Author Archives: Kevin

Love your job to grow quickly in the construction business

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The only way to grow as a person in the field that you are working is by working hard. You can’t adopt any short-cut measures to learn a thing. You have to devote yourself completely for the purpose and then you will see positive results coming your way. The most important criteria to be hardworking is to love your job. You got to have the curiosity and anxiety within your heart to learn a thing failing which you will never be able to compete with the best in the zone. This curiosity to learn something develops only if you love to learn it. When you get the urge to learn something from deep within your heart that is when you go for it and you get the urge only when you love to do it. This urge to learn new things about your business and ask questions to people who can answer them is quite important for your personal growth and development.

In the construction sector, it is all about learning new things and updating oneself with the ongoing events of the business. Other than that, the industry in itself is so vast that it is apparently not possible to anybody to learn the whole of it. You have different types of construction business and each business is run differently. There are rules for each business and one needs to understand those rules in order to play them with full potential. Right from heavy equipment to running an office to managing the clients to taking care of the business needs, there is immense opportunity for one to learn from every sphere of this sector. There are industry experts who have become experts after being in the industry for more than 3-4 decades. It is pretty obvious that a person has to sacrifice a lot of things to get his place in the business and you will not be ready to sacrifice your happiness if you do not have love for it.

Work for extra hours:-

We generally do not like to work for extra hours even if we are paid for it. People work overtime only when they are in some sort of financial distress and need money badly. This is what compels them to work hard and work for extra hours to earn that little additional income. However, if you work hours without even thinking a bit of what you will get in return is what signifies your love for your work. This will certainly be observed if you are working for a construction company and will be given more opportunities. That will eventually help you to develop yourself and will also keep you abreast in the industry.

Make yourself available to opportunities:-

In the construction sector, you will come across infinite opportunities that will come your way. You got to make yourself ready to grab them and that is possible only when you can generate the confidence in others that you are competent enough to take up any challenge and will complete any given assignment with utter sincerity.

Know a bit about heavy equipment to ease selling them

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Selling items is a cake walk for people who know their product well. Guys who can speak for hours on a particular product are also confident of selling the item without much hassle. They are confident that they will be able to answer any questions that are thrown at them. Their confidence about the product speaks how knowledgeable they are and how easily they can convince people to buy the item.

Salesmanship is all about the confidence you have on yourself and the product that you are selling. If the product that you are asked to sell is not quality stuff you will problems while pitching it because you know at the back of your mind that you are not speaking the whole truth. You are disclosing facts that the customer needs to know but there is very high possibility that the customer will get back to you with complaints. This will pull down your confidence level while pitching the commodity. This is why you should never engage in things that are of inferior quality because it will come back to you and you may lose your customer forever.

A sales man who sells heavy equipment needs to be very precise with the features and the shortcomings of the machine. He/she just can’t afford to misinform his customer about the machine. In case, he/she is asked a question that is technical and he does not have an answer for it then he should state that he will get the answer for him rather than saying something that may sound good at that point in time but when the beans are spilled he may get into a problem.

Technical knowledge of heavy equipment is not necessary for a salesman but it is always better to know more about the stuff you are selling than asking the customer to give you time to get back with an answer. It somehow also puts you in a bad light and the customer may wonder if you at all know anything about the machine. Remember there are many other heavy equipment salesman who are in hunt of customers. In a situation like this, you can’t afford to lose a prospect with your ignorance for the machine.

Spend time with engineers to know a bit of technical stuff. No one can tell you about heavy equipment better than an engineer who works on building machines. If you can’t catch hold of an engineer which in most of the time is difficult to get through to them you can always find a heavy equipment mechanic who will be the next best person to help you explore your knowledge on heavy equipment. You can watch him work on a machine and ask questions. Apart from this, you can also watch videos on internet that will impart you information about different types of heavy equipment. These things will really help you gain lot of information about machines and this in turn will help you gain the confidence to sell the product.

How to look at oil analysis reports on your heavy equipment

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Oil analysis reports on heavy equipment are as crucial as a blood report is to a human. By the blood report we get to know the ailments in our body and in the same fashion by doing an oil analysis we get to know if the machine that we see so strong is indeed strong or is it becoming weaker from inside. Remember just like we humans who may look strong from out but may carry a lot of ailments that remains hidden inside our body the machines too may have issues inside it but may still look healthy from the outside. It becomes the duty of the owner to ensure that the fluids of the machine are checked in a timely manner and then an analysis is done to understand the actual position of the machine and if the equipment is not as healthy as it appears to be then necessary steps need to be taken to get it fixed.

A contractor will not have the tools to conduct oil analysis and therefore it is recommended to check for an authorized and qualified oil analysis laboratory who will do the necessary tests for you and give you the detailed report. Ideally the oil analysis laboratory gives you 2 types of reports. One is the basic report and the other is the diesel crank case report. The basic report is not a very helpful one as it only provides with very limited information which focuses on wear metals and contaminants. But there is certainly more to see than just these two and therefore it is advisable to go for the diesel crank case report. In the latter one, a person gets detailed analysis on the report which helps the owner understand the current position of the machine. It not only gives feedback on wear metals and contaminants but also on additives, viscosity and base number.

Other than these 2 analysis there are more oil analysis that can be done which will be slightly expensive than the above 2 tests. They include more chemicals which make the process lengthier but accurate and which is why if anyone wants to go for advanced oil analysis they can ask for it. By paying a bit more will lessen your worries as you will have the correct picture in front of you and that will help you to decide the way forward. Once you are done with the tests and the preventive actions are taken the next question is when you should again undergo the tests. Well that will be informed to you by the guys in the laboratory. So get a detailed guideline from them and also some piece of advice on how you should be dealing and what extra care should be taken to increase the longevity of the heavy equipment.

Doing oil analysis regularly not only lengthens the life of the machine but also increases its efficiency and you may find that the machine is consuming less fuel and have become more productive.

Winters can be a big problem for heavy equipment

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Extreme climate change can pose real big problems to almost any type of business. When people face difficulty to move from one place to another due to extreme weather, it does have a larger impact on the smooth functioning of the business as well. As a matter of fact, you will not find much of an alternative to crack the problem.

Hot summers are still manageable but heavy monsoon and chilled winters are almost unacceptable for most of the industries and if we talk specifically about construction then monsoons and winters are its biggest enemies. If it rains heavily then there is a problem with transportation of materials and simultaneously you can’t even work on an existing project. Winters can have havoc on your heavy equipment. Winters do not affect the project directly but it plays a bigger role in hampering your work by attacking heavy equipment. Thus the productivity of heavy equipment takes a hit and you take the hit on your business.

Before the arrival of winter, you should be prepared to do some basic repair work on your heavy equipment. Your machine goes through a lot during all the weathers and still perform. So it becomes crucial for you to ensure that the needs of the machine never go unattended. With the onset of winter, the oil gets thick which blocks the flow while you start the engine.

This has been a major problem for every operator. At times it takes over an hour for an operator to just start the machine. Other than that, there are many other complications that come in with the arrival of winter. Experts believe that heavy equipment that are serviced regularly and are well maintained do not give a tough time to the operators during winters but the ones that are not serviced at regular intervals are bound to cause trouble.

Take help of a mechanic:-

Firstly it is important to keep the heavy equipment well maintained. So keep a track of the days when you service the machine and also ensure that you do not delay the service date for the upcoming month. It has been observed that you perhaps think to delay it by a day or two but you eventually end up delaying it by more than a week. This is absolutely not healthy for any heavy equipment and it thereby weakens the machine from the inside. Before winter arrives, you should take help of a mechanic and ask him to inspect the machine. If they find any flaw with it, ask them to get that fixed even if it requires replacing some important parts of the machine. Give very clear instruction to the mechanic that you want the heavy equipment to work like it always does during the winter.

Take help of user manual:-

Heavy equipment before the start of the problem give signals. If you fail to comprehend those signals, take help of the user manual and check what does signals are for and what you need to do if it throws some kind of signals. The user manual usually talks about the care that you should take and going by the book can really lengthen the life of the machine and also keep it running during winters.

Heavy equipment mechanic freelancer

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Works that not many can do are paid more than for work that are simple and does not require much know-how. The work of a heavy equipment mechanic is quite complex in many ways and it requires many years of experience for a mechanic to become an expert in his field. This is probably the reason why he earns a lot irrespective of him being associated to any company or not. An established mechanic has the option to work as a freelancer for companies that he has been previously working with. He does not need to work hard on marketing his work in order to obtain clients. He already makes enough of them while he begins his career as a heavy equipment mechanic. This is one of the many positive of becoming a heavy construction equipment mechanic. In order to become heavy equipment mechanic one needs to have the flair towards construction machines. If only you want to know how it works will you be able to understand the various issues that can possibly happen in a machine and also the way out for each of the issue.

Get into a famous heavy equipment institution:-

This is the first and the most important thing that you should do in order to become a competent mechanic. Try to find information of various institutions that imparts knowledge and training to young minds on heavy equipments. There you will come across various segments related to heavy equipments. You can further decide if you want to change your course to something else and if you want to do so you should do it then. For the first year you will be given basic training on heavy equipments where you can strengthen your understanding for heavy equipments. The second year is crucial because that is the year when you will have to pick a stream. If you feel you will become a good mechanic then you should go for it.

Practical lessons are quite important:-

It is important to have some bookish knowledge but the real fun is when you take things in your own hand. Getting practical lessons will hone your skills further and you will develop into a better professional. Do not miss sessions where you will be given practical lessons. Dealing with machines on your own is a separate feeling altogether and especially when you are taken to different heavy equipment companies for site visit you get to see the real professionals working on machines. This is when you get to learn the most. Ask questions to them on things that you do not understand but do not irritate them by asking too many questions. After all they are working and they can’t afford to commit a mistake.

Years of consistency can lead you to become a freelancer:-

We want people to work for us who have consistently done well throughout their career. Therefore you got to be consistent with your work and people should know you for your good work. After spending quite a time working as a mechanic in heavy equipment companies you can set up a workshop and work as a freelancer.

Things You Should Know before Renting a Bulldozer

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Bulldozer is very important heavy equipment commonly used in construction industry. They are powerful machines, which can effectively remove the stumps and boulders, help in demolitions, aid in excavations and can raze brush. They are often used in clearing of large acres of forest land to be converted into a productive area. It is often observed that construction industries prefer buying it on rent or on lease. While first time buyer may not be aware of such options. Many a times, after purchasing a brand new bulldozer, the user is not satisfied by its working or finds it limited in its functions. Purchasing a new bulldozer is a very expensive, hence it may be wise to take it on rent especially in case of first time users

 

The following are some of the tips for the buyer before renting a bulldozer:

  1.  Purchase of equipment which is in good health:

Although it is used equipment, buyer must take care that the equipment must be in good health. Very old equipment if taken on rent may operate sub-optimally during the rented period. This may lead to unnecessary expenditure due to repairs. Hence the used equipment not more than 5 years and in working conditions must be selected. The buyer should inspect the machine thoroughly for extent of wear and tear. Check the engine, leakage problems if any, welded parts (sprockets, tracks and arms), working of gear and brakes, rollers, and perform oil analysis.

 

 

2.  Nature and length of work :

Buyer should know the exact nature and volume of work. This will enable selection of an appropriate model of bulldozer. It is essential that buyer should know the exact period of requirement of rented bulldozer, since it needs to be mentioned in the agreement.

3.  Product specifications:

Among the different types of equipment models present, buyer should determine the size and shape of bulldozer. Choosing the right type which is best suited for the nature of work is necessary.

4.  Requirements and limitations of a used bulldozer:

Bulldozer has to be filled with fuel at least 3-4 times in a day and its parts needs to be greased at regular intervals. This machine has to be checked daily for maintenance issues. Bulldozer has a limitation that it cannot work throughout the day. Hence, the buyer should determine the extent to which a used bulldozer can work effectively. Further, it is necessary to know if the site conditions are suitable for the bulldozer to work, since it cannot work on any terrain. The tracks of bulldozer need to be often cleared.

5.  Safety requirements:

Bulldozers are huge equipments and one needs to follow instructions before operating them. They are dangerous equipments and should not be used without following instructions. Since mistakes committed while operating these machines can lead to accidents. The buyer should become familiar with its parts and the way it operates before using it. If the buyer is not familiar or comfortable operating bulldozer, then should hire an experienced bulldozer operator. Further, buyer should ensure safety by wearing safety belts, ear plugs and dust masks to prevent health problems.

6.  Expenses incurred:

Before taking bulldozer on rent the user must be sure to bear the expenses in form of rental cost, hired operator cost, maintenance costs, fuel and greasing costs, and cost of safety aids. Rental expenses vary since it depends on the length of the rental contract and age of the machine. To know the appropriate rental cost, buyer should compare prices by referring to websites. During the rental period, it is responsibility of the buyer to to maintain the machine well before handing it over to the service provider.

Overall, renting of bulldozer is beneficial since is cost-effective for construction companies and in cases where the bulldozer is required for short duration of time or for seasonal work (thereafter it is of no use). It allows the buyer to discover if the selected model has application for the intended work.

Following these tips can guide buyers in purchasing appropriate bulldozer on rental basis and get the job done well.

Training videos are a big help to fix heavy equipment

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An owner of a construction company will never want his heavy equipment to stay silent for a single day. It costs a lot of money to the company as a whole and then it also gets tougher for him to complete the work in stipulated timeline. In US a construction company works on strict deadlines and has to complete the work within the time frame. A delay of few days is ok but if it is a matter of a week or so then they may have to pay penalty. Now a construction company will never want to get into things where it has to pay penalty out of its pocket and therefore it ensures that all the things related to the construction activity are in order and he gets to use them as and when it is required.

Now there appears to be a problem with the heavy equipment that he has been using for the construction work and does not know how to get it fixed. Getting a mechanic at such a juncture is never so easy. The mechanics are loaded with enough work to have any time to come to the jobsite and fix the problem. This means that you are now completely dependent on yourself but the irony is you do not know how to repair the problem. This is quite a critical juncture for you and your business and it also leads to a point where you got to take charge of the situation and learn few things through which you can fix the issue on your own.

You may be immensely absorbed in your business and therefore you need a quick solution for your problem which you can expect to get in training videos on the net. So all that you need to do is an internet connection and key in the specific issue you have with the machine. You will see a lot of videos on the page. Out of those many videos some may be useful and others may not be as helpful. You need to know to pick the right video from the lot. The video that you will pick should relate to your concern and should show in details how to resolve the problem. These videos can be really helpful to you when it comes to fixing technical problems in your heavy equipment. You can also get to know tricks that you have never heard or seen before.

The people who upload such videos are expert in their profession and they understand that people suffer due to lack of knowledge on the given subject. This is why they take the effort to impart the knowledge to others and help them minimize losses in their business. Many small construction companies and private contractors find these videos as a big help and they often spend time watching them to upgrade their knowledge. You will get to see a lot of stuffs that is needed to keep the health of your machine intact and one should always follow them to increase the longevity of the heavy equipment.

The highs and lows of heavy equipment salesperson

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A salesman in general goes through a number of highs and lows in his career but what keeps him going is his sheer will to change the tide and resurface as a winner. Heavy equipment salesman also experience similar type of difficulties but certainly of different magnitude. Since he is dealing with high priced products selling them quite often is not a simple task. He may encounter many challenges that a salesperson of a low priced commodity does not have to face. His challenges may come in different forms and shapes and in order to tackle them all he requires motivation from people doing similar job or from people who are his peers. Other than that, the current market condition also plays a major role in the sale of heavy equipment commodities. For instance, if the entire construction industry is not doing well, it also becomes difficult for the salesperson to make any sale. People are not getting much benefit from the industry and most of them are waiting for things to change.

This is perhaps one such occasion when heavy equipment salesperson is really vulnerable and they are forced to take up selling other things. Some get into selling vehicles and stuff and for some they find it convenient to simply change the line of business. The cream of the period is when the construction and mining industry is doing well or is at its peak. This gives a lot of opportunity for the salesperson to show their skills and make the most from the moment. There are few who are of the belief that irrespective how the industry reacts there is always a scope for selling machines or its accessories. You can’t always sell those big machines to construction companies or contractors. At times you have to depend of selling accessories too and it can still earn you good commission. People do not want to purchase a new machine if something goes wrong with its part. They would want to replace the faulty part with a new one.

Heavy equipment salesperson should equally focus on selling accessories. It can keep them going for a long time and will also not demoralize them if they are unable to sell any heavy equipment. Grow your network and try to reach out to as many people as you can. There is always a scope of finding a person who is looking for what you are selling but it is just that you do not know him. Try to meet as many people as you can. Not all meetings will turn out into a sale. You can definitely meet them for a small talk and check if they need anything. Moreover, you can try to know if they know someone who is looking for a specific stuff related to heavy equipment and if you can be of any help.

The thumb rule is work hard when the overall industry is doing well so that you make the most of it and during the sluggish periods which will not last for long try to stick to what you does the best.

What machines are used in an environmental disaster clean up?

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We often think that heavy equipment are exclusively used for construction related work and it does not have any importance other than that industry. However, the fact is heavy equipment are used in many other areas which does not fall in the construction genre. Construction is probably one of the sectors where we use the machines a lot but this is certainly not the only place where we require these big pieces of metal. Heave equipment are extensively used to clean up the debris after a catastrophe has hit a place. Be it an environmental disaster clean up or a human made catastrophe, these heavy equipment play a significant role when it comes to saving lives of people who are stuck under the debris. There have been a lot of instances in the past where heavy equipment like an excavator are used extensively to pull out debris from a catastrophe hit zone and save the precious lives of people.

Heavy equipment are also used in cases where there has been a manmade catastrophe. For instance, if there is a major accident in one of the chemical industry that causes havoc in the area. In order to contain that from spreading, the authorities take necessary steps so that it does not spread to the other areas. However, once it has been contained the next part is to set things right and this is where the use of heavy equipment come. They need to bring in different types of machines as no one type of heavy equipment will be capable enough to do the entire job. Heavy equipment such as dozers, excavators, backhoe loaders, articulated trucks and other such machines are used to remove the left outs. This is an extremely painful and risky job for the operator as it can also endanger his life. So the guys who are behind the machine should be extremely experienced and need to tactfully complete their job.

When an environmental disaster like earthquake hits a place, it can swallow the entire city and it can be quite a difficult task to set aside the debris and rescue people from it. Floods, heavy winds, hurricane can also cause extreme damage to the people of a city and heavy equipment are used for the rescue work. Not just heavy equipment but also the attachments that are used on machines play an important role in cleaning up the mess in the zone. Therefore, when you are deploying heavy equipment like an excavator in a zone that has been struck by an earthquake, you also need to keep handy all those attachments that are required to remove the debris quickly. After all, you may find many lives inside the wreckage waiting for help to come.

Dozers are used to break open structures that cause hinder to the rescue work. So you can make use of lot of machines on the site at the same time. Each doing their part of work and ensuring that they simply things for the rescue team to pull out lives stuck inside.

New and Looking for Advice in the Construction Industry

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Before you begin any journey you first prepare yourself for that. Your career is also one such journey of life where you got to be pretty sure that you have made all the preparation for a smooth sail. Though you will experience challenges as you move ahead you will also learn to overcome those obstacles and will head for higher in life. The most important part of the preparation to begin your career will be to seek right advices from the right people and follow them. People who choose a career path and are new to that industry will have to go through some bit of hardships but if they seek right advice then things will slowly and steadily fall in place. There are few industries that are quite volatile and one has to be cautious enough when they put their foot inside it. Construction industry is one such sector which is considered to be highly volatile with a lot of ups and downs that might sneak into your business without giving any prior intimation.

Choose your genre wisely:-

In the construction business one needs to select the genre that he wants to work in. For instance, a person can choose to become an operator of heavy equipment. For this he needs to know how to operate heavy machineries and which machine to be used for what kind of work. The work of an engineer is completely different. They are the ones who design the plan and then check if the implementation is being worked as per the plan. Likewise there are other segments within the industry and one need to first understand the kind of work he wants to get into. If he is confused with it, then he can try working with a construction company for some months and check what genre of work suits his interests and accordingly can take that as his profession.

Upgrade your knowing on the working of the business:-

Once you have identified the line of business that suits your interests you should then try to learn as much as you can about the various functions of the business. There is certainly more than one way to work a work and that is what a person should learn. If for some reason one of the way to work things out is impeded then you know the other way round. It is all about alternatives and how effectively you can apply them in your business is the crux.

Generate confidence amongst the veterans:-

Your work speaks a lot about yourself and your character. It reflects how serious you are when it comes to your career. When you are new you are observed by many and if your work is of high quality then it generates a level of confidence amongst the veterans who in turn will keep you in their good books and will teach you work that not many knows in the industry. This is how you will be able to ultimately shape up your career in the construction industry.