Minnesota has a few different types of contractor licenses. There’s the residential building contractor, residential remodeler, and then there’s the residential roofer. According to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, any person who performs more than one specialized skill and “who contracts directly with a homeowner” needs a license. People working as subcontractors don’t…
Dust is one of those hazards that come with the construction work territory. When you excavate and loosen soil, winds are bound to pick it up and transport it elsewhere. Usually, “elsewhere” is anywhere that’s not convenient. So dust control measures should be a high priority. Any dust-control plan can help. But a multi-prong plan…
For as long as concrete has been used in construction, workers have developed better ways to work it. The tools available today help your concrete business produce the best results possible. And owning your own tools means you won’t have to pay rental fees, which helps you stay competitive when bidding jobs. Here are 5…
Contracts make the construction world go round, but do you know which is the right contract for your different jobs? Construction contracts come in different forms, and no single type works for every project. With some good fortune, you’ll fulfill a lot of contracts. Knowing up front which one applies will help you protect your…
The construction industry is experiencing rapid growth. Unemployment numbers are down, employment rates keep growing, and more new jobs emerge all the time. But with this fast growth, there is a shortage of workers to make it all happen. Most of this is good news for people who already work in construction. When the market…
Boots make or break the workday. Safety regs mean they must meet certain requirements, but a safe boot isn’t always a comfortable one. What’s more, a great pair of boots isn’t defined the same way by every person. That’s why there’s no such thing as the best pair of work boots. The best depends on…
Anyone who has seen a construction site knows that heavy equipment doesn’t exactly have a reputation for elegance. But anyone who has operated or worked near it knows the precision and skill that go into every move. You could say that it’s a dance. On July 15, as dusk began to settle over Washington D.C.,…
It’s that time again, and every contractor in Oregon is required to take part. If you received your BOLI Construction Industry Occupational Wage Survey in July, the September deadline for submission is quickly drawing near. Thankfully, there’s a free workshop that’s designed to help. Although the survey is a public service, and one that keeps…
On July 1, 2015, Minnesota state construction codes licensing fees went in a direction that everyone appreciated – they went down. It’s fairly common for any fees to adjust periodically, since there are so many different factors at stake. General inflation alone is a major one. But it’s not very common for a fee,…