Home Construction in the Heat of the Summer

By Mark J. Donovan

Driving around doing some errands today at lunch, and seeing the outside temperature hovering over 100 degrees, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the poor construction workers that I passed by toiling away in the heat. It reminded me of the importance of preparing for the summer elements when working on a home construction or remodeling project. Normally when it comes to jobsite weather concerns it’s more about cold temperatures and/or rain and snow. But intense heat can be even more of a problem, particularly for the safety of the workers.

If you have plans to tackle a home construction or remodeling project during the heat of the summer, always make sure you show up to the jobsite prepared. First and foremost bring plenty of water and fluids (not alcohol). Second, stay out of the sun as much as possible. Third, wear proper and protective clothing that is light weight and light in color. Also make sure to wear a hat to protect your head.

Throughout the day make sure to take plenty of breaks for consuming water and if you feel dizzy or nauseous call it a day. No home remodeling or construction project is worth having heat stroke and dying. Readmore »»

Home Building Up and Building Permits Down In January

By Mark Donovan

The Good News - The commerce department reported that home building construction starts were up a healthy 14.6% in January, compared to December.

The Bad News - The commerce department reported that home building construction permits were down 10.4% in the same period.

Though the news was a mixed bag, it's possible that the sagging number of new home construction permits pulled last month was in part due to the heavy snow and cold weather that blanketed much of the country in January. It's also possible that with the significant increase in actual construction starts that builders were too busy focusing on actual building than planning.

One month of data doesn't set a trend, so we will have to wait until spring to see if there is indeed a positive direction in the beleaguered housing construction industry. Readmore »»