The MCAA is forging the future of masonry

Words: Donald McCauleyThe MCAA is forging the future of masonry. One of the goals of the MCAA is to validate the architects, owners, federal, state, local governments and general contractors that thru certification our mason contractors are “qualified”, “well trained”, “well educated” and can professionally handle the challenges that building projects in the 21st century can bring.

While there are great masonry contractors and some great regional masonry associations in all areas of the country, we as an industry have not been able to join together as a whole. This has allowed other trades, other industries to steal “market share” from masonry. This is happening not because masonry contractors don't know what they are doing but because of perception and a few “bad apples”.

By perception I mean that there have been numerous occasions that a general contractor or owner have given jobs to an unqualified mason contractors for a “ridiculously” low and “unqualified” bid and those unqualified masonry contractors have laid waste and pillage to a jobsite, through poor workmanship, sub quality materials, poor coordination, delaying the project through lack of manpower, not supplying the correct equipment and simply cutting corners trying to save money.

Everyone reading this article knows of occurrences where this has happened and felt the implications. One of the first things mason contractors hear when they get to a new projects is that masonry in the past has left a “bad taste” in their mouth. When you dig deeper and start peeling back the layers of the onion, you find out that this stigma is usually from one or two encounters with an unqualified masonry contractor, not the industry as a whole.

I have been in the masonry industry for my whole life and I hear all the time from other masonry contractors that they are, “sick and tired of losing jobs to a masonry contractor that is unqualified to do the project or is not totally above board in their business practices,” but that is the end of it; no more is said or done.

Well here is our opportunity to do something and let your voice be heard. Masonry contractors can take steps toward insuring the other masonry contractors they are competing with are qualified and operate with ethical business practices through joining the MCAA and becoming a Certified Mason Contractor.

The MCAA can then promote to architects, owners, federal, state, local governments and general contractors a well-organized national organization of masonry contractors and suppliers that are well trained, well educated and qualified to meet the challenges and desired outcome of each and every project.
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