When you have a couple crews working for you and are very busy like we have been this year so are asking for a lot of hours, motivation becomes a part of running any business- and construction is not an exception. Obviously long hours mean good paychecks- and many owners think that should be plenty (since it is for them). While it really should be plenty and if you are paying a fair wage, when you are busy and doing well so are your crews, the fact is to 25 ? 30 year old young workers we depend on for the long hours in the summer money is only a piece of their life.

I do not want to discriminate here, and will say this is broad generalizations, but the attitude of the younger workers that comprise the bulk of my basic semiskilled labor is that work and money are good but they are not like the ?30 somethings? thinking about winter slowdowns and putting money in the bank ? they just see all the things they are missing out on in summer working 55-60 hours a week.

This was the same issue I faced when running finance offices for a car dealership years ago before I went into flipping houses and construction/remodeling full time. The younger high energy employees needed motivation beyond the big paycheck to avoid call offs and no shows. The threat of firing people for such things only works if you can fire and replace them ? but in our area I cannot and they know it. I also like the carrot better than the stick to keep employees happy and working hard.

I use the same things now as I did then to motivate employees. Gifts besides money in a check. It not only motivates them, but often times is cheaper than trying to pay out bonuses (and every time I pay out a bonus they all assume I must have gotten paid 10x that amount so waving cash often has a negative effect anyway). If I need a job finished early I offer gifts as a reward to go with the paychecks they are earning.

Tools, and gift certificates to tool places are the most common. Unlike the older employees that have everything they want exactly how they want it, many newer ones with only 2-3 year in construction are making do with older tools and stuff they got along the way as they needed it for personal tools. When I put up things like nice DeWalt Tools for them to keep they not only get motivated, I get better production out of them for future work as well.

Going a couple days over on a job sometimes cost me a lot of money ? bringing in $1000 in tools and putting them up for grabs to keep if it is done on time gets them excited and gets them things that their young wives and girlfriends would throw a fit about them spending their check on. Suddenly people that I cannot pay overtime to stay late on Friday or come in on Saturday are happy to be there and busting their butts.

Including families and girlfriends in things also is a great motivator. It works really well for me because nearly have my work is being done on houses I own and purchased to flip, so clearly it does not work in the same way if working on houses belonging to a customer. If working on one of our houses late in an evening or on a weekend fire up the grill towards the end of the day and have them invite wives, kids, and girlfriends over.

For a couple hundred in steaks, hotdogs, soda, and beer I not only have them feeling better about working but they are catching a lot less grief from their families. Having the families support them when working long hours makes them feel better and sets us apart as good people to work for which not only makes happier workers, but earns a lot of good word of mouth advertising. Instead of just offering cash bonus or overtime pay, try mixing it up a little and do give away some tools and maybe get the families involved with a couple work functions ? it really helped me grow our business by keeping good employees happy and working.

If you're like the majority of Americans over the age of 45, you want to continue living in a familiar environment throughout your maturing years. According to AARP, many older homeowners would prefer to age-in-place, which means to live in their home safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age or physical ability level. But is your current home set up to accommodate your possible needs as you age?

We would like to offer some questions and answers regarding the aging-in-place lifestyle to increase your understanding of the possibilities for age-in-place remodeling. We have also included a checklist for aging-in-place and universal design improvements.

Q&A about Aging-In-Place

How should my home be modified to make it more safe and comfortable?

If your goal is to age-in-place, you will probably need to modify your home as you mature to increase access and safety. Modifications may range from the installation of bathroom grab bars and adjusting countertop heights to the creation of first-floor bedrooms and the installation of private elevators or stair chairs.

Who can I rely on to modify my home?
MDV Remodeling has 50 years of construction and experience in age-in-place the strategies and techniques for designing and building aesthetically-pleasing, barrier-free living environments.

MDV has a commitment to:

• The unique needs of the older adult population
• Aging-in-place home modifications
• Common remodeling projects
• Solutions to common barriers

Keep in mind that when you hire a remodeling professional, you are engaging a service rather than buying a product. Each professional draws from a different knowledge base and will approach your project in a different way. No matter where you start in the process, you will eventually need to hire a professional remodeler to actually make the modifications to your home.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• What improvements does my home need?
• Do I want to add a bathroom and possibly a bedroom to the first floor?
• How can I make my kitchen more functional?
• Do I need modifications to prevent falls?
• What is my budget for this project?
• Will I be able to get a home equity loan to pay for the project?
• Will other members of my family benefit from modifications?
• Will remodeling increase the energy efficiency of my home?

Checklist

• Prepare a flexible, comprehensive budget for your home modification project. A free estimate from MDV can help you to determine costs at each of a few different levels of aging-in-place modifications.
• Seek information, including referrals for contractors and financing, from friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and others who have had similar work done.
• Search the Directory of Professional Remodelers to locate a remodeler like MDV Remodeling in your community. Or contact your local home builders association or remodelers? council and ask about companies with experience with age-in-place remodeling.
• Check with your local or state office of consumer protection and the local Better Business Bureau before hiring any contractor or signing any contracts.
• Verify that the remodeler you engage has the appropriate license(s) in your state.
• Ask all contractor candidates for a written estimate of the work to be done based on a set of plans and specifications. Be prepared to pay for whichever proposal you accept per the payment schedule included therein.
• Select a professional remodeler with extensive experience in age-in-place remodeling, like MDV Remodeling. Remember, lowest price does not ensure a successful remodeling project.

If you are seriously considering aging-in-place in your current home, give us a call or click here for a free estimate.

If you are looking to retain noise within a site, or keep noise from coming into an area, then the best strategy is to erect some sound proof fencing.

Sound proof fencing is a cost effective and flexible method of controlling and reducing noise. Noise reduction barriers are hung on standard site fencing, hoarding or scaffolding, which can be erected in a multitude of locations. The barriers, made from acoustic foam and PVC are lightweight and flexible, yet can wit'stand all kinds of weathers including downpours and sub zero temperatures whilst maintaining performance.

Sound proof fencing works by absorbing noise, typically by between 10-30dB depending on how deep the fencing is erected, instead of reflecting it and allowing it to escape.

Sound proof fencing can be effective in both commercial and residential settings, keeping the peace for those affected by noise. For a contractor, using sound proof fencing demonstrates a commitment to being a considerate company and reducing the impact on local people who otherwise would be affected by excessive noise, which can cause stress, sleep deprivation and resulting heart problems.

The Echo Barrier technical team are constantly working; innovating and trying new materials and technologies to ensure our products are leading the field and producing the best performance. The H series of barriers have been endorsed by the Institute of Acoustics and Noise Abatement Society and offer market leading acoustic solutions.

Noise from passing cars can be a disturbance to people living and working close to busy roads. Sound proof fencing is the ideal solution to reduce the inconvenience caused by this noise and helping to maintain a quiet living and working environment. Fences can be erected alongside the length of a busy road and have reflective strips to ensure visibility at night.

Highway construction and maintenance noise is also a common problem which sound proof fencing can solve. New roads are increasingly being built in rural areas and on green and brownfield sit's and near to residential developments. Sound proof fencing provides the ideal temporary method of reducing the impact of construction noise on those who are affected nearby.

Erecting sound barriers around a construction site can increase the security of that site.

To create security acoustic fencing, hang acoustic panels with a PVC finish, such as Echo Barriers, on to site fencing, hoarding or scaffolding which is then chained together with metal clips to act as a barrier to anyone trying to get into the site. The PVC finish on the panels ensure they cannot be climbed.

Echo Barrier sells accessories such as security cables which also guard against theft.

Erecting sound proof fencing around noisy construction sit's can reduce the amount of unwanted noise coming out of that site, reducing the disturbance for local residents and workers. Noise reduction solutions

can also extend the working hours of a site, resulting in jobs finishing quicker and costing less.

Acoustic barriers are flexible and easy to hang, store and transport so they make the ideal site management tool. They can be branded with company colours and logos too, and so offering a further marketing opportunity for the construction company.

Furthermore, they offer a health and safety advantage for employees, reducing the risk of being exposed to long periods of loud noise.

If you have been experiencing problems with traffic noise, noise complaints or employee sickness due to noise, speak to the experts at Echo Barrier for a solution tailored to your needs.

Prior to the UK?s house building boom the construction industry, including plant hire services like Lagan Plant, was suffering through a recession-induced lag. This downturn seemed to hit the construction sector harder than it hit the manufacturing or service industries and put the sector into a deep hole in which to dig out. During the recession the construction industry saw large projects put on hold or outright cancelled due to a lack of funds from backers or clients. The recession also caused job losses throughout the construction industry which in turn hurt the economy even more. This whole situation caused the construction industry to suffer from a decline in the years of 2009 and 2010. Throughout those two years the construction industry flirted with utter disaster as more projects were cancelled due to lack of funds and more people ended up in the unemployment line. Without any recovery expected until 2011 (according to the then-forecasts) the industry had to do all it could to tread water and wait for the recession to pass.

Post-recession Facts and Figures

The Construction News published various facts and figures throughout this downturn in the industry. According to these figures, employment throughout the construction industry began declining in 2008 by a rate of one percent over the year. The forecast for 2009 and 2010 had the industry bracing for a 15 percent drop in construction employment (the biggest coming in 2009). This caused the industry to try and create a better flow of apprentices and graduates with construction skills in order to sustain the industry. The problem then developed into a greater one as companies realised they couldn?t afford to hire apprentices or recent graduates due to budget cuts in a poor economy.

As the recession lagged on throughout 2009 and 2010 the construction industry did all it could to keep its head above water. This meant not hiring new employees and working on whatever projects they could come by with skeleton crews. Luckily for the industry the UK began to experience a house building boom as demand for new homes increased at the end of the recession.

Indeed, things were so bad that the government?s hand was forced into doing something. Enter the Help to Buy scheme: government-backed loans for homebuyers. This turned out to be a seminal moment for the industry. A pivot. Good news among the sea of red ink. Finally, after years of folded companies, layoffs and cancellations, things began to move again.

From home builders in the Midlands and commercial developers in London, to plant hire companies like Lagan Plant, things began to boom again.

The House Building Boom

In 2013 the industry closed the year on a high with an output over six percent higher than that of 2012. The industry reports that this surge had a lot to do with the greatest increase of new builds since 2008, before the recession began. Since the construction lag in 2009, new construction projects are up 89 percent. While this is a great improvement the numbers are still 40 percent below where they were during the 2007 peak which shows the construction industry and economists that the sector has a long way to go before it reaches its previous peak.

With these new builds and a rise in construction projects in general the sector has also reported a steady growth in employment. In order to keep up with the high demand of new homes as well as commercial projects, construction companies are hiring workers at an accelerated rate in order to meet project deadlines. This rise in employment is helping the UK?s economy recover steadily.

The question being asked now is how long this boom will last, and whether the construction industry could endure another bust so soon after then last one. The jury is out on that.

Environmentalism, which is commonly known as the Green Movement, has been around for nearly a century and encompasses everything from efficiency to recycling. With the current energy crisis, sustainability is becoming a priority for many home owners. In today's blog post we wanted to highlight five sustainable building materials that are available as part of the many exciting innovations in the construction industry.

Here are five sustainable building materials you should consider for your next construction project:

1. Wool Bricks: Developed by Spanish and Scottish researchers these sustainable, non-toxic bricks combine wool along with a natural polymer found in seaweed to the clay of the brick to produce a product that is 37% stronger than ordinary bricks. They are more resistant to the cold, wet climates and also dry hard, reducing the need to be fired like traditional bricks.

2. Solar Tiles: Traditional roofing tiles are typically mined from the ground or set from concrete or clay using energy-intensive methods. Once installed, they exist to simply protect a building from the elements despite the fact that they spend a large portion of the day absorbing energy from the sun. With this in mind, many companies are now developing solar tiles. Unlike most solar panel units, which are usually fixed on top of existing roofing, solar tiles are fully integrated into the building?s decor, protecting it from the weather while generating power for its inhabitants.

3. Sustainable Concrete: According to WorldChanging.com, concrete is responsible for nearly 10% of global CO2 emissions. But that being, more sustainable forms of concrete exist that use recycled materials in the mix. Crushed glass can be added, as can wood chips or slag ? a byproduct of steel manufacturing. Although these changes aren?t radically transforming concrete, by simply using a material that would have otherwise gone to waste, the CO2 emissions associated with concrete are reduced.

4. Paper Insulation: Made from recycled newspapers, cardboard and other waste paper, paper-based insulation is a superior alternative to chemical foams or fiberglass insulation. Both insect resistant and fire-retardant due to the inclusion of borax, boric acid, and calcium carbonate ? all completely natural materials that have no associations with health problems ? paper insulation can be blown directly into walls, filling every crack and crevice to create a nearly draft-free environment.

5. Triple-Glazed Windows: These super-efficient windows, which feature three layers of glass and fully insulated window frames, do a better job of stopping heat from escaping. In most double-glazed windows, argon gas is injected between each layer of glass to aid with insulation, but in these triple-glazed windows, krypton ? a better, but more expensive insulator ? is substituted for argon. In addition to this, low-emissivity coatings are applied to the glass, further preventing heat from escaping.

If you are considering a remodel in the near future and sustainability is something that?s important to you, any and all of these materials will help to create a more eco-friendly, sustainable building. Contact us today to set up a free estimate. During this initial appointment we can discuss all the options available to you and determine the best fit for you for next project!