water supplies, sanitary waste
ers across a long bridge. And how must drainage, and safe gas piping systems –
the electrician consider his day’s work both natural gas and medical gas.
From time to time we find ourselves
knowing that it is his wiring and breakers that will supply power and lighting for in need of a good doctor to help us overthat beautiful new sports stadium or del- come our various ailments and injuries,
icately illuminate the priceless Monet on and get our health back on track. But
what we often take for granted is that our
the museum wall?
As grand as these may seem I would trades affect our health and overall wellargue that it is our trades – plumbing, being long before we find ourselves in
heating, and cooling – which are the need of medical assistance.
highest goods, the most important in- What American Standard proudly
proclaimed in old advertising still holds
true today – “the plumber protects the
health of the nation.” But somewhere
along the way we have allowed a very different image to infiltrate our noble profession. The time has come for us to rise
up as an industry and demand more from
ourselves and our skilled tradesmen in order that we may better provide for the
comforts and needs of our communities,
and also attract bright, diligent young
people into our profession in order that
we may continue building our communities with safety, quality, and expert craftsmanship that we can truly be proud of.
Each month, when I make my regular
trip to the barber’s chair, a young man
who takes immense pride in his chosen
profession greets me. He is extremely attentive to his work, taking care to provide
the best possible service he can. This 27year old truly enjoys what he does and
earns a good living doing it. He has
found joy and purpose in serving others
and making their lives a little better.
Every few thousand miles I find myself returning to the mechanic shop for a
routine oil change as well as any other service my car may be due for. Each time a
team of people work together in an organized manner to check me in, valet the car
to the appropriate mechanic’s bay, service
the car, wash the car, fill me in on the details of the service, process the invoice,
and finally bring the car back around to
me. In the meantime, others have provid-
ed a comfortable waiting area complete
with fresh coffee and other beverages
and snacks. Each person at this shop does
his or her part to provide a high level of
service to others, not just their cars, and
they do so professionally and joyfully,
making their lives a little better.
When we open our company’s doors
each day for business, or step onto that
jobsite, or into that customer’s home, let
us be mindful of the high purpose to
which we have been called. Our vocation
in life is not that of monetary gain, but
rather service to others. Regardless of
where we may find ourselves on the
“food chain” of business we will certainly
perish if we lose track of this truth. No
matter our position or chosen career
path we most often are involved in serving others in one way or another. With
our particular industry we are privileged
to serve in a very special way.
As I stated earlier, construction defines civilization. And it is our trades that
bring a special life into a build, enabling
us to offer something truly good for our
communities and families.
So let us do so with a sense of joy and
purpose, always striving to improve our
organizations, and ourselves, and the service we provide others. Whether those
we serve are the homeowner, the office
manager, general contractor, or even our
employees and installation crews, they
deserve our very best in helping to make
their lives a little better. –bd
What changes in the industry have
you seen since you have been at Dominion Air & Heat?
We have been in business for 25
years. I took the business over in 1998.
The technology has definitely improved
in the industry during the last few years.
There has been Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changes and regulations in recent years too.
fast once a month at Houston Community College. This year, we are going to be
involved in the Houston Construction Industry Car Auto Show at the Sam Houston Race Park.
I usually attend trade shows and network even if I don’t have a booth. It is a
good way to stay in touch with people
and keep your name out there.
Cooling the city
Heather Kelly, President and Operating Manager
Dominion Air & Heat LLC
Houston, TX
I
n your opinion, what is the current state of the industry?
Overall, things look promising for us as a company.
The construction industry in general has really picked
up over 2012 and 2013.
What are few trends you have seen in
the industry?
I think new construction in the private sector has seemed to increase over
the past couple of years.
What are some challenges you have
met lately?
It is a challenge to find good, qualified technicians and installers these days.
I think this is the biggest challenge we
have faced in recent years.
What advice would you give a young
person who is just getting started in the
heating and air conditioning business?
I think a good place to start out is to
take classes at a technical college. Next,
it would be beneficial to get an internship with a heating and air conditioning
contractor.
My advice would be to work as hard
as you can and ask questions along the
way.
Over the last eight months, we have
had to hire young people who have taken classes at local technical schools. We
do on the job training with them.
What is the most rewarding part of
your job?
My favorite part of the job is taking
care of my customers. It is all about customer service in this business. Everybody
needs cooling and heating.
How do you stay up-to-date in your industry?
I belong to the Women Contractors
Association (WCA) and we are members
of the Air Conditioning Contractors of
America (ACCA).
I get regular updates about regulations in the industry from ACCA. I think
networking in the industry is very important. I also do a lot of research to stay informed about any changes.
What is on the horizon?
The construction industry is booming right now. I think the regulations will
continue to be a challenge for heating
and air conditioning contractors in the
future.
What is the key to success?
Always maintain good, key people in
the workforce. It is so important to educate and train a good workforce to provide good customer service. How else do you network in the industry?
Yes, I participate in a Working Break-
Dominion Air & Heat is a mechanical HVAC
company established in 1988. –ab
NEXT MONTH
July 2013
Electrical Industry
Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue
San Antonio • Austin
Dallas / Fort Worth
Houston • South Texas
Call for Ad Space (210) 308-5800
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Page 16
HVAC & PLUMBING
Cool and comfortable conversion
Tom Freund, Vice President
Comfort-Air Engineering, Inc.
San Antonio, TX
I
f there’s any modern luxury valued above all others in
Texas, it’s air conditioning.
As Texans relying on AC systems to
ensure we do not melt like Frosty the
Snowman in a greenhouse, we face necessary upgrades resulting from the federally mandated phase out of refrigerant
R22. Now, R410A is becoming the new
norm.
Tom Freund, vice president of Comfort-Air Engineering, Inc., says that retrofit issues are going to be a part of the air
conditioning equation for the next two
to five years, most likely.
“R22, the old refrigerant, is getting
more and more expensive in a very short
period of time, and I don’t see that trend
changing,” explains Freund.”
As R22 starts to become scarce, the
price is obviously being driven upwards.
This means bad news for those holding
off on conversions to the new systems.
“There’s still a lot of 22 out there in
the world, but that equipment has to be
addressed, and some people don’t want
to touch that topic right now because it
is going to be costly,” he notes.
But can holding out hurt more than
it helps? As Freund points out, upgrading
probably isn’t going to get any more affordable.
“We’re in the upward trend on all
costs,” he mentions. “We don’t see anything necessarily going down. That’s why
we say it’s probably best to look at it now.
“Just imagine an old car, for which
parts are becoming more and more
scarce. It’s one of those things that if you
do not want to do it now, you should
start planning on doing it within the next
few years; start budgeting and putting
money toward it.”
His assessment is that R22 has become the rarity in homes, especially with
the housing boom over the last decade,
which has made R410A prevalent in the
residential market. But commercially, he
comments that businesses are still behind the eight ball on this issue.
“Residentially, everybody’s ahead of
continued from Page 1 — Keeping Texas floored
TX,” he said. “We have hosted the company hunt for the past 15 years.
“In addition, we get together with
employees on fishing trips, participate in
barbecue cook-off events and we are involved with industry golf tournaments.
“In the future our plans are to continue to evolve and morph to meet
changing marketing demands and new
opportunities. My team and I aren’t good
at standing still and our focus will always
be on constantly moving forward.”
Intertech Flooring is a provider of commercial flooring products, installation,
maintenance and design consultation services to businesses throughout the Southwest. The company is based in Austin and
has locations in San Antonio, Dallas/Ft.
Worth and Mission, TX. –ab
the eight ball, but that’s not to say there
still aren’t some people holding out,” he
says. “There’s no right or wrong; it’s just
that dollars matter more. From a residential standpoint, your air conditioning system is usually about the second or third
most expensive thing you pay for in your
house, so you’re probably doing that every 15 to 20 years.”
When you look at upgrading a system that is so integral to the inner workings and comfort of your home, it can be
understandably daunting to even think
about retrofits and conversions.
Maybe an intimidating factor is not
knowing where to start. Freund passes
on wisdom he follows in his own life.
“Make a declarative statement – I
want this” – and then work backwards
from there,” he suggests.
Ask yourself what you want and
what concerns you have that are preventing you from getting it, and then attempt
to address those concerns, advises
Freund. For instance, if you want upgraded equipment, but are worried about the
cost of maintaining the new system, find
an expert on the maintenance of that system, and see if they can help guide you
with answers and information.
Getting ahead of the curve has its
advantages, and Freund cautions against
waiting for a few reasons. For one, it
could be easy to find yourself in a tough
financial position and suddenly your system requires a major repair. Don’t wait for
bad news, he forewarns, no one wants to
wind up thinking, why didn’t I do this a
few years ago? Considering a conversion
sooner rather than later might even save
money in the long haul of your precious
AC system.
“If you have a leak, hypothetically,
then you’re going to have to repair that
leak, and then you’re going to have to get
that Freon back in there so your system
will operate,” Freund posits. “Well, the
cost of that Freon is getting to the point
where it’s pretty darn pricey. You’re talking about $80-$90 a pound for R22. So, if
you have a large system, then you have a
lot of potential loss there.”
The advantage isn’t just about foresight; it’s about energy efficiency.
“The systems are also being designed now to be far more efficient,
meaning they’re increasing the capacity,
and so hypothetically, you can get more
bang for your buck on the transfer,” he
adds. “So, you have bigger coils and more
compressors that are based upon demand. It’s made things a lot more cognizant and achievable to get demand cooling. It’s getting smarter. It’s starting to be
more focused on the end user, which is
the homeowner or the business owner.
So, all in all, it’s getting better.” –mp
continued from Page 1 — Great wide open
“We also sponsor a race car, owned
and driven by a good friend of mine Bobby Sanford, Sanford Electrical,” he said.
“We will go watch the car races on a Friday night. The last race we attended was
in Kyle, TX.
“I also like to ride my Harley Davidson motorcycle on the weekends. I do a
lot of long distance riding by myself and
with groups of people. I love riding in the
Texas Hill Country. I think some of the
best riding in Texas is right here on our
doorstep. I am very fortunate to have
that right here.
“Over the years, I have traveled by
motorcycle to every state in the United
States, except for Nevada. I have been on
5,000-mile road trips in two weeks. It is
always a lot of fun.”
A few commercial projects the company has completed include Plucker’s
Wing Bar, Texican Restaurant and the
Draft Pick.
“Looking ahead, my plans are to create employment and grow the company,” Buchanan said. “Every day is a new
day. We want to adapt to change and
keep our eyes open to opportunities.”
6th Street Construction is a full-service
general contractor and 6th Street Drywall
provides drywall services. –ab
L-R: Keith Miller, estimator and project
manager and Grant Buchanan
at a trade show
Page 17
Congrats to graduates
Round-Up
Godlove Ntumngia has joined the
McKim & Creed Inc.
Austin office as a
photogrammetric
technician. Ntumngia has 12 years experience with photogrammetry and
GIS. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a
master’s degree in Geography. –ab
T
he JE Dunn Minority Contractor Development Program graduation
ceremony took place at the Charles
Johnson House American Legion Travis
Post 76 Apr. 25.
According to Chuck Lipscomb, JE
Dunn Construction, the program covered information such as business foundations and self-management, ethical
behavior, professionalism, communications, interpersonal behavior, social behavior, problem solving, decision making
and leadership.
The 2012-2013 Austin class contained
the following graduating firms Aleon
Properties Inc., All About Design Inc.,
Anderson Construction Services, B.I.T.
Construction, Building Team Solutions
Inc., Boaz Enterprises, Cline Service
Company Inc., Zugig, Inc., Del Real
Trucking LLC, MarioCarlin Management, Paradigm Contracting LLC, The
Entermedia Group LLC and Trini Construction Builder LLC. –ab
Three presidents and a lady
L-R: On May 15, Paul Stalknecht, President and CEO, ACCA National; Shelly
Masters, Segal McCambridge; Marvin White, White Service Company and KC
Walters, Quality Living Services, gathered at the Mexican American Cultural
Center in Austin, TX to review local codes and Texas legislative updates. –ab
I is for Insco
L-R: Greg Knue and Corey Paxton check inventory at the
Insco Distributing West Braker Lane location. –ab
Riley Sladek, PE,
has joined LJA Engineering Inc. as a
project manager in
the firm’s Austin
Transportation Division. Sladek has
more than six years
of experience in
transportation engineering including roadway design, hydrology and hydraulics, and utility coordination. He is a graduate of Texas A&M
University with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. –ab
Rogers-O’Brien has
tapped Allan Dedman for vice president. He has more
than 20 years experience in healthcare
construction, and
most recently ran
the Dallas office
and the Texas/Louisiana
regional
healthcare practice for a national contractor. An active member of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering of
the American Hospital Association, Dedman attained his bachelor of arts in business management from Auburn University.
Cobb, Fendley &
Associates
Inc.
(CobbFendley) has
appointed
Dale
Conger, P.E., as
president. Conger
has more than 37
years of engineering and management experience,
having previously served as vice president of CobbFendley. Conger replaces
Allen Watson, PE, who will officially retire in Jun. 2013. –ab
Round-Up
Submissions
This is a monthly section for brief
company announcements of new or
recently promoted personnel, free of
charge, as space allows.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Email (w/digital photo, if available)
by the 15th of any month, for the
next month’s issue
(published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue,
with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio
[email protected]
Austin
[email protected]
Dallas/Ft. Worth
[email protected]
Houston
[email protected]
South Texas
[email protected]
Page 18
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC Central Texas
Associated Builders & Contractors
Jun. 3: OSHA 10 Spanish
Jun. 7: OSHA 10 English or Spanish
Jun. 8: OSHA 10 English or Spanish Day 2
Jun. 11: ABC National Legislative Conference
Jun. 14: CPR & First Aid Training
Jun. 21: Fall Protection or Scaffold Safety
Jun. 22: Fall Protection or Scaffold Safety Day 2
Jun. 24: Workforce Board meeting
For more information call 512-719-5263
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Jun. 3:
TEEX OSH 301 – Excavation/
Trenching; Spring Golf Tournament
Jun. 4: TEEX OSH 301 – Excavation/
Trenching
Jun. 5: TEEX OSH 301 Excavation/Trenching
Jun. 6: TEEX OSH 755 – Intro to Accident
Investigation
Jun. 7: TEEX OSH 755 – Intro into Accident Investigation; Scaffold Competent
Person Training
Jun. 11: Safety Committee meeting
Jun. 14: Scaffold Awareness
Jun. 17-20: TEEX PRT 129 – Adv. Accident
Investigation
Jun. 21: TEEX OSH 784 – Injury/Illness
Record Keeping; Fall Protection Competent Person
Jun. 28: Fall Protection Awareness
CFMA
Construction Financial Mgmt Assn.
Jun. 14: Mini-Conference on Davis Bacon: Compliance, Fringe Benefits and The
Affordable Care Act. Norris Conference
Center, Austin.
Jun. 18: Texas State Representative Paul
Workman – Legislative Update. Norris
Conference Center in Austin, 11:30am
-1pm
For more information, contact Anna Fisher at [email protected]
CTSA
Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Jun. 4:
Apprenticeship Committee
meeting
Jun. 20: Apprentice Graduation Ceremony
NAWIC
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jun. 6: Chapter meeting, 5:30pm, Texas
Land & Cattle
Jun. 14: Monthly luncheon, 11:30am
Jun. 27: Board meeting, 11:30am, AGC
office
For more information go to www.austinnawic.org
Jun. 11: Meet the Contractor Night
CTMCA
Central TX Masonry Contractors Assn.
Jun. 14: Golden Trowel Awards, Renaissance Hotel, Austin, TX
For more information go to www.ctmca.
com
USGBC
U.S. Green Building Council
Jun. 6: Emerging Professionals First
Thursday Happy Hour
Jun. 7: Subcontractor Success in Sustainability: Bid, Better, Build, Better, Repeat
Jun. 12: Monthly Chapter meeting in
Austin – Incorporating Life Cycle Assessment Into the Design Process
For more info: www.usgbc-centraltexas.org
Ace it
Branch Manager Jimmy Tilotta visits with air conditioning and heating
contractors at Aces A/C Supply Inc. –ab
Tour de New Orleans
Rogers-O'Brien Construction treats the accounting and administrative staff
to a three-day Spring Fling each year. This year’s weekend getaway took place
in New Orleans, LA. Festivities included a sugar cane plantation tour, a dinner
cruise and plenty of time to explore the historic French Quarter. –ab
Page 19
Job Sights
Cruz Hernandez, Maples Mechanical, does the plumbing work at the Firehouse Subs
interior finish out project in Lakeway, TX. Austin Commercial is the GC. –ab
L-R: Lalo Guerro and Cesar Lopez, J.E. Travis Painting, do the exterior painting at the
McDonald’s remodel project in Buda, TX. –ab
Angel’s Plumbing is the plumbing contractor and DPR Construction is the GC
at the Satellite Dialysis Center project in Austin, TX
L-R: Carlos Meyohas and Tomas Flores, Angel’s Plumbing. –ab
L-R: David Argueta and Danny Olavares, CHS, build bathroom cabinets at the Texas
Roadhouse renovation project on IH-35. –ab
Page 20
continued from Page 1 — The art of construction
implemented the collective Applied Information Model™ (AIM™) system, a
combination of preconstruction technology; BIM; a process called Virtual To
Field™ (V2F™), which allows field layout
personnel to obtain accurate readings
through use of a total robotic station
with a tablet PC; and equipment barcoding.
“This technology cuts down on time
searching for paper documents and
stores all information in one convenient,
easily accessible location,” he said.
Kennedy says when working in the
middle of a busy campus with nearly
50,000 students, faculty members and
visitors passing through daily, it took vigilance to ensure no one got hurt.
“SpawGlass Safety Coordinator Juan
Marquez led the charge,” he said. “The
SpawGlass team pushed hard to get everyone on the job involved with safety by
communicating goals daily with each
specialty contractor.
“In his book "The Speed of Trust,"
Stephen Covey speaks to a monetary
value of a team that trusts one another.
SpawGlass, Overland, UT Office of Facili-
ties Planning and Construction (OFPC)
and the UT College of Liberal Arts utilized
the foundation of trust we built during
the UT Liberal Arts Building Phase I project to provide the best value for the
Phase II budget.
“The team did not have to start at
ground zero. We had great working relationship because we listened to each
other, understood the process and collaborated together to reach goals. Joe
Tenbarge, the associate dean of the UT
College of Liberal Arts stated, “There
were millions of dollars saved due to the
efficiencies of this team working together in the past’.”
SpawGlass is a Texas-based commercial, industrial and civil contractor. Founded in 1953 by Louis Spaw and Frank Glass,
the company constructs projects in a variety of markets, including corporate, higher
education, healthcare, government/public
and senior/campus living. –ab
LAB Phase II interior
The sky bridge
For current incentives, inventory
and pricing, visit us at:
www.CovertBastrop.com
Prices subject to change without prior notice. Manufacturer incentives, rebates and terms are accurate as of time of print and subject to change without notice.
Call our Commercial Sales Department for appointment. GMC at Bastrop, TX locations only. Art for illustration purposes only. *W.A.C. in lieu of rebates. Vehicle must be purchased at
Covert Chevrolet in Bastrop, TX. Offers good only to original owner. Call for details (512) 303-2311 or (800) 937-7076.

June - Construction News

Transcription

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