Off-site production of modular of apartments, pods of bathrooms for hospitals and a number of “production line” construction techniques are once again showing up in some interesting places and being used by some traditional builders. This production technique, borrowed from the modular unit or...
This Week's Second Look
The mantra of the residential and renovation contractors and subs that “Residential is different from Commercial construction. We can’t afford to do all that stuff...” has been repeated in my face for my entire career. I would argue that might have been the case in the past, but, as Bob Dylan sang...
Starting a new business venture can be exciting. Whether you are forming your first company or expanding into a new area, it is important to properly account for start-up and organizational costs. The rules concerning these costs are different for income tax purposes and for financial reporting...
Business leaders met recently at Amegy Bank in Houston for a town hall discussion on the need for immigration reform to alleviate unprecedented labor shortages as the number of open jobs in the US remains at an all-time high. Experts on immigration policy made the case for bipartisan legislation...
While the beginning of the month can signify a fresh start for some, small businesses and their accounting departments sometimes associate the first few days of the month with feelings of frustration, stress, and anxiety. The dreaded month-end close process never ceases, and a recent survey by...
Senator Ted Cruz visited Spawglass’ Village of Southhampton jobsite in Houston this week to tour the site, hear from construction executives, and promote his new bill, the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act during an event hosted by Associated Builders and...
On a recent episode of NPR's 1A, they delved into the real world consequences of stepped-up immigration enforcement in the form of recent workplace raids. From the show notes: "The raids came as the U.S. is experiencing a nationwide labor shortage. While the raided poultry plants held job...
Over the past few years, we’ve made it a priority at this time of year to give credit to the members of construction groups around the state chipping in to give back to their communities during the holidays. Much too humble to brag on themselves, executives and craft professionals in the industry...
Prosecutors filed the first ever wage theft case in Harris County this week against a homeowner who refused to pay a self-employed independent contractor $2,300 for painting the homeowner’s home worth over $1.5 million. Sonny D. Nicholas, 62, is charged with Theft of Service for work...