The Perlo Podcast

“This is The Perlo Podcast. We talk construction – it’s people, it’s challenges, it’s opportunities. We talk to industry and trade experts, movers and shakers, and people who get buildings built right. Join us. You won’t regret it.” Welcome back to the Perlo Podcast for Episode Five! Host Elissa Looney, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Perlo Construction, is joined by Kyncade Hardy, Superintendent, and Adam Smelly, Project Manager, on the site of True Terpenes, one of Perlo’s tenant improvements in Hillsboro, Oregon. General Overview of True Terpenes True Terpenes is a tenant improvement currently underway with Perlo consisting of interior improvements on a 20,000 SF existing tilt-up building. The building interior, which had originally consisted of existing office space, was demolished to clear out space for the following: • A second-level mezzanine • Additional office spaces • Conference rooms • Manufacturing space complete with clean rooms and a warehouse Kyncade Hardy, Perlo Superintendent on this project, notes that there are quite a few components to this tenant improvement, including a hazardous materials storage room with a concrete curb and steel barriers for chemical storage, as well as areas of the building with a Corrosion Resistant Coating (CRC) on the flooring to protect from the chemicals used for CBD production. In addition, this job required considerable HVAC and mechanical work for proper ventilation and air movement. Adam Smelley, Perlo’s Project Manager on True Terpenes, remarks, “One of the unique things we’ve done is that we’ve maintained the general office area by adding a mezzanine area above that to amplify their office space.” In addition, the project team is also taking what was an existing warehouse from the previous tenant and modifying it for the current process rooms, complete with process piping and other production systems throughout. Because the roof lacked the space necessary to store the building’s mechanical systems, concrete pads were added to the outside of the building as well as another second-level mezzanine. Kyncade states that this has been a great asset, as it has allowed them to avoid the risks and challenges that come along with opening roof structure in the winter. The project, which kicked off in mid-November of last year, is expected to be completed in April of 2022. Where True Terpenes is Today This space has remained unoccupied for the majority of the work, along with being in the unique position of being procured through a negotiated strategy. This gave project teams the time to go over four rounds of budgeting before taking on the unique existing conditions. Adam states, “The client has been great to work with, and they were open to following our path on which is the best route to remedy the conditions and make this the right product for them.” Kyncade describes the current conditions of True Terpenes as very close to completion. He describes that on one half of the interior, the office space area and mezzanine are in place, and the crews are currently finishing the drywall both upstairs and downstairs. On the other half, crews are finishing up the Fiberglass-Reinforced Polymer (FRP), a strong yet lightweight building material that resists corrosion, in the clean rooms. Electrical rough-in has been taking place in the clean rooms and manufacturing side, with ceilings ready to be installed in the area. It was crucial, especially with FRP, that project teams knew where certain facets of electrical work came into play. These factors, such as the location of outlets, are why project teams took multiple walks through the facility with the client to plan accordingly. The mezzanine structure also contains a 4-inch concrete slab, which was initially intended to be stained concrete. In the end, the client decided to go with marmoleum flooring, which saved time on the job and helped maintain cleanliness on the jobsite. Elissa notes how stained concrete is not

In this short clip from episode 4, Elissa Looney, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Perlo Construction, is joined by guests George Trice and Mark Helling, two of Perlo’s superintendents. George and Mark touch on the differences between crews 20 years ago versus today and how back then, crews were more seasoned by doing the same types of projects but didn’t necessarily have the same technical skills that new Perlo workers have today.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!

In this highlight reel from Episode 4, host Elissa Looney, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Perlo, is joined by two Perlo superintendents, George Trice and Mark Helling, to talk about their experiences in the field. They touch on the different management styles that were used over 20 years ago, including expecting crews to get the job completed no matter the circumstances.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!

In this highlight reel from Episode 4, Elissa Looney, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Perlo Construction, is joined by guests George Trice and Mark Helling, two of Perlo’s superintendents. When asked about the environment 20 years ago while working, Mark and George touch on the lack of safety standards that crews had during that time, as there wasn’t as much worry about getting the job done safely, just on getting the job done.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!

In this highlight from our third episode, Elissa Looney, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Perlo Construction, is joined by repeat guests Todd Duwe and Chris McLaughlin to discuss the challenges of hard bid and negotiated procurement strategies. One of the biggest challenges in a hard bid is the factor of price. If subcontractors and project teams attempt to adjust a hard bid for potential risks they see, they will not be the lowest bidder and will therefore not be awarded the project. This creates a potential for more risk and conflict between the owner, contractor, and architect.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!

In this highlight reel, Perlo Construction’s Chris McLaughlin, Vice President of Preconstruction, and Todd Duwe, Vice President of Business Development join host Elissa Looney to compare and contrast the benefits and challenges of hard bid and negotiated procurement strategies. The most significant differences when negotiating come down to potential savings and the ability to identify long-lead items and potential risks on a project. A hard bid, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily have a schedule that you are bound to, as the priority is based on the lowest price.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!

In this highlight reel from our third episode, Perlo Construction’s Chris McLaughlin, Vice President of Preconstruction, and Todd Duwe, Vice President of Business Development join host Elissa Looney to discuss the benefits of negotiated and hard bid procurement strategies. In the case of hard bidding, the perceived benefit is that you’re going to get the lowest price. For negotiated strategy, you can find out about long-lead items and, by bringing a contractor on board early, potential risks and project scopes can be identified and solutions can be planned in advance.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!

In this highlight reel, the team explores their roles in construction. When comparing and contrasting different careers in construction, there is overlap in positions like estimating and project management. In estimating, there is more of a quick turnaround, whereas on the project management side, the process is often more drawn-out and can even take place over multiple years. Broc Van Vleet, Senior Estimator at Perlo Construction, states that you have to be able to understand both the estimating and project management aspects of construction to be successful. 

In the construction industry, you can only react well to a curveball if it was planned out well in the first place. It’s not a matter of if a curveball is thrown, it’s when.

Want to know more about Perlo? Visit our website at perlo.biz or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

Subscribe now on your favorite listening platforms to keep up with the Podcast.

And finally? Work hard, build it right, and have fun!