Masonry Magazine August 2009 Page. 19
MASONRY
MASTCLIMBER
THE ULTIMATE
* Quick installation and ease of operation
* Load capacity of 20.000 lbs for a 126' set-up
* Real payload of 150 lbs per linear foot
* Innovative and ergonomic production table
Our mast climbing work platforms combine safety, sturdiness and capacity for medium to large-size projects. Whether it is for new construction, facade renovation, for laying bricks, blocks or stones, Fraco mast-climbers represent the perfect solution to vertical access. They offer multiple and adjustable work areas and also provide a safe and harmonious work environment for labors and bricklayers. Productivity is guaranteed.
READER SERVICE #101
You get what you pay for:
Hiring the lowest bidder can be costly
MASONRY NEWS CONTRACTOR TIP
We see it every day: Low-ballers who snag projects and leave us wondering how they can do that work for the amount they bid. If the owner's and/or general contractor's only criterion is lowest price, how can we explain that the lowest price could actually cost them much more in the end?
Owners, construction managers, and architects are looking to save money on their building projects, especially in this economy. On the surface, it appears that the easiest way to save is by hiring the cheapest contractor they can find. However, history has proven that saving money up front by using the lowest bidder can turn into huge expenses in the end, if the quality isn't there.
For example, my construction company just bid the masonry on a school project for $3.5 million. Does that sound cheap? It may have been if the bid was to do the original work. However, this bid was to redo the work. In fact, we bid the same project for $3.5 million (almost the same amount) two years ago and lost it to a company who was supposedly the lowest responsible bidder.
After the contractor finished his work, the school district struggled with leaking walls, cracks and other problems while school was in session. So, the district hired inspectors who examined the work and found that grout was not installed in the walls per plans, flashing and insulation was missing and control joints were missing. As it turned out, a large portion of the work needs to be replaced. And, in turn, it'll cost the school district almost the same to make the repairs and tear off and replace the exterior masonry off the building as they paid to have it done the first time. This time, the low bid on masonry came in at $2.9 million. Hopefully, the construction manager asmake sure the lowest bidder is performing quality work to save the school district any more costs and headaches.
Don't take just my word for it. If you Google the Common Law of Business Balance on your computer, you'll get this result from Wikipedia Encyclopedia:
The Common Law of Business Balance is a meditation on price attributed to John Ruskin. It reads as follows:
"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better."
This is a classic quote on the possible folly of automatically choosing low cost as the best way to make a purchase decision. It appeals to those who believe, or who want to persuade others to believe, that price is a possibile indicator of quality.
We all have fixed costs that are required to complete a project. If the owner or general contractor wants you to do work below your cost to compete with a lowest bidder, explain to him the Common Law of Business Balance. And let them know that "hiring the lowest bidder can be costly for the building owner."
Damian Lang is a mason contractor in southeast Ohio with three companies that do combined sales of $20 million. He is also the author of the book "Rewarding and Challenging Employees for Profes in Masonry To order a copy of his book or to attend one of his seminars held specifically for mason contractors, call Sherry Wittekind at Lang Masonry, 740-749-3512
Provided by Damian Lang, President of Lang Masonry Contractors, Inc., and EZ Great Carp.
READER SERVICE #314