Author Archives: Kevin

The do’s and don’ts before auctioning heavy equipment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

It has always been a challenge to heavy equipment owners when it comes to auction their heavy equipment. The main reasons for this could be not maintaining the equipments and keeping it in a state where it may catch rust. The rust on the machine slowly and steadily eats away a good portion of the machine and one fine day, the owner realizes that the machine requires immediate attention of a mechanic. The result of this is that the owner then has to shell good deal of money on getting the rusted part repaired and if there is any harm caused to the vital part of the machine, then it may become all the more expensive for him.

As a result of this entire episode, the owner is also setting a price tag which is most possibly high on the scale. This means that the owner will want to fetch a good price for the machine if ever he/she wants to put it on auction. There are few important pointers that an owner might want to consider before he/she decides to auction the equipment.

Decide the price of the equipment:-

An owner may want to consider the price of the equipment after taking few things into deliberation. For instance, the overall life of the equipment and how many years will it perform with the same pace. The wear and tear on the equipment is another crucial factor that the current owner may want to consider. Also, if the equipment has met with any past accidents and which part of the machine has been recently replaced. After taking into account all these factors, the owner should decide the price of the stuff.

Always check the price of the item getting sold by other competitors:-

This is another important thing that the seller just can’t avoid to ignore. He/she needs to keep a keen check on the price of item getting sold by other competitors. He/she may underestimate the price of his item and therefore he needs to know at what price other competitors are selling the same item. Also, he/she needs to check their configuration. He/she just can’t afford to compare apples with oranges. At times, the seller may also overestimate the price of his product. This comparison check will help him/her to keep his feet grounded and list the item on auction with the correct price tag.

Check the venue of auctioning and if proper advertisement has been done to gather potential buyers:- 

While preparing the format of the auction, it’s very important to mention the venue of the auction very clearly in the advertisement. Alternatively, one also has to see that the advertisement is made in some reputed newspaper, internet, and publication with good circulation. This will allow more exposure to the item and a good number of people may turnout for the auction. Ideally, such auctions happen in a fete which is exclusively meant for such work. The seller only needs to book a place for himself in that fete. He will find potential prospects turning in for the auction.

Related articles across the web

One must keep in mind before leasing out heavy equipment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

We usually get to see companies looking for sellers or leasers who are will to sell or lease their heavy equipment but they very rarely find givers in the market. At the same time, there are many people who have heavy equipment in their possession that are lying idle as they are out of projects or because they simply do not have any use of those equipment. What ironical is that they just like to keep the equipment with them instead of leasing them out to prospective takers. They often have the fear that the buyers/takers will make extreme rough use without taking proper care of the equipment. This will result in early wear and tear of the machine and they have to eventually sell it off as scrap.

In order to counter the fear of theirs, we would be focusing on few pointers that will protect the interest of the leasers and also help them to make some money.

Make your terms crystal clear in the advertisement:-

Setting up your expectation is the first thing you must do before you let out your machine to anybody. If you want them to use your machine in a particular way, then it has to be in that way and no other way or else, the person using it will be liable to pay you for the damages as well. You also have to be very specific with your terms. There should not be any scope for ambiguity and your terms should be crystal clear to the reader. If you still get calls from people, it means that they have read and understood your terms and are ready to accept it. In case, you want to pass this message to them verbally, you can talk out to them while you meet them for the deal. This will give you a message to them that you do care for your machine and if they do not comply by your terms, they will have to face the music.

The rental part should be agreed on by both the parties:-

You should know how much you can expect as rent on a monthly basis. The amount should be mentioned very clearly in the contract. If you are ready for any sort of negotiations then that also should be mentioned in it. However, if you want to stick to the price you have decided then that should be it. You can state that people willing to take the equipment on lease should have no problem with the rental amount. They may check the item and if they find it to be appropriate then make no negotiation with the rent as that will not be acceptable.

These clear messages from your end will not give the prospects any second chance to think and will be left with 2 options. If they like the stuff, then take it or else leave it. Making an agreement is very important in these cases where the period should also be clearly mentioned.

Related articles across the web

Becoming A Successful Entrepreneur Lies In Your Ability To Learn New Things

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

The word business sounds to be so lucrative to our ear which is why we all want to own a business. There we will not have any anybody to give orders to us and can do things as it pleases us. If at all, we need to leave a bit early, we have the privilege to do that and do not have to answer anybody for that. Overall, it may give you a sense of freedom, a fresh air to breathe and live life on your own terms. Well, all this sounds so good to hear but does it happen the same way in our practical lives? Well, that is a big serious question which probably a businessman or an entrepreneur may be able to answer. If we give a thought to the fact on how easy it is to run a business, we may find ourselves thinking for hours; because it is not at all easy to run a business. A businessman before starting up a business has to deal with many things and also has to sacrifice a lot of things which he wouldn’t have to do in case he had done a normal day job.

Most importantly, he has to keep himself present to new challenges and to learn to overcome them without hurting his finances. Alternatively, just learning about his business may not be enough but he also has to know a bit of the laws of the land. In order to start a business, one needs to know the government policies of the place and what are the procedures he needs complete to procure a license. Also knowing the time it may take for him to get the license plays mighty role in his business. Thus, he needs to keep himself abreast with few things inside the business as well as outside that will keep him going all the time.

Have a role model:-  Having a role model always helps in difficult times. You might want to make a distinguished person as your role model who is your favorite. A person to whom you respect for his work and also for the kind of attitude he has towards his work. Keeping him as your role model will help you remain motivated as you may feel that if he didn’t give up in a bad situation, so won’t you. You may just stick to your basics and work harder to get through it.

Always keep yourself open to learn new things:-  This attribute is essential in almost all the industry. Employers are always in hunt of employees who know the in and out of their domain. In order to know everything about your line of work, you have to keep yourself open to learn every new thing that comes in your way. For an entrepreneur, it becomes all the more important to keep himself abreast with any small update that concerns his business. He just can’t let them go away or it might prove fatal to his business.

Top heavy equipment repairs questions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Undoubtedly, heavy equipment are the toughest machines and they do not wear off so easily. But they are also prone to issues that often crop up due to negligence on the part of the user. Firstly, we need to understand why any of the issues crop up in the first place and then how do we correct them. Heavy equipment unlike any other equipment are put to extreme difficult tasks and are also expected to do the work without causing any damage. On top of that, heavy work pressure and delivering the work in time becomes the most primary reasons why the owners of heavy equipment skip to give the machines for maintenance.  They feel that the machines is working fine which means that everything inside it is in order and the maintenance work can be postponed for few more days. What they usually miss is that the heavy equipment has gone through enough stress and will perhaps continue to do so before it is serviced, that will indeed take a toll on the machine. It is only when the machine starts developing some or the other problems that the owner realizes that he should get the machine checked by a mechanic.

Other than this, when the current owner lease the machine to another person, he does not instruct the new person categorically to maintain the machine at regular intervals. This becomes quite nasty for the equipment. The new user uses the machine according to his whims and fancies and therefore develops some issues in the machine. If the user is done with his project, he keeps the machine idle without trying to know if it has some internal damage and if he should be showing it to the mechanic or needs some minor repair work. It becomes the duty of the owner to say it very upfront to the user to get the equipment serviced from a good mechanic, to change the engine oil at regular intervals and if ever he feels that there is any problem with the machine or he has got any part of the machine damaged while working, then to get it fixed in no time.

Other than that, for people who wants to know what to do when the machine fails to operate in the way it used to, the best option is to join a forum where they can ask questions related to the repair of the machine. Heavy equipment can have lot of problems and it is inevitable to operate the heavy equipment for years with no problems keeping in mind the nature of work it has to do. Problems such as engine not starting during cold weathers are the most common questions that can be found in the forum. Some even ask about the viscosity level in the oil. Other top questions can be where to get the excavator repaired in Wisconsin or for that matter in some other states? How often should one maintain his machine? Questions like should one replace the faulty part of a machine with a new one and from where should he be buying them from are the top most questions that one would like to ask.

Related articles across the web

Rain affects the construction project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Rains ideally brings cheers on our faces but when it comes to the construction industry it may not always be the same case. When the workers are laying the foundation of a building, rains can be a boon. The rain water supplements for the cost of water that is required to put on the foundation slab. A construction company can save a lot when it is in the foundation phase but when the building is been given a shape and it starts raining, the entire work comes to a standstill. The builders can incur huge loses if it continues to rain for days. There are lot of places in US where the rainfall in heavy and the construction sector in these places take a backseat in such weather conditions. Many construction companies do not want to take any projects during the beginning of the monsoon as they have experienced good deal of problems due to heavy rains.

It hugely impacts the digging operation:-

For construction houses who have taken a new project at the beginning of the monsoon face tremendous issues to dig the foundation. If they start the digging process and it rains heavily, the entire place gets filled with water and then they have to take extra pain to pump the water out. In order to pump the water out, they need specialized equipments that are capable in pumping the water. This ideally cost them a fortune and many construction companies do not want to get into the hassle of digging the construction site during the monsoon. They would rather wait for the weather to change and then begin the work.

Can’t complete the project in time:-

Rain can play a huge role in spoiling the goodwill you have maintained over the years of completing the project in time. If the weather is not good, you have no other option than to wait till it clears off. You just can’t take any kind of risk and begin working. If it starts raining, you are left with no other alternative than to stop the work. Therefore, it is imperative that you either take the job at the time that you feel is appropriate and you can kick start the work from the word “GO” or if you feel the monsoon is going to be a spoiler, then you better inform the people involved that there may be some delays before you hand over the work to them.

Problem in transporting materials to the construction site:-

Heavy rains can disgust you when you are in dire need of construction materials to be transported to the construction site. Due to water clogging, vehicles carrying the construction materials will get stuck and can only move once the water level recedes. If the materials are coming from a far-fetched place and it gets stuck due to water jam then you have to pay your workers for doing nothing.

Speeding up of work can lead to a decline in the quality of work:-

Since the rains have delayed your work and you are running behind schedule, you will be hurrying things. This may lead to compromising the quality of work. If the quality is compromised, there are higher chances that you may not get any business from the same person.

Small construction companies should deploy used heavy equipment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

It is quite difficult to start up a new business and especially when someone tries to establish his business in the construction arena, it becomes all the more difficult for him. Firstly, there are many big players who have ruled the market for years and on top of that, there are many small companies who take the business that the big companies are not interested in. Now, when they see someone new coming in, they feel more uncomfortable and may try to put hurdles in your way. This is something that happens in every business but as far as the construction industry is concerned, this sort of stuff happens more often than ever. If someone is brave enough to take up this challenge, there is something harder waiting. They may have a hard time deciding if they should go for brand new heavy equipment or they should content themselves with used machines. Getting a brand new machine is no joke as it will cost thousands of dollars to buy one, may have to borrow the money.

This may really sound scary because if you lose paying up the due in time, they may impose a penalty on your loan amount which will make it a bigger sum. Just in case, you default in making payments too often, it will not only damage your credit score but you may also lose your hold over the equipment. In totality, you may have to completely shut down your business. Now, there is something simpler. Big construction companies do not tend use a machine for many years and they usually sell it off to small companies at a lower price. All you need to do is try to establish a contact with such big houses and try to buy the machine at dirt cheap price.

The above option may have some limitations. First, you have to buy anything that they are selling without even getting the time to inspect the machine. It means that you take whatever they give to you without having the power to even check if the machine is in order or not. Simultaneously, since there are many buyers like you interested to buy the item, you may know what you are buying only at the time when you are buying the equipment.  To avoid such a situation, there are platforms like online stores that sell used equipment. All you need to do is register yourself on their site and bid on the item. Try to place the highest bid and concurrently try to establish contact with the seller. Let the seller know that you want to inspect the item before you buy them. If the seller agrees to this, you can check the machine is in good order and strike the deal.

By having lower diesel prices, are you making a bigger profit in your construction business.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

The rise or fall in the price of fuel does have a big impact in the profitability of a construction business. A construction company tends to make good profit when the price of the fuel is down and it has to shell more money on fuel when its prices are high. For the last many years, we have seen that the diesel price was on an increasing trend. It has only been in the last few months that the diesel price has started to fall and things seem to be a bit better for the industry. Other than this, heavy equipment manufacturing companies find it easy to sell machines that run on diesel. The logic to this is quite simple.

The machines that move on diesel involves less cost to production which means that they can sell them off at a lower price than machines that are more environment friendly. However, giving due consideration to the current environmental condition, they are also producing machines that runs on diesel but release less toxic. This may not be at par to any environmental friendly construction equipment but it also does its bit in bringing down the level of pollution.

Construction companies want diesel prices to be down:-

You make good money when the price of the commodity that is mainly required in manufacturing the end product goes down. This is quite evident t happen and does not require any big thinkers to research on it. It is exactly the same way you tend to make good profits when the price of the diesel goes down. Fuel is one of a commodity that is required a lot in a construction project. Your require diesel to run the heavy equipment.

These heavy equipment do not consume fuel like your car does. They simply eat up all the entire fuel that is there in the tank in few hours. If you keep the engine running throughout the day, you need to make sure that you have enough diesels for the machine. Now, you run many such machines in case you have a big project to work on. So all the equipment need diesel to function and if the price of the fuel is high, you are obviously shelling out a chunk of money just for paying the fuel price.

Now, let us imagine the price of diesel goes down. This means that you will be paying less and still be using the same quantity of fuel. This leaves you with surplus funds which can be utilized in taking care of other business expenses. You can even invest this money into buying much needed heavy equipment that are more technologically advanced and perhaps is just the need of the hour. So a fall in the price of diesel can win you so many things which are apparently not possible with the prices being high. It is therefore the wish of every construction company to see the price of diesel falling down which will in turn give them more gains than ever.

Related articles across the web

How to Select Pumps for Construction Site Dewatering

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Dewatering performs a vital role in the achievement and security of the most construction sites and can create several challenges which differ from one site to another. Some of the dares are choosing the exact pump and supplements for function, determining the place where to release the water, controlling the flow of water in the construction site with restricted space, and performing so as allowing by pertinent regulations like those created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Tabulation of Pump Operation

The primary step in enhancing the plan of dewatering in the construction zone is to recognize the necessary capacity, release head and suction lift at the site. The amount of fluid and the speed in which it flows for the needed capacity is calculated in gallons per minute. The vertical gap of the suction that a pump ought to trounce to fetch the solution in to the pump is known as suction lift. The length is measured from the peak of the pumping liquefied solution to the tallness of the suction’s ending point. Prior to the selection of the pump for draining out water from the jobsite, assess the condition of the site and consider the below mentioned points:

  • Actual operation of the pump in a particular job site
  • Kind of fluid to be used in the pump
  • Materials involved in the liquefied solution
  • Velocity of the fluid
  • Consider the ambience of the construction site
  • Think about the noise of the pump that whether it will create an issue or not.
  • Determine the location of the pump in the jobsite
  • Decide the place of discharging the liquid.
  • Consider that whether your company requires filtration for dewatering the water.

Assorted Types of Pumps for Removing Water

The capabilities of the pump differ from focused to highly adaptable and from low physical force to high physical force. Some of the pumps have the ability to drain fluid more perpendicularly than others whereas some are proficient to budge water with wreckage. The pumps that are manufactured for discharging solid particles are economical. It is the duty of the construction business owner to select the suitable pump for the function that will assure a secure and triumphant task. Here in the below cited points, you will come to know the several types of pumps used in the construction site:

  • Portable trash pumps are chiefly employed in the jobsites where the water is drained out via hose or pipe. These pumps are obtainable with a wet priming technology.
  • Wellpoint pumps are mainly manufactured for wellpoint and sock draining out water applications. These pumps comprises of the chain of shallow wells.
  • Hydraulic submersible pump contains the unit of hydraulic power that helps in driving the pump to the end point.

Most of the pumps found in the construction sites are either trailer-mounted or skid-escalated. The jobsite where there is no extra space for releasing the fluid, skid-mounted pumps are the best ones. So, it is your responsibility to choose the most suitable pump for your construction site carefully.

The Importance of Learning Safe Tractor Driving

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Dealing with heavy equipment not only requires you to have a lot of skill and expertise but it is also very important that you know the safety measures. Apparently, operating a tractor is one of the easiest aspects of handling heavy equipment. However, the reality is far from true. The equipment may seem pretty straight and simple but things may go miserably wrong if the right steps are not taken. The damages caused by the wrong handling of the tractor may not be redeemable. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you know what precautions you should tackle in order to safely operate a tractor.

The following is a discussion of some of the most important tips that one must keep in mind for driving the tractor safely and effectively:

Wearing the right kind of clothes

When you have to drive a heavy vehicle such as a tractor it is important that you dress accordingly before you get to work. Wearing loosely fitted clothes is not advisable in this regard. Loose clothes can be very dangerous and it is a priority and a safety concern that you do not take this matter lightly. During the colder seasons, make sure you do not wear excessive clothing that is baggy. Wearing a scarf will of course keep you warm during the cold but it may kill you too. If you have to operate a tractor during the chilly days, wearing a good neck warmer can do the job. It is important that you wear clothes that do not have chance of getting caught with the tractor.

Keeping the speed in limit

As you know, when you are operating a tractor it is your work and it is definitely not some kind of a race. A tractor is a very heavy vehicle. Therefore, any sort of additional weight could make the vehicle very tough to stop. Most of the injuries pertaining to tractors are involved with rollovers. The risk of rollovers can be reduced to a great extent if the speed limit is checked and maintained according to the books.

Being cautious at the inclines

It is important that you try to avoid driving the tractor on the inclined plains as much as possible. It is very dangerous to drive it down or up steep slopes as the risk of a rollover increases manifold. Most of the tractors are not really suitable for such terrain. However, if you have to drive on such plains it is better to get your tractor designed specifically to drive through the sloping steeps.

Tractors are equipment that is very versatile and they are used extensively. However, it is important that you realize that like any other sort of equipment, tractors are not free from dangers. Therefore, if you have to learn how to drive a tractor in all sorts of conditions, it is important that you enroll yourself with a trainings school for professional handling of such equipment. One of the finest schools that you may consider in this regard is the Heavy Construction Academy.

.

 

Upgrading heavy equipment can boost the construction business

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Human race has been benefited a lot with the advent of new technologies. We can’t imagine our lives without the presence of these technologies that we are using on a daily basis. It has not only affected our lives but has also played a significant role in giving our businesses a new dimension. A successful business largely depends upon the kind of technologies being used by the employees.

The introduction of technology has also changed the way the construction industry looked decades ago.  Earlier most of the heavy equipment were run on diesel and there were hardly hydraulics used. But now that is not the case. Construction companies are demanding machines that are environment friendly and also consume less fuel giving more productivity. The heavy equipment industry has also seen tremendous changes in the last few years. Every year we get to see an upgraded design of machine in the cover pages of construction equipment magazines. This clearly shows how much they are in demand in the construction business.

Old technology will not get the desired results in a short span:-

We live in a fast paced jet world where we want everything to happen just instantly. It is quite evident that we can’t expect things to happen instantly when it comes to construction but still people will expect the construction companies to finish up the work as soon as possible. With heavy equipment equipped with old technology, it will be almost impossible to get the desired results in a short span. Either you have to give time for the completion of work or you got to compromise on the quality of the building. However, if you are not ready with either of them, then you have to switch to equipment that have the latest technology gadgets fitted in it. It simple means that you have to upgrade your machines by installing the new gadgets.

Upgrading heavy equipment can get you more businesses:-

Guys who give you businesses also try to know the kind of equipment you would be using. They ideally do not pay much heed on the machines that you possess but they walk on strict deadlines and they want you to complete the work within the desired timeline. A delay of few days is acceptable but nothing more than that. So if you work on machines that take ages to complete a task, it will only tarnish the reputation that you have built. It will also affect your relationship with project giver and things may end up in a mess. However, if you have the upgraded machineries at your disposal, then you can always create a positive impression by completing the project in time or at times before time.

Chances of accidents go down:-

Upgrading the construction equipment can bring down the chances of accidents happening in the construction zone to a larger extent. As the old parts of the machine will be replaced by technologically advanced ones, the operator will find it very simple to maneuver the machine diminishing the chances of accidents. This will establish goodwill of yours in the construction industry and more and more people will recognize you for your work. This in turn increases the chances of getting more businesses.

Related articles across the web