One of the most important things you can do to ensure your project’s success is to provide it with a great start. When you bring in an experienced commercial concrete contractor early-on, they are able to oversee your project from start to finish and resolve problems before they ever become an issue.
A seasoned concrete contractor provides your project the benefit of the experience they have gained through the construction of many diverse structures. Their large portfolio gives the contractor an innate understanding of the unique advantages and disadvantages of a process. Also when they are there from the start, they can work with engineers and owners to deal with constructability issues before any actual construction gets underway. It may be advantageous for you to work with a commercial concrete contractor that has the capability to deliver multiple concrete services. By hiring a company with the ability to jointly manage rebar and concrete, it allows decisions to be based on the best end results. The contractor is able to anticipate and quickly respond to any problems with formwork, shotcrete or rebar by shuffling crews to accommodate scheduling. Another money saving idea is to check with the company to see if they offer Design/Build, turnkey, or G.C. services. Generally your project can be less costly to build if you eliminate the need for an architect or other contractors. Furthermore, by reducing the layers of communication required when working with other professionals, it can produce a better outcome as all services are committed, coordinated and scheduled accordingly to achieve the best results. The Conco Companies have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. Conco’s concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development along with public works projects and highways. Our four regional offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada.
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As leading commercial concrete contractors, The Conco Companies have been honored to be involved in many distinguished construction projects over the last several decades. As many of these projects represent exciting accomplishments in our today’s world, it got us thinking about architectural wonders from ancient times. Our post is an acknowledgement of the enduring influence of Greek architecture. The terms we use to describe the five orders of classical architecture, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite, were given to us by the Romans. The Ancient History Encyclopedia defines an order as, “a combination of a certain style of column with or without a base and an entablature (what the column supports: the architrave, frieze, and cornice).” The Greek’s architectural style embraced “simplicity, proportion, perspective and harmony” and inspired the building style of the Roman Empire. Together this laid the foundation for the classical architectural orders that dominated the Renaissance period right up to today. Along with the Parthenon, which we wrote about in an earlier post, other significant ancient Greek temples that exemplified Doric and Ionic order include the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, completed c. 460 BC; and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, which was one of the wonders of the ancient world completed c. 430 BC. The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, built between 444-440 BC, is an example of the Greeks’ desire to not only build structures that were beautiful on the inside as well as close-up but also to construct temples that would be admired from a distance. On the Architecture of the Capitol website, they list a few examples of modern day buildings in Washington, DC that reflect the classic Greek orders. These include the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court Building and the exterior of the Longworth House Office Building. The old Senate Chamber located in the U.S. Capitol “is a two-story room modeled after the amphitheaters of antiquity.” The eight Ionic columns that support the Chamber’s gallery on the east wall are inspired by the columns of the Erechtheion in Athens. The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. and got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products. Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. Our offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Nevada. Sources: ancient.eu/Greek_Architecture/, aoc.gov/capitol-hill/architecture-columns/ionic-columns At The Conco Companies, we have extensive experience as commercial concrete contractors and have been fortunate to be involved in many noteworthy structures built over the last several decades. As some of our projects have been pretty amazing achievements even for modern times, we got thinking about some of the world’s remarkable projects built many centuries in the past. One such project is the Parthenon, which is a part of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.
Built between 447 - 438 BC, although some of the decorative features were not completed until 432 BC, the Parthenon has been under renovations for more than 30 years. In fact summer 2016 will be the first time since 1983 that tourists will be able to see the temple without scaffolding. The decades-long $90 million repair and restoration project is expected to be fully completed in 2020. So why is it taking so long to complete the project when the original structure was built over a period of only nine years? Led by the Greek architect, Manolis Korres, he states that the project is like “trying to assemble a 100,000-ton, three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle with 70,000 individual pieces.” Also the team has struggled to find the proper balance between reassembling the temple and leaving it as a majestic ruin. One of the difficulties of the project has been to undo mistakes made in the past such as during an earlier restoration in the late 1800’s to the mid-1900’s that incorrectly rebuilt parts of the structure. Korres’ project has included taking apart and repairing almost every piece of the Parthenon. Another challenge has been to locate original pieces, some of which were spread around the Acropolis site while others had been removed and were in other parts of the world. For pieces the team could not locate, they had to be recreated. Other problems in the large undertaking include determining where each piece goes, finding a source of marble to match the blocks and then shaping new pieces, and employing age-old techniques to finish the marble surface. Furthermore, since the column drums had been incorrectly replaced during the earlier restoration process, today’s team had to work out a system for realigning and correctly placing the drums. The end product will be a testament to the survival of the two and a half thousand year-old ruin. The Conco Companies have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. Conco’s concrete services include commercial, educational, parking and other construction development along with public works projects and highways. Our four regional offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. Source: pbs.org/wgbh/nova/parthenon/rest-nf.html The Conco Companies are experienced commercial concrete contractors who have had the privilege to be involved in many exciting construction projects built over the last several decades. In recognition of outstanding construction projects throughout the centuries, we are doing a series of posts on ancient Greek architecture. Since the word “acropolis,” means high city, it was used to describe many buildings throughout Greece, but in recent times, it has been used to describe the temples overlooking Athens. There are several buildings that make up the Acropolis that still survive in some part. The buildings include the Parthenon that was constructed in 447 to 438 BC (some of the decorative features were completed in 432 BC). The Propylaea, constructed around 437 BC. The Temple of Athena Nike, constructed from 427 to 423 BC. In addition the Erechtheum, which was started in 421 BC but had construction interrupted, was finally completed in 407 BC. The Parthenon, considered to be the most important surviving structure that exemplifies Classic Greece architectural style, was built in honor of the goddess Athena, patron of the people of Athens. Constructed in the Doric order, the Parthenon is “regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece, Athenian democracy and western civilization, and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments.” The temple was originally used as a treasury, but in the last decade of the sixth century, it was used as a Christian church. The Parthenon measures 45 ft. high and the cella, which is the inner chamber of a temple, is 98 ft. by 63 ft. The rectangular shaped building is surrounded by a colonnaded portico of columns on all four sides. Comprised of 8 columns along the front of the building, it has 15 columns on each side, with the two corner columns on each end to total 17. Originally the structure contained many brightly painted sculptures but they were removed in 1802 and now reside in the British Museum. Owned by the Greek government, the structure has been under renovation for decades, but this summer visitors to the Acropolis will have the chance to see the Parthenon without scaffolding for the first time since 1983, The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States. We have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. We have four regional offices to serve Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Colorado. Source: famous-historic-buildings.org.uk/greece_4.html, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenon It is not often that the opportunity to train with some of the leading experts in the commercial concrete industry comes along. At The Conco Companies, we recognize the importance of providing interns and new graduates a way to gain quality hands-on experience. Our Concrete Estimator and Project Engineer positions offer hard-working, talented individuals the chance to do just that. For anyone wishing to apply for the Concrete Estimator positions, the jobs are with the East Bay Construction Company that has offices in Southern California and Seattle. Our Conco professionals are committed to training these individuals. The job of a Concrete Estimator includes preparing a project estimate, bid, and schedule for commercial construction projects as well as interpreting plans and specifications. Individuals will learn how to evaluate subcontract, vendor and supplier quotes as well as prepare RFI’s. Currently all of our Project Engineer intern and graduate positions are out of our Concord offices, and again, Conco professionals will train individuals. As a Project Engineer, some of your duties will include handling daily paperwork such as inspection requests and safety and pre-task reports. You will also learn the requirements for processing Requests for Information (RFI’s) documents and oversee field fixes, schedule deliveries and manpower to jobsites, and attend jobsite meetings with the Project Manager. Furthermore, you will work with the Project Manager to adjust delivery/crane/manpower schedules based on needs. Anyone seeking these positions should have comprehensive written and verbal communication skills and a proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word. Please see our website for our complete job qualifications and application details. Conco is an exciting place to work and our extensive expertise has allowed us to be a part of many distinguished projects throughout the Western United States. We invite you to come join our team! The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S. We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products. Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. Our offices serve California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Nevada. The Conco Companies are proud to bring premium concrete services to Colorado’s Front Range. Services include high-quality concrete formwork, reinforcement, finishing, and shotcrete. We also offer the Denver area design/build, turnkey and G.C. services that provide customers the opportunity to not only work with some of the top professionals in the field but to do so at a great value.
Right from the planning stages, Conco partners with owners and contractors to ensure each project gets off to a great start. For Conco formwork, our team takes into account project specifications, requirements and budget and uses up-to-the-date technology including BIM to determine the best type of material to use to construct the forms. We make forms out of a variety of materials including plywood and steel as well as custom-made plastic and fiberglass. In addition we offer professional concrete drawing services for walls, columns, beams and slab soffits. As we own and operate two large, rebar fabrication facilities, Conco is equipped to be a single source for all of your reinforcement and installation needs. Our high-performance, precision-engineered rebar is fabricated in state-of-the-art plants equipped with modern shear lines, benders and post-tension cable manufacturing equipment. In addition our finishing teams are some of the most experienced in the field and bring to each project Conco’s standard of excellence. Our shotcrete services offer an economical solution for many projects and we are experienced in the most advanced methods of application. The technique almost eliminates the forming process all together reducing both labor costs and time. Shotcrete is used in place of traditional cast-in-place shear walls, retaining walls, architectural walls, slope pavement, and soil nailing. One project we recently completed was the luxurious high-rise apartment building, the Platform, which is part of the Union Station redevelopment project in Downtown Denver. The 21-story skyscraper includes 288 apartment units and 260 parking spaces as well as 7,000 square feet of retail space. The Conco Companies mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in Western US and bring expertise, experience and quality to each project. Conco’s portfolio includes public works projects, commercial, educational, healthcare, parking structures and other construction development. One of the top commercial concrete contractors in the nation is seeking a qualified IT Manager. The Conco Companies are looking for a leader to support the current and future needs of our business and to be responsible for administering, maintaining and implementing information technology networks and systems.
As Conco’s IT Manager, you will be responsible for coordinating all operational support activities within the IT department along with providing technical support for IT solutions to advance mission-critical organization operations. In addition you will work closely with decision makers from within all departments throughout our companies to identify, recommend and implement cost-effective technology support solutions. Job duties include tasks such as overseeing the IT department’s operational planning and organizing, and negotiating allocation of IT and hardware resources. Furthermore, the IT Manager will facilitate technology team yearly goals and development plans as well as lead efforts to control our information technology’s annual operating and capital budgets. In terms of experience, it is preferred that applicants possess a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business or a related field and have at 3 years or more management experience. Furthermore, applicants should have 6 years of broad operational IT experience in a medium to large company in the construction industry. Along with professional qualification, applicants need to be self-motivated along with the ability to communicate ideas in a business-friendly and user-friendly language. The individual should desire to make a difference in our company and be ready to effectively collaborate with a group of highly talented colleagues. Applicants also need to be willing to travel to Conco locations in the Bay Area; Southern California-Los Angeles Area; Seattle, Washington; and Denver, Colorado. Please see our website for complete job description and application details. Conco is a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western United States. We have built a reputation on superior concrete formwork, reinforcing, place and finish, shotcrete and other ancillary services that benefit from our vast experience. We have four regional offices to serve Southern and Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Colorado. Just like many groups of workers, the construction industry also has its own set of traditions and ceremonies. One such interesting tradition is the “topping off (or topping out) ceremony,” which is a builders’ rite held when the last beam is placed atop a structure during construction. The tradition started out as a religious rite in ancient Scandinavian countries. Wikipedia states that the practice consisted of placing a tree atop a newly finished building as a way to “appease the tree-dwelling spirits displaced in its construction.” To mark the celebration, a meal was prepared for the workers and a toast made to the success of the project. In America the topping off ceremony usually includes painting the last beam white and then having it signed by all the construction workers as well as the rest of the team involved in the construction project. Another part of the tradition is to place an evergreen tree or leafy branch on top of the last beam along with the American flag; although if a death occurred as a result of the construction process, a tree is not used. A meal or a toast may be included, and it is often used as an opportunity to hold a media event to promote the new building. Along with the U.S., the tradition is still common in Canada, the United Kingdom, Austria, Iceland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland among others. Another tradition, Pannenbier, which means (roof) tile beer, is popular in the Netherlands and Flanders. It involves hanging a flag up once a building reaches its highest point. The World Library site says, “The flag (usually the national, regional or city flag) then stays in place until the owner of the building provides (free) beer to the workers, after which the flag is lowered. It is considered greedy if the flag is flown for more than a couple of days.” At The Conco Companies, we are a leading concrete contractor in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products. Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topping_out, worldlibrary.org/articles/topping_out An article from Tradesmen International reports on a recent survey from the Associated General Contractors of America that close to 80 percent of construction businesses are having problems finding skilled labor. The survey indicates the labor shortage was first noticed around 2011 and is “now in full bloom, with repercussions being felt throughout the nation.” In fact a spokesperson for the NAHB notes that the building industry could be growing faster if the labor shortage was not an issue.
Much of the problem stems from that fact that during the last recession, construction and manufacturing were two of the hardest hit industries. According to the publication, Finance and Commerce, “The U.S. lost about 2.1 million construction jobs from December 2007 when the recession began through January 2011, when industry employment hit its lowest level since 1996.” This resulted in many workers leaving the industry and going back to school or retraining for jobs in the business or service sectors. Furthermore, without the prospects of jobs, the number of young people enrolling in vocational and technical programs declined. Another problem is that our skilled construction workers are growing older. In fact a 2012 report from EMSI states 53% of skilled-trade workers in the U.S. were 45 years or older. However there is some good news for the industry. Many companies are making an effort to recruit young workers and get the word out about the benefits of well-paying jobs in construction. Also to train more skilled workers, states are expanding community college and vocational training programs to help meet the demand. The celebrity, Mike Rowe, is even getting into the act by leading a campaign to promote skilled labor careers and alternative education programs. At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products. Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. Sources: tradesmeninternational.com/news/the-construction-labor-shortage-where-did-all-the-skilled-labor-go/finance-commerce.com/2013/08/labor-shortages-slow-us-home-rebound/#ixzz2tgl8ed7w |
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