My estimating background has trained me to look for indicators that will predict the future cost for the design and construction of a construction project. Over the 50 plus years in the construction business, I have researched those trends and have developed leading indicators that...

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the second quarter inflation was at a forty-year high of 5.4%.  The core consumer price increase was 8.3% (excluding food and energy). To the Construction industry, Inflation is a four-letter word.  Until recently, this word had slipped out...

The construction estimator’s role is to quantify the project work and assess the cost.  Often this task includes a projection of the future anticipated cost.  To accurately project future costs, I have relied on leading indicators that help guide the estimate projections plus future construction...

The Windy City isn’t among the easiest places to manage a major construction project, what with its oftentimes confusing politics and—more recently—the perfect storm of COVID-19 and mass protests that have brought so much business to a standstill. Such obstacles notwithstanding, the latest addition to Hilton's...

Whatever the outcome, rest assured that hotel and general building designs WILL change. ...

One of our core principles continues to be “The answer is always in the solution, never in the problem” What we find is that people will continuously talk about the Problem and seldom focus on the Solution.  Helping clients find solutions has been the hallmark of our success initially...

Construction Industry has been extremely active stretching the resources of the contractor and designer’s staffs.  One common cause of project disputes is that the industry attempts to put a “B” team on a project that requires the “A” team.  This often results in project difficulties or worse - disputes.   The...

In March, the US Government announced their intention to level new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.   Tariffs on steel were to be 25% and aluminum was to be 10%.  The United States Department of Commerce indicates that the U.S. is the world’s largest importer...