Project Profile: RBC Lubron Bearing Systems

Riggins Construction & Management, Inc. was contracted as the Design-Builder to repurpose this tired warehouse / office space into a functioning, specialty bearing manufacturing plant.

The City street was excavated (and repaved) to install a 6”ø pipe that tapped into the existing 12”ø water main on the north side of Lawson River Avenue. This was done to add fire sprinklers to the building. Furthermore, an extension to the 6” detector check assembly for fire protection was installed.

We removed landscaping in the front of the building to make room for an ADA-compliant ramp. We then re-landscaped, repaved, striped, and installed signage for the two new handicap stalls at the east elevation. We also added a handrail to the front stairs and met path-of-travel requirements from the parking area to the front door.

All cracks in the concrete tilt-up panels were structurally repaired via epoxy injection method. The entire warehouse was painted and accented with a royal blue wainscot. The concrete floors were also repaired.

Digital Influence Panel – You Are What You Tweet

Here is the recording of my talk “You Are What You Tweet” from the ACEC California‘s Digital Influence Panel at their annual conference 4/10/13.

I mention iFLOOR.com and Burgin Construction Inc. as my first AEC connections as well as SafetyTeddi and WindowWorks.  Another shout-out was given for CustomerSpecs‘ clever use of tea in #MarkeTea.

Highlight:

“When you have a relationship with a person, the logo has meaning.”  Tweet This

I also reference the customer service experience we had with one of the employees of Earth Island Natural Foods discussed in this blog post.

Our group.
Bridget Willard, Office Manager
Mark DeSio, Director of Public Relations Division, Caltrop
Darrel Cole, Manager Communications & Public Involvement, Parson Brinckerhoff

The Youtube playlist of all of the panelists is here.

My reflections on the Google Hangout On Air of this talk are here.

Other Posts You May Like:

• T-what? What is twitter? Why do you do it? What’s the point?
• Bridget’s Twitter Tips (pdf)
• Branding: A Lasting Impression
• What 7-Eleven and a Billboard Say About ROI
• Chicago Dominos Pizza Twitter Customer Service Case Studies (30 min video)

Branding: A Lasting Impression

Untitled by Felipe Lordello

I’m sitting at lunch with friends just the other day and I was asked the question,

“What is branding?”

Branding is listening to a thirty-year old Michael Jackson song on the radio and recognizing the Eddie Van Halen guitar solo.

Branding is making a decision between using a restroom at a gas station or the restroom at a Starbucks.

Branding is being reminded of your beloved uncle when you smell pipe tobacco with a hint of cherry.

Is Branding A Logo?

Yes and no.

In many ways, branding is the connection of your sensual experiences.  When I see a Diet Coke can, I become thirsty. Why?  I remember the feel of a cold can in my hands, the sound the can makes when it pops open, the tickle down my throat, and the taste afterward.  All of those memories are tied into the Diet Coke logo.

Human history is full of seals, rings, flags, coats of arms, and crests used to distinguish families, tribes, and nations.  The human condition is curious; as much as we long for group acceptance, we still desire to be distinct and recognized. But I digress.

Although the etymology of branding is varied, we can all imagine a rancher using a hot iron to brand his livestock.  Each ranch had a distinct logo that made a permanent impression. Though originally intended to distinguish ownership, the logo reflected on the rancher, whether good or bad.

Your behavior as a company will be associated with your logo.  In this regard, the branding is the logo and the logo is the brand.

In my presentation, “You Are What You Tweet,” I gave the example that the Caltrop logo had no meaning to me until I met one of their employees, Mark DeSio.

“When you have a relationship with a person, the logo has meaning.” (Tweet This)

Cookies Crumble, Concrete Cracks | Epoxy Injection as a Structural Repair

Art Dodge points out a panel crack.

Talking to Rick, one of our superintendents about this post, he said, “I have a great title for you.” One of his mentors used to say, “Cookies crumble, concrete cracks.”

Are those cracks in your building’s tilt-up walls simply cosmetic? Is it just chipped paint? Chances are, it’s not the case.

Often times, because both concrete and the earth tend to move, tilt-up panels will develop cracks. These cracks are not merely at the surface; rather, they crack through the entire thickness of the wall panel. Thus the mnemonic: “cookies crumble, concrete cracks.”

I interviewed Art Dodge of Dodge Concrete Waterproofing Surfaces about the steps involved to structurally repair these cracks with epoxy injection.

What 7-Eleven and A Billboard Say About ROI

Everyone and their mom has written about social media and ROI.

For some reason, the social media skeptic tends to be fixated on this factor. Not surprisingly, I’m often asked what my return is for tweeting. After years of answering this question, I’ve settled on this analogy.

I tell them about a billboard and 7-Eleven.

On the major corner by our office, there is a billboard. The freeway and two major streets can see this billboard.

Coca-Cola is always advertising one of their many product lines on said billboard.  This billboard does not interact with you, it does not smile at you, it does not ask you questions.  It’s simply a large rectangle, in a vehicle’s direct line of sight, wallpapered with a visual advertisement.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should. – Book of Business Awesome Tour in OC

Scott Stratten made a stop in Orange County on his Book of Business Awesome tour last night and boy did I ever get my money’s worth.

First of all, it’s refreshing to be reinforced by an “expert” on some of the theories and opinions I’ve come up with recently.

Secondly, it was good to just laugh. Scott has a way to make us laugh at ourselves and the things we do, especially with technology, that just do not make sense.

“We’re using tech because we can; not because we should.” Scott Stratten

The Linked Orange County event was very enjoyable and the cost was reasonable, especially because I bought my ticket during the initial stages of the event planning.

Here are some highlights in the form of my tweets:

"Anyone can be cool but awesome takes practice." @unmarketing #linkedoc #ocawesome http://t.co/XqP5LbFu—
Riggins Construction (@RigginsConst) November 15, 2012

Project Profile: 17520 Newhope

Riggins Construction & Management, Inc. is proud to announce the completion of the new roof system for Munroe Baldwin, LLC.

We coordinated the project from front to back, including evaluating which HVAC units needed to be replaced and which simply needed repair. Once the scope was agreed upon, we contracted a structural engineer, obtained drawings, and put the project out to bid.

This project included the evacuation and removal of ten roof-top HVAC units and four condensing units using a crane during the weekend. The new units were placed upon new, structurally-reinforced platforms and crickets were installed to redirect water flow around the units on the high side of the platforms. Inside, the corresponding digital thermostats were installed. Four condensing and new fan coils were also replaced and put on new wooden platforms with sheet metal caps.

Congratulations to Bridget on Six Years of Service

Bridget Willard, Office Manager

We would like to congratulate Bridget Willard, Office Manager, for completing six years of service here at Riggins Construction & Management, Inc.

We realize that our value is derived from the quality folks who endeavor to work with integrity of heart and mind, who have a great future in their horizon, and who make our future success a certainty.

Here is a little bit about her so you can get to know her better.

1. What is the most important invention or innovation that has happened during your life-time?

This answer has to be computer chips, specifically silicon chips. It’s my understanding that this technology is what has lead to our phone becoming a personal computer.

Valuation Threshold: No, it’s not in a door way.

When you think of a threshold, I’m sure you imagine a doorway, perhaps with a blushing bride being carried over one.  In this case, it’s financial in nature.

This perplexing term is the Valuation Threshold and it has quite a bit of influence on the direction and scope of your construction project.

The Valuation Threshold is a dollar value set each year by the State Architect’s Office from the State of California.

Still perplexed?  Yes, it is a complex issue; perhaps the following chart will shed some light on how it may affect your building and your project’s budget.

Featured Tweeter @cabinetmakers

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @cabinetmakers

Twitter Bio: Custom Cabinets & Millwork Since 1978  ~ St Lic #361472 ~  #kbtribechat founder ~ tweets by @Stacy__Garcia

Company Name: Garcia Cabinetmakers

City/State: Huntington Beach, CA

Main Website: GarciaCabinetmakers.com

Facebook Page:  facebook.com/GarciaCabinetmakers

Admin Name:  Stacy Garcia

LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/garciacabinetmakers

Followers: 1,849

Following:Follower Ratio: 1.14

Klout:  48

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

May 14, 2009 but I did not really get active until late 2010.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

Time management is my biggest obstacle. I have to be very cognizant of it or hours can go by in a flash.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I do not have a set schedule for tweeting during the day. Every morning I check my mentions and respond. I tweet news as I get it and sometimes retweet kitchen and bath information from bloggers I follow.  I keep Hootsuite open during the day and monitor it.  I manage a twitter chat that is every Wednesday.  On some weeks my tweets are concentrated there.

Big Bad Tweeter and Little Red Tweeting Hood ~ A Social Media Fairy Tale

I’m often called the Den Mother of Twitter by a few of my peers because I feel a compulsive need to keep peace and safety in our social media neighborhood.

 

Here’s a bedtime fairy tale for you.

nce upon a time, in a land far, far away lived a Big Bad Tweeter.  He didn’t care about Tweeps in Twitterville or their cultural paradigms.  He wasn’t concerned about being social; he just wanted to be heard.

Now, the Tweeps in Twitterville were happy and good-natured. They wanted to learn and grow and talk about ideas.  They wanted to meet new people and share their lives.  But they were all secretly afraid of the Big Bad Tweeter.

Every time he came to town he bullied everyone in Twitterville with his endless shoutouts in ridiculous overtones, roaring and growling at any hint of correction.  He hunted down their hashtags for business connections and filled it up with spam.

No one could hear themselves speak.  They could only hear the roar of the Big Bad Tweeter.