God Help us … It's August! For many industries, August is just the end of summer and and the middle of the third Quarter. For those of us in construction, especially for those of us that do schools, August in the devil that pays great dividends if you are willing to give up your life for 31 days. Most contractors that work in schools give a deep sigh of relief when school starts.
The biggest challenge is to stay focused and maximize your profits while the busy season is at hand. During this time of year it is easy to give way to frantic requests for overtime that will never pay up. You have to balance your payroll with what is going to be invoiced and keep from chasing the shiny promise of profits by people who are unable to approve overtime and change orders. This is the crazy time of year when regular people turn into sleep deprived animals that are willing to say anything to get themselves out of the trap that they are caught in.
KEEP CALM – don't forget that you have a contract (at least you should) and that they need you as much as you need them. Stay focused and don't quit, but do not give up more than you are contracted to do or able to accomplish. If you have read any of my other blogs you wold know that I am a big fan of under promising and over performing.
To all of the pushers out there: stay focused and keep your expectations in check – just because you have over promised your customer the world, does not mean that you can expect your sub contractors to work for free to save your ass.
To all of the overworked subs: Your GC's are stressed and overextended – try to serve them well without giving up your profit. Your goodwill will go along way towards future projects and change orders (If you are working with a good GC). Stay focused and work through the time with a balance of pushing and managing overtime; you will see real results in the next 60 days.
Hang in there and make this the best year ever – if the GC's and Subs would just work together, everyone would profit from the venture – if everyone waits until they are behind, then everyone losses money.
Moral: Plan ahead and know who you are working with – relationships help you through the hard times!
Resin Adviser 
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