The following article originally appeared in the May newsletter to clients of FMI Corporation. Reprinted with permission.There are exciting projections for the Greater Houston Area Economy. The most recent Perryman Group projections for 2040, revised slightly downward in 2017, still put...
This Week's Second Look
Worker Misclassification
Payroll fraud (also called worker misclassification and workplace fraud) is the illegal practice of designating an employee as a "1099 worker" or an independent contractor. Unscrupulous employers do this to avoid paying payroll taxes, unemployment tax, or workers’ compensation insurance and are therefore able to submit lower bids for projects, undercutting responsible contractors. Several states have already passed laws to penalize those who cheat workers and taxing agencies in this way.
Despite healthy skepticism from many in the construction industry, prevailing wage laws are one key way to attract more quality workers without significantly boosting costs on projects. That’s according to a newly released study that found those laws do not lead to increased costs for publicly...
Equipment management plays an essential role in all construction businesses, and a well-managed fleet can contribute to the success of a business. Good equipment management goes beyond just effective procurement; it is also about efficient operations, smart maintenance, and detailed, on-the-go...
21 Rio, a high-rise apartment complex with parking garage and retail storefront below, exemplifies a college lifestyle like no other. Situated in Austin’s central West Campus neighborhood, 21 Rio offers luxurious and pet-friendly student apartments near The University of Texas at Austin. It...
A recent survey by Dodge Data & Analytics and Sevan Multi-site Solutions of owners who have multi-site construction and contractors who do that work reveals some vastly different positions on “critical success factors” in the construction process. The survey findings were reported in a Dodge...
The merger and acquisition (M&A) market took a nosedive in recent years, but rebounded swiftly. Investors who pulled back on purchases previously are looking to make use of their cash reserves while interest rates are low and tax rates are advantageous. If you are looking to sell your business...
Later this year, Democrats in the US House of Representatives plan to restart their push to penalize companies that compensate their workers as independent contractors when, by law, they should be classified as employees and compensated as such. Of course, there are many legitimate uses of...
Some worksites may look like a scene from one of the Terminator movies soon if construction firms adopt widespread use of bionic suits for some of their skilled craftsmen and women.As far as we can tell, no one in the industry believes the exoskeletons will be widely adopted until the year 2020....
The Piedmont at River Oaks is a four-story luxury apartment complex comprised of 80 residential units and a parking garage. Located in Montrose, also known as “The Heart of Houston”, the residents are minutes from restaurants, parks, museums, retail and running trails. Built in 2006, time and...
