Construction Brothers

Eddie’s stealing this week’s insight from Micah Piippo (See episode 180). That insight? Think ahead–way ahead. Plan long. Dad said it too. Don’t just think about this week, this month, or this year. Plan out 20 years. Where do you want to be? Tyler mentions how quickly you see time pass when you’re a parent. That’s part of the point, but not all of it. Eddie points out how few people there are who can stick with a plan of action in order to achieve five-year goals. Tyler said he feels like he’s a bit too obsessed with the long term. Stick with it. Think about the long game. Don’t just imagine the future; do what you can to plan for it. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Here are a few links related to today’s episode:Join the Bluebeam User GroupDownload a zip file with instructional videos and some of the tools Patrick mentions in this episodeContact Patrick McLaughlin on LinkedIn if you’re interested in more information about customizing BluebeamTry Bluebeam for free00:00 - IntroductionToday we’re visiting with Patrick McLaughlin and Steve Smith.Patrick is the Director of Virtual Design and Construction at Pond & Company (a full-service architecture, engineering, planning, and construction management firm). He is also responsible for managing and training Pond’s Bluebeam users and for helping those users develop time-saving workflows. Steve Smith entered the construction industry straight out of high school as a laborer for a general contractor. He held positions at Leica Geosystems and Hilti before joining Bluebeam, where he now works as Director of Partnerships. In this role, Steve looks for ways to expand the use of Bluebeam workflows through integrations with other technologies used by AEC professionals. 03:50 - Better Use of BluebeamPatrick gives us a brief overview of Pond & Company, which is on the large end of the spectrum, and we acknowledge that Eddie will be today’s representative from a small company. Tyler explains that our goal today is to save listeners some time, so he asks Patrick to kick us off with some of his favorite Bluebeam tools.Compare PDFs - This tool superimposes two versions of a layout.Cloud PDFs - This tool backs up changes to the cloud.Search - This tool can be used to locate and then strike-through words that become irrelevant in new versions. Tyler mentions that the history of those changes is stored for future reference.Tyler shares about his experience as a detailer dealing with the numerous tweaks that occurred while he was working on a series of Wawa gas stations. Patrick mentions that the alignment function would have helped with those problems.11:30 - Custom ToolsPatrick talks about how easy it is for users to create their own tools and then to organize those into a toolkit. Eddie talks about the sketching tools and lines that he uses, and Scott refers to how central that feature has come for some fabricators. We discuss metadata and filenames. Patrick explains how Bluebeam folder structures can increase the fluidity of the design and communication processes. Even on a small team, Eddie explains that thoughtful training helps to keep a team’s button layouts consistent. 20:10 - DashboardsPatrick talks about how the dashboards feature enables you to create buttons that open any file on your computer, take you to any website on the Internet, or goes directly to any folder on your hard drive or server. These buttons can then be saved as a dashboard template that others can use on their computer. Eddie explains that this versatility all the way up to the managerial level is one of the reasons that he loves Bluebeam. He asks Patrick to take us through the process of creating a dashboard, and he does so. He has gone so far as to develop entire landing pages for all of the departments in his company. 27:27 - StudioPatrick discusses the two features within Studio: -Projects allows you to upload a file of any type and share it with team members. -Sessions allows you to upload entire PDFs–even large ones–that multiple people can then edit simultaneously.-The creation of custom statuses that can then be color-cEddie shares his own experience with sharing of files and sessions even with people who don’t have Bluebeam. Steve talks through the extent to which that kind of sharing can take place. 37:55 - Field ReportsPatrick talks about using iPads during site visits. He uses voice-to-text to add notes on the PDF. These notes can then be synced up when he gets back to the office. These changes can then be compiled into a report to communicate changes to the relevant parties.40:15 - Right-click Apply All PagesPatrick shares this one final tip that you’ll want to use at the end of a long day. Then Eddie shares a little trick he’s learned to track those who’ve worked on the plans. 43:38 - BUGs - Bluebeam User GroupsSteve talks through the benefits of participating in one of various user groups that can help you increase your proficiency. 45:14 - Megaphone MessageSteve and Patrick share their excitement about the amazing things happening in the construction industry. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

We all spend a good deal of time discussing how to improve the construction industry. Large problems don’t start out large. They’re usually a result of a long series of small problems. How do you reverse a large problem made of small problems? Yup, you seek a series of small solutions.Instead of getting discouraged, let’s start digging.An army of normal people can present a solution that is better than one high-level influencer. Take a look at what’s in front of you today. See what you can do to improve the part of the world that is right there within your reach. Together, we can solve the big problems, one small solution at a time.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Fouad Khalil is back! About three years ago, Fouad founded Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. Today he’s here to share some leadership insights.We jump right into the conversation today with some talk about liability. Tyler asks Fouad to repeat what he had explained in an earlier conversation.Fouad says that your insurance carrier will tell you…-Don’t say, “It will be done this way.”-Don’t get on the job site and direct other teams’ workers on how to do their job.When you do these things, you’re taking on liability.Eddie points out that general contractors get trained to shed liability. This leads to gray areas within the hand-off territory where information degradation occurs. Tyler mentions that some schools are unable to implement shop programs because of insurance costs.5:03 - Sweden and Building Robust TeamsFouad shares about his experience working on a project in Sweden. He recounts a conversation about potential leaks on structural wood components on the building. The answer about potential leaks was, “We’ll work on the solution together.”Fouad shares about the critical path and lead times. He talks about schedule compression and how every single step in the process can become critical. A shortage of screws can result in a whole project coming to a standstill. He mentions the insights he gained from the book Managing the Unexpected. This book focuses on high-reliability organizations like air-traffic control, NASA, etc. In manufacturing, you can burn through your cash in no time. Efficiency is everything. Fouad wanted to apply this knowledge in his clients’ projects.Fouad talks about the need for humility and honesty in regard to the planning fallacy. We underestimate. 20:36 - Key Lessons from the book We asked Fouad here today to discuss some of the lessons he learned from a book he mentioned to us recently. The book is Managing the Unexpected by Karl E. Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe.Here are the five traits that the authors saw in high-reliability organizations:Operational sensitivityPreoccupation with failureReluctance to simplifyCommitment to resilienceDeference to expertiseWe expand upon each of these briefly. Fouad quotes Churchill: “Plans are useless, but planning is essential.” Eddie discusses the confusion he felt when his college coach told him to work at 90%. His point was to be deliberate and have a reserve. Maintain a buffer. Fouad explains that these principles apply to managing crews of any size. If you don’t manage thoughtfully in these respects, your best people are going to burn out. He gives examples about how to institute quiet times throughout the day when there will be no meetings. Eddie talks about creative use of red Solo cups in the office. 33:20 - Debriefing to Avoid Repetition of the Same FailuresTyler asks Fouad to explain how effective review of failures can ensure improved performance going forward. He talks about the importance of categorizing and analyzing the failures. He refers to various historical failures that were addressed thoughtfully. Eddie connects this to recognition of safety failures even if those don't lead to serious injuries. We also discuss how the principle plays out in relationships with contractors who try to downplay mess-ups. 43:04 - Recognizing the ExpertsFouad talks about the distribution of responsibility in specific situations to the people most capable of making the best decision. It’s not about staying loyal to a flow chart. If the lower-ranking person is in a better position to make the judgment, let them make the judgment. Then hand that authority back to the conventionally in-charge figure once the situation has been addressed. It’s about dynamic teams.One more time, here’s the book Fouad brought to our attention today: Managing the Unexpected.Find Fouad Online: LinkedIN Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Finally! Tyler is finally getting on board with the baseball analogies. (Well… This one is borrowed from his pastor, but it’s a start.)You might know that the Atlanta Braves are having a pretty impressive season. Tyler points out that statisticians have done the math: When Ozzie Albies is on the field, Ronald Acuña plays 30% better than when Ozzie is not on the field.It’s not because of anything technical. It appears to be just the presence of a friend on the field. We’ve all worked on teams where there’s that one person who energizes us–that one person whose charisma or sense of humor lifts our spirits or causes us to produce better work. That’s the Ozzie Effect.Are you an Ozzie for your team? Does your presence on the job site or in the office result in everyone else upping their game just a bit? That can make a huge difference in your team’s overall effectiveness.Here’s an article that expands upon the Ozzie effect. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - IntroductionTyler is excited about his visit to a Glossier shop. While his wife was exploring ways to look even prettier, Tyler’s makeup-free mug was recognized by another patient husband. He didn’t ask for an autograph, but it’s a start. 6:44 - Mulberry HarborEddie leads us into today’s topic: the two large harbors that were constructed in preparations for the D-Day Invasion of Normandy in 1944. We won’t go deep into the historical details of the D-Day, but the invasion of Normandy that started on June 6 of that year would involve approximately 858,000 troops and 150,000 vehicles. The British and American military officials knew that tides would create challenges for putting all of those people and equipment on shore, so they designed and constructed two large harbors to assist in the process. (Here is a ship-shipping ship like the one that Tyler referenced.)14:33 - The BreakwatersEddie describes a couple of the elements used as breakwaters. One class of these was called the Phoenix caissons, which were essentially concrete ships that contained compartments that could be filled with air to float or water to sink and sit on the ocean floor. Additional breakwater efforts came through a plan code named “corn cobs,” and it consisted of several “gooseberries,” obsolete military ships that were sunk at a depth where the superstructure would remain above water. These ships actually had crews that provided support to the smaller boats that were using the harbor. 20:25 - The Piers and the TimelineWe move on to discuss the modular piers constructed of what were called “whales and beetles.” Actual construction of the harbor (from the various components built in Britain) began on D-day, June 6. From there, Eddie outlines this timeline:By June 11, the breakwaters for Mulberry A were complete.By June 18, the piers were in place and the unloading of cargo began.On June 19, a severe storm began. It was said to be the worst in 40 years, with 4.5 meter waves. The piers and most of the breakwater elements on Mulberry A were completely destroyed. Many of the completed elements of Mulberry B escaped catastrophic damage because of a couple islands that served as natural breakwaters.The decision was made to shift all focus to Mulberry B, which then took the name of Port Winston.29:45 - Connections and Takeaways We discuss how the Mulberry Harbor project relates to construction principles:Complex construction can be completed without computer design.Modular construction has been around for a long time. When time is of the essence, simple, repeatable construction is a good way to go.When a project really needs to get done, a way can be found to get it done.There will always be unforeseen complications in big projects.Additional resources related to Mulberry Harbor:Real Engineering video (sponsored by Curiosity Stream)BritannicaImages: Link 1, Link 2, Link 3 - Google Maps view today, Link 4This D-day timeline gives a picture of the combat and movements that were taking place while the construction and repairs of Mulberry Harbor and Port Winston were being constructed.Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Today Eddie doles out some wisdom for beginners.1) Don’t turn off the study habits that helped you in school (if you had such habits). Get to know the software, the terminology, and anything else that is a part of your job. 2) Don’t succumb to a whiner culture. Just learn. Just grow. (Tyler fesses up to having violated this tip.)3) Stay humble, and learn from your checker. They’re not trying to insult you (at least we hope they’re not). 4) Shoot for excellence. Don’t aim for “good enough.” 5) Put in the time. In a world where everyone says that you shouldn’t work too much, invest in some extra time in your early years. Paddle harder than the people with more experience. You can ease up a bit sometime down the road.Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - IntroductionToday we welcome two members of the team at DPR Construction. We dive in today with some multi-generational hard hat chat. If you’re interested, check out the helmet conversation we mention with Dr. Bottlang. 7:25 - DPR and Recruiting We ask Chris and Will to talk about how DPR is recruiting and training young workers. They talk us through the variations between states in regard to union training resources and the amount of on-the-job training that needs to be coordinated by construction companies. Eddie asks Chris and Will to discuss specific trades where the gaps are the greatest. Chris moves on from to explain how DPR has needed to make the case to prospective workers about how a job in the trades can be a great fit for them.14:14 - Catching Their AttentionTyler asks what employment factors have the biggest attention-getting factor with prospective employees. Chris explains that DPR pays 7 holidays and 2 or 3 weeks of PTO depending on the employee’s tenure. Eddie mentions that he didn’t see this sort of information as part of a path of career progression when he was working in the field. Tyler refers to this earlier episode with Lee Causey.Chris explains that DPR is different from many construction companies in the sense that it handles a broad number of trades. This enables them to offer opportunities for workers to step from one trade to another as they get a sense of what might be a better fit. Tyler discusses the value of transferability that he’s experienced in his life.21:55 - The Big PictureWe discuss how rare it is that we show new employees the plans that enable them to understand the big picture of which they are a small part. Unfortunately, technology has made this a bit more difficult in some respects. Tyler and Eddie discuss their dad’s and grandpa’s experiences in that respect. 24:55 - Mentorships and Open ArmsChris explains how central mentorships have become to DPR’s recruiting efforts. “Who we build is as important as what we build.” Will chimes in with some examples of how classroom learning relate to hands-on application of knowledge.Eddie shares some memories of the mentors that showed him how to tie, frame, and plumb. He explains that these mentorships can extend beyond construction skills to broader employability skills and life skills.34:20 - What if…Tyler asks Chris and Will to share about what they might have been interested in doing if they could go back and do their career over again. Chris hearkens back to his work with concrete. Will echoes that idea. They both found concrete work to be enjoyable and not as stressful as some other work. Will also mentions electrical work because of the fascination with electrical theory. 40:34 - Advice about ApprenticeshipsTyler asks Chris to share advice with other contractors, and Chris makes the strong business case for the ways that strong apprenticeship programs are good for the whole organization. Will mentions NCCR curriculum as a helpful resource for contractors in non-union areas. Chris mentions that these resources are available in Spanish as well as English. Chris and Will talk through the nuts and bolts of the DPR program, including book-learning components and on-the-job training. They share a bit about the ways that quality training programs lead to word-of-mouth recruiting. 01:01:35 - Megaphone MessageWe ask Chris and Will what they want to say to the construction industry. Will says he’d like to see the industry change the way it looks at mistakes. If we can look at mistakes as learning opportunities, people will come to work knowing that they can learn from mistakes. Chris says that he would like the workers to be proud. The things you do make a difference to people’s everyday lives. Find Chris on LinkedInFind Will on LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

We use Bluebeam all day every day at ABSI. Today, We talk about some of our favorite features. Favorite #1 - Tool Chest: On the left side of your screen, you look at the tool chest. Click on that icon and open it up. Inside, you’ll find tool sets. Favorite #2 - My Tools: If there’s a command you use frequently, you can put that command in my tools. It will be assigned a number and become readily available.Favorite #3 - Custom-built tool set: You can compile your own collection of tools that you use frequently. These custom sets can then be exported as a .btx file that you can share with other members of your team. We’re all about sharing tools, so if you’re interested in having our collection of favorite Blubeam tools, email us at contact@brospodcast.com. Did we go too fast for you? Well here’s the Bluebeam webinar that Eddie mentioned. For a free trial of Bluebeam, check out this link.Check out all of the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - IntroductionThat’s a frickin’ cookie. We could do an entire episode on the beautiful construction of the cookie we’re eating. Shoutout to The Cookie Company in Milledgeville, Georgia. (Also, sorry, Mom, for talking with our mouths full).4:00 - The Crystal Palace - BackgroundWe review the steps that lead to the construction of the Crystal Palace. In 1840, a guy named Henry Cole suggested that England should host a huge event to encourage industrial innovation. He was able to get Prince Albert on board and then Queen Victoria, who put together a council to plan the event.For some reason, they set a target date that would give them less than a year and a half to design and build the structure that would host the event. After issuing a call for designs, the council decided that not a single one of the 245 submissions was acceptable. 8:42 - Joseph PaxtonOut of nowhere comes the respected architect Joseph Paxton. Wait, did we say architect? Nope. He was a respected gardener. He had designed a massive greenhouse that had caught the queen’s attention.Paxton was clearly a man of varied interests. (If you’re interested in checking Eddie’s banana claims, you’re welcome to explore this site.) Here are the specs of the building that Paxton designed:1851 feet long (apparently in celebration of the year) by 120 wide and 34 high-App. 1 million square feet of glass-3300 Columns-2224 Main Beams-20+ miles of wooden gutters-3800 tons of cast iron (poured into a mold)-700 tons of wrought iron (worked into shape with tools)-Cost: 80,000 pounds - Fully funded by public donations (including a few substantial gifts from the royal family)-27’ tall crystal fountain (the first glass fountain of any substantial size)By the time Paxton’s design was approved, he had 9 months to complete the construction. He completed it in 5 months. 14:26 - Materials, Technologies, and a MoveThe Crystal Palace included elements that were at the cutting edge for their time. One of those was glass in large panes. Check out this video to see what was involved in producing these. A specially designed wheeled cart enabled workers to install 18,000 panes of glass every week.After the exposition, the building is taken down piece by piece and rebuilt in Sydenham but with a significantly modified design. (See photos of the reconstruction.)19:42 - Reflections and TakeawaysWe spend some time talking about things we might be able to learn from the Crystal Palace project. Here are a few of our thoughts:-This project was designed and managed by a person with little or no construction training. Construction experience is important, but people skills are just as important. Common sense goes a long way.-Tactful self-promotion–salesmanship–is also important.-The public rallies behind big projects. The Crystal Palace was funded by donations from the public.-It’s important to innovate with materials.-Coming to the table with fresh eyes can lead to innovation.-Focus, sheer determination, and solid deadlines can really motivate.-The constraints we put on ourselves might sometimes be the greatest constraints we face. -Innovation breeds innovation.Explore a few photos of the Crystal Palace:-Architectuul.com -Variety of Pinterest collections (the Crystal Palace and the Great Exhibition)-Photos of the reconstructionLee Evey Episodes:At a couple points in this episode, Tyler refers to two Construction Brothers episodes featuring Lee Evey, who was the program manager for the 1997 renovation of the Pentagon in Washington, DC. You can hear those episodes here: episode 91, episode 92. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening