Improving Productivity Archives

Data Centers are the Hottest Market in Construction. But are They Your Market?0

by David Morton, Maxim Consulting Group Every subcontractor in America is hearing some version of the same advice right now, “Get into mission critical!” The pull is real, and the numbers back it up. In the 2026 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook from AGC and Sage, 65 percent of contractors expect the data center

Before You Enter a New Market, Make Sure Your Workforce Can Follow You 0

Diversification is usually discussed as a business-development decision. By Troy Clark, MSC Safety Solutions A contractor sees opportunity in a new market segment. Commercial work may be slowing while another sector is growing. Data centers, industrial projects, or work tied to an existing customer can create new opportunities. Leadership sees a path to new revenue,

Stop Chasing Every Project Signal 0

A Subcontractor’s Triage System for Finding the Right Work By Matthew Howell, Howell Commerce Co. Opportunity selection is a business strategy decision Subcontractors do not have unlimited estimating capacity. Every project that reaches the estimating desk consumes time, attention and judgment, whether the company ultimately bids it or not. That makes opportunity selection more than

Who Owns the Estimate Handoff?0
- Best Practices, Improving Productivity
- October 5, 2026
By Mike Rocha, Digital Reach Five operating rules specialty contractors can use to move online inquiries to the right estimator without losing scope, timing or accountability. A lead can be “in the system” and still be lost. Specialty contractors can spend heavily to generate opportunities and still rely on an informal relay once the inquiry arrives. A
READ MORE
Construction Subcontractors Need AI Guardrails That Protect Margins and Field Judgment 0
- Improving Productivity, Outlook & Trends, Risk Management
- September 1, 2026
By Gleb Tsipursky, Disaster Avoidance Experts Construction subcontractors face a practical AI problem that differs sharply from the one described in most corporate technology advice. A specialty contractor cannot measure success by how many emails, summaries, or estimates an AI tool produces. The work succeeds when a bid reflects the actual scope, a submittal matches
READ MORE
Mental Health Is a Leadership Imperative in Construction 0
- Best Practices, HEALTH, Improving Productivity, Leadership, Outlook & Trends
- September 1, 2026
George Nash, Maxim Consulting Group In 2023, there were 982 work-related fatalities in the construction industry. During that same period, an estimated 5,095 construction professionals died by suicide. While our industry has made tremendous progress in improving physical safety, these numbers make one thing clear: protecting our people requires more than hard hats, PPE, and
READ MORE