Hey! What’s All the Racket?

Young boy plays on drum kit at home. Elderly man irritated by noisy neighbor, screams, knocks on the wall. Low level of sound insulation. Apartments separated by thin wall.

We may take this for granted, but we all experience reality through our five senses, not the least of which is our sense of hearing.

Growing Experience Gap

Recently my company held what we call our margin verification review meetings to look at some of the most pressing issues at projects at our core offices.

Winners Galore

I may be a bit biased since I manage AWCI’s awards program, but I also know the people involved, from the judges to the winners. This year we presented our most prestigious award, the Pinnacle Award, to John Hinson of Marek in Texas.

Construction Trends: May 2024

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule clarifying the rights of employees to authorize a representative to accompany an Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance officer during an inspection of their workplace

Labor: The Cloudy Component

white, yellow and blue hard safety helmet hat for safety project of workman as engineer or worker, on concrete floor on city.

I’m never at a loss for words when describing the difficulties confronting my estimating contemporaries in their daily endeavors.

Clever Comebacks

Contractor speaking into a two-way radio with a sarcastic grin.

Expectations run high in construction, and so clashes with the GC and other trades are inevitable. But fear not, for wit and wisdom are your secret weapons. From playful sports analogies to T-shirt-worthy quips, mastering the art of the comeback can turn tense moments into triumphs of communication.

How Thick Is 20 Gauge Steel Framing?

A room containing steel framing.

This is a relatively simple question with a complex answer. I am currently planning an AWCI technical document that will go more in depth to assist architects and engineers with properly specifying steel framing thickness, but the short answer is to avoid the use of the term “gauge” or “gage” to refer to steel framing thickness, and instead specify a decimal thickness or a minimum level of performance.

Ceiling Systems

ATAS has expanded its product offering for ceiling applications. The panels in the new Lineair series can be microperforated with or without factory applied Soundtex insulation for acoustical purposes. All products in the Lineair Ceiling series are manufactured in over 40 stock 70% PVDF colors, with custom colors and finishes available.