Florida Contractor Forum

A career as a contractor is a good one. You don’t have to spend thousands at a four-year college, you don’t have to sit at a desk all day, and you have a competitive salary. In this field, you can choose a specialty and field that is important to you. Much contracting work allows you to work your own hours and work wherever you want across the country – there are so many opportunities in this field.

A career in construction or building is reliable. There will always be a need for new builds, maintenance, and renovations.

There are many ways to get into this field including courses (in person and online) as well as apprenticeships.

As a contractor, you can work indoors and outdoors. You have a lot of freedom of where you work and you always can experience new places and meet new people.

You can also work your way up into managerial roles.

Technology is growing within the world of construction. If you’re great with technology, you can teach and help out others with learning the new advancements. The more you know about this technology the more you will be valuable and can advance in your career.

There is a demand for skilled workers, so if you’re studying and training, there will be a job for you! As a contractor, there is no limit to learning. You will always learn new things on the job, whether it’s a new technology, new way of working, new method, new speciality etc.

You will have the option to work for yourself or others. You can somewhat dicate how much you make. You can decide to work 60 hours a week to increase that paycheck and work your way up the ladder. Or, you can work part-time if you’re raising a family. Or, you can find a job with “odd” hours that allows you to balance work/personal life.

Even if you are educated and trained in the field, you must apply for your contractor’s license to work legally. We can help get you licensed as a contractor in any specialty in any state. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor’s license. We help you get it fast!

We complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf. We gather information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for to get your approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

If you’re a contractor, you need to know how to read a blueprint. If you don’t, you likely won’t do your work properly or be good at your job. Before you start applying for construction jobs, make sure you have been taught and learned how to read a blueprint.

A blueprint is a two-dimensional drawing that contains all the details for a project. These details are so you can request permits, determine a schedule and do the construction. They also detail the project’s scope, specifications, building codes, and measurements.

• Blueprints can vary in size. They can differ project to project depending on the complexity of the project. Right now, digital blueprints are gaining popularity. They are great because anyone can easily see the latest plan changes in real time.
• When you first get a blueprint, scan the entire plan. Read all notes and specifications that are included. You will have to know how to read plan views, which are the basic views that people will see as they look down at the horizontal plane.
• Each plan has a different scale and it’s important you are using the correct scale.
• Compare elevations and floor plans and make sure nothing gets missed.
• Sections of blueprints is where you will see cross sections of the building (studs, insulation, sheathing, etc.). you will also find the dimensions of the cabinets, countertops and more.
• Schedules are included in blueprints.
• There are hundreds of abbreviations and symbols on blueprints. There is usually a key to abbreviations and symbols.

Blueprints are tricky to read, but in time they become easier to read and can be read quickly. In the blueprints, errors can be spotted before issues occur so time and money isn’t lost. Blueprints are key in the decision-making process of a project and they should reflect reality and be read carefully.

Reading a blueprint is a skill and you need to learn it in order to be a successful contractor.

Not only do you need to know how to read a blueprint to be a contractor, you must be licensed to work legally.

We can help get you licensed as a contractor in any state. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor license.

We will complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for to get your approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Efficiency on the job site and during a construction project is critical if a contractor wants to deliver a project on time and within budget; however, this is easier said than done and it can be quite the challenge to be efficient.  New technologies are helping improve efficiency on the job, but new techniques and approaches are being worked on and introduced all the time to solve productivity issues.

How can construction companies improve efficiency?

• Improve decision-making and management workplace. Reduce nonproductive activities. Take a look at daily on-site activities and operations and review when issues arise. You can identify opportunities that can speed up workflow. Measure the current level of productivity. Through this data collected, you can find flaws in the workflow and better streamline the operation. Establish an efficient communication system. Find ways to communicate with upper management in real time. Set a regular meeting where questions can be asked and answered.
• Embrace technology to manage the worksite. Technology can provide a competitive advantage.
• Listen to staff members and provide the right kind of training. Employees on site can be the best insight into how to make site processes efficient compared to the upper management who isn’t on site. Conduct regular face-to-fact meetings to ask about issues and get workflow suggestions. Training is important for efficiency. Give people the right skills to work and/or lead people.
• Give equipment regular maintenance checks. You want to keep the tools and machinery in good working condition. Broken equipment can delay projects.
• Improve procurement and supply chain management. Maintain positive relationships with suppliers.

As a construction company, you need to address efficiency issues at the start.

Join in industry that is continuing to grow and change and advance.

We can help get you licensed for any contractor specialty in any state to be a part of the construction industry.  We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor license.

We will complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for.

To get your contractor license, click our contractor license in Florida page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Bad estimates can lead to bad occurrences. In a study, 25% of business owners, bookkeepers, accountants, estimators, and finance managers in the construction industry said two to three bad estimates could put them out of business. Eighteen percent of these people said one bad estimate could put them out of business. As you can see, accurate estimates and job costing is critical.

• One in five people in the construction industry struggles with cost estimation.
• One in three struggles to estimate labor costs. This is one of the most expensive project costs. One in five people said they rely on a fireman or manager to record employee hours to keep track of labor costs. A smaller amount said employees use mobile tracking apps to record their hours.
• One in four track project costs by paper and pen. Twenty-seven percent user paper and do project calculations by hand, 7.5 percent keep track in their head, and 46% use accounting software and a job-costing system or app.

Most people surveyed said they try to do a cost estimate for every project. Preparation is key. Seventy-three percent of these people who prepare a cost estimate for every project said their estimates were very close or exact to the final costs. Those who prepare a cost estimate for most projects are far more likely to say their profits were “usually less than expected.”

The more you do cost estimates, the likelihood you will get better at them and be more accurate.

Want to be a part of growing industry? We can help get you licensed as a contractor in any state. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor’s license.

We complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf. We gather information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for to get your approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

There are many types of contractors. Contractors can do so much more than electrical work or painting. There are plumbers, roofers, HVAC technicians, solar contractors, and more. For this article, we wanted to talk about mechanical contractors. We hope this article teaches you a little more about this particular contractor specialty and maybe it will interest you as a career path.

A mechanical contractor is a type of engineer. He/she takes existing systems and redesigns them so they work better. Mechanical contractors can be found in many industries such as pharmaceuticals, automotive, food processing, NASA, and more.

Mechanical contractors design, manufacture and handle the operation of certain components or devices that are generated by mechanical engineers.

A mechanical contractor needs a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. This type of contractor must take practical and written exams and get the right license to work legally. Many companies will offer job training and apprenticeships.

To be a mechanical contractor, you need to be skilled in advanced mathematics, and mechanical skills. Problem-solving, listening, communication, and creativity are also key for this specialty.

A mechanical contractor must past the Fundamentals of Engineering test and Professional Engineering test. He/she will also need on-the-job experience through a school contractor or apprenticeship.

When you’re ready to apply for a job, you can find work in aircraft mechanics, sheet metal mechanics, or structural mechanics.

Need help getting your mechanical contractor’s license? Let us help and do the work for you!

We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor’s license. We help you get it fast!

We complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf. We gather information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for to get your approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida mechanical contractor license page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

With the ever-changing workplace, labor shortage, technology changes, diversity changes, these factors are affecting resumes in all industries.

There is currently a labor shortage in the construction industry. Skilled workers are in high demand at all levels. On a resume, the objective and skills section should reflect the candidate’s expectations and abilities so an employer will know whether current openings are a good fir or not for their skills and career goals.

When applying for a new job, a person should display value-added characteristics and experiences on their resumes without citing direct salary information. When talking about salary, candidates and hiring managers should talk about target salaries rather than salary histories.

A resume has about six seconds to make an impression on a hiring manager. To make your resume stand out, focus on projects completed rather than day-to-day duties, so you can show what makes you different from other similar candidates. Tie in out-of-industry skills to a construction firm’s needs.

As the world and industry changes, a construction resume will change with it.

Ready to apply for a contractor job? Great, but before you do…you need a contractor’s license to work legally. We can help get you licensed as a contractor in any specialty in any state. For a list of contractor licenses, view our Florida contractor license page.  We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We have helped thousands of contractors across the United States get their contractor’s license. We help you get it fast and stress-free.

We will complete and submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf. We gather information from you by phone or email.  We will let you know what we need from you. We know what the Board is looking for to get your approved.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Safety is one of the most important things to remember when on the job in the construction business. Contracting work can be dangerous so it’s essential you and your company have a safety plan and rules in place to reduce workplace injuries and incidences.

For this article, we wanted to share some facts and figured about safety in the workplace.

• In 2012, there was 775 deaths in the U.S. from construction-related jobs.
  • 36% of these deaths were from falls.
  • 10% of these deaths were caused by being struck by an object.
  • 9% of these deaths were caused by electrocution.
  • 2% of these deaths were from being caught in or in-between something.
• If those 4 types of accidents were prevented, about 436 people could be saved.
• Construction is predicted to grow by 70% by 2025.
• Construction safety apparel hasn’t changed in 50 years.
• 5 injuries per 1,000 contractor workers makes construction one of the most dangerous jobs.
• The average contractor works 10 hours per day.
• Within the next 10 years, 58.4% of jobs in the U.S. will be construction related.

Take a look at the safety rules and plan in your workplace. Is it up-to-date? Do you feel safe at work? Talk to your company about ways to make your workplace safer to reduce the number of accident.

Despite the injury risk, contracting work is a rewarding job. To be a contractor, you need a contractor’s license to work legally. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We help contractors across the United States get their contractor license.

We submit a completed application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email. We know what the Board is looking for to get you licensed fast.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Although the construction industry has so many positives, it is one of the most dangerous fields of work. 20 percent of private-industry worker fatalities are in construction, which means one out of every five worker deaths is a construction-related death. The industry also has many non-fatal injuries.

A successful construction business needs to implement effective safety programs and stay updated on OSHA regulations.

We wanted to share some construction safety statistics that show the injuries, fatalities, costs of accidents, and benefits of following safety rules.

• One in five worker deaths each year happens in construction.
• Crane deaths dropped to the lowest ever in 2017 at 33 deaths.
• Out of all worker deaths, construction, transportation and material moving workers accounted for 47 percent.
• Falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and being caught in something or between two objects are responsible for 59.9 percent of construction worker deaths.
• Companies with 10 or less employees and those who are self-employed account for nearly half of all deaths on construction sites.
• Construction sees the most fatal falls, accounting for 51 percent of all falls in the United States.
• If a worker stays in construction for 45 years, there is a 1 in 200 chance that a construction worker will die from a work-related incident.
• One in every 10 construction workers is injured each year.
• Construction sees non-fatal injury rates that are 71% higher than any other industry.
• About half of serious workplace injuries go unreported each year.
• Lifting, using a tool or machine, and carrying heavy objects are the main causes of strain injuries in construction.
• Workers aged between 25 and 34 are the most likely to be injured in construction.
• Construction worker illnesses and injuries are down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 workers in 2017.
• One fatal injury can cost an average of $991,027 in hospital bills.
• 15 percent of overall workers’ compensation costs are spent on workers injured at a construction site.
• Construction companies can save an average of $32,000 for each medically consulted injury they avoid.
• A company must sell an additional $1,667,000 in services to offset $50,000 in losses from injuries, illness or damage and still make a 3% profit.
• Eliminating falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and being caught in something or between two objects would save 582 workers’ lives in the United States each year.

Contractor work can be dangerous, but if you follow safety rules and are aware of your surroundings, you can stay safer and avoid accidents.

We are a Florida contractor licensing company, and we can help you get your contractor’s license so you can work legally. We help contractors across the United States get their contractor license. We help you succeed at the start.

We submit a completed contractor’s license application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Currently, there is a construction labor shortage. It’s becoming hard for companies to find and retain skilled workers. A lot of young people hold misconceptions about a blue-collar career.

So what are people doing to find the skilled workers?

• Connect with schools, families, career counselors, and community leaders to combat and address myths and stereotypes about the labor and construction industry. The average salary for skilled trades is over $65,000 and 27% of trade school grads earn more than degree earners.
• Create opportunities for young people to work for you part time or as an apprentice of intern.
• Connect to industrial networks. Sign up for meet-and-greats to meet young people who are training for trades in high school, middle school, and college level.
• Be a regular presence at job fairs.
• Don’t gender stereotype. Find ways to attract skilled female workers. Prove to women they are safe from workplace discrimination and occupational hazards.
• Consider second-chance applicants. Hiring formerly incarcerated people have higher retention rates with lower turnover.
• Create a work environment that is safe, healthy, and supportive.
• Offer competitive, location-specific salaries.
• Offer medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Offer parental leave.
• Offer mental health support.
• Provide job training.
• Offer employment advancement opportunities.
• Offer referral bonuses.

Ignore the myths. Construction is a rewarding career. You will get trained. You will have many opportunities. You will get paid well. You will get advancements in your career. It costs a lot less to start a trade than go to a four-year college.

Ready to be a contractor?  You will need a contractor’s license to work legally in most states, including Florida. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We help contractors across the United States get their contractor license. We help you succeed at the start.

We submit a completed contractor’s license application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email. We will let you know what information we need from you and what else you need to do whether that’s take an examine or submit your experience. We make the process easy and get you licensed fast. We know what the Board is looking for, so you won’t get rejected.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.

Construction is a booming industry making billions of dollars. There is currently a construction boom, but it is starting to slow; however, it is not stagnant. Skilled workers are needed as there is a labor shortage More women and minorities are getting jobs in this industry and more new, innovative technologies are being used. A contractor gets paid well, works with many different people, in different environments, and gets to learn new things all the time.

For this article, we wanted to share even more statistics to show you the current state of the construction industry and where it’s headed in the future:

1. In 2018, there was a 12% growth in the number of construction firms using Building Information Modeling (BIM) software.
2. 39% of companies say a “lack of IT staff” is the most limiting factor in adopting new technology.
3. 75% of construction firms promote themselves through social media.
4. 96% of U.S. general contractors are moderately confident in commercial construction demand.
5. 91% of off-site construction is prefabrication, followed by78% is modular construction.
6. 86% of contractors are not effective or need improvement in prefabrication construction.
7. 82% of contractors believe that BIM (Building Information Modeling) is the future of project information.
8. 70% of contractors say BIM is still not sufficiently standardized across the industry.
9. 90% of all global infrastructure projects are either over-budget or delayed.
10. The average backlog of construction projects for a contractor is 9.3 months, which means the market is stable with room for growth.
11. S. construction equipment rental sales are expected to reach $59 billion by 2021.
12. Construction equipment is rented for an average of six days.
13. 15% of equipment rentals are for individual construction projects.
14. Equipment rental counts for 47% of industry revenue.

The construction industry is booming, making money left and right. Come be a part of it!

To be a contractor, you will need a contractor’s license to work legally in most states. We are a Florida contractor licensing company. We help contractors across the United States get their contractor license. We help you succeed.

We submit a completed contractor’s license application to the Construction Licensing Board on your behalf after getting information from you by phone or email. We will let you know what information we need from you and what else you need to do. We make the process easy and get you licensed fast. We know what the Board is looking for, so you won’t get rejected.

To get your contractor license, click our Florida contractor license  page to learn more or call 239-777-1028 to get started with us.