The Emerging Role of AI in Pre-Construction

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol


This year kicked off with promising developments and displays of artificial intelligence (AI) – namely programs such as ChatGPT and Remini. From software developers to photo editors to writers, there has been a question of what role this technology will play throughout their respective industries. And while the construction industry is historically slow on the uptake when it comes to technology, it’s clear that artificial intelligence is here to stay and is already making waves.

As a whole, AI is a technology that uses large amounts of data to solve problems, but where does that fit into the future of preconstruction?

Well, in reality, a form of AI has been involved in pre-construction since the mid-2000s: Building Information Modeling (BIM). The technique of clash detection is a model that combines the MEP’s structural, and architectural plans into one digital model allowing the design team to address conflicts between the various...

Read More >

How The Douglas Company Mitigates Murphy’s Law

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

 

The call from my superintendent came in at about 7:00 am. This was a little earlier then our normal daily call, so I knew something was wrong. Upon answering the phone, I was immediately informed we had a plumbing leak. I asked where the leak was and my superintendent answered “In the model unit.” 

The model unit was fully furnished and it was where the sales staff gave daily tours to prospective residents. To make matters worse, the facility had their grand opening scheduled in just a few days.  Multiple members from the owner’s company would be at the grand opening and would be touring the model unit.

We quickly reviewed the damage and discussed what trades we would need to get scheduled to make repairs.

We would need the plumber to fix the leak, the drywaller to replace the damaged drywall, the insulator to replace the insulation that had gotten wet, the...

Read More >

What’s Happening with Material Pricing?

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

 

Over the past few years, there have been frequent discussions with our clients related to what we are seeing in the market when it comes to material and subcontractor pricing.

Since the pandemic, material pricing has been an extremely volatile part of our industry. These changing conditions have required everyone to adopt various strategies to get deals done. These strategies range from forms of procurement to combating escalation and much more.

As you can see in the table below from US Bureau of Labor Statistics, pricing is up substantially from where it was pre-pandemic. Overall project costs are up over 34% depending on type of construction. The table also indicates that continuous inflation has had a heavy impact on construction costs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the dollar had an average inflation rate of about 5.53% per year between 2020 and today. The result has been a...

Read More >

Adjusting Our Sails for Change in the Construction Industry

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

 

I heard a quote recently that stuck with me: “We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails.”

Whether it’s the sea breezes off the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico, storms coming out of the Caribbean, or fronts dropping in from the north, the winds in Florida are continuously changing. Adjusting for changes in the construction industry can be a lot like adjusting your sails for the wind.

For example, on June 1, 2023, a significant number of people boycotted work, travel, shopping, school, etc. in protest of Florida Senate Bill 1718. I spoke with several contractors who work around the state and all confirmed what we were seeing on our projects as a result – manpower was down 50-75% in a single day. Situations like this affect our projects, changing rapidly without notice – just like the Florida winds.

So, the question is: What do...

Read More >

The Douglas Company Announces a New President

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

Holland, OH, June 1, 2023 - The Douglas Company, a recognized industry-leading general contractor in commercial construction, proudly announces the promotion of Bruce R. Douglas to President of the company, effective July 1, 2023.

The Douglas Company was founded in 1976 by Bruce’s grandfather, Bruce Douglas, and is headquartered in Holland, Ohio, with a second office in Orlando, Florida. Bruce takes over the position from Peter Douglas, who has been President since 1992.  In these 31 years, the Company has grown to be a respected national leader in senior living and multifamily construction, completing more than 13,000 units of senior living and 11,000 units of multifamily.  “I’m excited for the future with Bruce and our dedicated leadership team.  They, along with our other associate partners, bring tremendous energy and ability to serve our clients into the future. We have planned for this process for several years to ensure the transition...

Read More >

Construction Development Continues to be a Game of Whac-A-Mole

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

When I googled Whac-A-Mole to see if there was a “definition” beyond the arcade game most of us are familiar with (and to confirm the game did not have the letter K in its spelling), the internet did not disappoint...

Here it is:

A situation in which repeated efforts to resolve a problem are frustrated by the problem reappearing in a different form

If that doesn’t illustrate the overall theme of new construction development projects over the last couple years, I challenge you to find a better analogy. 

I’m sure you’re probably thinking, “when exactly HASN’T it been a game of Whac-A-Mole when developing new projects?”  There has always typically been one hurdle or another that is slowing down or preventing projects from proceeding or at least making us (Owners, Architects, and Contractors) think a bit harder on how to get it done. Instead...

Read More >

3 Things to Consider for Long Term Planning

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

To be honest, until recently I hadn’t given much thought to long term health care… That changed when my mom was admitted to the ICU and told she wouldn’t be able to live alone in her house anymore.

Now, I think about it a lot. 

I’ve always had this picture in my head that when my parents got older, they could just move in with me and it would be no big deal. After all, it’s just another adult in the house right?

Turns out, it’s a bit different than that. 

First, my mom doesn’t function like she did before she was admitted.  Before, she could cook on her own, do her own chores, and take care of herself. Now, she has lost a lot of strength, has difficulty walking anywhere on her own, and she should be supervised while she’s moving about.

Second, I never imagined the amount of knowledge I’d need regarding medications....

Read More >

The Douglas Company Announces Completion of $22 Million Senior Living Community in Shaker Heights, Ohio

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol
Front exterior of HarborChase of Shaker Heights

Holland, Ohio, May 9, 2023 – The Douglas Company proudly announces the completion of HarborChase of Shaker Heights, a new assisted living and memory care community located within one of Cleveland’s most affluent suburbs, just eight miles from downtown. The Douglas Company served as general contractor for the $22.2 million community.

Co-Developers, Confluent Senior Living and Harbor Retirement Associates, selected RDL Architects to design the three-story, 108-unit community. The 106,698 square foot HarborChase is comprised of 80 assisted living units and 28 memory care units for individuals with dementia-related conditions, with every unit boasting high-end finishes. This extravagant facility offers vaulted ceilings upon entering and has a variety of amenities for residents to enjoy, including a commercial laundry service, full-service commercial kitchen, exhibit kitchen complete with a pizza oven, virtual activity room, two salons, bistro, bar, a large wellness room, private and formal dining rooms, artist studio...

Read More >

The Douglas Company Expands Affordable Housing with Lincoln & Gilbert Family Development

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

Holland, Ohio, April 20, 2023 – The Douglas Company, a general contractor leader, is excited to announce our third multifamily project with owner, Pennrose, LLC. The Douglas Company will oversee the Lincoln & Gilbert Family Housing development, a $9.9 million affordable housing community in Cincinnati, Ohio. Completion is expected in April 2024.

Located in Walnut Hills, the project site was cleared of vacant and dilapidated structures to make room for the 51,847-square-foot development. Lincoln & Gilbert Family Housing will create 50 affordable housing units for individuals and families, with one, two, and three bedrooms. Designed by New Republic Architecture, the buildings will offer a modern look with excellent amenities including a community room, laundry room, on-site management, community spaces, and parking.

“The Douglas Company is proud to continue our work with Pennrose to bring quality living spaces that enrich the communities of Cincinnati,” said Tyler Stout, project manager at The Douglas...

Read More >

Conventional Hold-down Hardware vs. New Tie-down Systems

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

When it comes to anchoring building components in wood-framed structures, there are two primary options to consider: conventional hold-down hardware and new tie-down offerings from either QuickTie or CLP. While both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, the trend in the framing world seems to be pushing more toward the new tie-down systems.

Conventional hold-down hardware typically involves using screws, bolts, straps, and lots of nails to secure the hardware to the framing components.  This can be an effective method, but it can also be labor-intensive and time-consuming, especially when dealing with larger or more complex wood-framed structures.  In addition, the use of traditional hardware can sometimes lead to damage or deformation of the material being held down, especially if excessive force or nails are applied or installation is sloppy.  Also, traditional hardware has little flexibility on tolerances and does nothing to address wood shrinkage and building settlement.

Quick tie...

Read More >

Demand for Active Adult Housing Continues to Outpace Supply

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

Active adult or age-restricted housing continues to experience strong growth, while multifamily housing development is showing signs of slowing. The active adult market hasn’t yet been flooded by national developers, leaving opportunities for real estate investors and developers who want to enter this exciting market. Active adult housing has experienced year-over-year growth every year since 2012 without any signs of slowing down, and with Baby Boomers beginning to retire and downsize, now is the perfect time to consider active adult.

Nearly all of the approximately 75 million Baby Boomers are already over age 55. As Baby Boomers begin to retire, many are looking to downsize and start a new lifestyle. However; most are not ready for assisted living or traditional senior living communities. Today’s seniors are looking for simpler lifestyles featuring single-story floor plans with little to no maintenance.  Community amenities like walking trails, clubhouses, and activities are located close to...

Read More >

What I Enjoy About Construction

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

This year marks 10 years in the industry for me, which on one hand feels like 20 years, and on the other, it feels like just yesterday I was graduating college. I was recently asked “What do you enjoy about construction?” so this made me take a minute to reflect on the past 10 years.

Honestly, the day-to-day in construction is grueling. As general contractors, we are focused on keeping the project moving so we are always dealing with resolving issues. Once you solve the problem you are working on, it’s on to the next one. This process repeats really until the project is complete. Sometimes it feels like an uphill battle but that is just the nature of the beast.

So to answer what I enjoy about construction, I was drawn to the process it takes and the impact it has on so many different people. The most enjoyable part of...

Read More >

The Movies and Senior Living Development

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

Twenty years ago everyone would ask me why I didn’t do development on a personal basis. Development is different from construction. I understand the risks of construction, but I don’t understand those of development very well. So I would Forest Gump my way through it, thinking “Stupid is as stupid does,” knowing I am not an expert in development. It was meant to add humility and levity, not to intimate that those who do development are stupid. A better quote would have been from Clint Eastwood, who said “A man’s got to know his limitations.” I did, and I do.

About fifteen years ago a good client and friend asked if I wanted to invest in a project he was developing and we were building, so I did on my own, not as The Douglas Company. I have since invested personally in several projects, always as a relatively small percentage, with...

Read More >

The Douglas Company Finishes Eighth Senior Living Community with Kaplan Development Group

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

Holland, Ohio, 2023 February 9 – The Douglas Company and owner, Kaplan Development Group, celebrated the completion of the $12.6 million All American Assisted Living at Enfield. Located in Enfield, Connecticut, this new community offers assisted living and memory care services for older adults. This is the eighth development The Douglas Company has managed as the general contractor for the Kaplan Development Group. 

Designed by EGA Architects, All American Assisted Living at Enfield features 112 residences in a spacious 55,992 square-foot living and communal space. Impressive in-house amenities include a salon, beauty parlor, bistro, media room, and an interior courtyard. The building is wood-framed and constructed on a slab on grade over a standard spread footer/stem wall.  The exterior is finished with CertainTeed vinyl siding, including lap boards and “cedar” shakes, with a mix of EPDM and asphalt shingle roofing. 

“The Douglas Company team is proud to bring the Kaplan Development Group projects to life...

Read More >

Managing Subcontractors Compared to Coaching Basketball

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

This week basketball practice started for my son’s 1st-grade team, The Clippers, whom I get the opportunity to coach. At first glance, outside of the very dissimilar physical differences, I thought I was in one of our weekly subcontractor progress meetings. Four kids locked in and focused on having a productive practice. One kid did not want to be there, two kids wanted to complain about everything, two showed up for the snack at the end of practice and one kid showed up 10 minutes late.  Yes, this season will be the constant herding of cats but then I laughed, went home, and told my wife I do this every day. Our job as the general contractor is to take the constant chaos and charter a path for everyone to follow. Below are the eight principles The Clippers are focused on this season followed by a description of how each...

Read More >

Technology in Construction for 2023

Posted on | by Savannah Sokol

Thanks to the surge in attention to construction technology over the last few years, our once dark and analog industry has benefited from many tools that help produce higher quality projects more efficiently. Here are some of the solutions The Douglas Company is making a focus this year:

  • Scheduling Software - Supply chain issues and workforce shortages are expected to continue in 2023, and without a detailed and outstanding project schedule any project is going to suffer from inefficiency and lost time. As schedules get more complicated, tools that help understand their data and the effects of one task on another. The Douglas Company uses SmartPM, a web-based tool that tracks changes between schedule versions, availability of float, compression, and overall health of a schedule. This gives our project managers more information to help prioritize work on-site and focus on the right work areas.
  • Project Photography - Pictures tell a thousand words,...

    Read More >