Denver Construction in 2018

Denver’s rapid growth is no secret. With cranes speckling the skyline and rental properties being scooped up minutes after they’re listed, the city’s growth seems to have no end in sight. From job opportunities, to major capital expenditures on large projects, to interactive maps letting you explore what’s happening, Denver construction has a major impact on the City and it’s residents.

Job Opportunities

The construction industry in Denver is abundant with job opportunities. Jobs range from entry-level, to those that require light training or apprenticeship certifications such as electricians, or pipefitters, all the way up to degree level jobs such as architects and civil engineers.

The state’s industry employs about 175,000 workers according to the Associated General Contractors of Colorado. That’s slightly more than the pre-Great Recession peak in 2007. But a Colorado State University study has projected the industry will need to fill 14,000 more positions in the next five years, a figure that equates to hiring 30,000 new workers, once baby boomers’ retirements and other attrition are factored in. (Source: https://www.denverpost.com/2018/06/25/denver-construction-job-training/)

With upwards of 4 billion dollars set to be spent on construction projects in Denver alone, “construction employment, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, saw the biggest monthly gain, 2,000 jobs, followed by trade, transportation and utilities with 1,900 and manufacturing with 1,300,” states Aldo Svaldi of The Denver Post.

Just look at Indeed, ZipRecruiter, or Craigslist and you will see over 4,000 open construction jobs, with the average annual salary between $26,000 and $42,000. “Construction needs skilled workers, and they can’t hit the job market quickly enough,” states Erin Douglas of The Denver Post.

Denver’s Major Upcoming Construction Projects

Interested in the big players on scene? Check out these links to major Denver construction projects happening now.

Denver Health to break ground on $157 million medical center

Great article on one of the largest new facilities to be constructed in the City.

DIA

Learn about DIA’s $3.5 billion, five-year capital improvement plan spanning 2018-2022.

The River Mile

Check out the plans for this new urban district written around the rediscovery and revitalization of the South Platte.

I-70 Overhaul

Construction doesn’t just have to do with buildings. Here is everything you need to know about I-70’s 1.2 billion dollar overhaul that will start at the end of the year.

Up-to-Date Information on All New Denver Construction Projects

Interested in keeping up to date with all of these new projects? Check out this awesome map Denver Crane Watch, an interactive map showcasing metro Denver developments and Denver construction projects. Each project is indicated by a graphic corresponding to the type of project and can be clicked on for a photo of the project as well as a description. The description includes the name of the project, the location, a description of the project, the owner/developer, the cost, the status, the estimated completion, and a link for more information.

Another savvy interactive website is Denver Infill. A blog style site, it features all ongoing projects in icon view, and gives updates on recent project developments every few days. You can also search through the site by project name, category, or location to find specific information. In addition you can access interactive maps, renderings of future skylines, and check out current project photographs.

For Business Owners in Construction

Are you a business owner leading Denver’s construction boom? Perhaps you are struggling to find employees and could benefit from specialized IT services for the Denver construction industry? Check out what Cloud Colorado can offer including: Remote Desktop, Cloud Based Solutions, and Managed IT services to help mitigate the labor shortages and keep your projects on track to completion.

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StreetSmarts Construction Software

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Street Smarts

Are you one of the many companies still running StreetSmarts Construction Software? You’ve likely been humming along for years with StreetSmarts, only to have a problem arise with the software one day, and realize that Maxwell no longer offers tech support. Where do you turn? Sure, transitioning to a new platform is ideal, but when your day-to-day operations rely on StreetSmarts, something needs to get fixed now! If you are finding yourself in this situation we’ve got great news – Cloud Colorado is one of the only IT support companies that still offers support for StreetSmarts. We will even help you transition to a new platform when the time is right.

Who is StreetSmarts For?

StreetSmarts Construction Software is a comprehensive line of business accounting application software designed for construction contractors in the heavy and highway construction space. In its heyday, it was a very popular software used by many big name companies. It helped businesses to better manage materials, equipment, finances, and more with its powerful tools that include:

  • Contract Management
  • Human Resources
  • Document Imaging
  • Financial Management
  • Equipment Inventory
  • Equipment Management
  • Material Billing
  • Project Management
  • ScaleSmarts
  • SmartTraxx
  • Subcontract Management

Many Still Run StreetSmarts Construction Software

Even though Maxwell discontinued StreetSmarts, I don’t have to be the one to tell you that the construction industry can be slow to adapt to change. Many construction companies still run the old software and do their best to get by without updates and tech support from Maxwell. A lot of businesses spent years learning the new system and have been resistant to change over to something new. This strategy works until a major bug arises in the program and businesses have no where to turn for help. For such an important part of your daily operations, having no back-up when things go wrong is not a good feeling.

How to get StreetSmarts IT Support

If you are one of the unfortunate souls to find yourself in the situation described above, we’ve got great news. With ex-StreetSmarts developers on staff, Cloud Colorado is in a unique position to help. Not only can Cloud Colorado fix any issues you might be facing right now with the program, but we can also help you select and transition to a new construction management software when the time is right. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation.

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How to Get Support for StreetSmarts Construction Software

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streetsmarts

Is your construction business still using StreetSmarts? You may know that Maxwell System no longer supports this software – so what do you do when you need support or help with your data planning and conversion? No need to worry. Cloud Colorado has you covered when it comes to StreetSmarts with our qualified team of experienced StreetSmarts engineers and developers.

What is StreetSmarts?

StreetSmarts Construction Software is a comprehensive line of business accounting application suite designed for construction contractors in the heavy and highway construction space. It is meant to help businesses to better manage materials, equipment, finances, and more with its powerful tools that include:

  • Contract Management
  • Human Resources
  • Document Imaging
  • Financial Management
  • Equipment Inventory
  • Equipment Management
  • Material Billing
  • Project Management
  • ScaleSmarts
  • SmartTraxx
  • Subcontract Management

These tools have been proven to help streamline automation and management for companies in the heavy and highway construction space and are relied upon by many to regulate business functions. Unfortunately for users, the software is now only serviced by 3rd party support, making it a bit more difficult to find qualified engineers to assist with software issues.

Why Is It No Longer Supported?

Viewpoint acquired Maxwell Systems a few years ago in 2014. When this acquisition took place, some of Maxwell Systems’ products, such as StreetSmarts, became no longer supported by the company. If StreetSmarts was purchased and utilized within a company before this acquisition, it can still be used, but Maxwell Systems and Viewpoint do not offer product support. If support or help is needed, a 3rd party, like Cloud Colorado, must be used or a new business application suite must be adopted.

Who Still Offers Support?

We do! StreetSmarts Construction Software is no longer supported by Maxwell Systems – but that’s where we come in. We have a team of SteetSmarts developers and engineers to help you keep this valuable software up and running. We can even assist with conversion when the time is right. Our qualified team has many years of 3rd party support experience with StreetSmarts clients and the new application suites that are now available. This means we’re able to fix current StreetSmarts issues and recommend alternative modern software that can get the job done as well, if not better.

Whether you need StreetSmarts support help or are looking to update your construction business application software, Cloud Colorado has the knowledgeable and experienced engineers to get the job done. Visit our website or contact us at 303-708-9725 to request a free consultation to find out how we can help you with StreetSmarts.

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What’s New in Construction in 2018

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What’s New in Construction in 2018

Technology, urbanization, and convenience are the name of the game for construction in 2018. Read on to find out which business tech will become invaluable this year and where we will be seeing the most growth.

Public Transportation Is on the Rise

In 2018, you will find more and more projects coming up that are either to literally build public transportation infrastructure, or to create developments that are public transport centric. With most of the population now living in urban areas, the days of driving everywhere are gone. Housing, especially on the condo and apartment side of things, is in huge demand near transportation stops. Businesses seek out locations that their workforce can easily get to, and giants like Amazon even select what city their headquarters will be located in based on the quality of their public transportation. Expect to see the network of public transportation grow this year, along with everything around it.

Cloud Computing

Construction has always been an industry with a scattered workforce, and now technology makes it easier to communicate and cooperate with those in the office, at home, and on the job. Cloud technology and features such as remote desktop make it possible to access email, project management software, and more from any device. The construction industry has been one of the strongest sectors to embrace cloud computing, and that will only grow in 2018.

Use of Drones

Aside from just a popular toy, drones have a huge range of uses. The reason you see them on a lot of construction sites these days range from mapping job sites, to monitoring progress, to providing clients with project updates. Drones are really in their element at a job-site – where just a few years ago you had to send a photographer up a crane or cherry-picker just to get an aerial shot. Drones become cheaper and their features become more useful each year.

Labor Shortage Increases Calls for Automation

The labor shortage in construction has unfortunately continued into 2018. As we know too well, a desperate need is the fastest way to get new tech onto the market. Automation was a buzzword in 2017, and 2018 is when the talks get a little more serious. The lack of workforce in the construction industry is driving companies to look elsewhere for “man-power,” and it looks like automation just might be the answer.

Construction in 2018

The construction industry has to have the ability to both respond to today’s wants, and plan for the needs of the future. Keeping an eye on where the demand is headed, and what tech you need to be competitive, will put your company in a good place for years to come.

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IT Tips for the Construction Industry

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IT tips for the construction industry

One of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry is keeping up with changing technology. As new technology comes out, it is often the newest or the largest companies that are the first to implement it, leaving the mid-sized, older companies behind. The top reasons companies don’t quickly adapt to new technology is that they think it will be difficult or expensive to implement. The reality is though, tech is getting cheaper and cheaper. And there’s a reason new technology puts the competition ahead: it makes life easier. Sure, there’s always a learning curve, but adapting to these IT tips for the construction industry listed below will make your employee’s lives easier and increase productivity. Keep reading to understand why.

Managed IT Services

In construction, most employees are hardly ever in the office, or in one place for that matter. With a majority of time spent on the road and on job sites, it doesn’t really make sense to have an IT department in one place, either. The reason many construction companies have switched over the Managed IT Service Providers can be summed up to convenience and cost. With remote IT services managed in the cloud, your IT provider can be anywhere your employees are. Using a provider versus an in-house department also saves companies a lot of money every year. A managed service provider can get employees up and running faster and will usually own all of the servers you need to use. In addition, the equipment you do purchase will last longer.

Remote Desktop

Remote desktop technology has been a huge game changer for the construction industry. With remote desktop, employees can log into their familiar desktop from any device and in any location. On the road, on a job site, or in the office – all of their settings, files, and programs will be just as they left them. Remote desktop is incredibly convenient for the construction industry because it means less lugging around equipment and less computing power is needed when all programs and files are stored in the cloud.

Mobile Project Management

Modern project management software has brought productivity way up for the construction sector. Most software it is cloud based, so it is accessible from any device and updates in real time. It makes collaboration much easier when the entire team can see updates and receive notes instantly for on-going projects. With a mix of employees in the office and on-site, mobile project management software has been very useful in construction.

IT Tips for the Construction Industry

For construction companies, keeping up with changing IT trends can mean the difference between being an industry leader, and getting left in the dust. Although some tech fads come and go, many are here to stay. Change can be intimidating in such an old industry, but to stay competitive, construction businesses must be willing to adapt. With the bar set higher for productivity and real-time updates clients expect the latest and greatest in technology.

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