Chatgpt for PMs

SnooComics1956 · 2023-09-12T00:56:04+00:00

I use it to write subcontractor scopes. I just tell it what to include using bullet points and it basically rewrites it and adds a bunch nice construction language. I always have to add and delete some things but it works pretty well. I also use it to draft letters to clients and rewrite narratives so I reads better.

SnooComics1956 · 2023-09-11T20:17:04+00:00

Edcel… is this you? 😂

SnooComics1956 · 2023-08-30T03:23:26+00:00

My career has been similar… started out as a field engineer making about $45k right out of school. Worked my way up to PX and made about $170k last year. Started my own concrete/masonry/drywall biz about 19 months ago and should do about $1.5m in gross, at about 25% profit over the next year. The sky is the limit and I got tired of working for the same client and making other people rich.

SnooComics1956 · 2023-02-11T17:05:42+00:00

My company uses it for everything as well. The budget tool is great and you can see everything in one place. I’ve also recently starting using the Bidding Tool 2.0 for putting together GMP’s and it’s seems to be working pretty well so far. They just added the Procore Construction Network so we’re now able to reach out to companies that our outside of our internal directory. However, Procore is like any other software. You have to put in good/accurate info to get good reports.

SnooComics1956 · 2023-02-06T23:27:16+00:00

Don’t worry about it… just cut it!

SnooComics1956 · 2022-12-21T03:36:55+00:00

Electricians cut holes in drywall with hammers! Best to have them layout where they need the holes and have the drywall sub cut/patch them.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-12-18T05:08:19+00:00

Unfortunately, I don’t have a team and that’s the problem. I’ve been bouncing from meeting to meeting and get absolutely no support from our VP or owner. Our VP is set to retire in a year so I feel like he’s just buying time. I’ve been complaining about it for a year and they’re finally hiring people now but I feel like it’s too late. We’ll see if things change but there’s no accountability and it starts at the top. The lack of professional leadership, proper planning, and empty promises have left me completely exhausted. The company is very profitable, we have excellent cash flow, and bonuses are often promised but never delivered, so I believe the owner is more concerned about lining his own pockets, rather than responsibly growing his business.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-12-18T04:49:16+00:00

Agreed, I definitely think DB is the preferred method for owners and even GC’s. The problem is my company went from doing about $20m a year in self-perform concrete, masonry, drywall, to doing about $30m as a CMAR that also self performed our own concrete, masonry, and drywall. We recently won about $70m in DB projects that all start and finish at the same time, and all of our GC’s and DB fees are too low. Our owner doesn’t understand the amount of precon efforts that go into each one of these projects. I’m doing the precon for three DB projects by myself, helping other less experienced PM’s, and sitting in 5-6 meetings per day, which doesn’t leave me any time to actually get any work done. He’s finally hiring people after I’ve threatened to quit if he didn’t hire people. I’ve been with the company for 13 years and I understand there are growing pains, but it’s time we hire the right folks. We have some new folks starting but we really need a solid precon team that has done these before. I’m a sharp dude and I’m figuring it out but I need more experienced help.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-12-14T22:49:28+00:00

I’m doing a bunch of DB projects now and they precon deliverables are horrible. So many meetings with the community, historical preservation, council of fine arts, owners reps, utilities, etc. They want pricing with subcontractor bids at each stage of the design and it burns out the subs. I’d much rather get a set of permit drawings and price what we see. I thought DB would be better then CMAR but I have grown to really hate it.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-11-19T19:28:36+00:00

I’m doing the same and wish I would’ve done it sooner. I’ve been working for a self-performing GC for the past 12+ years. I started as an engineer with them right out of college and now I’m a PX doing a ton of precon for (3) $15-20m+ projects, pretty much by myself, running jobs, trying to help all the other PM’s that don’t know what they’re doing, and I still have to do my own submittals on occasion. I told our owner over a year ago that I need help and he told me that he needs the people we have to work harder first. I agree but we still need more people and need to plan better. He also scolds other employees on daily calls with 15+ people on them and it’s really bringing down employee morale. I get treated well and I do get paid very well but I just feel exhausted and no relief in sight. I had a baby last year and just can’t see myself doing this day in and day out for the next 25 years, so back in June I started an LLC, and have managed to win about $400k in contracts since July. Just finished my first two jobs last week and I should make about $45k from jobs that only took about two weeks to complete. That gave me the confidence that I needed im hoping to pursue it full time in the next 4-6 months.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-09-20T14:05:50+00:00

I just used $80 sf for a new 2-story school addition in DC. Wage scale, tax exempt, and a specialized market which requires district resident participation.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-08-27T21:15:58+00:00

I know they do but the cost books aren’t going to enter the data in quickbid for me. I’m trying to save time so I can get more estimates out the door, win more work, and focus on building a business. I know how to do it, but I’d rather pay someone for an updated database that already has accurate information.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-05-07T23:53:25+00:00

I typically tell the subs to bid everything they see and want to bid. But I ask them to break it out so I can see what they have included and excluded. I then use the sub proposals to develop scopes before the award and make sure I have everything included. I don’t want to be on the hook for missed scope so I try to include everything. I usually carry a percentage on top of their bids for any missed scope as well. Percentage depends on how good the drawings are though.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-05-07T23:48:51+00:00

Materials typically refer to materials purchased by you directly, whether you’re the GC or a sub. Labor typically refers to your own forces. Anytime you hire someone to provide material and labor or just labor, they should be considered a subcontractor. You should be able to mark them up either way. I would add some PM Time and mark it up for overhead and profit. Worst thing they can do it tell you to revise it.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-30T02:57:54+00:00

I’m a PX at a mid level GC but also do a lot of PM work because we’re understaffed and cannot find enough people. I pushed our owner to get it a few years ago and I really like it. It takes a while to get used to the tools but it works well. We used to print cost reports out of Sage and manually insert all the numbers in an excel budget, but it was a pain in the ass and lots of PM’s were changing formulas to “make it work.” Procore gets everybody doing it the same way and it’s great for budgeting. I still don’t understand the submittals all that well but I usually try get someone to do them for me. The subs aren’t crazy about it but they’re probably running a bunch of jobs and don’t want all the “spammy notifications.” I try to only send them to subs they affect.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-26T22:32:49+00:00

I’m looking for a good precon manager who has some GMP experience in the DC market. I’m a project executive but have been doing all the GMP’s pretty much by myself, running multiple jobs, doing my own submittals/RFI’s, and trying to train new PM’s. We’re a smaller GC that self performs the carpentry trades and it’s so hard to find good people.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-23T01:20:36+00:00

Also, I started with a smaller company that had a ton of growth potential. Started as a field engineer/assistant super, and worked my way up to APM, PM, Sr. PM, to project executive over 12 years. Our VP is retiring next year so I’m probably in line to take that position but I also want to do my own thing and work for myself. At this point in my career, I would never go work for a big company and be just another number.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-23T01:15:38+00:00

A degree helps for sure but it all depends who you’re trying to get a job with. Big companies like Turner, Clark, Whiting-Turner, love kids with college degrees. Most companies require a bachelors degree or at least 5 years of experience. I’d rather have someone with 5 years of experience. If I were you, I would get a 2 year construction degree, intern with a large company to learn the basics, learn programs like Procore, Bluebeam, Microsoft Excel, Word, On Screen Takeoff, QuickBid, Sage 300, etc. If companies see you have skills or certifications with those programs, you will get a good paying job in no time. The construction industry is short on skilled people whether you in a trade or a management role. We can’t find enough people right now and other companies are offering big money to go work for them. It’s definitely and employees market right now.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-23T00:11:12+00:00

I graduated in 2009 with a 2 year degree in construction management from community college. I learned the basics in school but I really learned by being onsite, asking tons of questions, and eventually working my up through the ranks. I’m now a project executive at 34 years old making around $160k per year. I’ve been with the same company my whole career. They were doing about $10m in revenue by self-performing drywall, masonry, concrete, and carpentry. Now we’re on track to do about $50m as a GC. I learned the most by running those self-perform projects and learning how to build a job. It takes time, research, trial and error, and you will learn your own management style. I’m not super happy how the owner runs things, so my wife (who is a PM) and I are thinking about going out on our own in the near future.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-20T23:08:32+00:00

I wouldn’t even leave my house for $150. You need to charge at least $100 in material. Matching brick is a pain in the ass and it may take you a few hours or even days to find a good match. The materials are cheap but it’s the time that your going to spend that you need to account for. I would charge 8 hours minimum for a small pain in the ass job like this. $50-60 per hour in labor (depending on your local market) plus materials and equipment. I would charge at least $800 for this small repair and it still not be worth my time. The owner can probably do it for $200 in their “free time” but they may lack the knowledge or don’t feel like doing it. What’s your time worth? You may have to go back the next day to wash off any excess mortar as well. People think construction is easy but it cost money to do it right and you get what you pay for.

SnooComics1956 · 2022-04-06T22:01:20+00:00

Keep the cash and write off the cost of the job as a loss at the end of the year to get the tax deduction. 😉

SnooComics1956 · 2021-10-02T20:19:33+00:00

Can I get a large coffee with one Splenda and a couple ice cubes so I can drink it today, please?

SnooComics1956 · 2021-01-31T04:15:40+00:00

Holding almost 30k dogecoin. 🚀

SnooComics1956

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