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Volume 14
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Number 10
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OCTOBER 2014
Going the distance
Getting things done
L-R: Jeff Mock, Carl Pederson, Christina Mehl, Mike Hut, Andy Dodson, PE,
Anne Taylor, Kris Hartley and James Massaro, PE
L-R: Jake Burleson, Vicki Smith, Kevin Jeffery and Isreal Lopez
have a good day at Longhorn Stucco and Masonry Supply.
ounded in San Antonio in 1971,
Vickrey & Associates (VICKREY) began work in Austin in 2002.
“Vickrey got its foothold working in
Austin through its contract for engineering services on the City of Austin’s Austin
Clean Water Program (ACWP) for the Govalle 4 Manor/Comal/Rosewood wastewater pipeline improvements project,” said
Christina Mehl, marketing manager.
Mehl says as work on the ACWP Govalle 4 project progressed, Vickrey added
staff and grew its project portfolio in
public sector work through engineering
contracts with the City of Austin, City of
San Marcos, Texas Health and Human
Services and Austin ISD, as well as developing teams to serve engineering and
survey needs of private development,
with a particular focus on multi-family,
mixed-use projects and commercial and
retail development.
“Our most exciting development so
far in 2014 are the fresh faces in our Austin office and the expanded capabilities
they bring to our team,” she said. Throughout the year, Vickrey holds
annual staff events, including a familyfriendly summer company picnic,
Thanksgiving staff lunch and a Christmas
party.
“We support our community through
outreach events like TSPE Engineer for a
Day, MATHCOUNTS, CREW Careers and
Boy Scouts of America,” Mehl said. “One
continued on Page 18
T
he folks at Longhorn Stucco and
Masonry Supply are glad for lots of
work going on in both Austin and
San Antonio.
“We are located in Kyle, so we can
service both areas,” Manager Jake Burleson said. “There are many construction
jobs going on right now.
“We opened our doors in 2008, two
months before the economy crashed. It
was slow for three or four years and eventually things started to get better. Things
have progressively improved each year
since we have been here in Kyle.”
Burleson takes care of sales and technical support at the company on a daily
basis.
“We all do a little bit of everything,”
he said. “We like to think of ourselves as a
team more than each person having a
particular job.”
Vicki Smith handles customer service and the day-to-day operations. Kevin Jeffery does all the driving and Isreal
Lopez works in the warehouse and helps
customers load and unload stucco and
masonry supplies.
Brightening everyone’s day, Dozer, a
friendly black lab comes to the office
during the week. Smith says Dozer is a
wonderful addition to the company.
“When I first came here I thought,
‘Oh, we can’t have a dog at work.’ Well,
now I can’t imagine not having a dog at
continued on Page 18
Hub for higher education
F
lintco LLC began renovating Highland Mall in Apr. 2013 and completed
the Austin Community College (ACC)
Highland Campus project in August.
The ACC Highland Campus marks
the first element of a larger mixed-use redevelopment project.
Project Manager Landry Ray, Flintco, says the first phase of the project,
which opened in time for fall 2014 classes, is the conversion of 200,000sf of space
formerly occupied by J.C. Penney.
This is ACC’s 11th full-service location.
The campus includes state-of-the-art
classrooms, computer labs, study areas, a
library, student commons and ACCelerator — the nation’s largest learning lab,
with 604 computer stations for individualized instruction through technology.
The exterior construction materials
used included metal panels, exposed
concrete elements and plaster. Interior
materials used were glass walls, wood
paneling and exposed columns/structure, colored and sealed concrete and innovative light fixtures.
Delivering a large scale construction
project in an existing, fully functional
mall brought its share of challenges for
the project team.
“With the growth in Austin, the city
permitting process was lengthy and
thorough,” Ray said. “Flintco collaborated with the private developer to coordinate the site development permit that
would support the new ACC campus.
“We were able to re-sequence work
activities to accommodate not only our
scope within in the building, but also the
vital services outside that would make
this project a success.”
Flintco coordinated outages with
the existing tenants and shifted to offhour activities to prevent any disruption.
A study area and library at ACC Highland Campus
continued on Page 18
Page 2
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
B
Stucco & EIFS Products • Custom Color Matching
Cement, Lath & Trim Products
conveniently located to service Austin and San Antonio
23703 IH-35, #101B Kyle, TX 78640
512.268.5600
HWY 71 BASTROP, TX
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Concrete matters
lanco Concrete LLC
has worked hard to
establish a good reputation in the construction
industry since day one 15
years ago. The owners are
Jon Cobb and Michael
Dunlap.
“We landed a big contract with Centex Homes
during the first year and we
used that relationship to
expand our business,”
Cobb said. “Over the years,
we have focused on providing a timely, quality product to all of our customers.
We strive to have the best
people in every position in
the company, because we
realize that a company is
(ultimately) a reflection of
its employees and management.”
During the year, the
company sponsors several
L-R: Jon Cobb and Michael Dunlap
golf tournaments with
builders and their concrete supplier's an- Cottage, Building Better Lives for Single
nual truck rodeo. Blanco Concrete recent- Mothers and Children.
ly participated in the HomeAide Family
Steve Warden retired from the company this summer after eight years of employment.
“Warden was a highly respected
head superintendent who changed lives,”
Cobb said. “His dedication, sacrifices and
all of his efforts will forever be appreciated. I never knew what a day off was, until
Steve came on.”
Dunlap says Warden is one of the
most honest, hard working men he has
have ever known.
“I am very blessed to have had the
privilege of working with Steve all these
years,” Dunlap added.
Cobb and Dunlap say in the future,
Blanco Concrete plans to continue to get
better in every aspect of the concrete
Retiree Steve Warden
business. –ab
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Page 3
Submitted to Construction News
Fine dining
Striving for success
C
olleagues and friends in the Austin
construction industry networked
and caught up at the Fish Fry Fundraiser at the Travis County Expo Center
Sept. 17.
A live auction was the highlight of
the evening. The Greater Austin Contractors & Engineers Association (ACEA) hosted the fundraiser, which is the association’s largest event of the year. –ab
Ferguson
Round Rock ISD and community members celebrated the opening of the new
Success High School with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the campus, Sep. 11.
Bartlett Cocke was the construction manager and O’Connell Robertson provided the architecture, MEP engineering and interior design services. –ab
RDO Equipment
Thomas Reprographics
Construction News ON LOCATION
Finding a rhythm
Chasco
L-R: Christopher Carter Garcia, Jason McClain and Amador Morales work
on projects in the shop at Austech Sheet Metal in Buda. –ab
Haegelin Construction Co.
Integrity
Austin
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Austin Editor — Abby BeMent — AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net — 832-595-0091
Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler
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Page 4
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
What did you do to make extra money
as a teenager?
CMG: My very first job was chopping
cotton for my uncles. I was 14 at the time.
I got paid $2.50 an hour but I used the experience to get ready for football two-adays.
BW: I worked as a lifeguard at the
city pool.
Chris Maxwell-Gaines
and Blake West
Owners
Innovative Water Solutions
C
hris Maxwell-Gaines and Blake
West, owners, have operated Innovative Water Solutions since Mar.
2004.
Innovated Water Solutions designs
and installs rainwater harvesting systems, graywater reuse systems and
stormwater drainage systems.
“We are getting into irrigation system and landscape installation as well,
especially for projects where the customer wants a complete overhaul of their
outdoor spaces,” Maxwell-Gaines said.
“We want to provide systems to help collect and reuse the auxiliary type waters
on a customer’s property, while reducing
their overall water usage.
Out in the Hill Country, the company
installs rainwater harvesting systems to
supply whole house a potable water supply.
“With population growth and the increasing desire to live “out in the hill
country,” groundwater resources are becoming stretched, which makes drilling a
water well an iffy proposition,” MaxwellGaines said. “Our rainwater harvesting
systems can supply the whole house
needs since the rainwater is filtered and
disinfected.”
Where did you grow up?
CMG: I was born and raised in Cameron, TX. It was a great experience to
grow up in Cameron, since it was a small
town, but also because my family was
still connected to our Czech roots in a little community outside of Cameron.
I come from a farming and ranching
family, so I had ample opportunity to do
things outdoors.
BW: I was born in Bryan, TX and grew
up in Brazoria, TX near the Gulf Coast. My
grandparents lived right down the road.
My parents had grown up in the same
small town and went to the same high
school I attended.
Though I appreciated the small town
values, I was ready for something bigger.
I love the coast.
Where did you attend high school and
college?
CMG: I attended high school in Cameron and graduated from Texas A&M
University in College Station with a degree in Civil Engineering.
BW: I attended West Columbia High
School and graduated from Texas A&M
University.
What sparked your interest to work in
your industry?
CMG: I have always been interested
in the environment, so that is the reason I
chose civil engineering as a career path.
My service in the Peace Corps is what really pushed me towards the sustainability
side of civil engineering and the focus on
the reuse of perfectly good auxiliary waters that would otherwise just be poured
into a storm sewer and sanitary sewer.
BW: Peace Corps.
L-R: Chris Maxwell-Gaines and Blake West install a rainwater system.
What were the early days like at the
company?
CMG: Very off the cuff - we got our
first job from our booth at the local home
& garden show. We didn’t know anything
about contracting a job so we had to
cobble together contract documents
from the Internet.
Blake and I kept working our day
jobs, so we worked on the weekends, installing rainwater systems and I worked
after 5pm and visited potential customers’ homes to provide estimates.
We started slow and small, but we
feel that has helped us get to the point
we are at today.
BW: Exciting and naïve – we did a lot
of dreaming and talking about rainwater.
What are a few positive happenings at
the company lately?
CMG: We have been designing and
installing a good number of commercial
projects, along with an increasing number of residential projects.
The management of the company
has really started to implement a lot of
time saving and stress-saving processes
to help make projects flow a lot better
and provide better service to our customers.
BW: Evolution of our backyard business to something more advanced. We
are focusing on streamlining the installation process to make it easier, more affordable and better working for end users and new installers.
Why do you enjoy what you do today?
CMG: I love what I do today because
we are helping people tread “more lightly” on our local environment. Our customers really appreciate the work we do
for them, so that provides a great feedback for our company.
BW: I work in an industry that people
are excited about and view positively. We
provide services and products that fill a
real need.
What does it take to be successful in
your industry?
CMG: Persistence, learning and
good customer service. It is a business
where you have to learn and create the
best system design for your customers.
At this point, there aren’t any code rules
that you can rely on to know exactly how
you need to install a particular system. #1 in Safety & Reliability For Over A Quarter Century
Chris Maxwell-Gaines
Blake West
Therefore, you have to err on the side
of caution and make sure you are instructing your employees to do this a certain way because that is what has proven
over time to be the best method for installation.
BW: Cautious optimism, keeping the
mistakes survivable, good customer service/relations, a solid core of support
people and tons of practice.
What is the best part about working
and living in the Austin area?
CMG: I love the outdoor culture of
Austin. I also love the fact that people
who live here are so passionate about the
community and the environment.
BW: We could not have picked a better place to start and operate our business. I love the swimming holes, people,
tacos, arts and entertainment.
What types of changes have you seen
in your industry in the past five years?
CMG: There has been a lot of interest
in this industry with many other types of
contractors getting into the business.
There has also been a lot of work in the
political and code development worlds
around auxiliary water.
BW: People have become more educated about it – so less time is needed
telling people why it is important and
how it can be useful. Business-minded
people have spotted opportunity in the
field and thus new companies are entering the market daily. There are lots more
choices for the people interested in it and
lots more innovation.
How do you spend your free time?
CMG: These days I spend time with
my 2-year-old twins and I try to find time
to keep up a workout schedule as my
main hobby.
BW: I enjoy working with my girls on
the soccer field, music and working on
property near Shiner and Yoakum.
What advice would you give a young
person who would like to do what you
do today?
CMG: Stick to something for some
time to see if it will work out. Today, with
our instant gratification society, it is becoming the fashion to try something and
if it doesn’t work out immediately, jump
ship to something else.
BW: Start on the weekends and
don’t quit your day job right away.
What are your future goals for Innovative Water Solutions?
CMG: Development of our civil design services to be able to incorporate
more of our systems into the original
planning of a development, rather than
being an afterthought.
BW: To be better able to serve more
customers – not only in the ways we do
currently, but in new ways such as product development, service and maintenance and certification courses. –ab
Have you traveled anywhere lately?
CMG: My family and I traveled to the
island of St. Lucia in November 2013 and
stayed a month with family members
who are currently living there.
BW: Glacier National Park. You better
hurry if you want to see what’s left of the
glacier.
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Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 5
Tool time
Hear the region roar
NAWIC Region 7 members attended the 59th annual national conference in Indianapolis.
T
L-R: Jeremy Guerrero, Angel Perez and Christopher Bustos
E
mployees at the Texas Tool Traders
W. Ben White Blvd. location are excited about the newly remodeled
store.
Jeremy Guerrero, Angel Perez and
Christopher Bustos handle sales and
deliveries, stock inventory and help customers find the right nails and tools they
are looking for.
“We knocked a wall down a few
months ago,” Guerrero said. “We put all
the tools on one side of the building. In
addition, we moved the counter.”
Guerrero says the company decided
to expand the W. Ben White Blvd. location because the store was too small for
the amount of customers coming in every day.
Customers include homeowners,
do-it-yourselfers, tradesmen and professional contractors.
The folks at Texas Tool Traders par-
ticipate in a golf tournament once a year
and a bowling tournament twice a year.
“We recently went to our annual golf
tournament in Weimar, TX and the bowling tournaments took place in Katy this
year,” Guerrero said.
Several employees are Dallas Cowboys fans and they are glad football season is here. They also enjoy watching the
San Antonio Spurs play during basketball
season.
High school sweethearts Gary and
Linda Anders are the founders of Texas
Tool Traders. In the early days, the couple
sold tools at a flea market in Houston.
Today the company has 14 brick and
mortar retail centers spread out in Houston, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.
Texas Tool Traders has been in business
since 1973 selling tools, power tools and
fasteners such as nails and staples. –ab
Smooth transition
L-R: Tyler Cannon, Kyle Marcks, Julian Limon and Matthew Hyder
T
he City Electric Supply Buda location has recently updated its showroom and offices.
“We had a brand new counter custom built for us,” said Branch Manager
Tyler Cannon. “We painted all the offices, added new light fixtures throughout
the building and changed out the trims
to match the counter.
“In addition, we now have a new line
of tools (Milwaukee and Klein) and more
items in the shop. The entire area received a makeover.”
According to Cannon, so far in 2014,
the company has increased sales and
gross profit dollars.
Cannon says when he is away from
the office, he enjoys playing golf at golf
courses in the area with friends and customers.
“I like playing in the Central Texas In-
dependent Electrical Contractors (IEC)
golf tournament twice a year,” he said.
“We always have one or two teams playing at the tournament every year.
“Sometimes, we go see the Dallas
Cowboys play at the Cowboys Stadium in
Arlington during football season. It is so
much fun to go with a big group of people.”
Cannon says he and employees are
happy working at the City Electric Supply
and they look forward to expanding their
customer base in the future.
“We want to continue to strive and
do better than we did the year before,”
he said.
City Electric Supply is an electrical
wholesale distributor servicing the
commercial, industrial, and residential
markets. –ab
he National Association of Women
in Construction (NAWIC) held its
59th annual Meeting and Education
Conference Sep. 3-7 in Indianapolis, IN.
Members attended from all over Region
7, which is comprised of the Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston,
San Antonio, Tulsa and Waco chapters.
Region 7 chapters and members
took home several awards at the awards
gala on Sep. 6, including the National
Membership Award, PR & Marketing Social Media Award, NAWIC Education
Foundation (NEF) Fundraising Champions and the National WIC Week Award.
Additionally, Judy DeWeese, San Antonio
Chapter member, received the Lifetime
Achievement Award, and Francine
Hawkins, Dallas Chapter president for
2013-2014, received the Executive Spotlight Award.
Serving as national president 20112012, DeWeese has also served as national vice president, national secretary, Region 7 director and San Antonio Chapter
president. She currently serves as Region
7 Parliamentarian. Now, at this year’s conference, another Region 7 member, Sandy Field from the Houston Chapter, has
been installed as the national president
for 2014-2015. –mh
Sandy Field, a long-time member of the
Houston Chapter, was installed as 2014-2015
NAWIC national president.
Judy DeWeese, center, a member of the San
Antonio Chapter and past national president,
received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Page 6
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Using key performance
indicators to improve results
Don’t be caught unaware!
Liability insurance audit
Byron Hebert, CPA, CTR Director
Entrepreneurial Advisory
PKF
Houston, TX
Ally Carter, Commercial Risk Management
The Nitsche Group
Austin, TX
I
f you are a football fan as I am, and if you are as old as
I am, you may remember football games 35 years ago
had only a few key indicators to track a team’s performance. Mostly the tracking consisted of the score at the
end of each quarter. Maybe there was an occasional yards rushing statistic for a notable running back or quarterback. Then Monday Night Football was introduced to
Howard Cosell. Howard was a New York lawyer who gained notoriety by announcing
heavyweight boxing fights and more specifically interviews with Muhammad Ali. Not
only was Howard controversial, he had numbers to back up his commentary.
Today, you cannot watch a football
game without being inundated with statistics about the individual players, the
entire offense, defense, and special
teams. One thing is for sure, the team
with the best overall statistics wins the
game.
Business is much like the football
team playing hard every Monday night
to entertain while earning their paycheck. You can be sure they are tracking
performance along with the media.
You may have previously heard the
phrase KPI. It stands for Key Performance
Indicators. Every business and employee
has KPIs. In the long run, the company
that wins the game is the one which
tracks and improves their KPIs on a regular basis.
How do you start tracking KPIs in
your business? The key is to focus on
particular areas of concern. Try not to
track too many indicators in the beginning. First, identify the area of your business that you feel has the most possibility for improvement; for example, marketing. Much like the football games
years ago, you may only be tracking
gross revenue each quarter. But what is
that really telling you? How are you obtaining the growth you have seen or,
more importantly, what is causing any
decline?
To answer that question, spend some
time with your management team. Hold a
brainstorming session and agree on the
top two or three items contributing to
your success or decline in sales. Some
items you might identify are sales calls per
day, phone calls per day, sales by region,
etc. Once you agree on the KPIs to be
tracked; you can determine who tracks
the measurement and distributes the information on a daily or weekly basis.
One of the limiting paradigms you
need to discuss with your management
team is the concept of revenue minus expenses equals profit. Obviously from a
pure accounting standpoint this is the
case. However, this concept is limiting
and one dimensional. Discuss and enter-
tain the concept of people times process
equals profit. Now, consider the possibilities this concept presents to you.
Sales now becomes a function of ydollars being derived from x-number of
sales calls. Therefore, if x-number of sales
calls produces y-dollars of sales then an
increase of one more sales call per salesperson per day should produce what
amount of additional sales per month?
REVENUE – EXPENSES
= PROFIT
VS
PEOPLE X PROCESS
= PROFIT
If sales is a function of x-number of
customers being sold a product or service each month at an average price of y,
then it would stand to reason the average price of y+$1 would produce how
much more sales? I think you get the
concept.
KPIs will help you track and improve
these types of concepts and will have a
dramatic and instant impact on your
business.
As the owner/manager of your own
business, there is a key benefit and incentive for you to start tracking your KPIs on
a consistent basis. Over time you will be
able to manage and predict your company’s financial performance by tracking
the KPIs of your organization.
Now imagine you are on the golf
course, it’s Friday afternoon and you get
an updated KPI report on your iPhone.
You open it up and see that all of your
KPIs are moving nicely in the right direction. It won’t bother you at all that you
just put that brand new $4 golf ball in the
middle of the lake!
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N
obody likes to face unplanned expenses. And a liability premium audit can come as an expensive surprise, especially if you have not experienced one for several years. Many business owners are familiar with Workers Compensation premium audits, but may have forgotten that Liability Insurance can also be subject to audit. Although insurance companies have the right to conduct these audits annually, they may not go through the
expense of an audit during times of economic down swings.
As the economy recovers and business
activity increases, insurance companies
are more likely to exercise their right to
do an annual liability premium audit. So
it’s important to keep audits in mind, especially how they work, what you will
need, and ways to avoid costly surprises.
What policies are subject to premium
audit?
Commercial General Liability (CGL)
coverage, either as a stand-alone policy
or part of a Package policy, is subject to
premium audit. A notable exception is
the Business Owners Policy (BOP) which
is generally not subject to audit. Your
policy will declare in the “Conditions” if it
is subject to premium audit.
What is the purpose of a premium
audit?
The initial liability premium charged
at the beginning of a policy term is a deposit only based on an estimate of the
rating basis (usually total payroll or receipts/sales) for the current policy year.
The insurance company may perform a
premium audit to ensure that you only
pay a premium based on your actual risk
exposure. An accurate audit at the end of
the policy term will adjust your final premium up or down when reconciled
against the initial premium deposit.
An expensive surprise to avoid!
If it has been several years since your
last liability premium audit, you may discover that you have been inadvertently
under-reporting your rating basis (this is
a very common occurrence when markets shift). That means you have enjoyed
lower premiums for years, however a current audit may now create a large addition to your liability premium (for your
policy term just ended – not prior years).
What you can do to avoid surprises.
Verify that your estimated rating basis (usually total payroll or sales/receipts)
is what you anticipate for the year. If your
estimate is too low, an audit will create an
un-welcomed bill for additional premium. If your estimate is too high, then you
will overpay the initial premium deposit
and will have to wait until audit for a refund. At the beginning of your policy
term, contact your agent to revise your
estimate and adjust your initial premium
deposit.
Be sure to keep accurate records of the
information needed to verify your rating
basis. This will be invaluable at audit.
Throughout the year, monitor your actual numbers in relation to what was estimated. If you are having a great year with
higher payroll or gross sales than estimated, it would be wise to set aside
money in anticipation of the audit premium that will be due.
Subcontractors or Independent Contractors you hire in your operations need to
provide you a Certificate of Liability Insurance as proof they are insured. Keep a
detailed record of liability certificates on
file for your audit. If you can’t provide
this proof then they are assumed to be
uninsured subs and become covered under your liability policy causing you to
pay an additional premium.
Contact your agent for advice during the
year if you have a material change in your
operations. A change in operations may
increase or decrease liability risk and create new liability rating classifications and
rates on your policy during audit.
The Nitsche Group was created with
the independent spirit of a small-town
businessman in 1949. Then, known as the
Hannes Insurance Agency, the company
had only two employees at one location in
Giddings, Texas. Today, we have more than
100 employees at nine locations across
Texas to serve our ever-growing client base.
Since joining the agency, Ally and her team
have helped companies successfully design
and introduce solutions to protect their
business and bring greater profits through
risk management and innovation. Ally
Carter may be reached at (512)808-8106 or
AllyC@TheNitscheGroup.com.
Submitted to Construction News
The
Butler
Did It
Cleaning Services
Specializing in
Trip to the hill
Final Clean
Make Ready
Office Cleaning
Commercial and Multi-Family
Providing services for
Developers • General Contractors
Subcontractors • Real Estate Professionals
Service Area:
Austin | Cedar Park | Round Rock | Pflugerville | Georgetown | Leander
Shelley Butler, Owner/Manager
512 • 755 • 4334
shelley@TheButlerDidItServices.com
www.TheButlerDidItServices.com
Congressman Roger Williams (center) met with Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) members Jason Beers, Harvey-Cleary Builders (left) and Barry Wurzel,
Wurzel Builders (right), during the Legislative Conference in Washington DC. Issues
discussed were recent decisions by the National Labor Relations Board, OSHA policies, immigration, workforce development, healthcare and tax reform. –ab
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 7
Contractors beware: Special
requirements for liens on
residential homesteads
OSHA recordkeeping updates
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
Courtney Willis, President
Willis Law, PLLC
Addison, TX
T
exas lien laws provide contractors, subcontractors,
and suppliers indispensable tools for getting paid for
their work and materials. Lien requirements differ on
commercial and residential projects, and liens on residential homestead projects have their own special rules. With the hot residential real
estate market in many major Texas cities, renovation and remodeling projects are
plentiful, and those involved should be familiar with the requirements for liens on
residential and residential homestead projects.
First, what’s a “homestead”? Basically, a homestead is real estate that the
owner uses as a home. Texas homestead
law gives the owner extra protection
from creditor claims on the property, and
imposes additional requirements on contracts and liens for construction and remodeling projects on the property.
Two kinds of liens are available for
construction projects in Texas: constitutional liens and statutory mechanic’s and
materialman’s liens. Prime contractors,
those who contract directly with the
owner, can claim both kinds of lien. Subcontractors and suppliers are limited to
statutory liens.
On commercial projects and nonhomestead residential projects, by law
constitutional liens attach automatically.
However, on new-construction homestead projects, prime contractors must
meet several requirements to claim constitutional liens. The requirements are
that prime contractors must have a written contract with the owner containing
all terms of their agreement executed
before starting work or providing materials. Additionally, the contract must
signed by both spouses, if the owners are
married, and it must be filed with the
Clerk of the County of the project.
For constitutional liens on homestead remodeling projects, the contract
cannot be signed until the 5th day after
the owner has applied for project financing (if the owner is financing); it must allow the owner to opt out within three
days of signing with no penalty; and it
must be signed at the office of the lender,
an attorney, or a title company.
Statutory mechanic’s liens are available to prime contractors, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers,
and have the following basic requirements. Parties other than the prime contractor (subs, suppliers, etc.) must send
“fund trapping” notices of their claims to
the prime contractor and owner. Additionally, all lien claimants must file a
proper lien affidavit with the County
Clerk of the project county, and send a
proper notice of the filing of the affidavit
to the owner.
Subcontractors and suppliers on residential projects must send their fund
trapping notices to the owner and prime
contractor by the 15th day of the second
month after the month they provided labor or materials. If the project is a homestead, the notice must contain a statutorily required statement explaining that
the owner’s property may be subject to a
lien if the lien claimant is not paid, or if
the owner has not retained construction
funds. Consult your attorney for the specific language required for the notice
statement.
Residential lien affidavits must be
filed no later than the 15th day of the
third month after the month in which the
claimant provides labor or materials. In
addition to the homestead constitutional
lien requirements discussed above, the
homestead mechanic’s lien affidavit
must conspicuously state at the top “NOTICE: THIS IS NOT A LIEN. THIS IS ONLY AN
AFFIDAVIT CLAIMING A LIEN.”
Lastly, the claimant has to provide
notice to the owner (and prime contractor if the claimant is a subcontractor or
supplier) within five days of filing the lien.
When starting new residential projects,
contractors and suppliers of all sizes
should consider whether the job involves
a homestead, and how their lien rights
might be affected. Working with an attorney can help contractors address
these issues, avoid pitfalls, and develop
procedures to ensure notices and affidavits are properly drafted and timely filed.
This brief overview is intended to merely
underscore the special additional requirements for liens on residential homestead projects, rather than to provide a
general survey of all Texas lien law, or to
provide specific legal advice. Every case
is different. If you have questions relating
to a lien, you should contact an attorney
who can advise you as to your specific
situation.
Willis Law, PLLC offers litigation and
consultation services on commercial and
residential construction matters statewide. Courtney Willis can be reached at
(972) 481-1779, or at cwillis@willislawpllc.
com.
T
he Occupational Safety and Health
Administration’s revised recordkeeping rule includes two key changes:
First, the rule updates the list of industries that are exempt from the requirement to routinely keep OSHA injury and
illness records, due to relatively low occupational injury and illness rates. The previous list of industries was based on the
old Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) system and injury and illness data
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The new list of industries that are exempt
from routinely keeping OSHA injury and
illness records is based on the North
American Industry Classification System
(NAICS) and injury and illness data from
the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from
2007, 2008, and 2009.
Second, the rule expands the list of severe work-related injuries that all covered
employers must report to OSHA. The revised rule retains the current requirement to report all work-related fatalities
within 8 hours and adds the requirement
to report all work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations and loss of an
eye within 24 hours to OSHA.
As of January 1, 2015, all employers must
report
1. All work-related fatalities within 8
hours.
2. All work-related inpatient hospitalizations, all amputations and all losses of
an eye within 24 hours.
You can report to OSHA by
1. Calling OSHA’s free and confidential
number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).
2. Calling your closest Area Office during normal business hours.
3. Using the new online form that will
soon be available.
Only fatalities occurring within 30 days of
the work-related incident must be reported to OSHA. Further, for an in-patient
hospitalization, amputation or loss of an
eye, these incidents must be reported to
OSHA only if they occur within 24 hours
of the work-related incident.
OSHA regulations require certain employers to routinely keep records of serious employee injuries and illnesses. However, there are two classes of employers
that are partially exempt from routinely
keeping records. First, employers with
ten or fewer employees at all times during the previous calendar year are exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records. Second, establishments in certain low-hazard industries
are also exempt from routinely keeping
OSHA injury and illness records. Since
1982, this list has been comprised of establishments in the divisions of retail
trade; finance, insurance and real estate;
and the service industry if the three year
average lost workday case rate for their
major industry group was 75 percent or
less of the overall three year average of
the lost workday case rate for private industry. OSHA’s revised recordkeeping
regulation provides an updated list of
low-hazard industries that are exempt
from routinely keeping OSHA injury and
illness records. The injury and illness rate
threshold is based on more recent BLS
data.
natarajan.joann@dol.gov
512-374-0271 x232
Page 8
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Future is bright
Taking a leap
B
Thomas Russell loves going elk hunting when he gets the chance.
M
aster electrician Thomas Russell started Leander-based Russell Electric in May.
“Things were slow when I first
opened the company,” Russell said. “I am
beginning to pick up more work lately.”
Russell participated in the apprentice program at the IBEW Union 520 in
Austin.
“Before I established Russell Electric,
I gained experience in the trade working
as a journeyman and lead electrician at a
few local companies,” he explains. “I
wouldn’t trade being my own boss for
anything. There is definitely more competition these days. If your price is too
high, you won’t get a call and if your price
is too low, you don’t make any money.”
Russell enjoys setting his own schedule and having the opportunity to work
outside an office.
“My favorite part about what I do today is knowing that I am doing the best
job I can do,” he said. “I haven’t always
wanted to own a company, but earning
my masters license was something I always wanted to do.”
Going hunting in the fall season is
one of Russell’s favorite hobbies when he
is not busy at work. He used to like to go
deep-sea fishing in the past, but he hasn’t
been in awhile.
“I look forward to going elk hunting
in northern New Mexico in September,”
he says. “It will be my second year to go.
“I love working and living in the Hill
Country. I recently worked on a job in
Lago Vista. It was like taking a mini vacation working out there because the scenery was so beautiful.”
Russell Electric provides residential
and commercial electrical services. –ab
rundage-Bone Concrete Pumping
Inc., the largest concrete pumping
service in the United States, recently selected Peninsula Pacific Strategic
Partners LLC, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, as an outside investor.
“During the restructuring of the
company in 2010, a few of the lenders
were awarded an equity position in the
company,” says President Bruce F.
Young. “The last step of our restructuring plan was to recapitalize the business
and purchase the lenders equity position
giving us a normal working relationship
with our lenders. It was determined in
September 2013 that the business was in
a position to bring in an outside investor
to partner with management to accomplish this.”
Nearly 100 interested parties were
evaluated before Young and CFO John
Hudek selected Peninsula Pacific, which
acquired the company as a whole and
plans no changes to operations or staffing. Brundage-Bone management is part
of the new ownership group.
Peninsula Pacific consists of longterm investors targeting middle-market
businesses with sustainable advantages
in durable industries. “Peninsula Pacific is excited to partner with Bruce and the team at Brundage-Bone,” says Brent Stevens, chairman of Peninsula Pacific. “We look forward to supporting management’s
growth strategy in the years to come.”
Brundage-Bone continues to lead
the industry in technology, customer service and safety. This commitment to being the best is what continues to spur its
near constant growth, and as a result,
Brundage-Bone is now a truly nation-
Bruce Young
wide company.
In a relatively stable marketplace,
business largely reflects two factors: the
economy and service. While the national
economy is out of their hands, BrundageBone considers customer service the
backbone of its company and an aspect
always worth improving. By building new
relationships and retaining customers,
Brundage-Bone grows where others
might stall.
“The team at Brundage-Bone has
done a remarkable job over the last several years through very challenging
times,” Young said. “The hard work and
dedication of our team has positioned us
for a strong future.” –cw
Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping
has an extensive network of locations
across the country.
Driving force
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A
The Geo-Systems team took first place.
25-year tradition was celebrated at
Trophy Club Country Club on Sep.
8 as 167 golfers played two courses, dined at the club and bid on items to
raise funds to benefit charity. To date, the
Fire Sprinkler Contractors Association of
Texas’s annual golf tournament has
raised more than $1.2 million for Texas
Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. –mjm
Winners:
1st Place: Geo-Systems (score 52) – Kurt
M. Richter, Tiffany Richter, Luke Morrow,
Chris Degroot, David Oveson, John Fox
2nd Place: Lone Star Fire Sprinkler (score
52) ­­– Steve Bennett, Brandon Blakenship,
Steve Cook, Larry Mathis, Ivan Sparkman,
Thomas Winingar
3rd Place: Automatic Fire Protection
(score 54) – John Begnaud, Paul Begnaud, Kat Cook, Ken Cook, Greg Mootes,
Marty Self
Straightest Drive (Hogan): Rachel Noblett,
Ameripipe Supply
Closest to the Pin: Luke Morrow,
EPAC Sales and Service
On the left: Straightest Drive (Whitworth):
Eric Bryan, Mutual Sprinklers Inc.
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Fall into some
redfish action
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek
Boats, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole
Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing,
Mirr-O-Lure and Columbia Sportswear.
I
t was an awesome feeling as I
backed my Majek Extreme
down the ramp early one morning last month. I had gotten the ok
from my doctor days before to re-
Page 9
sume normal daily activities and
couldn’t wait to hit the water. The
night before I was excited and
somewhat restless like a kid waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. Needless to say, I have missed
fishing and being on the water
most of this season, but most of all
I really missed being with my clients and friends. I’m looking forward to fishing the remainder of
the fall season and can’t wait to
get thru this unfortunate 2014 year.
As we get into October, the water
is cooling off from the hot summer
months. Redfish will start feeding
heavily to fatten up for the winter
that’s just around the corner. Most
of the fish you will catch will be
from 18 to 34 inches in length, but
don’t count out hooking into some
bull reds up in the 40-inch range.
One reason the fishing in October
is so good is there is just so much
bait around. There are finger mullet, menhaden, shrimp and crabs,
all of which are very appealing to
reds. As the water gets colder, the
are some of the best topwater
plugs to throw. Color is probably
not a big factor when throwing
into a school of reds, as many of
the strikes come from the action
and noise the lures produce. They
work best in calm, low light conditions and can be very effective at
night. Redfish is the hardest fighting fish you will find in our bays
and it’s a blast on light tackle, so
get out there this fall and get some
redfish action.
I’m really looking forward to getting back on the water this fall and
catching some of these schooling
reds I’ve been talking about. I have
plenty of openings for October
and if the weather stays nice I will
be fishing in November also, so
pick up the phone and give me a
call and let’s wet a line. I can be
reached at 361-813-3716 or 361334-3105 or e-mail me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.
bait will move out to the gulf waters and the redfish will follow suit.
They will feed all they can in the
bays before migrating to the gulf.
You can catch redfish on artificial
lures, live bait and cut bait. Berkley
Gulp probably has caught more
redfish since it came on the market
than anything else. With the Gulp
3-inch shrimp you really can’t go
wrong. I like using the new penny
and pearl white colors, but there
are several other colors that they
have so you may find one that
works better for you. Gulps also
come in several other styles like
the pogey, jerk shad, swimming
mullet and a crab imitation.
Topwater baits are the most exciting lures to catch redfish on, or any
fish in my opinion. It’s some of the
most explosive action when a 15lb redfish attacks a surface plug
from below and produces a hole in
the water the size of a No. 3 washtub. Heddon Spooks, MirrOlure
Top Dogs and Rapala Skitter Walks
Good luck and Good Fishing.
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Page 10
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Since 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
Fall Fishing!
away. If you want to take your kids on a
truly memorable fishing trip there is
nothing like watching 3-12 pound fish
breaking the surface and splashing you
in the boat.
I know not everyone likes to chase
stripers and I should help out the guys
who chase largemouth, so here you go.
This is the time of year when bass start
gorging on shad to prepare for winter
and eventually spawn. The trick to catching bass in the fall is to match the hatch.
The shad have spawned out and hatched
and the lakes are filled with millions of
bite sized shad, 2-3” long, and this is what
the bass are feeding on. This means it is
time to pull out the shallow running
crank baits and start fishing shallow flats
and pockets along the windy side of the
lake. There will always be those pesky
cold fronts that come in and “ruin” the
fishing, but if you take your time, pull out
to deeper water you will likely find the
baitfish along with the hungry bass. For
this pattern I like a lipless crank bait or a
Carolina rig to work submerged rock
piles and ledges, and submerged timber.
October in Texas means big fish
caught on top water plugs, bucket mouth
bass tail dancing with your favorite
square billed crank bait in her lip, and of
course spending time in the pasture.
Don’t miss out on this awesome fishing
and don’t forget to bring your kids and
family along to make memories and carry
on the tradition.
O
ctober in Texas means cooler
weather, football, and archery
season. While some people are
getting wrapped up in fantasy football
and the bow hunters are sitting in their
tree stands the diehard fishermen are enjoying some of the best fishing of the
year. The fish are gorging on baitfish in
preparation for winter. Some of my favorite top water patterns happen this time of
the year. If you are a fly fisherman and
you want to catch a striper, now is the
time to do it, although we do not currently offer fly fishing charters, all you need is
a buddy with a boat and a pair of binoculars. If you are a kayak fisherman you can
get in on the top water action too.
When the water starts to cool down
the stripers start to travel in larger schools
working together to push bait schools
into creeks or into the side of long points
where they have little chance to escape,
and then the feeding frenzy begins. I
have seen schools of top water stripers
covering close to three acres, and this
year I think we will see this again. Believe
me, when you see this happening you
will know why it’s called a “feeding frenzy”. It will look like bowling balls falling
from the sky and hitting the lake. With a
keen eye you can spot the action of a
feeding top water school several miles
Bigfoot doesn’t believe in you either!
I
went to visit some friends in Port Angeles a city on the Olympic peninsula off the
coast of Washington. While there, we went
to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic mountains - Bigfoot
country. The views were breathtaking!
We took the ferry across the strait and went to Victoria, BC, Canada for three days. There, we stayed at The
Empress overlooking the bay, visited many of the sites
including the famous Butchart Gardens - a “Must See.”
Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula
Hurricane Ridge - Olympic Peninsula
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
On the island (Victoria, BC Canada), the temperatures are almost perfect year ‘round. It never goes
above 80 degrees, nor below 50 degrees.
We completed our vacation back in Port Angeles.
By the way, we never saw Bigfoot!
Reesa Doebbler, Construction News
The Empress - Victoria, BC, Canada
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT
SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER
FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
(361) 813-3716
(361) 334-3105
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
www.baffinbaycharters.com
steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 11
Submitted to Construction News
Nice catch
Good morning New York
The top of the Empire State Building
New York in a day
L-R: John Calhoun, United Tool & Fastener; Ed Chaney and Joe Masias, Marek
Brothers Systems Inc., caught limits of speckled trout in Corpus Christi Bay and
redfish from Nueces Bay in August. –ab
Submitted to Construction News
Fun in the sun
I traveled to New York City Sep. 3 and
took a car, train, taxi and the subway to
get around The Big Apple.
I began the day at Penn Station,
walked in Times Square, climbed the Empire State Building, had lunch at Central
Park, saw a broadway play, visited the
Conservatory Garden and ended the day
at Grand Central Station.
Do you have any favorite summer
vacation photos you’d like to send to us?
Email your photos to houstoneditor@
constructionnews.net.
Abby BeMent, Construction News
A view at the Conservatory Garden
SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS . . .
fishing, hunting, skiing,
biking, racing, or
any outdoor activity or sport.
Cyndi Wright, Construction News managing editor, took a fishing trip with her husband,
Jay, to Port Aransas, hoping to stock the freezer. Even though they came home emptyhanded, they had a great time and enjoyed the sun, fun and fishing. –cw
Submitted to Construction News
Hoorah!
Construction News marketing guru
Kent Gerstner and his wife, Claudia
Gerstner, submitted this proud photo of
his stepdaughter, Zully Andrade, who
started Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC
and her military career during Labor Day
week. Andrade will be a Water Treatment
Specialist in the U.S. Army. Please send
your proud military moments to Cyndi@
constructionnews.net for inclusion
in the paper. –cw
AustinEditor@constructionnews.net
Page 12
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 13
Submitted to Construction News
Industry FOLKS
Common ground
Michael Beery
Pipefitter Foreman
Firetrol Protection Services
M
ichael Beery installs fire suppression systems in shell space buildings on a daily basis.
He arrives to jobs at 7am and
leaves at 3:30pm, before it gets too
hot in the summer. Beery has 22 years
of experience in the fire protection
business.
“Firetrol Protection Systems is the
best company I have worked at so
far,” Berry said. “I joined the company
two years ago. I really enjoy the annual crawfish boil. It is always a good
time and lots of customers attend the
event.”
Beery says he became interested
in working in his industry when he
worked at a fabrication company and
realized he was mechanically inclined.
“I never wanted to push a pencil.
If I am going to push a pencil, I am going to put it together. I like working
outside, especially when it starts getting cooler. I am looking forward to
October and November.”
Berry says it is rewarding to know,
after completing a job, that people in
the building are protected from a fire
and have a chance to get out of the
building if it ever does catch on fire.
Originally from Clarinda, IA, Beery
moved to Amarillo when he was 10.
He has lived in the Hill Country for 30
years.
“I moved to this part of Texas because I didn’t like the cold weather in
Amarillo. I moved here because it is
hot,” he explains.
Beery and his family moved to
the Kyle area in 2007 and enjoy living
near the local river.
“People are nice and genuine,” he
said. “I love it in Kyle because there
are hardly any tourists. My family and
I lived in New Braunfels for a few
years. So many people were in town
during the summer season.
“Living in Kyle, we have our own
little slice of country. I like to play the
guitar in my free time and I like to
float the river with my family when we
get the change. I also enjoy playing
disc golf.”
In addition, Beery and his family
visit friends on Lake Austin every now
and then.
Beery says he plans on being a
pipefitter foreman until he retires.
“I am sure there is an office position for me somewhere, but I am not
ready for it right now! I look forward
to my day every day.” –ab
Fun for all
I
t’s that time of year again. The Associated Builders & Contractors Central Texas Chapter (ABC) held a Fall Clay Shoot at Capital City Trap and Skeet Club Aug. 22. –ab
L-R: First Place team: Harvey-Cleary Builders - Durand Avants, Brian Harvey and Pat Bedynek.
Not pictured: Dennet Wenske.
L-R: John Barker, ANGI Energy; Daniel Dupuy, Rigid Global; Sergio Montoya Baker Triangle;
Sean Cagle, Ryan Companies; Ryan Richie, Ryan Companies, Trevor Spring, Ryan Companies
and Michael Harkins Jr., MJ Mechanical
A groundbreaking ceremony took place at the H-E-B Grocery Store project in
Wimberley in September. Joeris General Contractors Ltd. is the GC. –ab
Submitted to Construction News
Sharing ideas
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) and American Institute of Architects
(AIA) hosted “Designing the Future of Austin: A Mayoral Candidate Forum” at
the Highball Austin Sep. 8. The design and construction community talked
about issues facing the industry in Austin with mayoral candidates. –ab
Page 14
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Submitted to Construction News
Submitted to Construction News
Bring out the shovels
Going platinum
Representatives from Rogers-O'Brien Construction recently participated in a
groundbreaking ceremony at the new Lamar Central project in Austin.
Photo by: Nicole Ryan Photography –ab
L-R: Lee Gros, LEED consultant; Scott Gerhardt, USGBC Central Texas Balcones
Chapter; Kevin Teehan, HID Global and Jason Bohrer, HID Global, attended a
ceremony event to celebrate the newly LEED® Platinum-certified HID Global world
headquarters and North American operations center in Austin in August. –ab
Submitted to Construction News
Way to go
Round-Up
LJA Engineering Inc.
has hired David Garrett, PE, as senior
project manager in
the firm’s Austin Public Infrastructure Division. Garrett has 30
years of project management and highway design experience with transportation projects. Garrett is a graduate of Texas A&M University
with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering.
L-R: Janie Mendiola, Austin National Association of Women In Construction
(NAWIC) immediate past president, congratulates Chaudra Callaway, Austin
NAWIC vice president for receiving “Woman In Construction of the Year”
based on her leadership. –ab
Did You
know
?
Construction News
reaches
your target market
The Beck Group has
named Matt Pickens
operations manager
for the Austin regional office. Pickens, a
15-year veteran of the
company, will manage all construction
operations in Austin.
His responsibilities will encompass dayto-day operations, including project execution and staffing, safety, division
profitability and client relationships.
Halff Associates Inc.
has hired Mike Robinson to oversee
business
development in the Central
Texas region. He has
34 years of experience in public service
and business. Robinson has served in various roles in the engineering and construction industry, including owning his own firm for 10 years.
Pickett, Kelm & Associates Inc. (PKA)
has promoted David Cole to associate
and Luis Caro to engineer.
Cole has 12 years
of experience in the
practice of structural
engineering, including eight years with
PKA. Cole is a graduate of the University
of Arizona, where he
earned a B.S. degree
in Civil Engineering.
Caro received licensure as a Texas
professional
engineer in Jun. 2014 and
has been a member
of the PKA staff for
eight years. Caro is a
graduate of Texas
Tech Univ., where he
earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering.
Round-Up
Submissions
This is a monthly section for brief
company announcements of new or
recently promoted personnel, free of
charge, as space allows.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Email (w/digital photo, if available)
by the 15th of any month, for the
next month’s issue
(published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue,
with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio
saeditor@constructionnews.net
Austin
austineditor@constructionnews.net
Dallas/Ft. Worth
dfweditor@constructionnews.net
Houston
houstoneditor@constructionnews.net
South Texas
STeditor@constructionnews.net
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 15
Specialty Contractors
Persevering in
the fence industry
Kevin Clark, Owner
Georgetown Fence & Deck LLC
Georgetown, TX
W
hat is your perspective about the
local construction industry in
2014?
I have a very positive perspective
about the construction industry in 2014.
Here at Georgetown Fence & Deck, we
have seen about a 30- to 35-percent
growth in the past two years.
What sparked your interest to get into
the fence business?
My wife Cheryl and I took over an existing business that had operated for 13
years.
It was an opportunity for me to get
out of the insurance industry and own a
business. I have had my fingers in the
construction industry since high school.
We kept the crews, the phone number and began to rebrand the company
under our name. In the beginning, we
had our fair share of challenges. We persevered and now we are doing well.
What does a typical day look like for
you?
Lately, I get out in the field and do
sales calls. I love it!
Why do you enjoy what you do today?
The best part about what I do is making customers happy. There is nothing
Business up, labor needed
Eddie McCormick, Executive Director
Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Association
(DACA) and South Central Walls, Ceilings and
Plaster Association (SCWCPA)
Dallas, TX
How would you describe the state of
the construction industry?
The construction industry in Texas
has always been active to some degree.
Even with the economic downturn back
in 2009, Texas still had more projects in
the works than any other state. I relate
that to labor costs, cost of living and the
Texas government policies in effect that
make it easy to not only relocate but build
in this state. The Texas Enterprise Fund
has been used to entice numerous corporations to move their headquarters to
Texas, which equals an increase in construction for all of our qualified specialty
contractors. With Nebraska Furniture
Mart and Toyota committing to Texas as
well, our contractors are getting back to
the backlogs they saw 10 years ago. I
meet twice a year with my counterparts
from across the country. Of the 12 or so
that sit in this executive meeting, I am the
ony one who represents an open shop
area. It’s interesting to listen to their hurdles on union contracts and union labor.
Negotiating union dues and labor rates is
a lengthy, time-consuming process.
Have your members witnessed an increase in business? Slowdown?
Definitely an increase. The majority of
the speciality contractors I represent are
bidding and being awarded more projects now than they have in the past three
years. These are projects that are already
on the books and in their backlog. Some
are also reporting that market prices are
slowly coming back to what they once
were. Most importantly, their general
contractor customers are going back to
buying out the project based on quality
trained and reliable subcontractors – the
way it was and should always be.
What factors are driving this increase?
Lower labor costs to build in Texas
and lenient planning, zoning and ordinance requirements. More and more
municipalities are adopting the “build
friendly” policies that have been discussed by the NCTCOG (North Central
Texas Council of Governments) and other agengies. Now we are seeing the results of that. Also, more private money is
available to build these new projects.
What are the “hot button” issues? try?
Labor, labor, and labor! In the South
Central market alone, there is a need for
80,775 new skilled workers based on reports from both the Construction Users
Roundtable and NCCER (National Center
for Construction Education and Research). These are workers who left back
in 2009-2012 to find work in other industries and who have not or will not come
back to constuction. The other part of
this is the new generation of construction
workers coming out of high school who
expect to start at the top and who do not
realize that construction is a lot more
than a hard hat and a tool belt. You have
some young men and women who
choose not to take the college route,
whether it is financial or just the lack of
desire and think that construction is an
like completing a project and looking
back to see the fruits of your labor.
What advice would you give a young
person who wants to work in the fence
business?
I think sales is a great place to start in
the fence business. Sales experience is
critical.
You have got to be able to effectively
communicate with people. There are all
kinds of books on the market on how to
be a good sales person.
If you want to own a fence company,
you have to know how to run a business.
You have to be knowledgeable about the
products, the process and the business.
What types of trends have you seen in
the industry in the last few years?
There is certainly new fencing products on the market today. We are seeing
a better availability of ornamental steel
fencing.
This is a positive development because it has really softened the price
point.
Even though we live in an economically advantageous area, folks are still
easy path. We must work together to
change this mentality by showing these
kids a career path in construction, showing them that with patience and, most
importantly, training, comes the financial
rewards and also the freedom to have a
skill that can never be taken away from
them, a skill that they can take anywhere
and use.
Two great training opportunities are
NCCER and CEF (Construction Education
Foundation). Both have career paths that
are also recognized by many different
universities and even state education departments. This is the “open shop” version for our trained workforce that we
need to utilize. One of our local associations in DFW, DACA (Drywall & Acoustical
Contractors Association), is currenty developing a Drywall Workforce Training
program with CEF. They are about two
months away from kicking this program
looking at the bottom line.
Do you see more competition in your
industry lately?
One thing that is nice about the
fence industry is there is a low barrier of
entrance, but it is a double-edged sword,
too.
There are folks out there operating
companies out of a truck. If you are looking for a contractor, it is important that
they are established, have an actual office location and have normal business
operating hours. That way if a problem
does arise, you know exactly where to go.
What do you think is on the horizon
for your industry?
The outdoor living side of our business has now surpassed the fencing side
of our business. I don’t see this trend
changing any time soon. Outdoor living
areas have a very dramatic and positive
impact on the value of homes.
Georgetown Fence & Deck provides residential and commercial fences, patios and
decks. –ab
off. It will certify different levels of the
trade that an individual achieves and is
certified by both the assessment and
performance evaluation process set up
for this program. This will not only benefit the worker but also help all the drywall
companies who take part. It will benefit
the employee because they will become
more marketable and have credentials in
a national database to back up their resume. They will also have the opportunity at the end of the program to take the
NCCER certification test to be an NCCER
certified worker in that trade. It will benefit the employer because now there will
be a program in place that they can use
to verify that the potential employee
they are hiring can actually do the tasks
that they say they can do. –mjm
For more information, please visit
www.dacadfw.org; www.ntcef.org; or
www.nccer.org
Page 16
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Specialty Contractors
The marriage of drywall
and technology
Michael Soreno, President
Baker Triangle
San Antonio, TX
M
ichael Sireno, president of Baker Triangle’s San Antonio office, recites a
quote he’s tired of hearing.
“’It’s not rocket science!’” he says. “If I
had a nickel for every time I have heard
that about drywall, I could probably buy
my own rocket!”
While he admits it’s not rocket science, Sireno notes that the drywall industry is utilizing advances in technology to
improve the way jobs get done.
When Sireno started in construction
32 years ago, there was little to no technology involved. Everything was done
off blueprints on the jobsite. He remembers having pagers and being paged
when the office was informed of changes, then having to make a phone call to
the office so they could track down the
details of the change.
“There was always a big lag time on
the information getting to the jobsites
from the architect to the GCs, from the
GCs to the subs, and subs out into the
field,” he recalls. “A lot of times we were
building something and had to go back
in and tear it out and redo it the way they
wanted it to be built after the changes.”
Today, Baker’s foremen carry iPads,
allowing them to open electronic drawings anywhere on the jobsite. Since the
plans are updated in real time, the crew
can get answers on the spot with the
most current set of drawings and specifications via software and cloud programs.
“We are also using BIM and scheduling software to aid in construction planning and identifying problem areas well
in advance of when the crews will be
working there,” he explains. “The use of
BIM [Building Information Modeling] has
helped us to implement some of the
‘Lean Principles’ into our projects and use
pre-fabrication to save time on the project and to eliminate waste.
“Materials can be ordered to size and
fabricated at our warehouse without any
of the regular jobsite disruptions. Then,
Proposed silica rule hugely
expensive to industry
Marc Ramsey, Director of Communications
American Subcontractors Association
Alexandria, VA
A
fter nearly a year of review and study, on Aug. 18,
the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC)
filed its final post-hearing brief on the U.S. OSHA’s Proposed Rule on Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica.
Released by OSHA on Aug. 23, 2013,
the proposed rule “seeks to lower worker
exposure to crystalline silica,” a natural
occurring component of soil, sand, granite and other minerals. Many common
construction operations in dozens of
specialty trade activities involve silica, including those that cut, grind, crush or
drill materials that contain silica, such as
concrete, masonry, tile or rock.
In its final comments to OSHA, CISC
reemphasized its pre-hearing written
comments and testimony and presented
its final economic analysis. Specifically,
CISC said:
• OSHA has not identified all of the con-
struction tasks and worker job categories
that would be affected by the proposed
rule, nor has OSHA addressed the omitted tasks and job categories in the technological and economic feasibility analyses.
• OSHA has no justification in assuming
for all construction worker exposure
samples of less than full-shift duration
that sampled workers have no exposure
for the unsampled remainder of their
shift.
• OSHA’s analysis does not consider the
broad range of tasks and variety of settings and environments in which construction work occurs.
the pre-fabricated pieces can be shipped
to the project and installed by a smaller
crew in a shorter amount of time than
traditional construction methods.”
The move towards this more technological approach to the planning stage
started in the office with electronic drawings and estimating software, he says,
noting that now technology is being put
to use in the field as well.
Sireno learned how to do take offs
and price all his jobs by hand, and the
first few times he used the estimating
software, he did it by hand just to double
check the computer to make sure all its
calculations were correct. Then, he grew
to trust it and could perform checks to
make sure everything looked right.
When asked about any potential
drawbacks to the integration of this technology into their daily operations, Sireno
points out one disadvantage in this area.
“You’ll see some estimators that if
the power goes out, they don’t know
how to put a bid together,” he says.
“When we train estimators here, we’ll
have them price jobs out by hand the
old-fashioned way just so if there’s ever
an issue, we can actually do that.
“Plus, if you ever get a glitch in the
computer, if you don’t know how something should look or the way the pricing
works, you don’t really have a way to
check it. If you understand it, I think it
gives you a better edge when you’re actually putting things together and not
just relying on the computer to do it all
the time.”
He adds that trying to stay current
with the frequent updates to the software can present a challenge as well.
However, he emphasizes that Baker embraces the technology side of the business. They were an early adopter of BIM
technology, forming their BIM department about seven years ago. Also, the
scheduling software allows them to look
ahead at the general contractor’s schedule and use it on their side to calculate
how many men they will need on a job
for each activity.
Sireno points out that a lot of technological advances are starting to be
used throughout the construction industry. He adds that a large part of why they
use the technology is due to the shortage
of skilled workers that is presenting an
industry-wide problem right now. He observes that no matter how much technology can help with managing the workload efficiently, they still need people out
in the field installing drywall and working
on projects.
“Construction is one of the largest industries in our country and can be very
rewarding,” he says. “And while it may
not be rocket science, we build the facilities where the rockets are designed, the
schools that educate the rocket scientists, the places of worship and the cities
that we all live in.” –mh
• OSHA’s assumption about compliance
on multiemployer worksites does not account for exposure effects.
• OSHA’s assessment of each of the individual construction tasks analyzed failed
to consider the broad range of exposures
and even if it had done so, did not demonstrate conclusively that a permissible
exposure level (PEL) of 50 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per cubic meter of air)
could be met in most operations most of
the time.
CISC’s economic analysis demonstrates that OSHA grossly underestimated the costs that the construction industry will incur to comply with the proposal.
CISC estimates that “compliance with
OSHA’s proposed standard would cost
the construction industry nearly $3.9 billion per year, nearly eight times larger
than OSHA’s estimate.”
The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) is a founding member of
CISC, which has been an active participant throughout OSHA’s rulemaking process. In its own comments, ASA joined
CISC in requesting that OSHA withdraw
the proposed rule and offered to engage
in a dialogue with OSHA regarding what
would be an appropriate approach to
dealing with the hazards of silica on construction worksites. ASA Chief Advocacy
Officer E. Colette Nelson concluded, “After thoroughly reviewing the rulemaking
record developed by OSHA, ASA continues to believe that the Agency has not
met its burden with respect to the rule
and the construction industry and should
withdraw the proposal.”
In its comments filed on Feb. 8, ASA
told OSHA, “ASA believes that the proposed rule, as it would apply to employers in the construction industry, is so fundamentally flawed that it cannot be remedied through the current rulemaking
process.”
Under OSHA’s proposed rule, a construction employer would have to measure and keep records of the amount of
respirable crystalline silica that its workers are exposed to if it may be at or above
25 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per cubic
meter of air), averaged over an eighthour day. An employer would have to
protect its workers if the exposure is
above a permissive exposure level (PEL)
of 50 μg/m3, averaged over an eighthour day. –cw
NEXT MONTH
November 2014
Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue
Architecture & Engineering
2014
Schedule
Jan: Construction Forecast
Feb: Construction Safety
Mar: Construction Education
San Antonio • Austin
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Apr:Women in Construction
May:Concrete Industry
Jun: HVAC & Plumbing
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Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 17
Page 18
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
continued from Page 1 — Going the distance
of the best parts of working at Vickrey in
Austin is the range of interests and geographic regions represented in our office.”
Division Manager Andy Dodson, PE,
hunts and fishes and helps out at his family ranch west of Dripping Springs.
Senior Project Manager James Massaro, PE, is a beekeeper, teaches a Sunday school class at Santa Cruz Catholic
Church in Buda and is active in his son’s
Scouting activities.
Senior Designer Jeff Mock lives in
North Austin, has been playing softball
with Capital City Softball since 2003 and
is also a home-brewer for craft beers
CAD Technician Carl Pederson enjoys golf, hiking, reading and travel. Mehl
is a native Austinite and UT football fan
living in the Barton Hills/Zilker neighborhood.
Office Manager Anne Taylor lives in
southwest Austin near Driftwood and is
very active in the equestrian community.
Taylor was a member of the Stakeholder
Steering Committee representing the
Equestrian Land Conservation Resource
(ELCR) for conceptual plans for public use
on City of Austin Water Quality Protection Lands (WQPL).
Mehl says in her free time, she enjoys
cooking, gardening and exploring the
Greenbelt with her 9-year old son and
their new dog, Lulu.
VICKREY provides civil engineering,
planning and land surveying services to
public and private clients throughout Texas. –ab
continued from Page 1 — Getting things done
work. Everyone who meets Dozer, instantly likes him. He is definitely a part of
the team. He is as old as the company.”
Outside of the office, Burleson enjoys raising his daughter and going hunting with family and friends.
Smith likes to work in the yard and
she grows several varieties of flowers in
her garden.
“I like to play in the dirt after working
all day,” she said.
The Longhorn Stucco and Masonry
team plans to continue to help grow the
business in the future.
“It takes a lot of hard work every
day,” she said. “You have to be able to
make it through the lows as well as enjoy
the highs. Sometimes things are really
busy and sometimes things are really
slow.
“In our business, weather can really
impact things too. Stucco and masonry
contractors can’t work when it is rainy
and cold outside.
“We think the construction industry
is a great industry to be a part of today.
The people in the industry are down to
earth.”
Established in 2008, Longhorn Stucco
and Masonry Supply provides stucco, EIFS
and masonry supplies. –ab
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC Central Texas
Associated Builders & Contractors
Oct. 16: Excellence in Construction and
Safety Awards Banquet, 6pm, Omni
South
For more information call 512-719-5263
ACCA
Air Conditioning Contractors of Amer.
Oct. 2: 2nd Annual Golf Tournament,
Plum Creek Golf Course
For more info: www.accaaustin.org
The company delivers general building projects for athletic, corporate, educational, private and retail clients, such as
the Baylor University McLane Football
Stadium, Texas Capital Dome Restoration, LBJ Presidential Library and Museum, the Belo Center for New Media at UT,
and AISD McCallum Performing Arts Center, along with the new Seaholm Redevelopment.
Flintco has been a member of the
Austin community for 10 years. The company was recently ranked as the top construction company in the large-sized
company category by Texas Monthly’s
Best Places to Work and ranked third in
the Austin Business Journal’s top contractors listing.
Oct. 28: AFA Board of Directors meeting
Oct. 29: Advocacy Roundtable
For more information call 512-452-4332
CFMA
Construction Financial Management Assn
Oct. 21: Monthly Luncheon, 11:30am,
Norris Conference Center, Speaker: Becky
Parker, Health Reform Director with
MHBT, Inc. – Topic: Health Care Update,
$30 members, $35 non-members
For more information call 512-767-7436.
AGC
CTSA
Associated General Contractors
Central Texas Subcontractors Assn.
Oct. 1-3: TEEX OSH 226 – Permit Required Confined Space Entry
Oct. 2: Annual Fish Fry, Texas Disposal
Systems Exotic Game Ranch
Oct. 6: Safety Committee meeting
Oct. 6-8: TEEX OSH 502 – Update Construction Outreach
Oct. 8-10: TEEX OSH 503 – Update General Industry
Oct. 14-17: TEEX PRT 145 – Environmental Regs for Oil & Gas
Oct. 21-23: TEEX PRT 106 H2S Instr. Development
Oct. 23-25: CLC Leadership Development Conference
Oct. 24: TEEX PRT 105 H2S Refresher
Oct. 28-31: TEEX OSH 521 – Industrial Hygiene
For more information call 512-442-7887
AIA
continued from Page 1 — Hub for higher education
Essentially, Flintco converted a dark “concrete bunker” into a space that is inviting
through the use of skylights, strategic
floor openings and high-efficiency light
fixtures.
“This project is the first of many improvements that will not only transform
an old mall into a place of learning, but
revitalize a part of town that has been
under-utilized for some time,” Ray added.
“This project will have a huge impact on
the education community in the area.
More than 2,000 students annually will
benefit from the learning opportunity
that the Highland Campus offers.”
This was not the first time that Flintco worked with ACC and Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek Architects (BGK).
“Having a high level of trust and collaboration built on previous performance
meant that the team was well positioned
to take on and resolve the inevitable
challenges that come with a renovation
of this scale,” Ray said. “We worked as a
high-performing team to make this dramatic transformation possible.”
Founded in 1908 by C.W. Flint, Flintco
has six offices today in Austin; Albuquerque, NM; Memphis, Oklahoma City,
Springdale, AR; and Tulsa, OK (corporate).
Association Calendar
Oct. 14: Monthly meeting
For more info: www.ctsaonline.org
IEC
Independent Electrical Contractors
Oct. 6: Fall Golf Tournament, Avery
Ranch
Oct. 22-25: IEC National Convention &
Electric Expo, Baltimore, MD
For more information call 512-832-1333
NARI
Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Oct. 9: Board of Directors meeting and
2014 Tour of Remodeled Homes Premiere
Party
Oct. 16: Remodeler/Builder Round Table
Oct. 18-19: Austin NARI Tour of Homes
2014, 12-6pm
For more info: www.austinnari.org
American Institute of Architects
NAWIC
Oct. 1: Building Enclosure Council Committee meeting
Oct. 2: CRAN Committee meeting
Oct. 6: Design Awards Committee meeting
Oct. 8: Emerging Professionals Committee meeting
Oct. 13: COTE meeting and Homes Tour
Committee meeting
Oct. 16: Sunlighting for Architects, Small
Firms Roundtable meeting and Latinos in
Architecture Committee meeting
Oct. 17: AAH Committee meeting
Oct. 21: Design Voice Committee meeting
Oct. 22: Urban Design Committee meeting
Oct. 25-26: 28th Annual Austin Homes
Tour
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Oct. 3: Chapter meeting, 5:30pm, Texas
Land & Cattle, Speaker: Shelly Masters
Oct. 10: Texas State University Fall Construction Job & Internship Fair, 1pm-4pm
Oct. 11: Board meeting, 11:30am-1pm,
AGC Austin
Oct. 18: Networking Luncheon, 11:30am,
Upperdeck
Oct. 25-26: Region 7 Annual Planning
Conference, Waco
For more info: www.austinnawic.org
TSPE
Texas Society of Professional Engineers
Oct. 24: Board of Directors meeting
For more information: www.tspe.org
Key Professional Team:
ACC Project Managers: Brian Morrow and
John Large
Flintco Project Managers: Landry Ray and
Chris Moyes
Flintco Superintendents: Mike Cardenas
and Rod Nelson
Architect: Jay Barnes and Lauren Goldberg of Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek Architects (BGK)
Submitted to Construction News
Cheers to the winners
L-R: Darwin Tanksley, James Pace, Theresa Martin and Matt Vernon,
Efficient Air Conditioning Inc., won first place at the National Association of
Women in Construction Austin Chapter (NAWIC) annual golf tournament
at Star Ranch in Hutto Sep. 9. –ab
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
Page 19
Job Sights
Nelson Shipley, Shipley Custom Sheet Metal, installs a copper bar top
at Zelicks in San Marcos. –ab
15 to 500 Ton
Capacities
Available for your
Toughest Projects
Engen Contracting Inc. is the general contractor for the Evans
Dermatology project on S. Lamar Blvd. –ab
Erecting tower
crane in Austin
The CRC Concrete Raising and Repair crew started a sidewalk project for Vista
Oaks in Round Rock, TX in September. –ab
from
El Paso to Beaumont
Amarillo to Brownsville
35 Years of Service to Texas
www.alamocrane.com
Pedro Zaragoza, LPZ Electrical Service, handles the electrical work at the Iglesia
Camino Del Ray project in Austin. –ab
San Antonio (210) 344-7370
Austin
(512) 282-6866
Toll Free
(800) 880-0134
Page 20
Austin Construction News • Oct 2014
More than just a name
T
he message on my office phone
quickly got my attention. On the
other end was a sweet voice telling
me how she was looking for the parents
of Army Staff Sergeant Clayton Bowen. I
could tell she was a little uneasy not
knowing how I might react to her call.
She explained how her daughter,
10-year-old Isabella, took to the pitching
mound for her softball team last season,
wearing the name of Clay Bowen on the
back of her jersey. They now wanted to
present the jersey to my wife, Reesa, and
me.
A call back to Vanessa Mitchell and
one to Reesa led to a meeting date at
their home in New Braunfels and the
start of finding out how this group, The
Texas Bombers, had chosen to honor
our fallen heroes.
So here we were meeting with the
Mitchell’s - Bella, Vanessa (mother), Jason
(father), Eva (2nd daughter) as well as
Coach Scott Smith just a short time after
the 5th year anniversary of Clay’s death in
Afghanistan. We were anxious to hear
their story and to understand how all this
got started.
The New Braunfels-based nonprofit
Junior Olympic softball organization has
chosen to honor soldiers, such as Clay,
who have fallen in combat. Grouped
from ages 10 to 17, each young woman
on 25 different Texas Bomber teams
across North, Central, East, South Texas
and Houston divisions wear the name of
a different soldier.
Scott Smith, president of the organization and coach of the 18 and under
Gold team, has been in the Army for 23
years. He was inspired to take on the initiative because he feels that some people
have become numb and forgotten since
we’ve been at war so long.
So, he found a way to educate the
kids about those fighting for our country
and honor their memories.
“We want our kids to enjoy the jersey that they put on every time, and we
felt like that would be a neat way to bring
awareness to the individuals who have
fallen in service to our country, and then
at the same time, give them an opportunity to honor that individual,” explains
Smith. “That’s how it came about, and
then it just kind of took off.”
Smith’s team designed the jerseys
they wore this first season of the initiative, and they placed the name of a fallen
soldier from each player’s area on their
jersey. When Smith’s team walked into
the ballpark for the Ronald McDonald
Tournament in Houston, he was overwhelmed by the response they received
from the mothers who were crying, to
the umpires who were stopping games
to inquire about the jerseys.
Generating quite an amount of emotion and interest, Smith challenged players to find out about the person whose
name they wore onto the field. “ W e
wanted then, at the end of the season, for
the player to be able to give that jersey to
the family of the individual they wore
and say, I wore this in honor of your loved
one,” he says, noting that he wanted the
gift of the jersey to be a surprise once
they had located a family member or
loved one.
A surprise it was and our meeting
that day became emotional at times for
all of us and required a few pauses from
time to time.
As Bella stood proudly with Coach
Smith as she presented the jersey to Reesa, I wondered to myself what this 10year old girl thought about all of this. So
many kids today do not understand the
sacrifices made by many for them.
But with a mentor like Coach Smith
thing here. Softball is a game
but this is real life.”
Bella was a little interview
shy this day. She did tell us she
used Google to look up Clay
and found facts and information about him.
Quiet and off to the side sister Eva, an 8-year old destined
to be a great catcher, looked
on.
We said our goodbyes to
our new friends with the
promise to come see Miss Bella pitch a game this season. I
wonder who she will honor
this year?
The Bombers just started
the new 2015 season and the
jerseys will be military-themed
– Marine Corps, Navy, Air
Force, Army, and “4 the Fallen,”
with whom the Bombers have
partnered as the fast pitch arm
to their slow pitch softball side
of it. – bd/mh
Isabella (Bella) Mitchell, Coach Smith,
and Reesa Doebbler
and the type of parents she has Bella and
her sister Eva will grow up knowing the
importance of it all.
“We’re able to show the girls that it’s
not just about playing a game; it’s about
an organization that respects and honors
soldiers,” Vanessa says, holding back
tears. “And I think it helps the girls realize
how lucky they are to play a game that
they love, because of individuals who
fight for us every day. We’re very grateful
we were able to wear the jerseys.”
“It makes me proud to be a part of
this organization,” said Jason. “This organization is a step above and we walk it
like we talk it. Just very proud.
“They are all tasked to learn some-
To the players, coaches, moms
and dads of the Texas Bombers:
“I am so honored that this family
went so out of their way to try to find me
and Buddy. This is not an easy task, to
find a fallen soldier’s family, as this information is not given out. By googling,
they found us via Construction News on
the internet,” said Reesa Doebbler
Buddy and Reesa Doebbler
Making progress
A
Bluebonnets bloomed near the Bautex Systems plant this spring.
fter nearly five years of research
and development, Bautex Systems LLC began manufacturing
and shipping its products from a plant in
San Marcos in 2013. The company moved
into its new offices in front of the facility
in March.
President Paul Brown says the Bautex Systems team brings together experience in real estate, construction management, engineering and technology and
everyone likes to analyze and solve problems.
“We saw an opportunity to improve
a product category that’s been around
for a long time - the insulating concrete
form,” he said. “We built our efficient
headquarter building using the Bautex
Block Wall System.”
Brown says since 2013 the company
has entered new Texas markets with distributors and architectural representatives and is expanding into Oklahoma,
Arkansas and Louisiana later this year.
“We’re excited about the progress of
the last two years,” Brown said. “We like
being in San Marcos because there’s opportunity in every direction.”
Bautex Systems provides informational and accredited education and
training programs to architects and contractors throughout the year. The company is also very involved in industry organizations
“One of our hobbies is building
things and then breaking them,” Brown
said. “We are required to do a tremendous amount of third-party laboratory
testing for our construction products,
but we also do a lot of pre-testing at our
facility in San Marcos.
“This gives us an excuse to build fire
test chambers and forklift mounted potato guns that can launch 15 lb. 2x4 lumber at 100 miles per hour. It is practical
and useful work, but also very fun.
“We also love to get out as a group
and eat barbecue, shoot clays and, if we
had more time, play more golf.” –ab