BIM: Why It Matters So Much

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  You might have heard the term BIM, either in our articles, in passing, in a conversation, or maybe you use BIM on your construction projects. In the last decade, a lot of changes have been on the horizon in the construction sector. The digitalization of the industry, and constant update on new ways to get and use data on the market. The most popular has to be Building Information Modelling (BIM). Some of our readers are not yet BIM enabled, and not considering implementing BIM in their operations in the near future. I don’t think this article will change the way you do business, let’s be realistic, but I hope that it will make you consider planning to implement the technology. Building Smarter Building Information Modelling  is , in essence, a methodology. It is a method of communication present throughout the building process, from the pre-construction phase, to the post-construction services. In its ideal form, it seeks to eliminate the need for Requests for Information (R...

Halloween Special: Beware of These Construction Nightmares

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Construction horror stories: Midnight apparitions 

Have you ever left a site and came back with things misplaced or even missing? Can’t find the steel studs anymore? If you’ve ever “lost” material on the construction site, you’re not the only one. According to Construction Junkie, equipment theft can annually cost between $300 million to $1 billion every year (2016). Also, fun fact: the most stolen item was a loader. Now it seems like it’s lumber, with a recent 20-minute theft at a construction site in Texas totaling 100,00$ of wood. In general, most stolen items are small tools, appliances, wood, and heavy machinery.

Tips to prevent theft


Of course, there are ways to prevent theft. Here are some of the best tips we’ve compiled to make sure nobody dares come at midnight and steal your equipment:

  • Pull out fuses and circuit breakers once the equipment is left unattended
  • During weekends, place the equipment in a way that is difficult to move (surround smaller pieces with larger ones)
  • Maintain detailed and accurate records of the equipment
  • Surveillance camera and remote video monitoring

Construction horror stories: Terrifying Werewolves 

Wildlife visits construction sites from time to time. Because mice play when the cat’s away (TBC). Wild animals have been found multiple times on sites at night, even during the day. That’s an awkward encounter to have during work. But it happened to these surprised workers.

Even real rats 

And sometimes, wildlife wins over the project. This situation happened on a job site after a rare spider species was found, and biologists rushed to the site to
whisk him to safety—Bye-bye to a 15$ million project. 

If you ever find yourself in contact with wild animals, please make sure you follow safety measures.  Here is a reference for steps to follow: 

https://noto.ca/fm/Health and Safety/SOPWorkingNearWildlife.pdf

Monstrous zombies and Underground relics 

Bones. Yuck and Yup. A crew found a human leg bone at a construction site, Hillsdale, Missouri. Even worse; after calling the authorities and digging around, a human skull was also found. They’re still investigating what remains of the historical remains.

Another job site found what looked like tombstones parts and wood pieces in Oakbrook Terrace. There are no bodies this time, but there should be preventive measures such as checking the site before starting operations.

Along with that note, please follow the safety precautions if you happen to dig up such finds on your site:

  • Stop what you are doing
  • Contact project owner
  • Report the discovery to the police
  • Wait for the remains to be dug up and taken inside

 

Haunting Rework 

Specific traditional processes and manual systems can lead to mistakes, no matter how well-trained (or not) a team is. 10/10 workers that have done rework before will agree that it’s appalling to redo a job when it could have been done right the first time. Somebody will have to announce the budget will be exceeded, as well as the deadlines. And it’s usually caused by miscommunication, design quality, and poor plans.

 

Construction horror stories: “Walking Ghosts” 

It started so well, shy smiles, willingness to spend time with each other until it wasn’t. Unanswered texts, missed times, and frustration over employees suddenly being a no-show. To better understand the situation at hand, it’s good to check and communicate with employees to clarify expectations and discuss with them once in a while to see what’s up.

With a current skilled labor shortage in the industry and a high employee turnover, it is hard to maintain a team. And really, what is scarier than not completing the deadlines because you have nobody left? You have to have a hiring and benefits strategy for employees to make them feel satisfied at their work and check in with them regularly.  Because, alas, they have opportunities elsewhere. We previously wrote an article on tips to hire and retain skilled labour here:

7 tips for attracting and keeping top construction workers

 

Ghost Story to Tell: Winchester Mystery house

The historic landmark was once the house of widowed Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester. Horror and tragedy seem to follow poor Sarah as her infant died of illness and her husband of tuberculosis. After her husband’s death, she decided to move to this house and started one of the most comprehensive home renovations. What motivated her to build such an “eccentric” mansion? Some say she was directed by the ghosts felled by the “Gun that won the west”. Others say it was a psychic’s advice. Maybe she was ahead of her time. Maybe. Nonetheless, this funhouse was built with haunting features such as windows to secret passages and rooms and staircases leading to ceilings.

Now, let’s share: What’s the most horrifying thing that has happened to you during a project?

Location: Montreal, QC, Canada