TECHNOLOGY TRENDS


dollars on one project. It also resulted in a safer jobsite.


Q A


Should smaller contractors be just as concerned as larger firms about adopting


cloud-based, mobile, or other technol- ogies in order to stay competitive?


Well they are going to be at a bit of a disadvantage if they don’t. Contractors need to


educate themselves as much as possible. I’ve told many firms – you can do R&D on a budget. You can hire interns and give them a small budget. Look, the majority of construction is not done by the large firms. Tere are over 10,000 GCs in the U.S., and the majority are small to medium GCs. So they all have to experiment. Tey have to have this attitude of what can we do better on this next project, or better on the next estimate. And what individual tools, software, hardware or new processes can we try out to improve? I know GCs that make 10% margin


on their projects, because they’ve adopted processes and technology that allow them to make more money and to save money. I know contractors that were able to push their margin up by 1-2 points within a few months, just by adopting a simple point solution. Tere is real money at stake, so hopefully everybody is taking it seriously.


of drones on jobsites. Given the new drone rules recently issued by the FAA, what impact do you think that will have on the use of drones in the construction industry?


Q A


Drones already are a game changer. We’re seeing a dramatic uptick


in purchasing of them. Tey’re huge for anyone having to do any inspec- tions - which would be any contractor.


The FAA’s recently released drone regulations are a “big win” for the industry.


One area of technology that has been in the news quite a bit of late is the use


Tey’re huge for jobsite documentation, for photogrammetry (conversion of pictures to 3D models). Companies like Skycatch and Kespry and Pix4d (software for drone-based mapping) – these guys are really taking drones seriously for image capture, 3d model generation, existing condition documentation, inspections.


Invest. Put your money where your mouth is. Construction companies must treat technology as an investment and not an expense.


I think (the FAA) did a great job


of streamlining the regulations of what you need to fly. We were concerned they would clamp down hard, but they


took a very reasonable approach with very practical rules. It will result in even more propagation of drones. Tis is a big, big win.


weekly ConTechTrio (JBKnowledge. com/ConTechTrio) podcast, and there are a bunch of other great podcasts. Attend great conferences like AGC conferences. Get out and learn. Secondly, become a tinkerer.


Q A


Actually start playing with technology yourself. Tere’s a big difference between watching someone else do it and doing it yourself. Go buy some stuff and try it. Take it back if you don’t like it. Test out free trials of apps and software. Tirdly, take technology seriously


as a critical part of your company. Hire full time technology workers – not just computer repair technicians, but people that can experiment and develop new technology for you. And then, lastly of course, is invest.


Put your money where your mouth is. Construction companies must treat technology as an investment and not an expense. 


What is your biggest advice to contractors wanting to increase their use of


technology and to better utilize new or emerging technology to improve their bottom line?


My top advice is this: learn, always. Tat means you’ve got to read. You can listen to our


SmartReality is one of JBKnowledge, Inc.’s technology products


14 September/October 2016


California Constructor


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