The Heat Is On: Summer & Your Construction Project

by mowery | Jun 20, 2018 

Summer marks the peak time for construction projects, particularly for those in the education industry; however, summer months also present challenges related to weather, heat and even the rise of gas prices. If you’re considering starting a new project, or completing a renovation over the summer months, it’s important to keep these challenges in mind when choosing a construction partner. Remember to ask them how they handle each of these situations.

Rainy Weather

According to the National Center for Environmental Information, the rainfall totals for Pennsylvania have already been above average this year. Moving into the summer months, this trend isn’t predicted to change. While rain may be welcomed for some industries, an above average rainfall can create challenges for construction projects. Precipitation and wet, muddy construction sites are two examples that can create hazards for workers. An abundance of rain can also negatively affect production schedules and delivery dates.

Remember to keep these factors in mind during the planning stages of any project. While a lot can be controlled when it comes to schedules, unfortunately, Mother Nature cannot.  At Mowery, we believe in transparency when it comes to schedules, and we do everything we can to keep projects on time. Regular meetings with owners ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to the schedule, and when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate, we look to alternative options where we can to keep things moving.

Extreme Heat

With the increase in temperature comes one of the biggest risks to summer construction projects – worker safety. At Mowery, safety is not optional. With temperatures soaring into the 90s (and even feeling like it’s over 100 degrees some days), the productivity and safety of workers comes first always. At Mowery, we educate our team about the importance of staying hydrated and limiting exposure as much as possible to avoid extreme heat and the sun. We know heat-related illnesses are preventable, and every construction firm should take measures to ensure the safety of their employees and subcontractors.

Rising Gas Prices

During the summer months when more people are on the roads travelling, gas prices tend to rise based on an increase in demand. The rate at which oil and gas prices rise tends to fluctuate depending on outside factors; however, with some pre-planning and projections, these increases can be predictable and integrated into an overall project budget. At Mowery, we keep these things in mind and understand how oil and gas prices affect transportation costs on construction projects as well as equipment purchases, in some cases. That’s why we consider these factors during our preconstruction phase and keep an eye on them throughout the entire project to minimize impact – always focused on staying on budget.

At Mowery, we work collaboratively with our partners to address these concerns during both the preconstruction and construction phases through a proactive approach known as our PARTNER Program. The goal of the PARTNER Program is to not only create a unique and custom experience for our clients, but a remarkable one as well. This is truly how we measure success — through an experience that has made us the contractor-of-choice for local, regional and national companies.

Ready to discuss your next summer construction project? Contact us today.