Category: Interesting Information

The building and construction environment in Colorado

Posted on February 26, 2018February 22, 2018 by canamsteel

2018 is expected to be excited, considering the news and the anticipated trends in Colorado`s construction industry.

Specialists consider that residential and commercial trends will be impacted differently this year.

Commercial construction will be focused on multifamily (the prices will be pushed down by cap rates that are expected to rise), retail (some of the older retail sites will start to be redeveloped) and office (offices will become smaller and with more common areas, considering that there is an increasing number of remote workers).

On the other hand, when we talk about residential construction in Colorado, we must differentiate the three markets:

• First, there is the Front Range, situated in Denver-Boulder area. The prices for houses less than $500,000 will continue to increase here, while the more expensive properties will appreciate slower. This reality, combined with rising interest rates, tax policies and mortgages will keep many buyers on stand-by.
• Homes in the mountain communities remain popular, but there is a lack of buildable land here, which translates into high building costs in this area. Although there is great pricing on CanAm buildings to increase your investment.
• Home building in Colorado`s rural areas is expected to stagnate.

Naturally, these predictions may change as we advance in 2018, but there is an overall economic optimism in Colorado that will keep driving the construction market.

 

Good questions to ask a contracting job applicant

Posted on February 22, 2018February 13, 2018 by canamsteel

The structure of a job interview is very important, as we are talking about a direct contact with a contracting job applicant, during which we must get as much relevant information as possible to help us decide whether we are going to hire that person or not. Besides the questions specific to each job, for instance the hiring of a salesman selling metal buildings for sale nationwide versus a realtor selling a home, the questions would be different, here are some general questions that employers should address during a recruitment interview:

What can you tell me about you?

Surely, you will say there is no easier question than this. It is interesting, however, that many candidates are not able to use it in their favor and lose simply because they rush to say non-relevant things, sometimes even trivial. A job interview is a rather short occasion for a job applicant to gain the employer’s attention, and this must be attempted right from the first sentences.

What are the biggest successes in your career?

The answer to this question is expected to be clear and concise, supported by extracts from the applicant’s CV.

What are the biggest failures in your career?

Nothing compares to a candidate who can accept the idea of ​​being vulnerable to an interviewer, who has the courage to reveal his/ her weak points and failures, while proving at the same time that no failure has occurred in vain. A candidate who can prove that he/ she has learned valuable lessons even from failures, deserves attention.

Why should I hire you?

Here, job applicants are expected to start selling themselves! However, adjectives are not enough. Ask to support their affirmations and arguments with verifiable data that can be turned into money and non-financial results.

 

Qualities That Make A Good Construction Employee

Posted on February 20, 2018February 22, 2018 by canamsteel

You cannot achieve a quality construction project without good employees. Some people think that working as a construction employee is something banal, but this is not true. In order to be a good construction worker, a person has to meet certain conditions.

First, it is important to have a good health. Jobs in construction are often very demanding, sometimes they involve working outdoors and with all sort of materials and substances, which is why workers must have a good physical capacity.  They have to be knowledgeable and be able to follow specifications, sometimes there is a need to determine the setup of a pre-engineered CanAm steel building, or other types of prefabricated units that require reading and understanding skills, working with blue prints.

They also need to have good stress resistance, because they will surely encounter, many times, lots of stressful situations on a construction site, that require a strong mental balance and self-possession.

At the same time, it is extremely important to be a serious worker, which means to act professionally, work with dedication and attention to details, always be on time etc. Your superior must be able to rely on you in any situation related to your professional duties.

There are also people who cannot be categorized as good construction employees; unfortunately, we all know that there are workers who are interested only in getting their monthly payment, with no real concern to provide quality services; they usually work superficially, just to finish faster, and often lack a proper behavior.

 

Safety Recommendations in Any Work Place Environment

Posted on February 15, 2018February 7, 2018 by canamsteel

Employees are a very important resource of a company, because they are the ones who can deliver the most credible messages about its level of professionalism.

Regardless of their field of activity, employees have the right to work in a safe environment that does not endanger their health or integrity; on the other hand, employers have the obligation to provide optimal conditions, which vary according to the specific of each activity.  In fact, the manufacturers of pre-fabricated buildings say that the metal building prices are extremely affordable in today’s economy and can provide a safe environment for your employees to work.

The general rules of the employment protection legislation include details about the prevention of work accidents and diseases, as well as the general directions for their application. They aim at eliminating or keeping at the minimum the risk factors of accident and / or work diseases.

These rules apply to all sectors of activity, both public and private (industrial, agricultural, commercial, administrative, services, educational, cultural, recreational etc.). General rules of labor protection apply to all individuals who perform work activities as provided by law and must be reviewed and modified periodically, according to the legislative changes and technical progresses.

The legal provisions can be detailed by activities or by distinct groups of activities, within the specific labor safety rules and instructions. Employers are legally required to develop safety instructions specific to their own companies, aimed at detailing and customizing the general rules, standards and other regulations in the field.

How Do You Set Up a Home Office and Save Some Space?

Posted on February 13, 2018February 7, 2018 by canamsteel

The fact is that many people must work from home, and, naturally, they need a desk and a little corner of the house to call a workplace; however, if their home is not large enough, it will be difficult for them to create such a place. The living room is already crowded, the kitchen is not a good place for a desk… working on a couch or even on the bed is not comfortable at all, not to mention that it does not maintain concentration. So, what is the solution?

Luckily, there are many ingenious solutions for this situation. One of them would be incorporating the desk into a closet. It is a great idea because the office can be easily hidden when you have guests and you can store the things and accessories that you need for your work on the free shelves.

If you have a home with an atypical shape, then turn a niche in a wall into a small desk and complete it with a few shelves. You can also think about using an old little cabinet on wheels. Recondition it and turn it into a mobile desk that you can place anywhere in the house.  If you own land maybe think about adding a climate controlled building, the steel building prices for manufactured buildings are great right now, and offer a perfect solution if you have room to build.

Additionally, if you have an unused storage closet, you can give it a second chance and turn it into a working area, but do not forget to illuminate it properly.

 

Design Trends in Modern Constructions

Posted on February 9, 2018February 22, 2018 by canamsteel

Buildings today do not look like those of a few decades ago.  From building materials, to interior and exterior design, residential and commercial buildings have changed significantly – and specialists in the field are not the only ones able to notice this reality. The CanAm buildings have a new and innovative design that make them very attractive to builders.  If we look at what is happening today in modern architecture, we can see a series of trends that will certainly continue to evolve, crystallize and define the characteristics of what we call “the house of the future”.

• Environmentally friendly buildings

An “environmentally friendly” home does not necessarily mean a building made from organic materials. The concept defines homes that consume fewer natural resources and pollute as little as possible.

• Eco-houses able to protect our health

Wood, stone, as well as other modern, antiallergenic materials, able to keep away mites and bacteria, are increasingly popular among people who are looking for new homes.

• Integrating a house into the natural environment

Human communion with nature is a concept that began to lose its meaning in the industrial age, but it seems to regain its value today. Instinctively, we tend to prefer a house that harmonizes its design, colors and shapes with the natural environment, because it is created to reduce the boundaries to nature, providing the feeling of comfort and integration.

Good Practices In Building Construction – The Attributions Of The Safety And Security Coordinator

Posted on February 7, 2018 by canamsteel

When more contractors, or a contractor and more subcontractors participate in a building project, the beneficiary and / or the project manager should designate a safety and security coordinator, throughout the entire period of the project, in order to ensure proper working conditions and compliance with health, safety and environment construction requirements.

This person has the obligation to take part in all the phases of the project elaboration, defining the safety and security aspects of the work that must be included, aiming to implement these measures in each stage of the work.

In order to carry out their duties, safety and security coordinators must attend all the meetings related to project elaboration and realization, ensuring that HSE construction requirements are respected every step of the way. The people at CanAm Steel Building Corporation believe in safety first at every level.  According to legal provisions, they must ask the project manager and the contractor all the documentation needed for the development of an efficient safety and security plan, such as:

 

• the stages of the work
• the technological process
• the organizational chart
• the equipment
• risk assessment etc.

Safety and security coordinators must report in a special register all the events taking place on the site (incidents, damages, disciplinary deviations with consequences related to health and safety at work, the occurrence of serious and imminent threats, results of inspections etc.), followed by the decisions taken to improve the situation. The register must be updated whenever a new event occurs.

 

The Colorado job market outlook

Posted on January 31, 2018January 17, 2018 by canamsteel

In the last few years, the population of Colorado increased with about 10% per year, which made the job market very dynamic. People are relocating to this state precisely due to the good job opportunities, educational programs and living standards.  Quality metal buildings for sale have become highly desired, and so has the need to manufacture them.

The Department of Labor and Employment estimates that the annual employment rate will grow constantly, with a few percent over the next decade. Most new jobs are in constructions, and this industry is expected to keep expanding, going hand in hand with the population growth.

Another industry that advances quickly, over the short and the long run, is the professional and business services; in some subsectors, employment doubled during the last decade and will keep growing.

Education and health services will continue to gain new jobs, just like general merchandise stores recreation and restaurants.

The industries that are not performing so well include the natural resources and mining, which fell more than 8% last year, as well as farming. Weaker foreign demand and high housing costs are the factors that weight down on Colorado`s economic growth, but are unlikely to weaken it significantly.

The labor market is currently very tight and employers are forced to offer better financial advantages. Consequently, even if the economy is solid, the pace of job growth is slowed down.

Pointers for finding a job in manufacturing

Posted on January 26, 2018January 17, 2018 by canamsteel

The manufacturing industry used to be formed by a vast system of assembly lines creating various products, but technological advancements forced it to specialize in producing only goods that cannot be built otherwise. Consequently, the jobs in this industry are currently significantly fewer than in the past. However, the good news refers to a shortage of skilled and reliable workers, so the manufacturing companies are on a constant look to recruit.

If you are looking for a job as a qualified worker in the manufacturing industry, know that you must complete a form of vocational training and get an associate’s certification. This may take a few years to acquire.  Although, college is seen as a rather exclusive path to a decent lifestyle these days, the truth is that you do not have to go to college to be able to have a good salary; becoming qualified in the manufacturing industry can help you earn your own money by the time you are 21.  This has proven true for industries such as metal, the metal building prices are affordable now more than in years past, because of qualified labor.

Here are some of the current requirements for prospective candidates: passing a drug test, having good math and English capabilities, the ability to use computerized equipment and good communication skills. Besides all these, prospective candidates must prove dependability.

 

 

 

Hiring tips for manufacturing companies

Posted on January 22, 2018January 17, 2018 by canamsteel

Manufacturing jobs tend to lost more and more to automation and, as a result, innovation, productivity and quality suffer in this field. Manufacturing companies encounter many difficulties in recruiting good workers, especially if they are looking for experienced personnel.

A good production worker must have a general level of education, practical skills and particular abilities, such as concentration in doing repetitive tasks, efficient working method, following instructions etc.  The experts at CanAm Steel Corporation are great at achieving these results.

If you want to find such people for your company, here are some tips.

• Contact local high schools and colleges and create partnerships with them. This way, you can host students in internships, grow their skills and motivate them to work for you once they finish school
• Build a good profile for your company on relevant online career sites. We live in the era of the internet and you should always consider taking advantage of the online resources, if you want to find good employees in a hyper-competitive market. Make sure that potential candidates can find you easily, read a comprehensive and motivational overview of your business and understand the benefits of joining it. These details may set you apart from your competitors.
• Online resources include social media, so make sure to create engaging recruitment posts and share them to as many people as possible.
• Not least, you should consider being competitive when it comes to payment and benefits.