Blog

The construction industry continues to grow slightly ahead of other industries, despite some critical shortages, namely skilled laborers and the availability of building materials. Land has also increased in price, making new projects more expensive and difficult to fund. The lack of skilled laborers is putting the...

It seems like you can’t talk about Michigan construction without discussing the impact of the “green” building trend. Clients in the residential and commercial sectors are continuing to express interest in sustainable building materials and processes. The benefits to building green extend past helping the...

When you’re busy with projects, hiring and maintaining a staff, and running a business it’s easy to forget about, or ignore your construction company website. But this would be a big mistake! In an age where people connect online more than ever, your website is often the first impression you make. It’s...

“Full service” construction companies in the heavy industrial and civil sectors are considered the most profitable type of construction company. This means that they handle development, design, engineering, project management, construction and procurement, and maintain an experienced and diverse staff with a...

As you begin or expand your career in construction, you’ll naturally gravitate towards residential or commercial building, depending on your specific skill sets and preferences. There are five main differences between the two types of construction that you’ll need to consider to determine the best fit for...

Construction sites are well-known as dangerous workplaces, primarily because the injuries sustained at work, and their severity, are much greater than in an office environment. A white-collar worker rarely experiences much more than a mild cut or a slip-and-fall. While on the other hand, construction workers have the...

  As 2021 comes to its close, it’s time to start looking towards 2022. Construction industry professionals have seen significant changes to the industry over the last several years, and those changes will only continue. Reliance on new technologies, focus on green and sustainable practices, and pressure from...

Top 9 Construction Safety Tips to Follow on Every Jobsite Unlike other industries, job site injuries on construction sites are often debilitating and even life-threatening.  Safety measures should be observed at all times, but the list of excuses and corner-cutting practices that take place are a mile long....

How to Retain Workers in the Construction Industry One of the biggest challenges facing construction companies is the retention of valuable employees. Especially as the industry experiences huge growth, lack of skilled workers can lead to project delays and lost revenue without a trained staff to complete a project....

How to Prepare Job Sites for Winter Weather As the Michigan weather transitions to fall and then winter, it’s time to prepare construction sites and equipment for upcoming inclement weather. Freezing rain, ice, and snow can all lead to delays, damage, and injuries on job sites. If you take the time to prepare your...

Strategies for Rising Material Costs in 2021 With many articles from Bloomberg, Forbes, Reuters, and other organizations reporting rising costs in construction materials around the United States this year, general contractors, home builders and project managers alike are attempting to find solutions to cover costs...

The Green Building Industry: How The Construction Industry Can Benefit from This Growing Market In late April, President Biden announced his decision to rejoin the Paris climate agreement in addition to cutting the U.S.’s carbon emissions by 50-52 percent of its 2005 levels by 2030, nearly doubling President...

Navigating the Construction Industry Post-COVID-19: Trends and Tips With new construction industry trends that have recently emerged from months of reduced or even nonexistent workloads, the pandemic has taught all how to think outside the box and be more online-based when it comes to getting the job done. As the...

How To Prevent MIOSHA Fines (UPDATED) The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (MIOSHA) role is to assure that there are safe and healthy working conditions for workers in Michigan. They enforce occupational safety and health standards which employers are expected to live up to.  When an...

Building Season is Here - But Are You Ready For it? You and your business may have had a long, cold winter, but the busy spring and summer building months are now upon us! Before you launch headfirst into a slew of scheduled projects, now is the time to give your business a little TLC - and make sure you’re...

5 Ways to Differentiate Your Contracting Business MichiganBuildersLicense.com CEO Derek Woryn recently appeared on the Michigan Contractors Show with host Tom Bartholomew and shared some words of wisdom for those interested in becoming licensed contractors in the state of Michigan. Listen to "Episode 12 - featuring...

6 Contracting and Continuing Competency Tips From the Godfather of Builder’s Licensing, Sid Woryn In case you may have missed it, our very own lead instructor, and what we like to refer to as “The Godfather” of the building and licensing industry, Sid Woryn, recently sat down with podcaster and former...

A New Year gives the opportunity to adapt to changing circumstances. With work being slower right now, it’s the perfect time to build up other areas of the business. Here are 3 things you can do right now to set your business up for success in 2021. Build The Process To increase overall profitability, improve...

Hunting season means something a little different to each hunter and for many Michiganders fall is a very special time of the year. Hundreds of thousands of hunters will take to the Michigan woods later this week at the start of Michigan's regular firearm deer season. Hunting contributes $2.3 billion to the Michigan...

In order to protect Michigan’s workforce and workplaces, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has been working with businesses across the state on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Following several inspections, MIOSHA issued the first round of COVID-19 “general duty”...

October is the last month of fair weather in Michigan. By this time, gone are the long warm summer days of August and September boating on the Great Lakes. The leaves have already changed and fall steadily progresses. As building constructors, building projects naturally stall during this time when fewer clients...

In September, the Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC) posted an important update that you need to be aware of… From the BCC: “Effective October 1, 2020, a BCC team member may issue a citation to a person that is licensed under 1980 PA 299, or 2016 PA 407, or required to hold a license or certificate under these...

  3 Steps to Winning Jobs Over Your Competitors We asked our Lead Instructor Sid what it takes to win a job over competitors and here’s what he had to say. The most important thing is to be professional. As a contractor, our industry is known for being unprofessional, not answering the phone, not getting back...

We asked our instructor Jason (a former MIOSHA Inspector) this question and here was his response:  One of the questions that I commonly get as a former MIOSHA construction safety consultant is, "What can I as a builder do to prepare for a MIOSHA inspection?" Over the course of the next few minutes, we're going to...

We asked our lead instructor Sid this question and here was his response: How do you not let change orders eat away at your profit? Well, there should be ... If there were the 10 commandments of what to do to run a business that would probably be in the top 3, change orders. The very first thing you can do by not...