The ProfitDig Radio Show
Strategies for building a successful construction company, as well as construction industry news and commentary. Topics will include creating winning job bids, maximizing profitability, job costing, marketing strategies, our thoughts about industry trends and more.
Episodes
115 episodes since 2021
Could Anything Have Prevented the Baltimore Bridge Collapse?
Continuing our conversation with certificed bridge inspector, Corey Work, the ProfitDig guys talk about if there is anything that could have prevented the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore from collapsing (other than not running into it wit...
September 16, 2024
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13:42
What Does a Bridge Inspector Look For?
Bridges are on everybody's minds, so this week professional certified bridge inspector, Corey Work, joins the ProfitDig guys to discuss what a bridge inspector does and what they look for when inspecting bridges. Corey discusses the three main ...
September 10, 2024
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12:57
The Perils of Working on Wind Turbines
Seth Williams, an engineer who currently makes his living managing lighting crews for major entertainment acts, talks about his experience working on wind turbines, which often required him to climb up an ever-narrowing tower that stretched hun...
September 03, 2024
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18:48
Adventures Running Lights for Famous Musical Artists
The ProfitDig guys welcome Seth Williams, a skilled electrical engineer who has spent years managing lighting for major artists since 2007. Seth talks about the technical challenges and difficulties setting up lighting trusses, managing his cre...
August 26, 2024
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22:38
Increasing Production is the Key to Increasing Profits for Construction Contractors
Professional construction Project Manager, Jeff Spencer, has spent the last 22 years bidding construction jobs, and as he explains, the key to increasing your company's profits is by increasing production. Materials will cost everyone the same,...
August 19, 2024
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2:21
How to Stay Safe Doing Elevated Construction Work - Stay Compliant and Stay Alive!
The ProfitDig guys talk about safety precautions when performing elevated work, such as on lifts and ladders. Safety is no joke! Workers on a lift must be tied off and they must have safety harnesses. OSHA and PPE costs are discussed. Nowadays,...
August 12, 2024
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16:13
Sprinkler Systems in Hazardous Industrial Plants (like EV): Design Considerations to Avoid Liability
Construction project manager, Jeff Spencer's firm has a division that specializes in sprinkler systems. Jerry mentions that he knows people who live in a town where a huge EV battery factory is being built, and wonders aloud what kind of sprink...
August 05, 2024
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8:55
Mobilization Tips to Minimize Your Cost and Maximize Profit - Construction Contractor Strategies
In this episode of the ProfitDig Construction Show, the guys talk about mobilization. Planning ahead is the key to effective mobilization. Does the job have multiple phases? Look at the phasing plan so you know how many times you will have to m...
July 29, 2024
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6:06
The Very Important Differences Between a Construction Bid and Estimate - Make Sure You Get It Right!
There are very important differences between a construction bid and an estimate, and it is critical that you use the correct language with customers or potential customers. Jeff Spencer has been bidding work for 30 years so is highly knowledgea...
July 22, 2024
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7:19
Broken Pipes, Broken Dreams and Leaking Hot Water Heaters
The guys talk about hot water heaters. Recent extreme cold weather in Tennessee had water pipes busting all over the place. What can cause a hot water heater to go bad? A hot water heat is just a tank with a heating element and supply lines. Yo...
July 15, 2024
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11:54
When Do You Need a Contractors License? And Is There a Way Around It?
In today's ProfitDig video, the guys talk about when you should get your General Contractor's license. The discussion centers around the state of Tennessee, but the ideas apply anywhere. They also discuss the risk to General Contractors that al...
July 08, 2024
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6:14
Know Your Construction Bonding Limit or Lose Jobs and Money
Chris and Jeff talk about construction bonding. Bonding can cost you a potential job if you are unable to perform the required bond. You have to work with your insurance company, and you likely have some kind of monetary limit on your bonding c...
July 01, 2024
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10:16
Construction Technology Trends for 2024
The ProfitDig guys talk about emerging technology trends for the construction industry for 2024, with Jeff Spencer, our resident construction project management expert, Jeff Givens, our resident engineering expert, and Jerry Work, who doesn't k...
June 24, 2024
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19:39
Jeff's Top Recommended Equipment Brands and "Or Equal To" Materials
ProfitDig's Jeff Spencer talks about his preferred brands of heavy construction equipment (based on his extensive experience) and discusses the concept of "or equal to" materials.From ProfitDig - bid jobs, track costs, make more money. ...
June 17, 2024
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9:28
How To Fix A Driveway with Construction Contractor Luke Fielder
Construction contractor, Luke Fielder, gives his advice for how to repair a damaged driveway.Any gravel driveway without a finished surface like asphalt will require period maintenance. Making sure your sub-grade is correct is the first...
June 10, 2024
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10:06
What Is Tilt-Up Construction?
The ProfitDig guys talk about tilt-up construction, a form of construction in which concrete walls are poured in forms on the construction site and then lifted to form walls of a building. How does it work? What are the advantages and disadvant...
June 03, 2024
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7:11
Weird Stuff that Happens on a Jobsite
The guys talk about weird things they have seen on a jobsite - such as a guy who left to get a tool from his truck and then showed back up with it months later. Have a laugh with the guys as they talk about jobsite ridiculousness.From P...
May 27, 2024
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11:24
The State of the Economy, with Special Guest Wally Rankin
Wally Rankin, from Trout Creek Home Inspections, LLC, gives his take on the state of the economy from his perspective as a home inspector. As Wally explains, home inspections have died down quite a bit in his market area, likely indicative of t...
May 20, 2024
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14:02
How to Be Your Own General Contractor
Being your own General Contractor on a construction project, such as a home build, is difficult if you are not highly experienced in the construction industry. Jerry explains the difficulties that someone he knows well has experienced while act...
May 14, 2024
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12:11
Can the Construction Industry Survive High Interest Rates? Strategies for Contractors
The ProfitDig guys break out into an economics discussion regarding interest rates. How are rising interest rates affecting the construction industry? How are they affecting new home construction? Home loan applications are at their lowest rate...
May 06, 2024
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9:21
Working with Easements: How to Make Sure You Don't Get Blamed for Damage that is not Your Fault
The ProfitDig guys talk all about easements, which are agreements to allow you to perform work on someone else's property. As Jeff Spencer explains, it is important to record, takes notes and time-stamped photos about the condition of the prope...
April 29, 2024
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8:47
How to Avoid Getting Burned from Your Construction Contracts
Don't get burned by the contracts you sign! In today's ProfitDig video, the guys discuss various topics including:On a project, you become part of the business of the General Contractor.Make sure your scope of work is specified in t...
April 22, 2024
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9:46
Daily Jobsite Documentation - the CYA Key to Staying Out of Trouble if a Construction Job Goes Bad
The ProfitDig guys talk about the importance of daily jobsite documentation. Jeff Spencer talks about using contractors' daily diaries to document information such as jobsite conditions, weather, or any other factors that might affect the work ...
April 15, 2024
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9:50
How to Survive Chainsaw Wounds and Knife Stabs, with Special Guest Wally Rankin
In this non-construction episode of the ProfitDig Construction Show, our buddy, Wally Rankin, talks about his experience with chainsaw wounds and knife stabs - all incidents he has experienced with family members growing up in a logging town in...
April 09, 2024
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14:27
Construction Invoicing Strategies to Make Sure You Have Profit Left at the End of the Job
ProfitDig's Jeff Spencer discusses his invoicing strategies to make sure that you have the draws you need to pay the job bills along the way while maintaining healthy profit at the end of the job. Avoid overly aggressive billing! If you bill to...
April 01, 2024
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8:46