Tag Archives: education

Advocate for the Trades Early – #ConstChat Recap

Construction Chat  is a weekly chat on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time.  If you’re free, we’d love you to join us.

#ConstChat - Future of TradesmenThis week’s chat topic was chosen by guest host is @HilineBuilders — future of tradesmen.

He says: “I’m curious to know who’s feeling it the most right now. We on the west are seeing a sharp increase in the work flow. And I think we’re just now dealing with the challenge of accommodating our labor needs.”

Read: Three Ways Builders can Attract Millennials

“‘Often, a worker’s fate would depend on whether he was skilled or unskilled,’ said Cindy Creighton, the executive director of the Nevada Subcontractors Association. ‘Many unskilled workers would refer family members or roommates to jobs, and then they all would be dramatically affected during job cutbacks,’ Creighton said. There is a certain irony, though, that so many people had to leave construction, though, since the industry is now so short-handed. ‘Everybody’s just screaming for labor—you can literally go door-to-door, fill out your application, do your e-Verify, and go to work,’ she said.” ~ Alana Semuels “Where Have All The Construction Workers Gone?” The Atlantic 2/13/15

Q1: What region are you from and what’s your work flow like?

Continue reading

design build is your best bet Naotake Murayama creative commons

It’s No Mystery Why Design-Build is Your Best Bet

Winchester Mystery House 001 by Cowgirl Jules, on Flickr

Winchester Mystery House 001 by Cowgirl Jules, on Flickr

Growing up in  Central California, I was always fascinated by the stories I had heard and read about San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House. To this day, I haven’t been inside, but its fascination lingers.

Mrs. Winchester orchestrated construction on her house, interior and exterior, continually, until she died. To most of us that is the making of a nightmare. But it’s her methods that are most curious.

The website describes her building design:

Winchester Mystery House by InSapphoWeTrust, on Flickr

Winchester Mystery House by InSapphoWeTrust, on Flickr

“According to legend, Mrs. Winchester enacted a nightly séance to help with her building plans and for protection from ‘bad’ spirits. While she sometimes drew up simple sketches of the building ideas, there were never any blueprints….or building inspectors! In the morning, she would meet with John Hansen, her dutiful foreman, and go over new changes and additions.”

Her unorthodox methodology explains the random building anomalies – chimneys, roof lines, hidden passageways, doors that open to brick walls, and stairs that go nowhere. Was she really confusing the spirits, or just confused?

Traditional Design & Construction:

Mrs. Winchester’s building method is, by no means, traditional. Most building owners and tenants hire an architect or space planner, go through the (sometimes long) design process. After the drawings are submitted to the City, the client (or their construction manager) invites three (or more) general contractors to bid, collect and sometimes answer RFIs, and award the contract to the lowest bid, presuming that bid has everything covered.

As an owner, you can go that route. But we think there’s a better way.

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs

It’s no secret that Riggins Construction & Management, Inc. specializes in design-build tenant improvements and new building construction, especially since Tom Riggins has a construction engineering degree from Cal Poly. Our approach to construction from an engineering background allows us to streamline the entire process for you, our client. Continue reading

Community Project: National Children’s Forest Visitor’s Center

John at the Children's Forest MuseumRiggins Construction & Management, Inc. is proud to have recently assisted in a joint community project at the Children’s Forest Visitor Center located in Running Springs, California.

The National Children’s Forest is 3,400 acres of forest nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains.  Their website shows their mission statement:

The mission of Children’s Forest is to provide opportunities for children to take a leadership role in forest management by giving them a legitimate voice in caring for the forest; and through formal education and volunteer programs, evoke a fascination with nature that engenders a commitment to life-long learning and forest stewardship.

Riggins Construction & Management, Inc. first assisted other volunteers in the relocation of existing furniture within the visitor’s facility as well as the removal of an existing wall structure and its related electrical components. Continue reading