Five Free Apps for Managing Contacts On-the-Go

If you subscribe to HBW, you’ve got construction leads, new leads every day – Now, it’s a matter of managing them.  While there are numerous options for contact management software and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems, from simple to robust, smaller business owners are often looking for something to easily manage and share contacts on the go.  The ultimate system will allow both, but for those just looking for a quick fix for their contacts that ensure them access to the latest information available on the contact from a phone or other mobile device, we found five noteworthy apps that may be worth checking out:

  1. Covve – This app offers a way to supercharge your current address book using search technology to complete data fields of your contacts including their company name, location, etc. It can run checks for any changes in contact information and automatically keep them up-to-date.  For better organization, you can tag and put contacts into groups, set reminders and annotate communications.  While entry to the app is free, there are premium subscription options that offer contact analytics and more.
  2. Cloze – Cloze takes basic address book management to the next level with something similar to an all-in-one contact list, social network and email center. It is a bit of a simplified CRM, having the ability to sync data about contacts from social networks and email so that their profiles are as complete and current as possible.  Users can also take actions including tweeting, updating status, liking and sharing content.  Cloze tracks interactions so that primary contacts (aka “Key People”) are identified and their tweets and status updates stay to the surface.
  3. Contacts Optimizer – Depending on how well you have transferred data from old phones to new ones, or even managed your email contacts, chances are you have duplicate contacts throughout your system. There is an on-the-go answer for that in the app “Contacts Optimizer”; it easily removes duplicate entries and finds similar contacts.  It can move different groups of contacts between accounts, identifies profiles with incomplete information and can even correct and reformat phone numbers.  Users can also merge and edit contacts anytime.  It is a quick answer to contact clean-up.
  4. Canvy – Canvy is a contact manager that provides the tools needed to layout contacts in a photo-style tile format that you can easily stream through and move recent and important interactions to the top. With its ability to have notification badges on each contact tile, it allows user a quick view of the contact notes.  By tapping on the app, users can view actions such as the last message or email received and one-click options for sending emails, instant messages or making calls.  The app also offers search capability with adjustable filters and settings to customize how contacts are displayed and viewed.  There are also options for including social media contacts.
  5. CamCard – OK, so this one isn’t free, but at less than a dollar ($0.99), it offers a quick solution for managing business cards. As much as we operate in mostly a digital age, many of us still have and share business cards as part of our networking efforts.  CamCard takes the time out of transferring contacts from paper to the digital world.  It is essentially a business card scanner and contacts manager where users can create contacts through the information on the scanned business card.  Additionally, the app offers the ability to track notes, reminders, contact updates and integrate company news.  Users can also share and sync card data across several devices.

While no one app will necessarily be the answer to managing all contacts and leads, there are a handful of solid apps that can help you keep track of new and shared contacts no matter where you are located.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

HBW does not endorse or receive compensation from any of the apps or related companies listed above.  This article serves as a starting point for readers to conduct their own research and find a contact management system that works best for them and their business.

Texas Home Building Report – May 2018

HBW’s report on Texas residential permitting activity for the month of May 2018.

Texas housing starts experienced a month-over-month dip in May having an approximate decrease of 8% since April. From the four major metro areas reviewed (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), there were more than 6,600 new residential construction permits with a total value of nearly $1.7B added to the HBW database last month.  Houston had the greatest total number of housing starts (2,619 permits), while Dallas ranked #1 for average value of construction at nearly $311k.

As for the Lone Star State’s top home builders, it should come as no surprise that mega-builder D.R. Horton continues to reign supreme in three out of four major areas (all metro areas except San Antonio), having close to 700 new residential construction permits added to the HBW database for the one-month period.  In San Antonio, there were 100+ active builders in the area for the month with Continental Homes of Texas taking top spot for total new permits.

The average value of new residential construction varied across the state with Dallas ranking on the higher end of the spectrum (average value: $310,998) and Houston ranking on the lower end with an average value of $215,089 for the month.

Here is closer look at the total housing starts, construction values, top counties and top builders by area for the month of May:

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Preparing for Hurricane Season

source: wikipedia

Just this week, the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially began (June 1st), and it is essential that you and your crews are prepared for severe weather conditions.

As we all know, hurricanes can devastate areas for months, even years.  According to a recent article published by Reuters, Houston is still rebuilding from Hurricane Harvey that came barreling in last summer.  In the year since Hurricane Harvey caused fatalities and an estimated $125 billion in property damage, there are still approximately 25,000 households that are displaced (source: FEMA), and nearly 80,000 homes that were impacted by a minimum of 18 inches of floodwater during the storm.

While areas that were impacted by such severe conditions still repair from last year, it is time for you and your company to be prepared for hurricanes that may be coming this season.  To start, it is important to have an evacuation plan in place, and FEMA has helpful tools and information for forming evacuation plans as well as measures to take if evacuation is not an option.

According to OSHA, a thorough evacuation plan includes:

  1. Definition and guide for conditions that will activate the plan.
  2. A clear chain of command and reporting procedure.
  3. Emergency measures, functions and the responsible individual or team that will perform them.
  4. Evacuation procedures including exits and routes to be taken.
  5. Procedures for reporting location, status and accounting for personnel, customers and visitors.
  6. Safety equipment for all personnel.

After you have set your evacuation and severe weather safety plans, it is important that all workers have access to supply kits and receive the proper training to know how to assess severe weather and follow the appropriate course of action.  To learn more about preparing supplies and setting up basic disaster supply kits, you can easily review the CDC’s Hurricane Preparedness supplies planning guide, as well as Ready.gov’s Basic Disaster Supplies Kit Checklist.

When training your crews and teams, you can run through emergency weather scenarios and exercises.  Such practice should include ensuring that all workers know what to do in case of an emergency.  Running through evacuation plans and providing a chance for employees to ask questions is something that you should make a regular part of your safety training and review.  Additionally, any revisions or improvements that are needed based on what you and your team learn from the exercises should be used for updating plans and procedures to remain current.

Whether it comes to safety or technical knowledge, an informed crew is a successful crew.  It doesn’t take much time to keep crews current on safety procedure, but it does require a significant amount of time to recover from not having a plan for extreme weather.  Be prepared and safe, and help your crews understand and know how important their safety is to you and your business.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Florida Swimming Pool Report – April 2018

An HBW review of new swimming pool construction permitting activity in Florida during the month of April 2018.

FL Pool Permits by Area – April 2018

In Florida, there were more than 2,060 swimming pool starts during the month of April.  Out of the five major regions reviewed (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Southeast, Southwest), the southwestern portion of the state ranked #1 for total pool starts (575 permits), while Tampa ranked highest for average value of new pool construction ($47,247).

Here is a closer look at new pool construction activity and leading pool builders by area last month:

Southwest Florida

As previously mentioned, the greatest total number of swimming pool starts took place in the southwestern region of Florida.  Last month, there were 575 new swimming pool permits with a total value in excess of $25M on file with HBW.  The average value of new construction in the area was $43,622, and more than 75% of all new permits originated from Lee and Collier counties.

Out of the 110 active builders in the area, the top three for total new permits on file are as follows:

#1 Aragon Pools & Spas
#2 Aquadoc Inc.
#3 Pinnacle USA

 

Southeast Florida

In the southeastern region of the Sunshine State, there were more than 430 pool starts with a total construction value in excess of $16.2M last month.  The average value of construction in the area was on the lower end of the spectrum at $37,709, and 70% of all new construction activity took place in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

Out of the 150+ active builders in the area last month, the top three for total new permits on file with HBW are as follows:

#1 Swimming Pool Contractors
#2 A & G Concrete Pools
#3 Champion Pools & Spas

 

Tampa

In Tampa, there were 410 pool starts with a total value of nearly $19.5M on file last month.  The average value of new pool construction was $47,247, and more than 60% of all new permitting activity took place in Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

Out of the approximately 115 active builders on file for the month, the top three for total new permits are as follows:

#1 Tampa Bay Pools Inc.
#2 Olympus Pools
#3 Challenger Pools

 

Orlando

In Orlando, there were nearly 400 new pool permits with a total construction value in excess of $17M added to the HBW database.  The average value of construction in the area was $43,381, and the highest concentration of new permits originated from Orange and Osceola counties.

Out of the 80+ active builders on file for the month, the top three for total new permits are as follows:

#1 All Seasons
#2 American Pools & Spas
#3 Bobs Pool Service Inc

 

Jacksonville

Last month, there were close to 250 pool starts with a total value in excess of $11M in the Jacksonville area.  The average value of construction was $45,532, and 65% of all new construction could be found in the counties of Duval and St. Johns.

Out of the 80+ active pool builders in the area, the top three for total new permits for the one-month period are as follows:

#1 Pools by John Clarkson
#2 Blue Haven Pools
#3 Surfside Pools & Spas

 

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Construction Expos – Planning for 2019

A list of construction industry expos and events taking place in early 2019.  Plan ahead and save the dates.

Earlier this year, we highlighted various industry expos and events to get on your calendar and plan ahead.  This week, we are looking even further ahead so that you can get a better jump start on your planning for early 2019.  If you have attended any events in the last few months, you probably have a better idea of what works and doesn’t work for your presence on the trade show floor, and by learning from this year, you have a chance to fine-tune your marketing efforts and budget to make the most of similar events in the future.

In continuation from our last post: “Construction Industry Events and Expos 2018”, here are few more conventions and expos to add to your list for review:

Building Innovation Conference & Expo – Washington, DC 

When: January 7-10, 2019

Where: Mandarin Oriental Hotel

The National Institute of Building Sciences Seventh Annual Conference and Expo (2019) is designed to explore strategies that are aimed at Optimizing for Tomorrow.  Last week, the Institute called for abstracts to present at Building Innovation 2019; click here for more on the process.

The International Surface Event – Las Vegas, NV

When: January 22-24, 2019

Where: Mandalay Bay Convention Center

TISE is made up of three world-class trade shows: SURFACES, StonExpo/Marmomac and Tile Expo events.  It is one of the most comprehensive events in the industry and features four days with 450,000 square feet of products, hands-on demos, industry trends, over 800 key manufacturers and industry suppliers, plus educational programming.

International Builders Show – Las Vegas, NV 

When: February 19-21, 2019

If you attended IBS this year, you already know that the next one is scheduled for early next year. The NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) is the largest annual light construction show in the world.  In 2018, the show welcomed 60k visitors representing 100 countries.

 NFB Frame Building Expo – Lousiville, KY 

When: March 6-8, 2019

Where: Kentucky International Convention Center

The National Frame Building Association’s (NFBA) Frame Building Expo is the premier event for post-frame professionals.  At the Frame Building Expo, everything you need to build your post-frame business is assembled under one roof.

RCI International Convention and Trade Show – Orlando, FL

When: March 14-19, 2019

Where: Rosen Shingle Creek Resort

RCI’s premier annual event features over 25 hours of educational seminars, live product demonstrations, and a two‐day trade show with over 140 exhibitors.  There are plenty of opportunities to meet with members, discover new developments in building envelope technology, and earn a full year’s worth of continuing education credit.  The 2018 event featured over 1,600 attendees.

Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGY & CONSTRUCTION SOLUTIONS EXPO – Denver, CO 

When: April 2-4, 2019

Where: Colorado Convention Center

Join more than 200 exhibitors and 2,500 attendees from across the construction industry for the 2019 AGC Equipment,Technology & Construction Solutions Expo that will be held in conjunction with the 100th Annual 2019 AGC Annual Convention.

 INTEX Expo – National Harbor, MD 

When: April 25-26, 2019

Where: Gaylord National Harbor Resort & Convention Center

INTEX Expo is the largest trade show specifically catering to the wall and ceiling industry. All market segments are represented including but not limited to: drywall, ceilings and acoustics, lath and metal framing, plaster, EIFS, insulation, software.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Florida’s Top Home Builders – April 2018

HBW’s report on new residential construction permits in Florida for the month of April 2018.

Last month, there were just over 6,600 housing starts with a total construction value of nearly $1.8B added to the HBW database for Florida.  Out of the five major regions reviewed (Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Southeast, Southwest), Tampa ranked #1 for total housing starts (1,562 permits), while Orlando moved to the top of the charts for average construction value at $307,929.

When looking at the top home builders, statewide there were the usual mega builders topping the charts including Lennar Homes, D.R. Horton and Pulte Homes.  Lennar Homes actually took top spot in four out of five areas reviewed, having the greatest total number of housing starts for the one-month period.

Here is a closer look at top home builders by area:

Tampa

As previously mentioned, Tampa ranked #1 for total housing starts having 1,562 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $424M on file for the month.  The highest concentration of new permitting activity took place in Hillsborough County, and out of the 210 active builders in the area, Lennar Homes ranked #1 for total starts.  The top five builders in Tampa for the month are as follows:

Builder Total Permits Average Value
Lennar Homes 219 $297,243
D.R. Horton 185 $193,447
Highland Homes 76 $200,305
The Villages of Lake Sumter 74 $289,259
Pulte Homes 66 $250,970

 

Southwest Florida

The southwestern region of Florida ranked a close second for the month having nearly 1,550 housing starts with a total construction value just over $396M.  Just about half of all new construction originated from the counties of Lee and Manatee, and out of the 245 active builders on file, Lennar Homes ranked #1 for total permits for the one-month period.  The top five builders for the month are as follows:

Builder Total Permits Average Value
Lennar Homes 218 $234,086
Pulte Homes 183 $238,034
D.R. Horton 174 $213,542
Taylor Morrison 129 $283,942
Neal Communities 110 $170,181

 

Orlando

Last month, Orlando ranked third for total housing starts having 1,358 new residential construction permits with a total value in excess of $418M on file for the month.  The Central Florida county with the highest concentration of new construction activity was Orange County (563 permits), and out of the 180 active builders in the area, Lennar Homes ranked #1 for total starts.  The top five Orlando home builders for the month are as follows:

Builder Total Permits Average Value
Lennar Homes 201 $177,518
D.R. Horton 166 $273,890
Pulte Homes 69 $354,030
Taylor Morrison 67 $411,331
Meritage Homes 51 $393,538

 

Jacksonville

In Jacksonville, there were 1,262 housing starts with a total value of nearly $288.5M last month.  The majority of new construction (876 permits) originated from St. Johns and Duval County, and out of the 155 active builders in the area, D.R. Horton topped the charts for total housing starts on file for the one-month period.  The top five Jacksonville home builders last month are as follows:

Builder Total Permits Average Value
D.R. Horton 269 $152,830
Lennar Homes 87 $256,840
Dream Finders Construction 85 $223,214
KB Homes 84 $140,103
American Classic Homes 82 $81,671

 

Southeast Florida

In the southeastern region of Florida, there were 870 housing starts with a total value of more than $266M last month.  The county that experienced the greatest number of housing starts was St. Lucie (229 permits), and out of the 215 active builders on file for the month, Lennar Homes ranked #1 for total new residential construction permits.  The top five builders in the southeastern region of Florida last month are as follows:

Builder Total Permits Average Value
Lennar Homes 105  $ 256,532
G L Homes 76  $ 405,153
D.R. Horton 65  $ 212,006
Pulte Homes 36  $ 319,527
Holiday Builders 34  $ 243,651

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Texas Top Swimming Pool Builders – April 2018

HBW’s monthly review of pool builders and permitting activity in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.

Last month, there were more than 750 pools starts with a total construction value of nearly $38.5M added to the HBW database for Texas.  Out of the four major metro areas reviewed, Dallas had the highest concentration of new permits (336 permits), while Austin had the highest average value of construction (~$60k).  Here is a closer look at the construction activity by area and the pool builders leading the way:

Dallas

As previously mentioned, the highest concentration of new pool construction originated from Dallas where there were 336 new permits with a total construction value of nearly $15.4M.  The average value of construction was $45,823, and the county with the highest level of pool starts was Tarrant (103 permits).

Out of the 135 active builders on file for the month, the top five for the highest total number of permits are as follows:

#1 – Riverbend Pools

#2 – Claffey Pools

#3 – Puryear Custom Pools

#4 – Premier Pools

#5 – Venture Custom Pools

 

Houston

Houston ranked second highest for new pool construction last month having just about 260 pool starts with a total value in excess of $14M.  The average value of construction was just below $55k, and more than half of all new pool starts took place in Harris County (153 permits).

Out of the 140 active builders in the area for the month, the top five for total permits are as follows:

#1 – Premier Pools

#2 – Cypress Custom Pools

#3 – McKinney Custom Pools

#4 – Preferred Pools

#5 – Anthony & Sylvan Pools

 

Austin

While Austin had the greatest average value of new pool construction (~$60k), it came in third for total pool starts having 84 permits with a total value in excess of $5M added to the HBW database last month.  The majority of new construction took place in Travis County (67 permits), and out of the approximately fifty active pool builders for the month, the top five for total permits are as follows:

#1 – Cody Pools

#2 – Anthony & Sylvan Pools

#3 – Innovative Pools & Spas

#4 – Athena Pools LLC

#5 – Aquatech Inc.

 

San Antonio

In San Antonio, there were 76 pools starts with a total construction value of $3.8M last month.  Nearly all new construction took place in Bexar County (67 permits), and the average value of construction throughout San Antonio came in just above $50k.

Out of the nearly 25 active pool builders for the one-month period, the top five for total new permits are as follows:

#1 – Keith Zars Pools

#2 – Pool Concepts by Pete Ordaz

#3 – Blue Haven Pools

#4 – Gary Pools

#5 – Cody Pools

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Texas Residential Construction Review – April 2018

From top builders to hot spots for new home construction, here is HBW’s residential construction review based on permit data on file for the month of April 2018.

Texas Residential Construction Permits – April 2018

Across the Lone Star State (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio), there were nearly 7,200 housing starts with a total construction value in excess of $1.7B added to the HBW database last month.  Out of the four major metro areas reviewed, Houston topped the chart with the greatest total number of starts (3,361 permits), while Dallas continued to lead for the highest average value of construction ($305,302).  Out of the hundreds of active builders throughout the state, D.R. Horton continued its reign as top builder leading for total permits in three out of four metro areas.  Here is a closer look at new residential construction by area for the month of April:

Houston

As previously mentioned, and as per usual, Houston continues to kick out the greatest volume of new residential construction each month.  Last month, there were more than 3,360 housing starts on file with a total value in excess of $675M.  More than half of all new construction took place in Harris County (1,686 permits), and out of the more than 330 active builders in the area, D.R. Horton ranked #1 for total housing starts (341 permits).  Perry Homes (188 permits) and Lennar Homes (160 permits) ranked second and third respectively.

Dallas

In Dallas, there were approximately 1,990 housing starts and a total construction value of nearly $608M last month with the greatest concentration of new residential construction taking place in Collin County (584 permits).  Out of the 260 active builders on file for the month, D.R. Horton led construction in the area having 259 new permits on file; Lennar Homes (89 permits) and First Texas Homes (70 permits) followed in second and third for total new permits.

Austin

Austin ranked third highest for total housing starts last month having 1,157 new permits and more than $288M in construction value on file.  More than half of all new permitting activity originated from Travis County (658 permits), and out of the 120 active builders in the area, D.R. Horton led new construction activity with approximately 200 housing starts for the one-month period.  KB Homes (96 permits) and Pulte Homes (80 permits) ranked second and third for new residential construction activity.

San Antonio

Last month, there were nearly 670 housing starts with a total construction value nearing $140M in San Antonio. More than half of all new construction took place in Bexar County (379 permits), and out of the approximately 110 active builders on file, Continental Homes of Texas took top spot with 104 housing starts for the one-month period.  KB Homes and Lennar Homes followed in second and third with fifty-five and thirty-four permits respectively.

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Ways to Beat the Heat

With summertime comes summer heat, and there is no time like the present to prepare your crews for proper safety on the job site during the hottest months of the year.

Summer time temperatures are beginning to creep up on us, and before you know it, crews will be working in high and often dangerous temperatures.  For this reason, it is important to refresh your team on heat safety and get heat and preventative measures on their radar.

According to OSHA, every year dozens of workers die and thousands more become ill while working in extreme heat or humid conditions. Moreover, 40%+ of heat-related worker deaths occur in the construction industry, and conditions are not just limited to dehydration; there are a variety of heat illnesses and they can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical condition.

Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards, and extreme heat is considered a significant hazard.   In order to educate employers and the public, OSHA runs a campaign (Water.Rest.Shade) with the intention of keeping more workers safe under high heat conditions.  An employer should establish a complete heat illness prevention program that includes but is not limited to:

  • Providing workers with Water, Rest and Shade.
  • Having a plan for new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they adjust or build their tolerance for working in high heat conditions.
  • Planning ahead for heat related illnesses, injuries and emergencies; making sure all team members are equally and properly trained to handle potential scenarios.
  • Have the site supervisor monitor workers for signs of heat related issues or illnesses.

To monitor the most common of symptoms for serious heat related illnesses, OSHA created a simple go-to reference guide covering symptoms and first aid measures that should be taken if a worker shows signs of a heat-related illness.  The full chart can be found by visiting their list of symptoms here.

While recognizing symptoms can be life-saving in certain situations, prevention is the best way to stay ahead of heat stroke and other illnesses.  The most direct way to do this is simple: Keep the work environment cooler.  Depending on the location of your workers, you may be able to incorporate only a few of the preventative measures, but every effort counts.  OSHA lists a variety of engineering controls that can reduce workers’ exposure to heat, and they are as follows:

  • Air conditioning (such as air-conditioned crane or construction equipment cabs, air conditioning in break rooms).
  • Increased general ventilation.
  • Cooling fans.
  • Local exhaust ventilation at points of high heat production or moisture (such as exhaust hoods in laundry rooms).
  • Reflective shields to redirect radiant heat.
  • Insulation of hot surfaces (such as furnace walls).
  • Elimination of steam leaks.

In addition to keeping the environment and conditions as cool as possible, employers should have a clear emergency plan in place, as well as ensure that drinking water is always replenished and close to the work area.  Employers may also want to consider rotating work/rest cycles with crews and scheduling heavier outdoor work for cooler times of the day (morning).  Individual team members can also rotate job functions and alternate their jobs to minimize over exposure to high heat conditions on any one individual.  As with any safety plan, first aid practices should be clearly understood and demonstrated by your team, and all personal protective equipment (coolmax clothing, wide brim hats, sunblock, etc.) should be required and provided by the employer.

With proper preparation and training, your crews can and should stay safe and hydrated on the job.  By showing your team that you are putting their health and safety first, you are not only fulfilling a legal obligation – You are showing your employees that you care about their well-being and are actively working to provide them with a safe and secure workplace.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog.  To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Atlanta Swimming Pools Quarterly Report: Q1-2018

When you think of Atlanta homes, chances are that you do not think of homes with swimming pools.  In fact, according to Georgia Home Digest, “the most rare item in all of Georgia is a home with a swimming pool.”  That being stated, there is still some demand for swimming pools in the Metro Atlanta area, and HBW maintains a watchful eye on the latest permitting activity.

In the first quarter of this year, new swimming pool construction is off to a slower start in Atlanta.  With 418 pool starts, the Atlanta area has experienced a 4% year-over-year decrease in new pool permitting activity.  That being stated, the winter months are not the high season for swimming pool construction in Atlanta, so there is still plenty of time for pool builders to catch up and even surpass last year’s figures.

From a countywide perspective, Fulton took the lead for total starts.  With just over 100 swimming pool starts since the beginning of the year, Fulton County is already ahead of 2017 by 7%.  Other Atlanta areas/counties that are seeing higher levels of new pool construction include: Cobb County (56 permits, -2%), Gwinnett County (43 permits, +2%) and Cherokee County (42 permits, +2%).

Over the last five years, the Metro Atlanta area has experienced incremental and consistent increases in new pool construction, and while first quarter figures can provide clear data on construction activity at the start of the year, it is a finite view and not necessarily indicative of construction permit data to come.  HBW continuously monitors and collects data on the latest permitting activity, and with weekly construction and swimming pool permit reports readily available, new in-ground swimming pool construction patterns and trends will be identified and explored in future reviews and posts.

To gain more information on the builders, homeowners and permits for the construction activity above, check out HBW for your copy of the latest construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.