Category: Staff Memos
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Working in a big name firm, does not necessarily mean “better”
There may be a perception that “big is better”. i.e. that working in: Tata Consultancy / Microsoft / Facebook / Amazon or …is better than working in smaller companies with “unknown” names and with headcounts of less than 150……but why? (A) Job Security? Is your job really safe(r) at these “big” companies? These companies sometimes…
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I need to learn AISC – American Standards! (Staff Memo)
“I am going to leave because I need to learn American standards!” I cannot understand why. When I ask detailers, their reasoning seems circular: For anyone who is feeling afraid or scared about Australian Standards and who wants “American Standards” as if it is a golden ticket – consider the following post: The “more opportunity”…
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Surveying: renting vs buying; ourselves vs out-sourcing
This will give you an insight into our decision making process at Tek1. We are investigating the feasibility of purchasing Trimble surveying equipment. Total Station etc. For internal use only. * Cost of equipment: $100,000 + subscription software / maintenance. * Cost of renting: $500-800 / day We have $0 revenue coming from surveying, moreover…
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How can I earn more? (Memo 29)
Legitimate questions. In order to answer those questions, consider: Where is the money coming from? Why is the money being paid? How can I get a higher wage? If you want more, the only way to do this is to give more. The question you should be asking is: how can I give my client…
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Why builders and fabricators should care about the legitimacy of supplier services?
Dealing in Fenced Goods and Services It’s not uncommon for those receiving fabrication drawings to overlook the legitimacy of the products used by service providers. There seems to be a prevailing mindset of indifference, with the attitude being, “As long as the drawings are correct, I’m fine—I’m legally protected, and proving involvement with stolen goods…
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The fallacy of insurance in the building and construction industry – (Staff Memo)
Clients often ask me: “do you have professional indemnity insurance” (PI Insurance)? The short answer is “yes” we do. It isn’t cheap: we pay over $20,000 per year in premiums – last year was about $27,000. But the long answer is, while we do have insurance: you cannot rely on it. Here’s why: In summary,…
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You Need to Win Jobs at a Margin (Commercial Tips)
There is no point being “a busy fool”. If you’re winning jobs at a loss, or at really unattractive margins – things are probably not going to go well for you.
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How to get fast variation approvals (or denials) on your construction projects?
How do you get fast variation approvals (or denials) on your construction projects? You need: (1) Clarity : Be clear of what change is needed. (2) Evidence : Evidence of client change request. (3) Brevity : Be brief, concise, to the point. Watch here for an example from a real life project (not a hypothetical)…
