Construction Brothers

Welcome to 5 Minute Friday! Where we tell you our best tips and tricks to help you and your team get a little bit better every single week. This week we are going over 3 Tips for Engineers!

1. Call a subcontractor and schedule a field trip, put your hands on it and learn how to build. Be more than a button-pushing analyzer. It’s probably why you started in the industry anyway.
2. Stop putting “See Arch” on your contract drawings. Try your dangdest before you do this to make sure you have done your due diligence and have tried to get this scope coordinated.
3. Stay humble.

Special thanks to our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! -https://projectsight.trimble.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Note regarding intro: The film festival in France is actually pronounced “Can.” The “S” is silent, unlike Tyler.)    We start out today with Tyler’s church-league softball story and his related megaphone message: If you’re 6’2” and 260 pounds, don’t combine dehydration and intermittent fasting with an effort to prove yourself on the field.    Then, on to the substance of today’s episode. Fair warning: We’re getting into the weeds today. That’s because this stuff can profoundly affect your finances, timing, and relationships.    Delegated design is the approach to contracts in which the SEOR (structural engineer of record) limits himself or herself to elements that do not include connections and then expects those design services to be rendered by the fabricator or someone else.    Eddie explains that additional elements may also be delegated. Curtain walls, for instance, would be designed by someone with special expertise in curtain walls.    We’re talking about delegated design today so you can understand how it might impact the timeline and finances of your projects.    How do you look for delegation? Well, Eddie says that at the beginning of any project, he’ll look at the structural notes sheet and the specifications book. He’ll check for notes regarding delegation and make sure that these two documents agree.    We discuss the pros and cons of delegated design. Here are our thoughts:   Pros: -Fabricators are able to handle connections in a way that best fits their materials and design. -The need for back-and-forth communication is reduced. -Time can be saved because production teams can move according to their own well-oiled systems.   Cons:  -The SEOR’s knowledge and control is not as thorough as it is in other situations.   -There are more cooks in the kitchen, and that means more egos in the room (and we all know what that can mean). -There’s increased potential for the buck to be passed.   Eddie explains the 3 contract-structure options outlined in the AISC Code of Standard Practices:  1) The SEOR handles everything. 2) An engineer gives the basic criteria for the connections and then has a qualified engineer select from those connections. 3) The engineer fully delegates design of connections.   Over time, regional patterns have developed regarding the adoption of these three options: -Option 3 is prominent in the eastern part of the country. -Option 1 is most common on the West Coast (perhaps because of seismic concerns).  -Option 2 is generally fading from use.   It’s important that all parties be clear on which of these options is being used on a given project. The decision has additional ramifications as far as expectations about who will be doing the shop drawings and who will document various aspects of the official project record.    Eddie shares about a project his team worked on. Relatively late in the process, a concern was raised about the aesthetic effect of a large gusset. The architect wanted the gusset size reduced. The problem? The building was in a hurricane zone, where gusset size matters. He explains that tension resulted not from the need for change but from the fact that this concern hadn’t been explained in the plans from the outset.    Eddie discusses the idiosyncrasies of different parties–designers, fabricators, architects–with specific preferences. He also refers to this episode with Norine Bagate regarding risk and liability.    We ponder the impact of $50,000 paragraphs in contracts. If you’re buying design, know how much design you’re buying.     Our megaphone message: Anticipate the ripple effects of decisions you might want to change. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you place your loyalty with the wrong person. Good communication early can make a huge difference.    Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After reviewing hundreds of Architectural sets over the years, here are the main pain points we see most often. - Stair stringers have width - Do final coordination with your engineer before issuing the documentation - Use grids (and coordinate) - Know the actual dimensions of materials like masonry - Dimension walls to face of stud - Be a builder. Not an artist. Thanks for joining us this week! Make sure you check out our sponsor Trimble ProjectSight! - https://projectsight.trimble.com/ Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Like us on LinkedIn! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Eddie's LinkedIn Tyler's LinkedIn (Our day job) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to confidence and peace of mind within your business, there’s nothing that compares to having employees who actually care. Is this obvious? Yup. Still bears repeating.

When your workers are thankful for their job, they’re going to bring creativity, responsiveness, and conscientiousness to their work. Everyone that your business touches will notice the difference.

How do you make your employees thankful? Treat them well. Model gratitude. Show appreciation. Complain less.

Take advantage of little opportunities to let every contractor, client, or customer you come into contact with that you’re thankful for the role they play in your professional life.

Check out the partners that make our show possible.

Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Terry Dussault is President of Yellowknife Consulting Services in Huntington Beach, California. His focus is conducting incident investigations and promoting safety programs. Many of the projects that require Terry’s attention involve waste-cleanup and pollution abatement.

These sites often contain lots of piping and pumps, which means lots of ways workers can get hurt. (Tyler asks if scuba gear is ever involved. The answer is no, but here’s the kind of diving Tyler was referring to.)

Tyler asks Terry to talk through an average day, and Terry said that a whole lot of it is about paperwork. There’s a massive amount of documentation. You need to know the protocols. Eddie asks for some of the good things in the world of safety recently. Terry recalls how little safety gear was offered or used when he started working in the field. It was pretty much just steel-toe boots–no helmets, no vests.

Terry discusses the incredible importance of traceability when it comes to safety standards. It’s essential that an employer be able to provide documentation verifying that appropriate steps have been taken to keep the workplace safe. This helps in litigation and in providing employees with peace of mind. We explore the generational differences in perceptions of safety regulations. Terry says many veteran workers brush aside safety concerns because they’ve never had significant accidents or seen coworkers get hurt.

He shares he confronted an older worker who had chosen to ignore the company glove policy. Terry pointed out to the guy that all of the incoming employees who train under him will likely follow his example. The Book of Gore: This is the title Terry’s brother, a paramedic, gave to the photo album he assembled to document the terrible things that can happen. He refers to this book when attempting to encourage the use of gloves and other safety equipment.

erry says that the root cause of unsafe work conditions is when the shortcutting of procedures is positively reinforced or tolerated.

On the topic of gloves, Tyler asks about how Terry has seen people deal with the increased presence of touchscreen-based technology on the worksite. Terry talks about reasonable exceptions that need to be made for people in specific situations. We discuss balance and practicality. Tyler mentions that excessive protocols can lead employees to want to stick it to the man. Terry talks about an oil company that required two layers of gloves. At first this struck him as ridiculous, but then he came to understand that they were dealing with contaminants that can be absorbed through the skin. If his skin had gotten wet, he’d have been absorbing serious toxins.

Tyler asks Terry what safety protocols he’d like to see implemented. Terry says that it’s not so much which protocols should be added as it is about how management should get involved. He wants to see leaders becoming more active in supporting employees in their efforts to remain safe.

Terry tells a story about a nightmare cleanup where a former owner had allowed various companies to fill a tank with a variety of chemicals. Terry had to lead a crew through the process of solidifying the liquid. That meant putting a few of his guys in direct contact with the chemicals. An executive in the company overseeing the project asked when they were going to be able to scale down the PPE budget, and Terry had to be really blunt with him.

Eddie discusses whether we create a Chicken Little dynamic when we have excessive regulations like requiring two people to move a 16’ 2x4. This leads to another messy cleanup story that shows the complexity of assigning liability in multi-million-dollar projects. He talks about the fact that there are often two versions of incident reports after incidents like this one. Tyler asks Terry to share some wisdom with young people entering the industry. Here’s what he shares:

• Try to become the best you can be, but also think about integrating a level of safety into your practice. Learn it all.
• It’s okay if you don’t know something. Ask.

Terry’s Megaphone Message: If you’re a worker and you see something that doesn’t feel right, stop and ask. You don’t have to proceed. Have some personal policies regarding safety. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

Find Terry Online: LinkedIN - Yellowknife Consulting Services Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Use code BROS at checkout for 20% off a seat of Bluebeam!

In this episode, we’re joined by Luke from Bluebeam to explore the cutting-edge advancements revolutionizing the construction industry. From innovative PDF tools to the integration of AI in BIM workflows, we unpack how technology is driving collaboration, efficiency, and creativity in ways we’ve never seen before.

🌟 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The behind-the-scenes of Bluebeam’s tools and their impact on modern construction.
• How Bluebeam Live events spark innovation and community building.
• Why AI and automation will shape the future of BIM by 2025.
• Real-world success stories, like transforming Austin schools and massive studio builds.
• The importance of connecting users to tools for streamlined collaboration.

💡 Highlights:

• [0:52] What makes Bluebeam events a safe space for innovation.
• [8:30] Features that save hours in design and project management.
• [17:08] The future of connected markups and metadata sharing.
• [31:45] Integrating Bluebeam with other tools to supercharge workflows.
• [45:12] Luke’s megaphone moment: A heartfelt message to the construction industry.

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Learn more about Bluebeam
• Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates
• Connect with Luke on LinkedIn

In this episode, we mention Peter Noyes. He's one of the first engineers at Bluebeam, who is still working on new product features almost 23 years later.

📢 Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Have questions or feedback? Drop us a line at [email protected].

Eddie gives us a challenge for the coming week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, a steel fabricator speaks! Sam Perossa is the Vice President of Ogeechee Steel and has been in the steel industry for over twenty years.   We believe that he has the ability to educate us on how to operate better in our respective fields. If you're a General Contractor, Architect, Engineer, or even another Steel Fabricator you'll find this conversation extremely helpful. We aim to create a feedback loop through episodes like this so everyone can benefit and get better! Questions include -   - What is the number one RFI you chase?  - What would you tell a structural engineer if you could give advice? 

Related Links Sam Perossa LinkedInOgeechee SteelPreeminence: What It Means and How to Sustain It by Glen JacksonConstruction Dive - Cellphones are Evil
Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating or review and follow us on our social accounts! SUBSCRIBE!      Like us on LinkedIn!      Like us on Facebook!    Follow us on Instagram!Eddie's LinkedIn      Tyler's LinkedIn      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's five minute Friday, Tyler and Eddie discuss the outcome of taking the time to fulfill a project until you are 100% satisfied. We also hit a few topics such as not settling for the minimum, but going above and beyond. Please consider subscribing! SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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