We like to get involved. And companies who work with us a lot want us involved, because our involvement has value. On the front end of the job, we help with planning, budgeting, and scheduling. Engineers, owners, and general contractors value our opinions on what parts of structures need to be removed, in what order, and to what extent. We base our opinions on schedule restrictions, load requirements, imminent vibration, job production, and owner production. We do not believe in unilateral decision-making before, during, or after any job. We like to make suggestions about the anchoring systems for anchoring tables, the sole plates, the grouting process, and other elements of the job, because we feel our expertise in our own field combined with our understanding of the owner’s goals, the engineer’s goals, and each trade’s goals add value to any job.
We are innovators. We have been on the cutting edge of construction technology for years, and will continue to lead the field in innovation. Our innovations are valuable in the market place, because they are built around three central and overarching goals: save time, improve quality, and eliminate dangers. Some of our innovations have become company mainstays, such as wire sawing, clip back, and instant grouting with monolithic base-pour. Another of our innovations that has become a signature of our company is the shift-change meeting. Rather than working standard 12-hour shifts, we work 13-14 hour shifts to allow for overlap and communication between the two shifts, thereby eliminating a multitude of shift-change-related problems. We found that most problems during construction phase occur as a result of the lack of communication between two crews working unilaterally to achieve a common goal. There are also instances in which we might make an innovation for a specific job that could only be effective given that specific set of circumstances. If given a seat at the table, our problem-solving skills generally save time and improve the owner’s bottom line.
Our process is a series of meetings to keep everyone informed and help figure out how to get to the end goal. Our supervisors constantly price up the materials and labor associated with alternates and ideas we have in the field. If an alternate or new idea saves money on our time and material, we consider what it might add to other trades. If it adds nothing or minimally to other trades, reduces cost, or saves time, we present the idea to the owner’s representative, engineer, and every contractor involved with the job and are prepared to alter our method per meeting outcome immediately. From managers to laborers, we bring out a team of key people who will be working on the project to ensure we’re on the most efficient path at all times.
