When market conditions align and construction demand surges, builders face a challenge that is as welcome as it is demanding: managing rapid growth without sacrificing quality, profitability, or sanity. Low interest rates, rising consumer confidence, and regional population shifts have historically created explosive periods of new home sales and remodeling activity. The National Association of […]
New England’s construction industry has long been shaped by its historic building stock, challenging climate, and dense regulatory frameworks. One especially instructive period came in the late 1990s, when state-level Home Builders Associations confronted a wave of environmental rules, tax policies, and building code disputes. A look at the 1997 legislative session, reported in a
When JLC’s Claude Leger tested the new 15-gauge finish nailers from Porter-Cable and Makita, he found two compelling options that bring professional-grade pneumatic fastening within reach of more builders. These nailers represent a growing trend: established power-tool manufacturers entering the pneumatic nailer market with guns that challenge legacy brands like Senco and Bostitch at significantly
Every builder and contractor who has spent enough years in the field has at least one job that still makes them wince when it comes up in conversation. These are the projects that taught more in six months than any textbook or training seminar ever could. The concept of learning through painful experience is well
No one enjoys paying taxes, but for construction contractors, understanding the tax landscape is not optional. The difference between a profitable year and a financially painful one often comes down to how well you plan your tax strategy. This article examines essential tax planning resources and strategies every contractor should know, from understanding IRS guidelines
Selecting the right construction products can dramatically improve both the speed and quality of work on any building site. From low-profile radiant heating systems that preserve floor height to advanced lifting equipment that protects worker safety, the modern construction market offers solutions for nearly every challenge builders face. This article examines several categories of innovative
The landscape of construction costs in New England extends well beyond lumber, labor, and land. Impact fees, the real estate transfer and permitting charges levied by municipalities to fund development-related infrastructure, have become a defining financial issue for builders across the region. Understanding how these fees work, where they apply, and what strategies exist to
The year-old U.S./Canadian softwood agreement had brought an unprecedented level of confusion to the always turbulent market for framing lumber. In January 1997, western spruce-pine-fir 2x4s were trading at $410 per thousand board feet (mbf), up from $245 a year before, according to the lumber market newsletter Random Lengths. Near-record high prices were only part
Precision layout has always separated good construction from great construction, and few tools have transformed on-site accuracy as dramatically as point-to-point lasers. These compact alignment instruments project a visible laser dot onto surfaces, allowing builders to transfer points, establish reference lines, and check alignment across distances that tape measures and string lines cannot reach reliably.
Construction contractors navigate a unique financial challenge: project revenues arrive in irregular lump sums, but payroll, material costs, and overhead arrive on a fixed schedule every month. The gap between completing a job and actually receiving payment can stretch into weeks or months, leaving many builders scrambling to cover operating expenses. One of the most
