Solar, pot and new trends captured contractors’ attention in 2017 as new laws and technology came to the fore. But presidential politics and governmental regulation remained top of mind as well.
Here’s a look at the 10 most viewed articles from Replacement Contractor in 2017 — and what they say about the industry:
1. Why Pot Policies are the New Must-Have for Contractors. Along with alcohol and tobacco, contracting employers have a new legal drug to contend with — and experts say many seem unsure, at best, how to deal with it. That drug is marijuana, and it’s now legal in various forms in 28 states and the District of Columbia with more states to come.
2. Kansas Roofers Receive Lifetime Ban. John Shively took money from a customer but never carried out the work, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt. Nor did Shively ever register as a roofing contractor, as required by state law. Now his companies — J&S Construction and J&R Remodeling — won’t be doing any more roofing work in Kansas. Ever.
3. Roofing Contractor Racks up $690,000 in Fines. Robert Barringer III, the owner of Barringer Brothers Roofing in Swansea, Illinois, already faced fines of nearly $486,000 for previous violations when OSHA added another $205,544 in citations in early February. Barringer was cited for four willful violations for not making sure workers wore eye protection when using pneumatic nail guns; failing to provide workers with fall protection; and failing to have an accident prevention program. There also were five serious violations related to fall-protection compliance.
4. Solar Installs Leading to ‘Screwed Up’ Roofs. By all indications, it was another banner year for the rooftop solar industry as installations grew and prices fell. But behind this red-hot market was a serious problem: Because professional roofers are not usually installing roof-mounted solar, a large percentage of those installations lead to “messed up and screwed up” roofs.
5. Is the Tesla Solar Shingle for Real? After much hype over its so-called solar shingles, Tesla officially began taking orders in April, CEO Elon Musk announced on Twitter. Installations will begin in mid 2017, according to the company’s website. But the roofing industry isn’t so sure.
6. Six Killer Apps for Contractors. You’ve heard the expression, “There’s an app for that.” But you may not be aware that when it when it comes to some of the most difficult aspects of contracting — time tracking, presentations and estimating — there’s an app for that, too. Here’s a look at some of the apps top contractors are using and why they recommend them.
7. These 3 Skills Yield the Highest Customer Satisfaction. Contractors, what skills lead to the highest customer satisfaction over a range of replacement jobs?
If you’re like many contractors you’d probably answer, quality of work, expertise and team knowledge. You might even think the customer feeling like they got a good deal is of high importance to their contentment. But while those aspects are all essential parts of a job well done, these three key skills most affect customer satisfaction.
8. Trump Signs Measure to Revoke OSHA Recordkeeping Rule. The president signed a resolution on April 4 overturning the so-called Volks rule, which authorized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to extend its enforcement authority from six months to five years. Congress had approved the measure eliminating the rule last month.
9. What Does it Take to Go from ‘Chuck in a Truck’ to the Big Time? It’s no secret, many contractors struggle with growth. Not P.J. Fitzpatrick Inc. Over the past 37 years, the company has steadily gone from a single truck to one of the nation’s largest home improvement companies with a spot on the Remodeling 550, about 100 employees, a 25,000-square-foot headquarters and around $25 million in annual sales.
10. Four Ways California’s New Energy Code Will Affect Contractors Nationwide. Contractors may not realize it, but future replacement products and techniques are following the old saw, “as California goes, so goes the nation.” In this case, the Golden State is going toward the new 2016 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, and it’s already having far-reaching implications.
