Advice for life in general, and professional life, is often gleaned by the sharing of lessons and anecdotes. Here are some lessons to apply to both home and work.

http://sjcivil.net/news/from-me-to-you-things-ive-learned-as-a-professional/

The reader is introduced to the process of contractor estimating from initial project evaluation through the call for bond, the takeoff, the actual estimating of a civil project, an even the turn in of the bid...

http://sjcivil.net/news/introduction-to-contractor-estimating/

A constructability review can significantly and positively impact a project. But what is it and what are the third-party reviewers looking for in their review? Here we look just at the drawings/plan review (not the specification and contract review).

http://sjcivil.net/pre-construction/designers-design-constructors-construct-drawings-constructability-review/

Contractors are often brought into a project in the design phase to minimize cost.  Here are some guidelines on infrastructure project cost cutting measures from a Contractor’s viewpoint – it’s advice to a design team.

http://sjcivil.net/news/designing-with-cost-in-mind/

On a project with multiple subcontractors, and say you’re one of them, implement a winning strategy for claims success by joining other subcontractors.

http://sjcivil.net/sjcc/subs-should-join-forces/

Once the project starts, it is the Contractor’s project management team’s responsibility to update the client on a regular, usually weekly, basis. This is done graphically using a lookahead schedule in bar chart format (also known as a Gantt Chart). Here we discuss the contents and reliability of the lookahead schedule.

http://sjcivil.net/news/the-lookahead-schedule-and-90-60-30/

Cracks in construction provide information to a superintendent. We identify what you’re seeing and what it could mean in specific scenarios.

http://sjcivil.net/sjcc/cracks-in-construction/

What are the “necessities” for software and apps for your construction business? Here’s a look at what’s out there – software and/or apps that are in use by successful firms to accomplish necessary functions in your business.

What do I need? If you’re doing more than a million dollars in sales a year in heavy/civil construction, I’d say you need the following tools in your construction software toolbox...

http://sjcivil.net/sjcc/needed-software-for-a-contractor/

How many RFIs (requests for information) are too many on a construction project? Is it time, is it possible, to tie the number of RFIs on a job to the cost impact suffered by a contractor?

http://sjcivil.net/sjcc/is-one-rfi-one-too-many/

Time for any business is critical, perhaps more so in construction than many other industries. The role of time and its effect on a contractor are discussed here.

http://sjcivil.net/ceo-owner/if-cash-is-king-times-the-queen/