Educational Session Recap
All sessions are eligible for one continuing education unit (CEU) with NARI.
9:30-10:20am Educational Breakout Sessions #1
Your Biggest Problem Now and to Come: Finding Workers
Craig Webb, President of Webb Analytics
Remodelers nationwide say they easily could do far more jobs if only they could find and hire people to do the work they had lined up. How can your firm become the exception to the rule? This session, led by Webb Analytics’ Craig Webb, will explore the issue in depth. How can you recruit better? Train faster? Create a pay and benefits package that makes you an employer of choice? Use new technology to solve some of your biggest problems? What’s culture got to do with it all? You’ll emerge with ideas to help you build a bigger, better team.
Fundamentals of Procurement Using Technology
Jeff Ryan, General Manager at RenoRun
As the price of construction materials rises and the ability to hire staff continues to be a challenge, technology is the key to success. For project managers and contractors to successfully deliver a project, they need to have a proper construction procurement process that is efficient, budget conscious and ensures quality every time. How organizations and professionals carry out the procurement process heavily impacts their operations in the construction industry. This session focuses on the intersection of procurement and technology. It introduces the basics of procurement and a structured process for implementation. Topics include types of procurement, considerations, technology substitutes, and procurement best practices. This session will help attendees develop the right habits to ensure smooth operations and predictable procurement related outcomes.
Construction Documents: Your Pathway to a Successful Project
Joseph Putignano, Director of Operations at Cobblestone Remodeling, Inc.
This session will explore how clear documentation benefits everyone! Building and remodeling are often described as a process similar to a great musical composition; this process goes through a cycle of emotion, clarity, and timing for everyone involved. Construction documents are one pathway that bring clarity, direction, and agreement towards a successful project, and ultimately help cover you and your business in the process. #coveryourownassets
10:30-11:20am Educational Breakout Sessions #2
50 Shades of Cray: How to Identify and Protect Yourself from Crazy Clients
Allyson Case Anderson, Founder & CEO at Integro Builders, LLC
James P. Ziegler, Attorney at Stone Pogrund & Korey, LLC
Construction is an invasive and often highly emotional experience for clients. The process can bring out the very best – and the very worst – of you and your clients. By the end of this session, you will have learned how to identify red flags of troublesome clients, how to understand your risk at various stages of your project, how to protect your company contractually, considerations to weigh regarding entering into litigation, and best practices to avoid catastrophic disagreements with your clients.
Make a PACT for Success in 2022!
Doug Howard, Director of Consulting at Remodelers Advantage
This session will describe how to drive your company to greater success by focusing on each of four critical areas (processes, accountability, communications, and training) and applying proven strategies to get results. There will be particular emphasis on how to use this approach to address the challenges of delays, bottlenecks, and production capacity that many remodeling clients are experiencing in 2022.
What All Contractors Should Know About Radon Systems
Dan Potter, President at DuPage Radon Contractors
This session will review the important information that all remodelers, general contractors, electricians, plumbers, siding contractors, etc. should know about radioactive radon mitigation systems, brought to you in an interactive fun, game show format.
1:00-1:50pm Educational Breakout Sessions #3
Design-Build Remodeling: Managing Client Budgets Through the Design Process
Russ Head, Co-Founder of Liv Companies, LLC
How can we provide design services that consistently create buildable construction projects? For the majority of clients, budget is as important of a constraint as the design itself, and when the costs increase throughout design without proper guidance from the remodeler, clients are less likely to build their project at the end of the day. How can we manage the client budget, client expectations, finish selections, scope creep, increased material costs, unforeseen costs, and still make sure that all this work turns into a construction agreement? Communication!
Reclaimed Chicago Common Brick for Interior and Exterior Use
Patti Swanson, Marketing Director & Architectural Sales at Bricks Incorporated
Learn the history of Chicago common brick, discover how it is reclaimed from demolition sites and repurposed, explore unique characteristics of the material and typical installation techniques, and see examples of projects that have made use of this one-of-a-kind vintage product.
Get the Picture: How to Capture Compelling Photos and Boost Your Business
Maureen Henry, Marketing Coordinator at NARI of Greater Chicagoland
Learn hands-on tips and tricks for do-it-yourself remodeling photography, using only your mobile phone’s camera. In addition, find out the best ways to leverage those photos across your business’ digital properties. From Facebook and Instagram to web site project galleries and client newsletters, having a portfolio of photos at your fingertips allows you to attract prospective clients by showing (and not just telling) them the great work you do.
State of the Industry Panel (2:15 – 3:15 PM)
Moderator
Don Van Cura Sr, President at Don Van Cura Construction Co.
Panelists
- Caroline Broderick, Managing Editor at Pro Remodeler
- Doug Howard, Director of Consulting at Remodelers Advantage
- Jenny Rice, Owner at Icon Building Group
- Russ Head, Co-Founder at Liv Companies, LLC