Construction Material Delivery is a Vital Step in Your Project’s Safety
Safety is a priority on construction sites and it starts even before the project breaks ground. Getting the materials to your location is the first step in the process.
It would be great if getting construction materials from point A to B was just a straight run of the road. The reality is that there’s a lot to consider logistically if you want to achieve an efficient and safe delivery. In order to make this happen, you need communication, terrain knowledge, and a commitment to safety procedures.
The Logistics of Construction Delivery
When it comes to handling and delivering heavy materials like concrete, steel, or lumber it’s the safety of the workers that comes first.
Construction drivers are already one of the most at-risk demographics on the road according to some insurers, so they don’t need anything that will further complicate their job. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights that even though driving is only one part of a construction job, our industry still faces a great deal of risk on the road.
A high degree of professional expertise is therefore required to get raw materials onto trucks and off to their destination with attention to security and safety. Improper stacking, interlocking, or racking creates the risk of materials sliding around or even coming free of the truck entirely during transit. Materials damaged or destroyed while in transit not only costs the client money but, more importantly, it can pose physical risks to drivers, pedestrians, and public property.
A further problem is hiring a construction firm unfamiliar with your project’s location. This means they’ll have to navigate new ground en route. By the time they reach you, time-consuming wrong turns and other delays could take a bite out of your bottom line.
Here’s a common-sense checklist every good firm will consider when loading and off-loading at the site:
- Equipping delivery operators with the proper knowledge of best safety practices
- Making sure personal protective equipment is worn during delivery (hard hats, boots, gloves, high-visibility clothing, etc.)
- Taking care that delivery vehicles can enter and exit the site with ease and paying close attention to acceleration and reversing
- Finding a safe place to park that won’t interfere with site operations or those within the surrounding community – this may involve some temporary traffic management
- Confirming the loading/unloading zone with onsite personnel
The perfect delivery checklist doesn’t stop there. Delivery means more than just dropping the materials and driving off. The materials must be securely stacked and stored onsite in a way that eliminates, or at least minimizes, the risk to everyone involved.
Our years of experience help us ask all the right questions. Are there any time-sensitive restrictions on when materials can be delivered and unloaded according to planning permission? How large of a delivery vehicle(s) will the site allow? Asking questions and double-checking information between the delivery team and onsite staff is crucial to an efficient supply chain. Lack of communication is one of the major problems costing the construction industry more than $177 billion every year.
Mikula Contracting knows that time is money and have been serving New Jersey for decades. You can be sure we know the territory and that’s just one reason to choose us for your next construction delivery.
Mikula’s commitment to safety from beginning to end
At Mikula, we care about our staff and our impact on the wider community. Loading and unloading construction materials can take a real toll on workers who may end up getting sprains, strains, and fractures under these weights. Compromised safety for our staff could lead to danger for our clients, and it’s a risk we won’t take.
That’s why every operator on our team is OSHA-certified, which means they’re trained to the highest standards to keep themselves and others safe. Combine those skills with over 70 years of experience in the construction industry and you’ve got the company your project needs.
Commercial trucking and construction material delivery are a specialty for us. Whether your load is large or small – stone, fill, or sand is no problem at all. We take the utmost care from loading it up, getting it there, and making sure it’s left on your site in a responsible manner.
Connect with Mikula to get an efficient and affordable crew to handle all your logistical needs from the start of your project to the end. If you’re in Essex, Hudson, Bergen, Passaic, Morris or Union Counties and need a quick price quote just click the contact link below.
Mikula Contracting, Inc. provides commercial and residential customers with a wide range of excavation, demolition, environmental, trucking, and soil materials services. For more information, call 973-772-1684 or email info@mikulainc.com
Nobody Cares for Customers Better Than a Local Contractor
The benefits of hiring a professional speak for themselves, but does it really matter if your choice is local? It certainly does. Here are the many reasons why a contractor from your own neighborhood is a cut above the rest.
Right off the bat, a local business is quite literally invested in their community. They’re not some big national corporation or shady company from out of state who lack all the right licenses. When you hire a local contractor, you’re choosing a team that has roots in the same ground you do. It’s an empowering relationship for all concerned. Customers get the best possible service while the contractor further cements (pun intended) their standing in the community.
It goes beyond this, too. A local professional understands every aspect of their job and that includes the legal and financial alongside the manual.
A local contractor knows the letter of the law
Legal requirements for contractors vary from state to state. The companies who really care will know what’s needed for their locality and make sure they’ve got it. This tells a customer two important things at once. First, this contractor takes the law seriously. Second, they care deeply about their customers and their own reputation; an unqualified contractor sets their customers up for trouble just as much as themselves.
Here in New Jersey, contractors need to carry insurance before they’re even allowed their license to start working. This is an excellent and disciplined approach which quickly presents the best available option to the client searching. It holds local contractors to a higher standard and protects everyone involved. The same goes for being bonded. A bonded contractor will be compliant with all local (as well as state) license laws. Since New Jersey contractors are all licensed at either the city or county level, bonds really show awareness and dedication to their home turf.
A local professional has the right insurance and permits
Plenty of contractors will tell you they’re insured, and an uninsured one is easy to spot these days. Check out their website to see if they have their insurance details prominently displayed. If they don’t, they’re breaking the law and putting you at risk while doing it.
All manual labor puts workers at risk. The right contractor will have worker’s compensation in place to protect their employees alongside other coverage like general liability and umbrella. As the name suggests, umbrella coverage protects them from a lot more than general does. Safety is of the utmost importance to us, which is why every Mikula Contracting operator is qualified under the strict standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA (as they’re more commonly known) treats worker safety as an absolute priority and they set the bar nationally for contractors when it comes to looking after their team. It’s more than common sense and laws; a safety-conscious contractor makes sure their customers don’t foot the bill for workers injured on the job.
We took an in-depth look at permits in our previous blog which are another benefit of hiring a knowledgeable local contractor. We’re also dedicated to keeping our local community as pristine as possible which is why we’re certified with the New Jersey Department of the Environmental Protection Agency.
A local contractor shares your weather woes
If you’re in the contracting business in New Jersey, you had better know about snow! Last year’s winter had many of us thinking we’d broken a record (but we had a long way to go). Any contractor can stay up to speed with our state weather via the web, but it’s only a local contractor who has the same experience customers do with ensuring your neck of the woods maintains business as usual.
Snow can be a sudden hazard. It can box you in overnight and leave driveways, highways, and commercial sites crippled for days, weeks, or even months. New Jersey’s northern communities are often the hardest hit and that’s why we provide both emergency and ongoing snow plowing and removal services with our state-of-the-art equipment.
What it all adds up to
Everything you’ve just read shows you why a local contractor beats the rest. Mikula Contracting is fully licensed throughout the state of New Jersey and we’re adding to our 73 year-long list of satisfied customers every day. We can be there to get the job done no matter where you are in NJ.
Mikula Contracting, Inc. provides commercial and residential customers with a wide range of excavation, demolition, environmental, snow removal, trucking and soil materials services. For more information, call 973-772-1684 or email info@mikulainc.com
10 Important Things to be Aware of Before you Buy a Home
So you are ready to purchase a new home. Congratulations. Whether you are a first time buyer or have been around the block a few times, there are several key facts you need to consider before signing on that dotted line.
When you purchase a new home, you probably think hard about things like whether it has enough space for your entertaining needs or what the neighbors are like. However, there are also bigger issues that must be included in your decision making process.
1. The pros and cons of buying versus renting in your area.
There are numerous benefits and headaches with each choice. Sometimes, based on the market and the economy, it’s better to wait. You also need to think about the return on investment and how much home you can afford. Also, if your potential mortgage would be more expensive than what you pay in rent, you may want to recalculate your finances and save for a while longer. The area where you live can also be a factor, as home prices might be vastly different from one area to the next. How long you plan to stay in the home could also contribute to your decision.
2. How the mortgage process works.
Where will you get funding? How will the amount of your down payment affect your mortgage? Buying a home can feel like you are signing your life away, especially if you’ve never done it before. Many different terms are thrown at you and lots of people with various titles will come along and offer to help you. This is on top of all the legal and real estate issues you must contend with. Know your rights and get the best advice before embarking on this confusing process.
3. Learn as much as possible about the home and don’t be afraid to walk away.
In the search for your dream home, you may find a house that you really love. When that happens, you might feel like you will do anything to get it. Even in a house that seems perfect on the surface, there could be issues lurking underneath. Basements, foundations and drainage issues must be thoroughly checked. If possible, get an inspection after it rains so you can really see what’s going on. Among other questions you may want to ask include how long the home has been on the market, typical cost of utilities and whether there is a homeowner’s association. You don’t want to purchase someone else’s headaches so if you find something that’s not right, walk away.
4. You might have to make some difficult choices.
If you are selling your current home and buying another, one may happen faster than the other. This could mean finding temporary housing to make room for the new owner or settling on a home that is less than ideal. Also, there might be repairs that have to be made on your new home. For example, you could face issues with sewer lines or it may require an oil tank or pool removal. These might be items thatthe seller won’t pay for. Therefore, you would have to decide if it’s a project you want to take on as a DIY or to hire a professional contracting service.
5. Keep all money matters in mind at all times.
The decision to buy a new home is exciting. However, don’t get so caught up in the thrill that you forget to get your finances in order. Down payments, credit scores and closing costs are all factors that will affect what you pay and how much you need to save. Experts recommend buying less house than you can afford to avoid becoming house poor. Also, it’s best to get pre-approved before you go house shopping.
6. Beware of money pits.
You may remember the 1980s Tom Hanks/Shelley Long film called The Money Pit, where a couple purchases a huge home for a ridiculously low price and then discover why it was so cheap. Everything that can go wrong with a house does, in hilarious fashion. While the movie was funny, it’s no laughing matter when this happens to you in real life. Some of the items you should look out for include a roof that needs replacement, an old electrical system, cracks in the foundation and water stains on the ceiling.
7. Don’t rush your decision.
Your home is likely the most expensive purchase you will ever make. It’s vital to take your time. Shop around for the best mortgage rates and homeowner’s insurance. Don’t let anyone pressure you into making an immediate decision.
8. Use an agent.
Some people believe that real estate agents are not worth the money and they can handle everything on their own. The truth is that agents understand the process better than you. Make sure you choose an agent accustomed to dealing with clients in your area and income bracket. A buyer’s agent will answer only to you so he will negotiate to get you the best deal.
9. Overlook the small stuff.
Don’t let little things like paint colors in the bathroom or light fixtures in the kitchen sway your decision. It’s unlikely that the seller will match your exact tastes and choose the same cosmetic features that you would. Instead, look at things like the flow of the house, the size of the rooms and that it has enough outdoor space to fit your lifestyle.
10. Think long term.
Everything about your new home will not always be picture-perfect. Whether it’s something that goes wrong or remodeling projects to make it better fit your current lifestyle, eventually, all homes require some amount of work. This is easier when you have the right contractors already lined up. Look for companies with extensive experience and the proper certifications and licenses.
For demolition, disposal, drainage, excavation and trucking and material delivery, you can trust Mikula Contracting. We handle ground, land and backyard drainage as well as rainwater and standing water drainage and surface drainage systems. We service Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Union and Morris counties. Call today for a fast quote.
