Posts by: SCOTT EASTON

Technology has changed everything in our daily lives, but one of the places where it’s changed most notably is in the construction business.  True honest-to-goodness blueprints, once a staple of contractors worldwide, are now being substituted with modern PDF plans wherein everything from a scope of work to an entire set of architectural, mechanical, and structural drawings can be encompassed in a single email.

Not only has technology changed on the planning side, but it very much has infiltrated the actual execution of a job.  Here are some ways tech has challenged conventional construction.

Drones and GPS

While surveying properties and job sites with your own eyes is still very much a real part of construction, as trades become more national and jobs stretch hundreds if not thousands of miles from home base, we’re relying on technology to do some of the survey work for us.

A transit still has a valuable role in surveying for site prep and elevations, but with drone technology and the ubiquity of GPS, contractors can virtually survey a property from anywhere in the world.  This can save valuable time and resources both on the job and in travel to look at jobs.

Virtual and Augmented Reality

Architects have been using computers to illustrate their plans for years, but now contractors can leverage augmented reality to show their customers exactly what they are talking about in a language that anyone can understand. 

Subcontractors benefit especially from the ability to take pictures of jobs on phones or tablets and transfer that information to a computer program where drawn images and dimensions can be input.  Most often, the value in this is to help general contractors more readily understand how subs will execute plans and help building inspectors see the construction before it actually begins.

Collaboration Software

One of the challenging aspects of general contracting is coordinating with subcontractors, building owners, and tenants about the process and progress of a project.  While not everyone needs to know everything, it helps to have software that allows the GC to collaborate with the important stakeholders of a construction project.

Most businesspeople are familiar with collaboration software to help teams work together and communicate effectively and efficiently.  Software such as Slack, Dropbox, Trello, and Basecamp to name a few offer businesses as well as contractors and stakeholders a way to seamlessly communicate, work together, and plan for future and current projects.  Best of all, there are fewer wasted phone calls and emails for simple questions with simple answers.

Building Automation and Smart Technology

Moving slightly away from planning and more towards execution we find building automation.  Johnson Controls is one of the leaders in building automation and control software worldwide but with more and more homes becoming smart homes and businesses becoming more in tune with their environmental impacts and productivity, newcomers are on their way into the automation marketplace.

Building automation and smart technology will become an omnipresent part of both our home and business lives over the next few decades and contractors, like us, will need to be prepared to adjust.  Automation and smart tech takes planning in order to make the infrastructure work during the construction phase of any construction project and project managers will need to be able to adapt and make adjustments on the fly.

For thousands of years humankind has used bricks as a primary building material for all sorts of structures.  From Jericho to Rome to Ancient Egypt to Thurber, brick has been a staple of construction from practically the dawn of civilization.  Gone, however, are the days of solid Roman-eqsue brick and here is the modern cored structural brick.  

Just because manufacturing processes have changed from handmade, hand-kilned clay brick to mass produced cored brick doesn’t mean that quality has by any means diminished.  Quality building materials are just important as quality craftsmanship from experienced tradespeople, but why does the quality of your bricks matter?

Quality Brick is Easier to Work

As a homeowner, your last thought of choosing brick is how easy it is to work with; however, if you’re paying a skilled tradesperson to brick your home or business it should be something you consider.  Quality brick is easier to work with, won’t chip or damage when handled, and generally is universally shaped meaning a cleaner look.  

You may ask why any of this matters to you, but the answer is very simple: time, money, and materials.  Hopefully, if you’re shopping for a mason to do your work, they’ve given you a comprehensive bid but for remodels and cost plus jobs, you may be on the hook for the extra expense your mason incurs dealing with lesser quality materials.  This means that it may cost you time, money in materials, and labor to save a few bucks.

Longer Lasting Masonry

Naturally, a better quality brick will last longer and, unless you’re in the business of repairing brick several years after it’s installed, then a higher quality brick will make all the difference.  Higher quality brick not only lasts longer, but will withstand the test of time, weather, and impact from any matter of conditions.

Bear in mind that just as important as the quality of brick is the quality of the mortar and anchors your bricklayers use.  The quality of bricks is the number one factor in quality masonry work, but it’s only a component of the overall puzzle.  Additionally, installing anchors correctly along with adequate mortar work is something most building owners will never see or know about.

Quality Brick is Only as Good as the Mason

If we haven’t alluded to it already, no matter how good your brick is if it’s not being installed by an experienced professional mason then you may be out of luck.  Experienced masons understand their building materials, can adapt to local materials if needed, and will generally do all of the little things right.

Bricklaying is not only about using quality materials but knowing how to use those materials and how to make them aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound.  There’s plenty of fly-by-night bricklayers who can simply lay brick, but having a mason with experience in working with a variety of materials is paramount to quality construction. That’s why at ValCon, we understand the importance of quality brick and block and our skilled bricklayers are strategic with every stroke of their trowel.