Home Improvement Contracts and Time and Materials Pricing
Tom Squeri
Monday, March 26, 2012, 12:38 pm
A recent legal presentation at Graniterock’s Concrete and Building Materials Expo has generated a lot of discussion. One of our speakers told the audience that it is unlawful for a contractor and a homeowner to enter into a contract for home improvement work where the price term is based on “time and materials” (“T&M”). Several [...]
Twenty Years Ago – Graniterock and the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award
Rose Ann Woolpert
Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 2:09 pm
Surely one of the most exciting events in Graniterock’s history took place twenty years ago, in 1992. That was the year the U.S. Department of Commerce named Graniterock a winner of the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. In December 1992, a lucky few Graniterock Team Members were able to attend the ceremony in Washington, [...]
Permeable Aggregate Systems for Playing Fields
Graniterock
Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 12:57 pm
It’s no doubt that synthetic athletic fields are becoming more popular. Organizations that decide to install synthetic fields have realized lower maintenance costs and better playability. Using a sophisticated system of drainage channels, filter fabrics and specialized aggregate, a well-designed field draws water quickly from the turf layer allowing year-round play and reliable playability in [...]
Tender Asphalt Mixes – Causes and Cures
Graniterock
Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 1:38 pm
A“tender” asphalt mix usually refers to a mix that is difficult to compact. It may have a tendency to shove under the roller wheels and/ or leave longitudinal cracks at the edge of the steel drums. Either a lack of friction between particles or a lack of shear strength in the mix essentially causes tenderness. [...]
The Easton Family of Santa Cruz
Rose Ann Woolpert
Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 9:38 am
Toward the end of the 19th century, many ambitious young men were drawn to careers in mining and construction. They dreamed of opportunity in the untapped riches of the West. Wallace Stegner’s novel, Angle of Repose, tells one such story and provides insight into the life and aspirations of western geologists and engineers of that [...]
More on the Economy – Housing Trends
Bruce W. Woolpert
Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 1:27 pm
The Federal Reserve realizes that the U. S. economic recovery is not likely to strengthen appreciably until residential construction recovers. The recent agreement between state attorney generals and major U.S. banks to resolve disputes regarding the handling of housing foreclosures is a plus. Now progress can be made in dealing with the shadow inventory of [...]
Fog Sealing Older Pavements
Graniterock
Sunday, February 19, 2012, 9:27 pm
In its “A Basic Asphalt Emulsion Manual”, the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association and the Asphalt Institute describe a fog seal as a “light application of slow-setting emulsion sprayed on an existing asphalt surface.” Properly applied and applied at the right time, a fog seal can be a valuable aid in the maintenance of an asphalt pavement. [...]
Don and Pearl Sallows: Logan Quarry Pioneers
Rose Ann Woolpert
Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 2:36 pm
Don Sallows in 1924 and Pearl Sallows in 1984 Graniterock values its family oriented workplace, and over the years there have been many families who have had more than one relative or spouse join the Graniterock Team. But it took more than forty years of doing business before Don and Pearl Sallows became [...]
WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED OVER the LAST 112 YEARS?
Bruce W. Woolpert
Monday, February 13, 2012, 2:24 pm
When an organization extends over more than one hundred years, many opportunities arise to reflect on the achievement. I am often asked, “So what lessons are there from the last 112 years for you and Graniterock People?” It’s a good question. My response has been to credit our founder, Arthur R. Wilson, with establishing a [...]
More on the Economy – Construction Added Jobs
Bruce W. Woolpert
Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 7:42 am
The U. S. Economy added 243,000 jobs in January – the fastest rate since April, 2011. The increase appears to be a solid one based on economic information collected in government surveys. The official government unemployment rate declined from 8.5% to 8.3%. Manufacturing added 50,000 jobs and 21,000 new jobs were added to construction. In [...]
