Dylan Seesman, PE

The #1 estimating software for GC's in 2024 is... 🏆 ProEst (an Autodesk company) But... Esticom (Acquired by Procore) is on their heals. If you use Procore Technologies for project management, which every commercial GC should be doing, this software does a great job at providing visibility to your PMs. There are clear benefits in terms of purchasing, project handoff, and change order management. I'll be doing a detailed video comparison on this in a future post. 🎙 #Estimators what is your go-to estimating software and why? #construction #generalcontracting #preconstruction #projectmanagement #bldg BLDG Estimating

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Following the incredible shake table results at PEER, I headed out on the road conducting lunch and learn presentations (https://lnkd.in/gEvk5u_7) for design professionals. Since most of the attendees for these events were structural engineers, and I most certainly am not one, I was quite intimidated at doing these, telling the audience that at least they'd get a lunch out of the deal! It turned out that far and away the most common comment I got from engineers, who were all quite impressed with the video evidence I showed them, was whether or not we had and ICC report. I wasn't certain what was involved in getting such a report, so I called ICC up. A nice man from the International Code Council came to our Burbank, California offices and I showed him the video I'd shared during the lunch and learns and then I showed him the Safe-T-Proof fastening system. What he revealed next shocked me. Apparently, in the history of the code council, no company had ever sought to get an evaluation report, the one the engineers were asking for, on a product that utilizes adhesive-based fasteners to keep items in place during an earthquake. Nobody. Ever. It would take ICC some time, I was told, to even come up with a plan on how to test the efficacy and holding power of such a system. While I was eagerly anticipating the report, the first thing I had to do was wait. And then wait some more. And some more. And in the end, something called a "Plan of Evaluation" was created. It was quite complex. More on that plan next time...

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What do we want?...Not sure...When do we want it?...Now! I look at what research and technology would benefit practicing structural engineers and an expert witness in my first ever blog. Please click below and let me know your thoughts. https://lnkd.in/ez9Ra3BC

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🌟 Upcoming Webinar: Physics of Construction of a Building! 🌟 🗓 Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2024 🕒 Time: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM CDT 🔗 Register Now: https://lnkd.in/g5w9zDxQ 6.5 PDHs Engineers / 6.5 HSW CE Hours Architects / 6.5 LU|HSW credits AIA / 0.65 CEUs ICC(Building) 🔹 Presented by: Don Sivigny 🔸 Key Topics Include: Understanding the Required Codes and Warranties --Dive into contractor warranty requirements and comprehend essential codes. Physics of Water in All Three Phases --Explore the behavior of water as ice, liquid, and vapor and its impact on buildings. Soils, Footings, Foundations, and Backfill --Learn about capacity loads, frame loads, material choices, and moisture management systems. The Construction of the Building Above Grade --Understand weather-resistive barriers, flashings, exterior cladding, and roof systems. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Ventilation --Examine the effects on occupants, building envelope, moisture loads, and ventilation systems. Mechanical Equipment Effects on the Building --Get insights into the sizing of equipment and air distribution for optimal indoor environments. Enhance your professional knowledge and earn valuable credits! 🚀🏗️🏢 #Engineers #Architects #Webinar #PDHs #CEHours #AIA #ICC #ProfessionalDevelopment #BuildingCodes #MoistureManagement

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I used to do estimates for a general contractor- I now work at Bluebeam- here are the 3 things I would have done differently. I had access to Bluebeam,  but I admittedly had no idea what I was doing with it. My main job was VD&C Manager (see last Monday’s post for 3 things I’d do differently in that role) But in the cyclical nature of construction- I wore different hats. Today’s hat - estimator. I’d usually be given 1-3 divisions to tackle- (the easy stuff) Admittedly, this wasn’t my favorite. I also didn’t want to learn a new software. So I would take these tasks as opportunities to figure out how to do things faster within Bluebeam.  And I made some cool progress :) Now this is what I would do differently- and what I felt like an absolute magician doing! Visual Search This will ALWAYS be my favorite feature. FOREVER and ALWAYS You can search for text or for IMAGES (!!!) I’d do this on tags, or specific elements relating to the division I was taking off. You wouldn’t believe the number of times the door schedule and tags didn’t line up correctly. WHAT I WISH I KNEW: You can automatically highlight the count selection (by clicking the thunderbolt) and add a count. -you can also automatically hyperlink to a cut sheet or other sections of the drawings. Custom columns Hear me out-  You’re heads down trying to finish your “quick” estimate-  Someone walks into your office and asks you a question- You just lost your spot. I wish I had created a custom column, that was a checkbox for my own backcheck. (oh yeah and custom columns would have been handy to run a calc within the markups list instead of exporting to Excel a million times) Compare Documents This happened one time- I had completed a signage takeoff…  it was Friday afternoon… and I got a revision. I actually printed one document and  held it next to my screen as I compared the new and old version  (yes I’m embarrassed to share this). What I should have done - run a quick compare documents- Find the updates (if any)  Update the takeoff… Enjoy my weekend! Like this? I’ll be cycling through all my past roles and sharing what I wish I knew that would have saved me a ton of time! Check back next Monday for what I’d do differently within my document management workflows! In the meantime- what should an estimator know within Bluebeam? PS- curious how I pivoted from Construction to Bluebeam? Comment “pivot” below and I’ll send you all the details!

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The #CLM Magazine May/June issue features a "Leading Out Loud" Q&A article including MC's Vice President of Engineering Services and Civil/Structural Engineer Expert, Dave Amori, PhD, PE, RRC. Check out the virtual edition for industry-related questions being answered. This article addresses how #property #claims #adjusting has changed over the years and if #inflation is still impacting these claims. Also, what #technology #tools are proving the most useful? Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/gKi-bsXR CLM Alliance (Claims and Litigation Management Alliance)

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I just got off the phone a little bit ago with another construction modeling provider who happened to pick up a client we no longer build models for. The client was taking this guy down the same path we've been before. Grade checkers and field crews are having "issues" with the model. You check your work and find there aren't any issues. You reiterate the need to come out and train the team on how to use the equipment because you've identified the problem. The hours of initial work and continued troubleshooting are adding up, and to top it all off - the concerns about getting paid for the work are creeping in. - We dropped this client after identifying the real root cause of the "issues with the model" ailment - management stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime. There's the easy, low hanging fruit of cutting the direct costs of the modeling service itself. Trust me, there's plenty of options out there to get a construction model for sub $500 so this is usually the first to go. Those who are excelling with this tech know first-hand this is the wrong key to success. Let's just leave it at: rework is in your future. Then there's the REAL cost that seams to go unaccounted for - not training your field crews on how to utilize the tech. Machine control technology is a tool - just like a shovel, but WAY more complicated. Which is why it's all the more reason training your team should be your #1 priority in order to create real ROI. Those production and efficiency gains you'll see on your cost reports will start to change that bottom line faster and by much more than picking low hanging fruit. If you're a modeling service - When you get that customer that doesn't want to help themselves by getting out of their own way - you gotta find one that does to replace them. It's okay to tell someone you can't help them. That's why they say you can't help someone until they want to help themselves. There's plenty of opportunity out there. If you're a contractor - To cut costs and really get an ROI on machine control technology you need to talk to, and train those folks in the field using it every day. Locate their pain points, and solve them. Don't start with cutting service costs. On a smaller job it's probably less than 1% of the value of your gains. On larger scale job it's essentially obsolete. If you're in a completely different industry - Thanks for reading, and I hope the same principle applies in your own unique way 🙂

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Design-builds are becoming a more common method for project delivery. Senior Project Manager Colby Stodden shares his tips on how contractors can maximize the benefits of this method in a recent blog: #HaseldenConstruction #construction #constructionindustry #insights #designbuild

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I came across this graphic recently that really struck me as being relevant for the construction industry.  Let me explain... I think that many architects think of the customer as the user of the building, but in commercial construction that may be an entirely different person than who is paying the bills to build the building or the folks making the decisions about what and when to build. I've also worked with many enclosure consultants who have a hard time recognizing that working for a GC is different than working for an Architect or Lawyer. Being a sub-consultant makes it even harder to know who the real customer is. The concept of being customer-centric is more than just a buzzword—it's about truly understanding WHO the customer is and HOW to convince them of your value. To make it easier, let's break it down into the four categories: 1️⃣ Users: Those directly utilizing the product/service. 2️⃣ Payers: Those funding the project. 3️⃣ Decision-makers: Those calling the shots. 4️⃣ Influencers: Those shaping decisions behind the scenes. Each of these 4 categories comes with distinct needs and expectations, demanding tailored approaches for effective engagement. Understanding this dynamic is not just advantageous—it's essential for success in selling products or services within the industry.  Even when the only thing you are selling is your idea. #customerengagement #marketanalysis #thecustomerisalwaysright 📸 image credit: Jeroen Kraaijenbrink ___________________ Join the journey towards innovation and excellence in architecture and construction! 💬 Let's spark meaningful conversations and collectively advance our understanding of building science and construction materials by engaging in the comments below. ♻ Reshare this post with your network and follow me for more insightful content. 

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I can't stress the importance of offering a GREAT internship experience for future civil engineers. The education is more challenging when compared to other fields. Roughly 50% of engineers will drop out or change majors. There is a lot that can be improved upon on the educational side of things, but if employers can create an engaging and rewarding internship process, more engineers will stick to their education. Why wouldn't you want to improve your own talent pipeline and help grow the civil community? #CivilEngineering #TalentAcquisition #InternshipProgram #AECRecruiting #Recruiting #Hiring

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A dispute between City of Racine Racine Water Utility and Village of Mount Pleasant officials not only is seemingly affecting development in Mount Pleasant TID #5 (Microsoft Data Center), but is also halting construction and development of many residential communities outside of TID #5. If you're from the area, follow along with my thoughts and opinions, and do some research on your own [links in comments for articles/information]. TMJ4 News reported: "In a statement Thursday [6/9/2024] Racine’s Mayor Cory Mason claimed their city has not received the benefits that were advertised by Mt. Pleasant Officials when they last amended the agreement in 2018. He specifically cited Foxconn’s job projections in the area falling significantly short by 2021. Microsoft doesn’t fill the gap, so Mason wants to renegotiate." Wisconsin Public Radio / WGD reported similar: "Racine now says the details of an amendment on water and sewer service that enabled Foxconn to move forward need to be renegotiated because the Microsoft development promises fewer jobs than Foxconn." My comments after reading the "Intergovernmental Agreement Between City of Racine, Racine Water Utility and Village of Mount Pleasant / Relating To Impacts on Public Services Associated With Village Of Mount Pleasant Tax Incremental District No. 5" 1. The Village of Mount Pleasant entered into a development agreement with three Wisconsin corporations (collectively "Foxconn") in 2017 and created TID #5 in order to provide public infrastructure. 2. The intergovernmental agreement is between the Village of Mount Pleasant and City of Racine, Racine Water Utility relating to TID #5. 3. The agreement is for the duration of TID #5 (2047) and guarantees that there will be a sufficient revenue generated to meet Racine Utility's deficiency costs - and if this revenue isn't reached than Mount Pleasant will pay for the shortfall. 4. The Village of Mount Pleasant will increase their contributions to the Racine Area Transit Commission, with expected increased use in the Mount Pleasant area. 5. There are a variety of other portion of this agreement such as boundary studies and future wastewater treatment expansion. In the 19 page agreement document, I found nothing that is relative to jobs creation and nothing stating the agreement between Village of Mount Pleasant and City of Racine, Racine Water Utility was specifically for Foxconn -- everything in the agreement notes TID #5 (an entire area with multiple developments, not one single development). And as a bonus for Wisconsin Builders Association home builders and single family home developers, somewhere between 5-7 developments are being help up due to this "need for renegotiation" from the City of Racine Mayor. With a nationwide shortage of roughly 1.5 million housing units [Reported by National Association of Home Builders], every development counts in increasing the supply and working to stabilize our economies.

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Our first Principal on the structural side, Ted Godfrey, PE is next on our #SNYLTurns20 highlights. 🎤When did you first become interested in architecture or engineering as a career? "I always recall having an interest in architecturally pleasing buildings. Engineering interest came later in high school." 🎤What has been your most proud moment as an architect/engineer? "A small project in Loveland, an elderly gentleman was very concerned about cracks in his foundation. I designed the fix and explained it to him." 🎤Do you remember your first day of college? What was it like? "Hectic, nervous, and fearful of getting lost. The amount of people was alarming, but I made it." 🎤What is one thing you enjoy doing outside of work? "Watching hockey, and spending time with my family." 🎤What is the greatest potential for architecture and/or engineering to shape a neighborhood community? "To provide an environment that is inviting, memorable and comfortable."

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📈 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝟲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 Plan Academy Inc. Michael Lepage As the demand for P6 planners continues to grow Companies face the challenge of identifying top talent. The hiring process can be time-consuming, costly, and the many risks of selecting candidates who may not fully meet project requirements. To ensure you're hiring the best Primavera P6 schedulers You NEED to evaluate both their soft and technical skills! 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀... 📝 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Clear and effective communication is crucial in planning and scheduling. Evaluate their ability by providing visual data from a job site and assessing their descriptive skills. 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹: Precision is non-negotiable in managing complex schedules. Practical assessments could involve comparing reports or identifying errors in schedule data. 💻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗣𝟲 𝗖𝗣𝗠 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲: The Critical Path Method (CPM) is fundamental in project scheduling. Candidates should show a strong grasp of CPM principles, including identifying Critical Paths, Float Paths, Logic, and driving Relationships in P6. 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝟲 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲: Proficiency in Primavera P6's core functionalities is essential. Candidates should be adept at creating Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), defining Activity Relationships, setting project Baselines, and using scheduling constraints. Practical tasks might include creating a new project, adding activities, and customizing views within P6. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: Assess candidates on their approach to schedule building, logical sequencing, selecting relationship types, duration of lag, and identifying improvement opportunities. 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀: Scenario-based exercises could involve updating schedules based on progress reports and resolving conflicts. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀: Strong analytical skills are needed to interpret schedule variances and assess project performance. Candidates should analyse schedule data, identify deviations from the Baseline, and recognise Float changes. Assessments might include reviewing schedule reports, conducting variance analysis, and generating project insights. Add this in You can streamline your hiring process Ensure you're bringing onboard the best talent To drive your projects to success. 🏆 #p6 #planners  #HiringTips #CareerGrowth

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Spend $75 or less to up your business development game. Many design professionals aspire to make business development apart of their job, few know where to start. Imagine trying to train someone to design the structure of a building when they haven't studied statics, learned concrete design or know what a W12x40 is. They don't understand the basics, making training them near impossible. Same challenge exists in business development. If you haven't taken initiative to learn the basics, you're fighting an uphill battle. Spend $75 or less and you can access my top 5 book recommendations to build your sales foundation: - Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff - Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss - Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller - $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi - Flip the Script by Oren Klaff I've listened to 4 of these books 15+ times each. This will build your awareness, judgment and confidence - putting you in a position to succeed. 🚀 #engineering #architecture #sales #businessdevelopment #bd

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A lot of market information is coming out this week, and I wanted to share some information about the backlog. ABC's Backlog Indicator fell to 8.3 months of backlog, which is .6 months less than May 2023. #construction #economics Check out more details here: [ABC Construction Backlog Indicator](https://lnkd.in/eAnsFrfd)

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Your project's being held back By endless pages and documents. The way I see it, Complex construction projects are like orchestras: There's several elements you need to coordinate (or conduct) for it to sound right. I'm always seeking out better ways to communicate schedules and sequencing to on-site teams As massive slogs of pages just slow down progress. It's why I've worked on new digital tools designed to get key details to the right people as efficiently as possible Using 3D visualisations that can be generated in under a minute, And come with no pages attached. Workers need clarity on what they need to be doing both quickly and clearly. Through a shared visual language, teams can stay in tune with one another And stay on track to produce a fantastic piece.

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Today, after 11 years with TEI Planning + Design, I submitted my last report! Two weeks ago, my partner and I moved to New York City. While I’m sad to be leaving TEI and Houston at such a pivotal time, this has been an opportunity to reflect on all the progress we’ve made. I’m proud and grateful to have had the opportunity to work with the brilliant team at TEI and our visionary clients to deliver dozens of plans and projects that are making Houstonians safer, happier, healthier, and more prosperous every day. Here are the first 11 that came to mind. 1.     METRO System Reimagining, the project that kept me in Houston and landed me at TEI. As someone who relied on transit for my daily travel throughout my 16 years in Houston, I understand firsthand how transformative the redesign of the local bus network was for mobility in Houston and helping design it was hugely rewarding. It has been exciting to see Jarrett Walker go on to apply what we learned in Houston to network improvements around the country and world. 2.     Healthy Living Matters (Harris County Health, I think?), a throwback to my first year. Walking with people in their neighborhoods put a lot together for me about how the decisions we make in the design of infrastructure can benefit or degrade the health of entire communities. I don’t recall talking about this in engineering school. 3.     City of Houston Bike Plan, the blueprint for so much of the street design progress we’ve seen. With so many entities implementing infrastructure in Houston–City, County, special districts, METRO, nonprofits, and more–giving them all a common map and set of standards to work from was a critical step. 4.     Precinct One Rapid Bikeway Implementation, Commissioner Ellis’s challenge to accelerate Bike Plan implementation with a connected network of 18 miles of high-comfort on-street bikeways in a year. Everyone learned a lot from the experience–including that the condition of Houston’s infrastructure makes true quick-build very challenging. 5.     Precinct One Park Improvements showed me sides of Harris County I never knew existed but where people are looking for opportunities to get out and walk, run, and bike like anywhere else. It was also my first experience with the construction phase, where visions really come to life–if you’re lucky! 6.     METRONext is a smart, cost-effective next step for transit development in Houston. BOOST and Regional Express didn’t grab headlines but will transform regional mobility. This plan was constrained to current revenue; new-revenue initiatives need to be layered on every 5 years or the region will continue to fall behind on quality of life. Do people do threads on LinkedIn? Regardless, this is continued below...

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As-built work in progress of a church. Detail is paramount. (do click on the image, then right-click and open image via a new tab, which should enlarge the image)

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