by Simplar | Nov 7, 2024 | Built Environment, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Financial Management and Risk, Financial Management and Risk, Leadership, Project Selection, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
A Case Study I was very young when I found myself running the field operation of the contracting firm my brother and I started. After a number of years, we were the successful bidder on a church nearby. We diligently submitted our first payment requisition to the...
by Simplar | Oct 19, 2023 | Business of Construction, Project Delivery, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
The two major risk factors built into contracting: 1) Chronic under-capitalization 2) Highly complex transaction Chronic Under Capitalization Every contractor I have worked with over these past 40 years has been plagued by cash flow problems at one time or another....
by Simplar | Sep 21, 2023 | Business Failure, Business Failure, Risk Management, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
If you say “contracting” to anyone they immediately think of “construction”. The “building” industry has become identified with the signing of a contract at the point of sale. “Builders” have become “contractors” in the eyes of the public. This misidentification has...
by Simplar | Aug 10, 2023 | Project Selection, Project Selection, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
“Ya Puts Up Ya Money…Ya Takes Yer Cherce” Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. So says Charles Dickens’ racetrack tout in his native cockney accent. This colorful character in Dickens’ 19th century novel describes construction contracting more accurately and concisely than all...
by Simplar | May 4, 2023 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Risk Management, Risk Management, Risk Management
Planning the Present Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. Managing working capital during this post pandemic disrupted economy has led to many questions from contractors. I have condensed all the questions on how to plan for the future economy into one synthetic question: Syn Q....
by Simplar | Feb 23, 2023 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Project Selection, Project Selection, Risk Management, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Navigating Trends Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. I love this quote from a contractor who offered feedback on last week’s blog. “If we can’t do anything about trends, what are we supposed to do?” You have to love that. It reeks of the frustration that we contractors feel...
