austin construction news june 2015

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Round Rock based Oakbrook Build-ers has operated since Oct. 2013. Darrell Smith is the founder, presi-

dent and CEO. “We have had tremendous opportu-nities over the past two years,” Smith said. “We will be expanding office space in our building this summer.” According to Smith, Oakbrook Build-ers completed its first out-of-state proj-ect in Omaha, NE in May and will expand into Louisiana and New Mexico before the end of the year. The company is also working on the Sodalis Eldercare project in San Antonio. Smith says when Oakbrook Builders employees have extra time, they make it a priority to volunteer together outside of the office.

Darrell Smith (right) and the Oakbrook Builders team look over plans at the Round Rock office.

“During Christmas time we helped hang decorations at the Texas Baptist Children’s Home and are currently work-ing with Austin LifeCare to help them with their office remodel,” Smith said. “We’re handling the general contracting for the project free of charge and con-tacting our subcontractors and suppliers to donate materials and furnishings. “We really believe that’s our respon-sibility to give back and make a differ-ence in our community.“ In addition, Smith says faith is a huge part of the company culture. “We commonly share Bible verses and pray in the office during meetings,” Smith said. “Several folks are active in

Venturing out on their own, brother and sister Michael Boy, president and owner and Sara Wilkus, vice

president, established Travis Roofing Supply at 2325 E. Ben White Blvd. The company hosted an open house and crawfish boil for customers in late April. “Sara and I formed the company in January and opened the doors in early March,” Boy said. “After working together for a local roofing supply company, we felt it was time to do something different. “We have a lot of support from exist-ing customers. We are trying to take care of people who trust us with their busi-ness on the front end as we establish new processes and procedures.”

Michael Boy and Sara Wilkus

Boy says the past few months have been very busy at Travis Roofing Supply. “There were some days we were at the office very early in the morning and we stayed late at night,” he said. “Once things started to streamline, there were hail storms in Central Texas. So, we got busy again. More roofing contractors and builders needed roofing supplies.” Boy and Wilkus are pleased with the convenient location of the E. Ben White Blvd facility. “We have 40,000sf of indoor storage space,” Boy said. “We are able to keep all the roofing supplies inside the ware-house instead of outside.”

Novium Group LLC performed 15,000sf of renovations on Salva-tion Army’s Austin Shelter for

Women and Children. Tyler Walbridge managed and supervised the 45-day project. “This project was unique for Novium Group because we were able to help out those in need using the services that we provide every day,” Walbridge said. “It is very fulfilling for us to be able to help others because we are not always in a po-sition to help those in need.” Construction materials used during the project included Durock, sheetrock, galvanized studs, ceramic tile, VCT, blinds, solid core wood doors, hollow metal door frames, metal lockers, latex paint, epoxy paint, acoustical ceiling tile and sprinkler pipe. The construction team divided a large room to accommodate a new loca-tion for the worker dorm and the old

Salvation Army’s Austin Shelter for Women and Children interior construction

worker dorm was refinished to accom-modate the new women’s shelter. “It was imperative that the transients dorm remained open during construc-tion,” Walbridge said. “This room was the dorm that we were dividing in half and where the majority of the work took place. We also had to paint all dorms and halls while the project was occupied by tenants.” Walbridge says Salvation Army coor-dinated with the occupants and worked very well with Novium Group to give am-ple notice to occupants and give the con-struction team access to all dorms to complete all of the painting. “The Salvation Army requires perfec-tion on their projects, and they demand that the completed work be performed at a standard at or above what they would expect work in their own homes to look like,” Walbridge said. “They took

Austin Construction News • Jun 2015

Austin

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

The Austin Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies of record in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd. , dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

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Occupational Safetyand Health Administration

When contractors visit Apple Lumber in Smithville, they’d likely talk with Dewey Barton

and Larry Wilson at the counter. Apple Lumber purchased Schuelke Lumber & Hardware in Nov. 2012. Before Barton joined the company, he made a living as a roadway construc-tion inspector. At the time, he also worked for Schuelke Lumber & Hardware three days a week. Working full time at Apple Lumber today, his responsibilities include stock-ing hardware, ordering materials and selling lumber. “We were very busy in 2014,” Barton said. “Things are more steady this year. It has been very rainy this spring. “Many of our customers are repeat customers. We give them a good reason to come back in the store.” Barton says he grew up in Smithville and has seen more construction projects

Going the distance

Dewey Barton worked as a roadway construction inspector before he worked in lumber sales.

in the area over the last few years. Sometimes he will go to jobsites, drop off a business card and talk to con-tractors about lumber. “I have always liked working in the construction industry,” Barton said. “I like interacting with people most of all.” When Barton has extra time, he loves to play golf at courses in the Bastrop area. He also likes to do house remodeling projects after work and on the weekend. As manager, Wilson spends most of his time at the store helping customers and overseeing the day-to-day opera-tions. After a long day at the store, Wilson says he loves to spend his free time with grandkids and does yard work on the weekend. Apple Lumber is a full-service lumber yard. The company has locations in Smith-ville, Luling and Yorktown. –ab

Charli Valadez, director of business development/marketing, has a productive

day at the Smith & Co. Architects Austin office. The firm provides design and project

management services. –ab

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Flintco LLC hosted a golf tournament at the Cimarron Hills Country Club in Georgetown Apr. 20. The funds raised will support the Austin Community College (ACC) Foundation. –ab


Tee time

Folks in the construction industry gathered business cards and shook hands with Austin area general con-

tractors at the Meet the GCs event held at Norris Conference Center May. 14. The Associated Builders and Contractors Cen-tral Texas Chapter (ABC) held the event. –ab

The Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (TSPS) gathered at the 2015 Ray Wisdom BBQ and Auction at Richard Moya Park in Austin in early May. The event benefitted the Texas

Surveyors Foundation Inc. (TSFI) scholarships for Texas land surveying students. –ab


Survey says


Future job seekers

Construction and machinist students attended a Skillpoint Alliance Gatewayprogram graduation ceremony, May 8. –ab


Richard ScottOwner

Aquatic ExcellenceAustin

Inspired by his two children’s interest in swimming, Richard Scott began de-signing swimming pools full time in

1989. He has designed more than 300 pools during his career. “Both my daughter and son were competitive swimmers,” he said. “I at-tended their swimming events across the country. They both had great success in swimming.” Scott opened Aquatic Excellence in Austin in 2005 and provides design and consulting services for municipal family aquatic centers, therapy pools, hotel wa-terparks, lazy rivers and wave pools. The company has worked on civic and cultural, commercial, education, en-tertainment, healthcare, hospitality and specialty projects. The firm also has a specialty in the design of adobe or earth brick structures.

Where were you born and raised, Rich-ard? I was born and raised in Columbus, IN.

Did any of your family work in con-struction or architecture? My grandfather was a master builder. He and his six-member construction company had a patent on a barn roof. I have photos of the barns my grandfather built. They were just incredible. Where did you attend college? I received a bachelor’s degree in In-ternational Studies from American Uni-versity in Washington D.C. I earned my master’s degree in secondary education from the University of New Mexico. In addition, I took special courses in architecture, civil engineering and land-scape architecture in New Mexico. I had to take two rigorous exams and passed them both the first time. I became regis-tered in 1978.

What do you remember most about taking the exams? I took the first exam at Santa Fe High School. I remember the air conditioning was not working at the high school that day. It was 95 degrees outside and about 100 degrees inside on the day of the exam. I think I was the only person that took my shirt off because it was so hot in the classroom. I was determined to pass

the test despite the uncomfortable con-ditions.

What did you do next? I originally thought I wanted to be a teacher like my father. If I did that I thought I would need to build my own house if I was going to have the kind of house I wanted. So I started studying adobe and earth brick structures. One of the earth builders in the area taught night school, so I signed up for the class. I took a follow up class with eight students and learned how to develop my own drawings. I designed and built my own house when I was 27. Next, I began working on five swimming pool projects at a small architectural firm in New Mexico. The firm grew to become the largest firm in New Mexico. I moved into fulltime design of swim-ming pools in 1989 and became the vice president of the two largest aquatics de-sign firms in the country. When I worked as vice president of Counsilmen-Hunsaker & Associates, I drew the initial design of the 50-meter pool, diving pool and water polo pool for the Atlanta Olympics.

What is the best part about living and working in Austin? There are so many opportunities for architects in Austin. I have lived here for 10 years and enjoy the city very much. We work nationally and have inter-national experience in China, Lebanon and Taiwan. We speak Spanish and enjoy opportunities to use it.

Where else have you traveled during your career? I have been to New York, California and Hawaii and many other states. I used to travel three or four times a week earlier in my career. I used to speak at large conferences and trade shows in the industry. It was a busy time for me. Now, I have a dog and I can stay home.

What are keys to success in your field? Provide the very best service possi-ble, stay on top of leading edge technol-ogy and have excellent communication skills.

What are your favorite hobbies when you aren’t at work? I like to hike and ride my bicycle for exercise on the weekends. I am about to start building an earth brick structure in Central Texas. The earth brick structure in Central Texas will be a lot different from the structures in New Mexico. In New Mexico, there is a higher altitude and a colder cli-mate in the winter. My goal is to provide enough solar heating with windows on the south, east and west walls to warm the adobe and keep the heat in the space. I feel very lucky in my career that I was in the right place at the right time to learn how to build these structures. I look forward to building my own again. My goal is to be the “Johnny Apple-seed” of earth building work in Central Texas. I want to help people learn how to build on their own or work with a profes-sional builder to build their dreams out of a simple, sustainable material. What is your dog’s name? My dog’s name is Sefton. He is 9. He is a Cavachon breed, which was the fa-

Richard Scott has a passion forbuilding earth brick structures.

Scott’s grandfather Clarence Sefton built this barn in Indiana.

The St Helen’s Church was built in Sefton in 1170 AD.

An earth brick structure in New Mexico.

vorite dog breed of British royalty. He is both sweet and gentle and also very playful. He is not only a lap dog, but he feels like he should always be with me. I can’t take him to many work ap-pointments, but I have taken Sefton to Home Depot and other dog friendly ven-ues. There are many dog friendly outdoor cafes in Austin. What is the story behind your dog’s name Sefton? “Sefton” means Wolf Town in old English. My mother’s family took their name from the creek that ran through the property given to them after the Nor-man conquest of England in 1066. A church was built on the property in 1170, which has had continuous service since then. It was built as a small family chapel and now it is a huge church. The estate is now the largest open space around the area of Liverpool.

Have you explored the town in the past? Yes, I have visited Sefton and I have seen the church. It is very interesting to me.

What are your plans for the future? I look forward to spending more time in Central Texas and designing and building earth brick structures. –ab

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Life insurance provides securityTerrell O. Taylor Jr., CLU, PartnerChrist Taylor InsuranceHouston, TX

Financial security is the comfort of knowing your family’s standard of living is secure even when a life-

changing event occurs. The first step in strengthening your family’s financial future is to face some worst-case scenarios.

Everyone needs ready financial re-sources to fall back on. If hard times have reduced your ready cash and emergency funds, the insurance component of your safety net becomes all the more impor-tant. If you were to die today, life insur-ance would provide cash to your depen-dents that can help pay for your funeral and other final expenses, meet everyday living expenses, pay down the mort-gage, finance longer term goals like edu-cation and retirement, and generally maintain your family’s quality of life. If you are the breadwinner, life insur-ance will replace some or all of your in-come if you die. Even if you don’t work outside the home, you still provide ser-vices that are expensive to replace, like childcare and household chores. If you are a business owner, a properly struc-tured life insurance program can safe-guard the finances of both your business and family. However, life insurance is something that no one likes to think about. The good news is that 86% of Americans be-lieve that life insurance is something that most people need. The bad news is that most Americans don’t have enough and more than a third don’t have any at all.

How much life insurance do I need? Since the amount of insurance you need depends on your specific financial goals and circumstances, there is no sim-ple formula to help determine the amount that’s right for you. That said, when you consider all the things that life insurance proceeds need to fund and how long the money will be needed, you begin to realize that your true need for coverage is often 10 or 15 times your gross income, often more.

Should I buy term or permanent life insurance? Generally speaking, term offers the greatest coverage for the lowest initial premium and is a great solution for peo-ple with temporary needs or a limited budget. Permanent insurance may make more sense if you anticipate a need for lifelong protection and like the option of accumulating tax-deferred cash values. Also, it doesn’t have to be one or the oth-

er. Oftentimes, a combination of term and permanent insurance is the right an-swer. Life insurance should serve as the foundation of your family’s financial se-curity, helping to ensure that your loved ones will be all right financially even if something were to happen to you. Here are 7 fundamental ways that life insurance creates a strong base for your financial security:

• Buys Time – allows loved ones to fo-cus on their grief by helping to pay for the funeral and other final expenses. • Provides a Fresh Start – Lets loved ones start with a clean slate by helping to pay off credit card bills, outstanding loans and even the mortgage. • Generates Income – Helps replace lost income for years to come so that sur-viving family members can continue to pay for life’s necessities. • Offers Flexibility – Gives a surviving spouse the chance to take time off from work or to switch to a job that offers a more flexible work schedule. • Creates Opportunities – Can provide funding to start a business, or pay for schooling so surviving family members can train for a new career. • Funds the Future – Offers a way to fund longer-range goals like a college education for the kids or a secure retire-ment for a surviving spouse.• Leaves A Legacy – Gives parents the chance to leave future generations with the legacy of long-term financial securi-ty. But this can only happen if you’ve done the proper planning. Don’t wait an-other minute and schedule time to meet with an insurance professional in your community or your benefits manager at work to make sure you have the right amount and type of life insurance to pro-tect the ones you love.

Christ Taylor Insurance is an employee benefits and insurance brokerage firm do-ing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-time ABC member. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.christtaylor.com.

Section 179 and tangibleproperty regsMilton G. Barrett, CPA - ShareholderRidout, Barrett & Co., PCSan Antonio, TX

Section 179 As we all are aware, as of Jan. 1, 2015, the Section 179 limits were reduced back to $25,000. In addition, the 50% bonus depreciation expired on Dec. 31, 2014. But,

as in 2014, there is hope that the limits will be restored. The 2014 tax relief was signed by the president in late December which gave very little time for small businesses to plan and make purchases.

In Feb. 2015, the House of Represen-tatives voted on a bill that would perma-nently increase the Section 179 limit to $500,000 with a phase out threshold of $2,000,000 and index for inflation start-ing in 2016. The 50% bonus depreciation, Section 168(k), is also attached to the bill. The Senate will now consider the bill and make changes or rewrite it completely. By making the higher limits perma-nent, the House hopes to encourage small business growth in investments by reducing the tax burden. The estimated tax savings over the next 10 years would be approximately $77 billion. The presi-dent has threatened to veto the bill as is unless there is an offset to increase tax revenue through some other means by $77 billion.

Property that will qualify for Section 179

• Machinery and equipment• Business vehicles with GVWR

over 6,000 lbs (with exceptions)• Computers, office equipment,

furniture and off the shelf soft-ware

• Property attached to buildings that are not structural

• Single purpose agricultural and horticultural structures

• Storage facilities (except build-ings) used in distribution and production of petroleum prod-ucts

• Livestock• Qualified leasehold improve-

ments

Tangible property regs These new regulations will affect ev-ery taxpayer that uses tangible property in their business. For years the Internal Revenue Service has fought with taxpay-ers on what constitutes repairs and what constitutes capital improvements. The IRS has issued final regs in this regards that will be effective for 2014 and later tax returns. Under the old rules, deductible re-pairs and maintenance are those that are incurred for the purpose of keeping property in operating condition. Capital

improvements are expenditures that prolong the life of an asset or increase its value. An example would be a taxpayer rebuilds an engine for a piece of equip-ment. The cost to rebuild the engine would need be capitalized and depreci-ated. IRS argues that the rebuilt engine increases the value of the equipment as well as prolonging the life. The new rules starts with the as-sumption that all tangible property must be capitalized and depreciated unless there is an exception. One such excep-tion would be for materials and supplies. Material and supplies of $200 or less and that will be consumed in one year or less can be currently deducted. There are three safe harbor rules that can be used by taxpayers. De Minimis Safe Harbor – a taxpay-er that has a written policy and makes an annual election to deduct up to $500 per invoice item. If the taxpayer prepares an audited financial statement, then the lim-it can increase to $5,000. Routine Maintenance Safe Harbor – a taxpayer can deduct the cost of rou-tine maintenance if it is expected to oc-cur more than once during the life of the asset. Safe Harbor for Small Taxpayers – this safe harbor is primarily used by land-lords. Annual expenses that can be de-ducted must be the lessor of $10,000 or 2% of the building’s basis. To qualify for the safe harbor, the property must have a basis of $1 million or less and the taxpay-ers annual gross receipts must be $10 million or less. $1 million limit appears low and limits the number of taxpayers eligible for the safe harbor, however, the building must be separated into “units of property”. Plumbing, electrical, elevators, alarm systems, HVAC, etc will be a sepa-rate UOP to depreciate.

Ridout, Barrett & Co., PC has been serving the San Antonio area since 1986. The firm develops long-term relationships with its clients and becomes an integral part of their team. The firm services the needs of its clients by providing professional services of the highest quality in a proactive and time-ly manner.

Staying dry during a rainstorm, yard worker James Stewart, Materials Products International Ltd., looks over masonry product orders in the warehouse. –ab

Checking inventoryConstruction News ON LOCATION

George Contreras (left) helps a contractor find carpet atAmerica’s Carpet Outlet in Austin. –ab

Roll with itConstruction News ON LOCATION


Confined space in constructionJoann NatarajanCompliance Assistance SpecialistOSHAAustin, TX

On May 4, 2015, OSHA issued a final rule on confined space in construction. The new law becomes effec-

tive on August 3rd, 2015 Construction workers often perform tasks in confined spaces - work areas that (1) are

large enough for an employee to enter, (2) have limited means of entry or exit, and (3) are not designed for continuous occupancy. These spaces can present physical and atmospheric hazards that can be prevented if addressed prior to entering the space to perform work. This page is a starting point for finding information about these spaces, the hazards they may present, and ways to safely work in them.

The construction rule requirements in-clude: More detailed provisions requiring coordinated activities when there are multiple employers at the worksite to en-sure hazards are not introduced into a confined space by workers performing tasks outside the space. An example would be a generator running near the entrance of a confined space causing a buildup of carbon monoxide within the space. Requiring a competent person to evaluate the work site and identify con-fined spaces, including permit spaces. Requiring continuous atmospheric monitoring whenever possible. Requiring continuous monitoring of engulfment hazards. For example, when workers are performing work in a storm sewer, a storm upstream from the work-ers could cause flash flooding. An elec-tronic sensor or observer posted up-stream from the work site could alert workers in the space at the first sign of the hazard, giving the workers time to evacuate the space safely. Allowing for the suspension of a per-mit, instead of cancellation, in the event of changes from the entry conditions list on

the permit or an unexpected event requir-ing evacuation of the space. The space must be returned to the entry conditions listed on the permit before re-entry. Requiring that employers who direct workers to enter a space without using a complete permit system prevent work-ers’ exposure to physical hazards through elimination of the hazard or isolation methods such as lockout/tagout. Requiring that employers who are relying on local emergency services for emergency services arrange for respond-ers to give the employer advance notice if they will be unable to respond for a pe-riod of time (because they are respond-ing to another emergency, attending de-partment-wide training, etc.). Requiring employers to provide training in a language and vocabulary that the worker understands. Finally, several terms have been add-ed to the definitions for the construction rule, such as “entry employer” to describe the employer who directs workers to en-ter a space, and “entry rescue”, added to clarify the differences in the types of res-cue employers can use.

[email protected] x232

The Austin Electrical JATC Training Center apprentice team recently attended the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Reach Out and Engage

Next-Gen Electrical Workers (IBEW RENEW) Conference 2015 in Chicago.IBEW Local 520 sponsored the team. –ab


Steps to success

After the rain cleared out, golfers were ready to play at the Associated General Contractors Austin Chapter (AGC) Spring Golf Tournament held at Wolfdancer Golf Club May 11. –ab


On the greens

When am I really done?Sewell “Spike” Cutler Jr.Cutler-Smith PCDallas, TX

Routinely, a contractor’s work is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a stated

period — usually one year from substantial completion. Contractors have the reasonable belief that after the end of the warranty period, their responsibility for the product and the work is effectively ended. But, when does it end, really?

As lawyers, we usually have to tell our clients that their exposure really doesn’t end until the statute of limita-tions, the legal bar against further suits, has taken effect. In Texas, that usually means either a four year statute of limita-tions (for breach of contract), or a two year statute of limitations (for negligence, such as negligent design and the like). But it is never quite that simple.

Discovery rule The “discovery rule” doctrine means a statute of limitations doesn’t start run-ning until the condition could reasonably have been detected. Thus, if you per-formed deficient work, but deficiencies were concealed, limitations don’t begin to run until the defect could reasonably have been discovered, which could be a very long time, indeed. For this reason, contractors histori-cally found themselves facing claims for work performed in the distant past. The Texas Legislature passed the “Statute of Repose” relating to construction work, providing that suit alleging defective construction work must be brought with-in ten years after substantial completion, cutting off the “tail” of discovery rule ex-posure. But every good act has unintend-ed consequences. “Consultants” approach project owners as the project’s tenth anniversary approaches, offering comprehensive re-view of the project for “failures” which might support legal action against the construction/design team. These inspec-tions may involve tests and standards never envisioned when the project was built. One example: water is force-fed into the cavities between a brick veneer and exterior-grade sheathing, looking for evidence of leakage from the wall into the building. After testing, contractors must respond, possibly dismantle, in-spect and “repair” to new standards. Even where nothing is wrong, construction teams must expend resources to selec-tively disassemble, inspect, possibly cor-rect, and reconstruct the affected areas. It adds up!Document! Contractors can reduce exposure to these claims. First and foremost, effective documentation of work performed yields surprising benefits in these circumstanc-es. Walking the job, preserving progress photographs, and saving this informa-tion reduces losses in a couple of ways.

The process helps identify questionable work to be addressed right away. Of greater consequence, maintaining re-cords of how work was done, before it’s covered, helps defend against years-af-ter-completion claims. The ability to show, with photographs, what’s behind a wall or other structure can allow you to demonstrate proper construction, thus heading-off costly disassembly, inspec-tion and repair.Negotiate! Many contracts require removal and replacement of completed work on de-mand, often providing that removal and replacement will be at your expense un-less you “prove” that the work in place was all performed flawlessly. The ex-pense of removal and replacement should be yours only if the work is proven to have been performed defectively. Retain records Maintain project files for the entire Statute of Repose period. You should have complete records for each project you build to a period of at least ten years past the substantial completion of the entire project - conservatively, until 12 years after completion. Digital storage eases this burden. Failing to maintain such records creates problems; first, if you don’t document what happened, you’re stuck with someone else’s “story” of the project - the general contractor, the project owner, or the project archi-tect - rather than how things actually happened. Photographs, as-built draw-ings, field directives, RFI’s and e-mails all help when problems arise after project completion. Such records also help es-tablish which insurance carrier must de-fend against claims lodged down the road. Avoid the trap of multiple carriers denying responsibility for your claim, be-cause you can’t prove what was done, and when. Ironically, the Statute of Repose, in-tended to reduce claims after completion of projects, has inspired consultants and their often-conjured claims. Attempted reform of the Statute of Repose in this year’s legislative session appears to have stalled. Aggressively negotiating contract terms, and maintaining project records for a long time, are burdensome mea-sures, but their dividends can be signifi-cant. Again, the ounce of prevention can deliver a pound of cure.

The Central Texas Subcontractors Association (CTSA) hosted a Golf Tournamentat Star Ranch Golf Course in Hutto May 1. –ab


Golf stars


Taking the lead on safety

National Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down took place during the weeks of May 4-15.

Associated General Contractor Aus-tin Chapter (AGC) members set aside time to have an open discussion with workers about falls and how to prevent them.

Construction workers attend the safety stand down.

Workers receive fall protection training.

Representatives from Beck Group, Hensel Phelps and JE Dunn Construc-tion, specialty contractors, suppliers and more than 600 workers gathered for a large safety stand-down at the Dell Medi-cal School at The University of Texas at Austin construction site May 4. –ab

The International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) South Central Texas, North Texas and Houston chapters

gathered May 15-16 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Bastrop for the second annu-al ICRI Texas State Conference. On Friday, guests waited out an af-ternoon thunderstorm that briefly inter-rupted play at the golf outing to Pine Forest Golf Club and enjoyed a barbe-cue feast. On Saturday, three education-al sessions were held in the morning,

Relax and repair

followed by a buffet lunch and a board meeting for all chapter leaders. –mh

Golf Winners1st Team: Dan Wicht, Ed Carter, Mark Rawlings and Mackey Welch2nd Team: Gabriel Carrera, James Robbs, Mike Pocock, Keith Knobloch, Clay BroylesClosest to the Pin #7: Chris McDanielClosest to the Pin #10: Mark RawlingsMost Honest Team: Bill Light, Scott DiSte-fano and Mark LeMay

A Texas barbecue feast, including ribs, brisket and sausage, followed the golf tournament.

The Construction Technology Gradu-ation Ceremony for Crockett/Lanier High School seniors took place at

the Crockett High School cafeteria May 14. Dr. John Schemmel, director and professor of Concrete Industry Manage-ment at Texas State University, was the keynote speaker. Representatives from the National Association of Women in Construction Austin Chapter (NAWIC) and Associated General Contractors Austin Chapter (AGC) attended the event. –ab

Dream it and achieve it

The Crockett High School Construction program graduates

Instructor Duane Lardon congratulates the students for all their hard work.

Dr. John Schemmel gives a speech.


BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUTSPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUN DER

FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC

(361) 813-3716(361) 334-3105

www.baffi [email protected]

U.S. Coast Guard &Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed

Tournaments forthe future

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Sponsored by:Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek Boats, E-Z Bel

Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggre-gate Haulers, ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products

and Columbia Sportswear

Fishing tournaments are becoming more popular than ever. Whether it’s freshwater or saltwater it seems like there is a tournament to fit every angler’s

level of competitiveness. While some tournaments are for fun, most benefit a charity organization or perhaps some of our soldiers returning from war, or maybe a family in need. Redfish, trout, bass, offshore or inshore – there is a tournament for you. With all the conservation concerns and limits on trophy fish being implemented, tournaments are taking a different approach. Weigh-ins consisting of limits of trout, reds, and flounder are part of the past and being replaced with three to four trout, a redfish or two and maybe a flounder. There are a few tournaments going even farther than that incorporating a live fish weigh-in to their venue. All the professional redfish tourneys are live weigh-in, and the trout tourna-ments in late winter and spring also have gone to this format.

One tournament that has grown in popularity and con-servation efforts and has proven that everyone can benefit from our bays and estuaries is the Mr. & Mrs. Big Trout Tournament run by Doug and Cindy Niznik of San Antonio. The tournament started in 1996 as a bass tour-nament but after two years it was moved to the Laguna

Madre and converted to a saltwater venue. I started fishing the tournament in 1998 with a handful of friends (eight-10 boats) and by 2004 there were approximately 35 teams fishing. During that time the tournament im-plemented a live weigh-in procedure in efforts to start conserving fish following the format of Tom Nix’s Baffin Bay Bash.

By 2005, the tournament outgrew the cabin near Bird Island and Doug moved the tournament inland. This was a great move making the tournament even more popular and easier to accommodate more anglers. By 2007, the tournament took bigger conservation efforts and only allowed three fish per team to be brought to the dock. The stringer would consist of one red, one trout and one flounder, all to be weighed-in alive to re-ceive a half-pound bonus per fish if accomplished. The tournament grew larger every year and by 2008 the tournament began to give back even more. A $6000.00 scholarship fund to be rewarded to a Texas A&M (Cor-pus Christi) student majoring in Marine Biology was announced. People were starting to take notice of this little fishing tournament making BIG efforts in conserva-tion and generosity back to the community. By 2014 the women anglers were starting to make noises that they wanted a part of the action so a woman’s tournament was started that year the day before the men’s tourna-ment. That year the tournament awarded two $6000.00 scholarships to a male and female at Texas A&M.

This year was no surprise as the Mr. & Mrs. Big Tourna-ment has grown in popularity. The ladies tournament had 12 (four-person) teams participating while the men’s tournament had 51 (four-person) teams. In all, they only killed 16 fish, 13 being trout, and one red, and two floun-der. Seventy four fish were released, 32 trout, 26 reds, and 16 flounders. These are pretty good numbers in my opinion considering most of the other tournaments that still have fish kill weigh-ins. Again, two $6000.00 scholar-ships to a male and female at Texas A&M. This brings a total of $60,000 in scholarship money donated to kids for the future. My hats of to Doug and Cindy and all the many sponsors and anglers who participate in this awe-some tournament. I only wish that some of the other tournaments would take the effort to join the conserva-tion efforts so we can enjoy our precious resources for a long time.

To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Good luck and Good Fishing.

Ken Major, San Antonio, caught this 30-inch trout fishinglive croaker near the mouth of Baffin Bay. Fishing was

weighed, measured then released by Capt. Steve Schultz.

Keith Tull, Athens, TX, caught a redfish of a lifetime. Fish measured 47 inches and was an estimated at 35lbs. Keith was fishing in Baffin Bay with Capt. Steve Schultz. Fish was

released after measurements for a replica mount.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday for remembering those who died

while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. This day is observed every year on the last Monday in May. Veterans Day, on November 11 each year, is a federal holiday to honor the military veterans who had previous-ly served in the U.S. Armed Forces Armed Forces Day is recognized on the third Saturday in May each year, and is to honor military personnel cur-rently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.


Ken Milam’s Fishing LineSince 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8

AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com

Well it didn’t forget how to rain af-ter all! Over the last several weeks we have been blessed

with the first good rains in an awfully long time. For those of you who are get-ting too much rain, I hope you come through it all right. For the rest of us though, I think it has been a long sigh of relief.

I know of several Texas lakes and rivers that have really benefitted from the re-cent rains and began to recover from the damage of the drought. Others like Lakes Buchanan and Travis still have a long way to go. Buchanan is still awaiting its turn at a good storm over the watershed to get the Colorado River rolling again, but at least the upper Hill Country is getting wetter by degrees so we can start to see significant runoff from future storms. For now we wait…and FISH!

You ever notice how you see lots of earth-worms and bugs on the top of the ground after a good rain? A fisherman sees that and knows it’s a good day to call in sick and go fishing! When the fish bait is try-ing to crawl in the truck with you, how can you resist? You just know all those worms and grubs and bugs are being washed into the creeks, rivers and lakes and the fish are waiting for them with open mouths!

If your favorite lake has caught a lot of water, enjoy the rush of the new water while you can. After a few days you might see a lull in the fishing as the water gets a little sour while newly flooded vegeta-tion decays. Don’t worry though, once that’s done there will be lots of good nu-

trients in the water that will cause an al-gae bloom which begins the process of recharging your lake from the bait fish on up to the game fish. Great fishing ahead!If your lake is a little slow on the uptake, keep praying your turn for rain will come and enjoy the fresh, cool water you do get, because I promise you, the fish will enjoy it, especially with summer starting to heat up.

By the way hunters, can you imagine how much this rain is helping the game popu-lation? The timing is perfect to benefit the new fawns and bucks growing ant-lers. We all share in the bounty of the rain.

Try not to curse the rain, even if it ruins your day. Take a moment to feel the rain on your face and just say “Thanks”. It’s just been so long coming.

Daviscourt, from Horizon Construction, Inc., Roofing Specialists in Austin

RAIN!


Home team

L-R: Angela Powers and Whitney Cothron (back) and Andy Cothran,

front, Cothron Security Professionals, had fun at a company softball

tournament in Austin. –ab

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips

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Your catch Filleted andBagged for You

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and WE DO THE REST!

Ken Milam Guide Service(325) 379-2051

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Rick Price, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, Red Arc One, enjoyed the breeze during a recent

fishing trip in the Bahamas. –ab


Into the blue


The Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) Austin office celebrated

Earth Day by volunteering in April. Employees assisted local community organizations in painting wooden fences, picking up trash and recyclables, plant-ing trees and flowers, removing weeds

Clean team

Nicolette Hebert, LAN Austin right-of-way technician, helps out at Brushy

Creek Lake Park.

LAN Austin employees clean up Purgatory Creek Greenspace in San Marcos. LAN Austin cleans up Brushy Creek Lake Park

TexasStyle

San Antonio Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Houston South Texas

www.constructionnews.netpublishing the industry’s news

near fence lines and mulching trees. Everyone wore an Earth Day T-shirt designed in-house as part of a company-wide design contest. Following a morn-ing of cleanup activities, volunteers were treated to a picnic lunch. –ab


Southern Demolition Inc. invited customers and friends to a crawfish boil at the home of Barry and Rob-

in Wurzel in late April. Folks caught up with friends, ate 300 lbs. of crawfish, sipped on margaritas and listened to a live band on the porch. Southern Demolition is a demolition company serving commercial builders and general contractors throughout Central Texas. –ab

Crawfishdelight

The crawfish in a wheelbarrow.

A live band plays songs in the late afternoon.

Barry Wurzel, owner of Southern Demolition

At least this trucker seems to have a good sense of humor. Spotted driving along a highway between New Braunfels and Seguin. –cw

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Randall LaflerInside Sales

Dealers Electric Supply

Industry FOLKS

Starting out in the warehouse, Ran-dall Lafler worked his way up to in-

side sales at Dealers Electric Supply in Austin. He has worked at the company for 13 years. Lafler arrives to work in the morn-ings, checks emails, answers phone calls and interacts with electrical con-tractors. “I think gaining experience in the warehouse prepared me for what I do today,” he said. “I was able to learn about all the products.” Before Lafler began working in the electrical supply business, he had a job in the manufacturing business. “One day, I just decided I wanted to do something else,” he said. “I love my job today. I enjoy talking with cus-tomers. “ Born in West Texas, Lafler went to high school in Thrall. He lives in Taylor today. “One of my very first jobs as a high school student was hauling hay with my buddies,” he said. “I was about 14. We wanted to make extra money. It was hard work. I didn’t have a car or a driver’s license at the time.” Lafler says he saved his money and eventually bought a Cutlass Su-preme with his earnings. These days, he likes to watch Texas Longhorn football, basketball and

baseball when he is not at work. “I have been to a couple of games in the past,” he said. “I am also a Dallas Cowboys football fan. Over the years, I have traveled to Arlington to see games at the AT&T Stadium.” In his spare time, Lafler plays recre-ational sports to stay active. He espe-cially likes to play basketball when he gets the chance. “I also listen to music when I am not at work,” he said. “I like all kinds of music except for opera. Country west-ern music always sounds good to me. I have XM Radio in my truck. I like to have choices.” Lafler says he has really enjoyed working at Dealers Electric Supply for the past 13 years. “If a young person wants to do this type of work, my advice is to start out in the warehouse,” he said. “You can grad-ually work your way up in this business. It is a great way to make a living.” –ab

Celebrating stellar design

Three hundred Austin Chapter of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) members, allied members,

community leaders and architecture en-thusiasts gathered at the iconic KLRU Stu-dio 6A “The Original Home of Austin City Limits” for the annual Awards Celebra-tion May 7. All winning work will be exhibited in the 2015 AIA Austin Design Awards exhi-bition at the Center for Architecture gal-lery beginning May 19 until the end of June. –abPhotos provided by AIA Austin Congrats to the winners!

Honor Awards: The Edwin Waller Award for Public Architecture: Chris Riley John V Nyfeler, FAIA Community Ser-vice Award: Alan Holt, AIA The Firm Achievement Award: alter-studio architecture LLP Emerging Professional Award: Beau Frail, Assoc. AIA The Community Vision Award: Aus-tin Habitat for Humanity AIA Fellowship Award: Robert Jack-son, AIA

Austin Community College Highland Campus - Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek

Architects

Back Alley House - Tim Cuppett Architects

Bunny Run Boat DockAndersson-Wise Architects

Casis Elementary Outdoor Learning Center Baldridge Architects

Chinmaya Mission Austin Miró Rivera Architects

Gardner - Baldridge Architects

Lake View Residence alterstudio architecture, LLP

Modern Texas PrefabAamodt/ Plumb Architects

Stubb’s Greenroom - Baldridge Architects

Tracing the Line - Baldridge Architects

University of Houston TDECU Stadium - Page

West Lynn Studio - Baldridge Architects


Putting out fires

L-R: The City of Austin Fire Department Recruiting specialists, Randy Balogh and Kevin Glover, attended the Northside ISD Construction Careers Fair at Construction Careers Academy/Earl Warren High School in San Antonio May 21. They let students know that

while people don’t normally link construction and the fire department, it’s an important part of what they do. –ab

Did you

know?

Construction Newsreaches

your target market


Information station Always learning

Glass installer Luis Galicia takes pride in his work at Alamo Glass Inc.The company has served Austin since 1960. –ab

Top of the glassConstruction News ON LOCATION

The 12th annual Central Texas Infra-structure Design & Construction Symposium provided an opportu-

nity for individuals, companies, cities, counties, permitting agencies, owners, developers, engineers and builders to come together to discuss topics within the infrastructure design and construc-tion industry Apr. 30. The Greater Austin Contractors & En-gineers Association (ACEA) held the event at the Austin Convention Center. –ab

ACEA members network and have lunch at the symposium.

American Ductile

ADSHanson

National Association of Women in Construction Austin Chapter (NAWIC) mem-bers and Crockett High School Construction Tech Program students partici-pated in a jobsite tour of the new Austin Central Library in April.

Hensel Phelps, the GC for the project, hosted the event. The nine-story Austin Central Library will replace and double the size of the 1979 John Henry Faulk local li-brary. –ab

L-R: Courtenay Paris, Cindy Richter and Kelli Mitchell, NAWIC Austin

Taking in the view, the students observe the project.

The Crockett High School ConstructionTech Program students climb stairs at

the Austin Central Library project.

Challenged to build and race con-crete canoes, nearly 350 students from Texas and Mexico competed

in a regional student concrete canoe competition at Lamar University in Beau-mont Apr. 23-25. Student teams were judged based on four categories: technical design re-port, oral design presentation, canoe fi-nal product and racing. The competition provided students with practical application of engineering principles and project management skills for their future careers. Headquartered in Austin, the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosted the event. –ab

The race is on

The winning team was Texas A&M University

The Texas Tech University team builds a concrete canoe.

The Autonomous University of Mexico State team


HVAC and PlumbingReplacement issues heat up

Jerry Mulder, PresidentMr. Rooter of San AntonioSan Antonio, TX

The Department of Energy’s new regulations con-cerning water heater efficiency might catch some

residential customers off guard when facing the already stressful circumstances of replacing their water heaters.

Jerry Mulder, president of Mr. Rooter of San Antonio, believes that education is the key. Currently, water heater service accounts for approximately 30 to 40 per-cent of calls received at Mr. Rooter. The Mr. Rooter team is taking these calls as opportunities to inform customers about the changes that went into effect Apr. 16. The changes are aimed to insulate these water heaters more efficiently, which means new water heaters are go-ing to be taller and wider. When home-owners need to replace their water heat-ers, they may find that the new water heaters manufactured to meet these new guidelines do not fit in the space that was built for their old ones. Most residential homes have a water heater that is 50 gal-lons or smaller, and these are the ones where space will become an issue. “Let’s say you’ve got a water heater that’s in the attic, and you have pull-down stairs to get into your attic space,” explains Mulder. “Let’s say it’s a 40-gallon

gas or electric water heater. Most of the time, homebuilders have built these houses to where these pull-down stairs are pretty much the same size as these water heaters. These new water heaters, being two inches wider and two inches taller, don’t fit in the space where their existing water heater is. “San Antonio has a lot of homes that were built with what we call a lowboy water heater. It’s a small compact electric water heater that is installed underneath a furnace most of the time. Well, these new ones will not fit [there]. So, we have a little bit of a problem.” As a limited solution to that problem, Mulder says that Mr. Rooter has stock-piled some of the older water heaters, which he’s sure other plumbing compa-nies have also done, since that size is not being manufactured anymore. The water heaters are legal to install, he assures, but once the supply houses run out, the ones that will still fit in those tight spaces will

no longer be available. “According to the government, they all have to be now manufactured to this new size,” he says. “And really, it’s affect-ing the residential customer on a scale that they’re not understanding yet. And that’s understandable. Your water heater tends to be out of sight, out of mind.” Since replacing the water heater may be problematic due to the new size, Mul-der emphasizes maintenance and taking good care of the one you have, because once it’s gone, customers will have the additional problem of deciding how to fit the new one. He recommends having a water heater drained twice a year or, at the very least, once a year, adding that it’s not just the hard water, it’s the sediment – sand and dirt particles in our water sys-tem accumulate in the bottom of the wa-ter heaters. When a homeowner does eventually need to replace their water heater, lots of questions arise, and Mulder encourages people to call and ask questions, saying, “That’s free,” and noting that he and his team will talk to anyone about what their options are. “There are all kinds of ways to get this done,” he says. “The customer needs to know that just because somebody comes out and says, ‘This new water heater is not going to fit in there, you’re out of luck,’ or ‘It’s going to cost thou-sands and thousands of dollars more,’ that’s not the case.

Some customers may prefer having a carpenter make adjustments so that the new water heater can fit in the same space as the old one. In that case, Mr. Rooter partners with other licensed and bonded contractors that will come out and help on a job if, for instance, it calls for a little bit of carpentry. Mulder says that one option that comes up is tankless technology. Tank-less water heaters take up less space and can be mounted up on a platform. He points out that this option is more expen-sive but saves space and requires less maintenance. Also, tankless water heat-ers are supplied by gas, so they also need to be vented. “They will have to ask themselves, ‘Am I going to need to think about relo-cating my water heater? What’s the cost associated with that? What’s the cost dif-ference between replacing this water heater, having to enlarge the opening to get this [new] water heater in there, ver-sus putting in a tankless?’” he explains. “Then they weigh out the maintenance issues between that conventional water heater and the tankless. “It’s an interesting situation that we have right now, because we’re going to be teachers to the public over the next few years, getting the public up to speed on this, because when people become aware, most of the time, it’s going to be when the water heater has a problem.” –mh

Technology, regulations,hot topics in HVACR IndustryPaul Stalknecht, , PresidentAir Conditioning Contractors of AmericaArlington, VA

The technology in the HVACR industry is constantly evolving and becoming more efficient. This is driven

by standards from the federal government, along with homeowners and building owners/operators looking to

shrink their carbon footprint and save money on utilities.

The systems are also becoming more customer centric. Customers want to be able to have instant access to their sys-tems and to be able to control them re-motely. So, more and more manufactur-ers are developing apps for smartphones that integrate into the heating and cool-ing systems to meet this want from the customers. ACCA is spearheading an initiative to create universal diagnostic protocols for troubleshooting HVACR systems. The idea is to have a system similar to what the automotive industry has. That way, technicians have a device/tool that they can plug into any air conditioning or fur-nace, regardless of the brand, and it will return error codes that will easily allow them to diagnose the problem. This will lead to the technicians diag-nosing the problem quicker, which should lead to quicker resolution of the problem, creating happier customers, less system down time, and the ability for contractors to serve more customers. This initiative began earlier this year and there is a lot of interest in it from not only contractors, but also the leading manufacturers in the industry.

How has the R-22 refrigerant phase out affected the industry? The last few years of the HCFC phase out are progressing without much dra-

ma. It’s the next steps for refrigerants in general that should be watched closely. The EPA is reviewing proposals to al-ter the Section 608 technician certifica-tion program. This may bring some im-portant and necessary reforms to the program, like technician recertification and updated exam questions. The other big question is what will become the next effective and cheap refrigerant as the government begins to phase out HFC refrigerants.

Have there been any significant code changes in the last year? There are three code bodies that govern our industry: International Code Council (ICC), the International Associa-tion of Plumbing and Mechanical Offi-cials (IAPMO), and the National Fire Pro-tection Association (NFPA). All three of them put out documents detailing the major changes from cycle to cycle. ACCA has a Codes Committee that stays on top of each of these changes to ensure that contractors in the industry have their voices heard during the cre-ation and implementation of them.

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages? Other? Our industry faces two major chal-lenges.

The first is regulatory challenges from the federal government. The HVACR industry faces a lot of “known unknowns” from the federal government in the short term. The Department Of Energy is poised to finalize 17 new regulations on manufactures, distributors, and contrac-tors over the next two years. The EPA will be looking at expanding the list of ap-proved refrigerants and may finally up-date the outdated Section 608 technician certification program. OSHA just an-nounced a new Confined Space in Con-struction rule that goes into effect later this year. The second is an aging workforce and the need to recruit more young workers into the industry. This challenge has been around for decades, so it’s noth-ing new to our industry. However, if we do not do something about it, it won’t get better. ACCA has renewed its efforts to help bring in two very important groups of people into our industry: high school stu-dents and military veterans. Earlier this year, we produced two short recruitment videos that are geared towards each of these groups. We are encouraging con-tractors to use these videos in their re-cruitment efforts. They are on the front lines recruiting new employees at job fairs and in vocational schools; so these resources can help show potential em-ployees that the HVACR and indoor envi-ronment industry has great opportuni-ties for a long, rewarding career. And, this summer we will be launching a new web-site to help with this as well, www.ie-3jobs.com.

What are keys to being successful? It’s said a lot in our industry, but it’s true. The best thing contractors can do to ensure their business is successful is to focus on the things they can control. That means focusing on strong business prac-tices, providing education and training opportunities to their teams, and getting involved.

ACCA is here to help contractors achieve those goals on all of those levels. We have increased the number of training opportunities available to contractors. This fall, we are heading to Indianap-olis, IA., in October for two events that are aimed at contracting business man-agers. First, we are introducing a brand new event: the Office and Operations Manag-ers Forum. This event will focus on help-ing your office team - the ones who keep things running smoothly in the office - improve their skills and increase produc-tivity for your entire team. And, of course, we are bringing back the Service Manag-ers Forum. It is one of our most popular events and has seen double digit atten-dance increases over the past three years. It will again be two days of learning and networking with top service manag-ers from across the country and some in-dustry experts that will help move your service operations to the next level of success. Mark your calendars now for Oct. 20-21 for the Office and Operations Managers Forum and Oct. 22–23 for the Service Managers Forum. And for those who just can’t leave their businesses for a few days, we offer plenty of online training resources. In 2012, we launched our Residential Design For Quality Installation online cer-tificate program. This online program mirrors the in-person class we hold at ACCA headquar-ters four times a year, but you can do it from your office or home, at your pace. And in 2015, we will be launching our Commercial Design For Quality Installa-tion online certificate program. Just like the residential program, it will give you the opportunity to get a full grounding of proper commercial design in compli-ance with the HVAC Quality Installation Specification. March 10–13, 2016, we will be head-ing to Charlotte, NC, for our Annual Confer-ence and Expo: ACCA 2016 – the business

continued on Page 16


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The sky is the limit inplumbingStephen Harwell, Operations Managerand Master Plumber1st Plumbing ServicesAustin, TX

continued from Page 15 — FOCUS

What is the current state of the Austin construction industry in

your opinion? The Austin construction industry is booming. There is a lot of work out there right now. It is a great time to be a plumber or work in the trades. What advice would you give a young person who wants to make a living as a plumber? There is a lot of opportunity in the plumbing trade for young people. Plumbing is usually not the first thing a high school student thinks of for a career choice.

Right now there is an extreme short-age of plumbers. The amount of people interested in working in plumbing is not enough to support the growing demand. It is a valuable commodity to have a plumbing license. It is a little bit easier to get a plumb-ing license today. It used to be a Journey-man’s license was the first license you could get. Nowadays, a young person can get a tradesman license after working two years working under a master plumber.

What are ways to attract young people to work in the plumbing trade? We have partnered with different or-ganizations that mentor high school stu-dents who don’t necessarily want to go to college and are looking to work in the plumbing, electrical and HVAC trades. Not everyone is geared for college. There are smart young people out there who are finished with school after high school. There is a lot of opportunity for young people who are motivated and trainable. How have you seen the plumbing trade change since you began work-ing in the industry? New, state-of-the-art equipment and technology is available in the plumb-ing industry today. Technology is advancing at a very rapid pace. We try to stay on top of the most cutting edge technology.

What are the keys to success in your field? Customer service is key in the plumb-

ing trade. You have to have the willingness to do whatever it takes to make sure cus-tomers are satisfied and happy. You also have to have highly skilled technicians. Training is essential. We have been very careful as we have grown to find the right person to fill a position.

What is on the horizon for plumbing industry? We are going to continue to do what we can to get the word out there to young people about the opportunities in the plumbing industry and the trades in general. You can make a great living in plumb-ing in a relatively short amount of time. Once you get a license, you can make $40,000-$50,000 starting out. You can make enough money to support yourself and your family. You can go as far as you want in plumbing. After you get a master’s license, you can open your own business. The sky is the limit once you get a license. –ab

The room was full of friendly faces at the DBR Engineering Austin office open house Apr. 30. The firm hosted the event to celebrate their new office. –ab


On the move

The Embree Group crew does the framing at a Taco Bell project near Hwy 71. –ab

All together nowConstruction News JOB SIGHT

solutions conference for indoor environ-ment contractors will be a diverse learning lab program that covers almost every area of a contractors business. From commer-cial, residential, building performance, and hydronics topics to marketing, quality assurance, leadership, and business op-erations; there will be information that will help any contractor improve their operations and bottom line. Mixed in with our learning labs are

our MainStages, which will blow away anyone attending. Our MainStages fea-ture some of the best big picture thinkers in the country. In 2015, we featured Econ-omist and Futurist Lowell Catlett and Business Guru Michael Gerber. We are working on setting the lineup for 2016, and as always, it will feature some of the most in-demand speakers in the country. The MainsStages also include the CEO/Contractor Forum, where contrac-tors will get to directly ask the CEOs of

major manufacturing companies the tough questions. And “What’s Your Prob-lem?” which will give contractors in the audience a chance to ask a panel of their contracting peers for advice on their big-gest obstacles at their business. The IE3: Indoor Environment & Ener-gy Expo is also taking place during this time. The expo will feature 200 manufac-turers, suppliers, and industry partners that are ready and willing to help con-tractors solve their biggest problems.

Outside of training, ACCA has many ways that contractors can get involved. We have committees, taskforces, coun-cils, the ACCA-PAC, and more. Volunteer leaders help make the industry stronger and when we work together for the com-mon good, we all win. So, I would encourage everyone to get involved in 2015, because things aren’t going to slow down and we are go-ing to see even more regulations come from government agencies. –cw


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This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new orrecently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.

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continued from Page 1 —Moving forward

continued from Page 1 — Hitting the ground running

continued from Page 1 — Attention to detail

Charli Valadez has been named direc-tor of business de-velopment/ mar-keting at Smith & Company Archi-tects for their San Antonio and Austin locations. With more than 20 years of experience in the A/E/C industry, Vala-dez will be responsible for strategic plan-ning, client relations and managing the business development and marketing efforts for the firm across the company’s portfolio of educational, municipal, housing, civic, and community sectors. She received her education from Kansas University in Marketing.

The Texas Best Construction clean crew gathers for an orientation atThe Bowie project in Austin. Harvey Cleary is the GC. –ab


Oriented for success

L-R: Harvey-Cleary superintendent, Brian Harvey presented Jimmy

Martinez, Skyline, a Foreman of the Month award at the Quarry Oaks III

project topping out event Apr. 15. –ab


On the rise

A 12-year veteran of SpawGlass, Kirby Baird recently was promoted to presi-dent, Austin division. In this role, Kirby is di-rectly responsible for the overall leadership of the Austin opera-tions. His responsibili-ties include ensuring compliance with contract responsibilities; reviewing/ap-proving resource commitments and giv-ing final negotiating and approval au-thority.

LJA Engineering Inc. has promoted Daniel W. Ryan, PE, CFM, to vice president in the firm’s Austin land de-velopment division. Ryan has been with LJA for over 10 years. He has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

their local churches and dedicate time to leading small groups and volunteering with children of all ages.” Looking ahead, Smith says Oakbrook Builders looks forward to working with even more senior housing developers across the country, as well as continuing established partnerships. Oakbrook Builders provides general

contracting, design-build and construction management services specializing in the ground up construction and renovation of senior living and various healthcare facili-ties. Managing projects from site selection though the state licensure process, Oak-brook Builders has completed over 50 free-standing senior living projects. –ab

Boy says these days he handles the residential sales and Wilkus takes care of the commercial sales. In their free time, they enjoy spend-ing time with their families and attending their children’s sport events on the week-end. “We love working with the people in the construction industry,” Boy said. “They are amazing. We appreciate what

the roofing contractors do on a day-to-day basis. It is exciting and meaningful to us to be able to support them. “We look forward to continue taking care of our customers and grow our op-portunities with the local companies. One day, our ultimate goal is to buy and build our own facility.” Travis Roofing Supply is an indepen-dent roofing distributor. –ab

The shower area

extreme detail in selecting materials used so that the finished product would be as close to home as possible for those living in the dorms. “Without all members of the design team and the completion team working so well together, we could not have com-pleted the project as smoothly and suc-cessfully as we did.” The Novium Group has also worked on projects such as the Hutto Public Li-brary, the Kerrville VA Hospital take-over project, Alamo Colleges Atrium acousti-cal upgrades and Round Rock Police De-partment’s automated gate. The compa-ny is currently working on the Texas Mu-nicipal League door project and the Al-pha Delta Pi at University of Texas at Aus-tin’s structural strengthening project. Walbridge founded the Novium Group in 2011. The company provides general con-tracting, permitting, inspection, design and planning services. –ab

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Association CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

ABC Central TexasAssociated Builders & Contractors

Jun. 12: Top GolfJune. 22-25: ABC National Legislative WeekFor more information call 512-719-5263

AGCAssociated General Contractors

Jun. 1: Safety Committee meetingJun. 2-6: TEEX OSH 226 – Permit Re-quired Confined Space EntryJun. 9-12: TEEX OSH 521 – Industrial Hy-gieneJun. 11: Scaffold Awareness for WorkersJun.12: Ladder/Fall Protection for Work-ersJun. 15-18: TEEX OSH 511 – OSHA Stan-dards for General IndustryJun. 19: TEEX OSH 784 – RecordkeepingJun. 23: TEEX OSH 201 – Hazardous Ma-terialsFor more information call 512-442-7887

AIAAmerican Institute of Architects

Jun. 1: Design Awards Committee meet-ingJun. 3: BEC: AustinJun. 4: CRAN Committee meetingJun. 5: Commercial Advocacy Roundta-bleJun. 8: COTE meetingJun. 9: ASLA-CTX CodeNEXT Committee meetingJun. 10: Emerging Professionals meetingJun. 16: 2015 Luncheon Speaker SeriesJun. 18: Small Firms Roundtable & Lati-nos in Architecture Committee meetingJun. 19: AAH Committee meetingJun. 22: CodeNEXT Advocacy Roundta-ble

Jun. 24: Urban Design Committee meet-ingJun. 25: Activities Committee meetingFor more information call 512-767-7436

CFMA Construction Financial Management Assn.

Jun. 16: Monthly luncheon, 11:30am, Norris Conference Center. For more in-formation, call 512-767-7436

CTSA Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.

Jun. 9: Monthly meeting, 5:30pm-6pm Social Hour, 6pm-8pm Dinner and Pre-sentation, Embassy Suites, 5901 N. IH-35For more information visit www.ctsaon- line.org

IECIndependent Electrical Contractors

Jun. 23: Apprenticeship Committee meeting, 11:30am, Centex IEC officeJun. 25: Apprentice Graduation Ceremo-ny, Norris Conference CenterFor more information call 512-832-1883

NARINat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

Jun. 18: General Membership meetingJun. 24: Builders Round TableFor more information visit www.austin- nari.org

NAWICNat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Jun. 3: Chapter meeting and board elec-tions, Big Daddy’s Burgers, North AustinFor more information visit www. austin-nawic.org

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Jumping from roof to rod

The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) held its 12th annual Fishing Tournament May 2 at

Woody’s Sports Center in Port Aransas. Hosting a record number of entrants, this was RCAT’s largest tournament to date with 44 guided boats and seven individu-al boats. –mh

Winners:Guided DivisionHeaviest Total Stringer1st: Restoration Services (Houston) – Don Wisnoski, Gary Hayes, John Randall (34.54 lbs.)2nd: Armored Roofing and RK Hydro-Vac (Wichita Falls) – Richard Koetter, Albert Martinez, Skyler Martinez (30.94 lbs.)3rd: ABC Supply (Stafford) and Joe Ochoa Roofs & Even More – Shannon Galloway, David Hernandez, Robert Garza, Larry Showalter (30.62 lbs.)Heaviest Trout1st: Mingo Lee, Mule-Hide (Houston) (7.86 lbs.)2nd: Richard Koetter, Armored Roofing (4.02 lbs.) 3rd: Marshall Powell, Mule-Hide (3.54 lbs.)Heaviest Redfish1st: Don Wisnoski, Restoration Services (7.66 lbs.)2nd: Ted Durrett, Final Touch Roofing

(Rosenberg) (7.22 lbs.)3rd: Richard Koetter, Armored Roofing (6.86 lbs.)Spot Pot: Shannon Galloway, ABC Staf-ford (8 spots)

Individual DivisionHeaviest Total Stringer1st: Rain King (Victoria) – Alan Cain, Clint Cain, Jerrod Cain, Brian Boyd (14.88 lbs.)Heaviest Trout1st: Donald Belcher, Roofing Supply Group (San Antonio) (4.66 lbs.)Heaviest Redfish1st: Alan Cain, Rain King (3.48 lbs.)

1st Heavy Trout: Mingo Lee

1st Heavy Stringer: Don Wisnoski and Chris Crutcher, RCAT president

Commercial construction work in downtown Austin goes on despiteall the rain and hail storms in May. –ab

May showers


Creative thinking

Architectural Granite and Marble Ltd. employee, Camilo, figured out how to stay in the shade during hot, sunny days in the Hill Country. –ab

Bob Nichols, 88, passed away May 8 in Arlington. Nichols was a longtime executive at Freese

& Nichols, a Texas-based consulting firm offering engineering, architec-ture, environmental science, con-struction and planning services. During his 67-year career at Freese & Nichols, he served in sev-eral roles, most recently as President Emeritus, a position he held through this year. He primarily focused on en-vironmental engineering, coordinat-ing large-scale, multi-discipline and multi-consultant projects. He also served as Fort Worth chapter presi-dent, Texas society president and national president for the National Society of Professional Engineers. Nichols was an alumnus of Texas A&M University, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering. Nichols is survived by his wife of 67 years, Frances, three children, six grandchildren, two great grand-children, and his brother Jim (Bil-lie). In lieu of flowers, donations are requested for the Bobby Nichols Jr. Scholarship fund, P.O. Box 1, Webb City, MO 64870.

In memoriam


The Iron Workers Local Union 482 held a 6th annual Crawfish Boil and Block Training in April.

Since it was first initiated in 2009, Pa-triot Erectors has donated their equip-ment such as boom lifts, scissor lifts and forklifts for the training so members get hands on training and certifications. Jason Puckett, safety director at Pa-triot Erectors, started and coordinated the event six years ago, which has bought together the members of Local 482, their contractors and multiple vendors.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Michelle Drake, office manager, Ironworkers Local Union 482, says this year’s block training had the biggest turn-out, with more 60 members in attendance. The members started the day off with PowerPoint presentations, work-sheets, book work and tests. Next, folks filled their plates with crawfish, corn, potatoes, burgers and hotdogs for lunch, while mingling and sharing stories. At the end of the day, there were multiple raffle drawings for the participants. –ab

Iron Workers Local Union 482 members get hands on training at the event.

The aerial/scissor lift demonstration.

Hull Supply Co marked its 30th an-niversary with a larger version of its annual customer appreciation

event May 7. The entire Hull Supply team took part in the baseball themed event. Even the stage looked like a stadium backfield. For fun, Rick Hull, president and owner, and employees wore baseball jerseys with the number 30. Some Hull Supply employees walked around with a concession tray of cracker jacks and peanuts. Attendees enjoyed a barbecue lunch and stadium style hot-dogs. Throughout the day, Hull Supply of-fered continuing education classes and had mobile showrooms in the parking lot. Two Stanley Nascars were also on site. Classes covered during the event in-cluded topics such as codes, hardware, access controls, sustainability, frames, doors, submittals, installation and trou-bleshooting. Hull Supply fabricates, distributes and supplies metal commercial doors, frames, wood doors, laminate doors and hardware, and provides access controls for commer-cial doors. –ab

All stars

President and owner Rick Hull enjoysgetting customers together and letting

them know how much Hull Supply appreciates their business.

Brad Neilson, Design Hardware, teaches a class.

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The 4th annual Artisan Group meet-ing and industry showcase took place at the Spicewood-based Ar-

chitectural Granite & Marble in May. “We always have a great time getting together to celebrate our successes of the past year, and our plans for the next year,” says Chad Seiders, Artisan Group execu-tive director. “This year was even more cause for celebration because we accom-plished our goal of becoming the first stone group to achieve 100 percent Mar-

Sharing stone knowledge

Blick Industries

ble Institute of America Accreditation.” Seiders says the Artisan Group made a commitment years ago to have all 34 member companies complete the ac-creditation process. Brendan Hansen, a six time Olympic medalist, gave the keynote speech. Folks were also treated to an acoustical perfor-mance by Grammy singer and songwriter Drew Womack. Artisan Group is a network of stone fabricators. –ab

Elkay

Decorative Concrete Supply Inc. (DCS) held a Customer Apprecia-tion Day at the Buda location in

late May and a Demo Day in April. Kim Creager, co-owner of DCS, has helped to grow the business from the ground up by creating relationships with customers and vendors. She has worked in the decorative concrete industry for 20 years. “During the two events, we offered free demos to showcase new products and help customers with any questions about application techniques,” Creager said. Starting off as an installer, Scott Cre-ager, co-owner, heads the training class-es and demos at all the DSC locations. He has over 30 years experience in the deco-rative concrete industry. The Buda store manager Robert

Concrete matters

Folks learn all about decorative concrete applicationsat Demo Day at the Buda location.

Fuentes has worked at the company since 2008. He helps customers with technical questions and orders on a daily basis. LeighAnne Steen is in charge of purchasing, marketing and helps with counter sales and accounts. She has been with DCS since 2003, starting out at the Buda store when it opened. According to Creager, the company has one day classes at the Buda location several times a year. “The thing I love most about work-ing in the construction industry is defi-nitely the people,” Creager said. “Be-tween my vendors and my customers, I have a fantastic variety of friends and ac-quaintances.” Established in 1990, DCS distributes decorative concrete products through stores in Buda, Carrollton and Houston. –ab

austin construction news june 2015

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