Beers With Contractors

S2 E74 - Most Contractors Are Breaking Labor Laws Without Knowing It

In this episode of Beers with Contractors, hosts Will introduces employment attorney Tracy Melvin of Melvin Law to discuss common employment-compliance pitfalls for construction and home services companies, especially around payroll and overtime. Tracy explains her HR-to-law background, employer-side focus, and ties to construction, then highlights frequent mistakes like misclassifying workers as independent contractors and miscalculating the “regular rate” by failing to include certain bonuses and other pay when computing overtime. They cover how audits and claims are triggered (disgruntled employees, random agency audits, state focus areas like Illinois), why early legal help can reduce fines, and examples where employers still face penalties even when practices benefited workers. Tracy outlines red flags for 1099/sub use, the complexity of multi-state rules, piece-rate risks, and clarifies discretionary vs non-discretionary bonuses and related tax issues. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 01:40 Meet Tracy Melvin 03:00 Why Employment Law 05:40 Payroll Mistakes Explained 07:36 Resources and Audits 11:09 When DOL Comes Knocking 13:52 Fines Penalties Reality 19:44 Seasonal Overtime Trap 21:42 1099 vs Employee Basics 26:06 Subcontractor Red Flags 28:48 Multi State Classification 29:48 Contractor Audit Pitfalls 31:13 Piece Rate Red Flags 34:03 Agreements Dont Override Law 35:32 AI Boilerplate Warnings 37:17 Bonus Types Explained 44:19 Taxable Perks And Rewards 48:15 Overtime Calculation Minefield 51:56 Regular Rate Defined 54:37 Commissions Mixed With Hourly 57:21 Closing And Contact Info 58:27 Final Disclaimer And Signoff Contact Tracy Melvin at: Email:  tmelvin@melvinlawoffices.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyjmelvin/ Check Out Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: https://www.greenbaumstiers.com/ Foundation Rescue Supply Link: https://www.foundationrescuesupply.com/ Contractors Kick Ass! Podcast Store Link: https://williamwalkerblake.com/store-1 The Worker Incentive Program that Contractors Love! - Per4mance Software https://per4mance.io - Pay for performance, not hours

S2 E73 - How Construction Schools Build Job-Ready Workers

In this episode of Beers with Contractors, Will and Terry discuss how contractors can build effective systems and processes by borrowing from academic training models Terry uses in construction education. Terry explains the importance of designing training around different learning styles (auditory, visual, hands-on), using a repeatable sequence of explain/demonstrate/do/feedback, and running an assessment “cycle” each time training is delivered to measure what worked and make corrections. They note many new workers lack basic tool knowledge and that AI may push more inexperienced people into the trades, increasing the need for intentional onboarding. Terry describes collecting feedback via surveys (using five-option Likert scales) and informal check-ins, stresses mobile-friendly, short-form training, and emphasizes soft-skills coaching. He closes with three tips: assume zero baseline knowledge, be patient with repeated reps, and place people where their strengths fit. 00:00 Introduction 01:16 Why Systems Matter 06:15 Assessment and Cycles 09:34 Starting Training From Scratch 10:20 Learning Styles and Teaching 17:08 Hands On Theory to Practice 22:29 Work Ethic and Intentionality 26:41 Feedback Surveys and Baselines 28:15 Likert Scale Surveys 30:35 Survey UX Pitfalls 32:46 Feedback Loops Onboarding 34:05 Mobile First Training 37:41 Baseline Skills Mastery 42:05 Enrollment Shifts COVID AI 45:08 Soft Skills In Practice 50:43 Three Training Principles 52:52 Wrap Up And Disclaimers Check Out Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: https://www.greenbaumstiers.com/ Foundation Rescue Supply Link: https://www.foundationrescuesupply.com/ Contractors Kick Ass! Podcast Store Link: https://williamwalkerblake.com/store-1 The Worker Incentive Program that Contractors Love! - Per4mance Software https://per4mance.io - Pay for performance, not hours

S2 E72 - Q&A Episode: Financing Options, Value Engineering, CSR Metrics and More

In this episode of Beers with Contractors, Will and Terry catch up on summer plans and progress on a bar build, then run a Q&A from their audience. They discuss why offering customer financing matters in home services, question the value of 0% options, and mention using GreenSky while noting alternatives like Hearth and Interbank, plus why they don’t discount for cash payments. They compare change orders and slim commercial margins, then dive into documenting and training safety using OSHA guidelines, periodic OSHA/Department of Labor visits, and storing SOPs/MSDS in Slack, emphasizing a fun safety committee to encourage reporting. They explore value engineering as life-cycle cost thinking with examples of efficient design and construction, note risks when execution fails, and debate 3D-printed homes. They argue core values shouldn’t take truck-wrap real estate versus clear branding and calls-to-action, share CSR benchmarks (80 outbound calls/day and an 85% booking goal), advise joining associations or acquiring rather than starting a new trade, and recommend hiring a professional to convert from cash to accrual accounting, citing Martin Holland’s The Profit Problem. 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Summer Plans and Bar Build 01:50 Naming the Bar and Boats 03:16 Q&A Kickoff and TikTok 04:10 Customer Financing Options 08:11 Cash Payments and Discounts 10:18 Commercial Change Orders 12:59 Safety Training Systems 15:55 Safety Culture and Reporting 20:22 Value Engineering Basics 24:53 Value Engineering Life Cycle 27:26 Value Engineered House Hacks 28:47 Tech Meets Jobsite Reality 32:17 3D Printed Homes Debate 33:58 Core Values vs Branding 39:32 CSR Metrics That Matter 44:13 Diversify or Stay Focused 48:51 Cash to Accrual Accounting 51:13 Q&A Wrap and Disclaimer Check Out Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: https://www.greenbaumstiers.com/ Foundation Rescue Supply Link: https://www.foundationrescuesupply.com/ Contractors Kick Ass! Podcast Store Link: https://williamwalkerblake.com/store-1 The Worker Incentive Program that Contractors Love! - Per4mance Software https://per4mance.io - Pay for performance, not hours

S2 E71 - The Future of Foundation Repair Starts Here

In this episode of Beers with Contractors, host Will and Terry welcome Jae Wells, founder of American Standard Foundation Repair and president of the National Foundation Repair Association (NFRA), to discuss his path from medical school to building a foundation repair company approaching 20 years and his long involvement in the association. Jae explains why the $26B foundation repair industry lacks unified education and standards, and how NFRA is updating its National Certified Foundation Repair Specialist program with a class-based curriculum and testing model that can rapidly incorporate new technology. They preview the 34th annual NFRA conference in Oklahoma City (June 22–26 at the Omni), including a contractor reception with major giveaways, vendor certification courses, a golf tournament benefiting Construct My Future, and social events. Jae also outlines efforts to unify industry factions, improve ethics, and address insurance misclassification through data collection and the Foundation Repair Research Institute. 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Meet Jae Wells 03:11 American Standard Origin 04:55 Finding NFRA Early 07:35 Texas Conference Lessons 11:25 Industry Needs A Trade 16:35 Certification Revamp 21:16 Tech Standards And Data 24:35 NFRA Conference Overview 27:47 Events Classes And Golf 30:45 Golf Tournament Benefit 31:04 Charity Spotlight 33:08 Trades vs College Debt 34:25 NFRA Growth Plans 36:34 Unifying Industry Voice 40:40 Insurance Reform Push 48:18 Data and Misclassification 51:19 Recruiting Leaders 55:17 Conference Value Pitch 57:22 Events and Parties 57:59 Farewell and Disclaimers Contact Jae Wells at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jae-wells-54123b278/ Check Out Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: https://www.greenbaumstiers.com/ Foundation Rescue Supply Link: https://www.foundationrescuesupply.com/ Contractors Kick Ass! Podcast Store Link: https://williamwalkerblake.com/store-1 The Worker Incentive Program that Contractors Love! - Per4mance Software https://per4mance.io - Pay for performance, not hours

S2 E70 - This Contractor Pay System Added 14% More Productivity

In this episode of Beers with Contractors, Will discusses how contractors should navigate employee raise requests by benchmarking wages to local market data and using performance pay to tie higher earnings to measurable results. He clarifies performance pay versus historical piece-rate pay, referencing the Fair Wages Act (1938) and compliance risks around minimum wage, overtime, and worker classification (W-2 vs 1099). He outlines three incentive types—spiffs, KPI-driven bonuses, and labor-driven performance pay tied to budgeted labor hours or labor percentage—and stresses understanding job costing, cost of goods sold, and gross profit margin before launching any plan. He notes reported outcomes of properly implemented performance pay, including higher productivity and lower labor percentage, and warns about Department of Labor “non-discretionary” bonus rules requiring adjusted/weighted overtime and proper accrual on multi-week projects. 00:00 Introduction 01:09 Handling Raise Requests 02:51 Market Pay Research 05:57 Performance Pay Basics 06:46 Piece Rate History 09:16 Compliance and 1099 Risks 13:47 Build a Pay Plan 15:32 Productivity Gains Numbers 17:17 Three Incentive Types 19:11 Labor Driven Pay Models 22:06 P&L and Transparency 27:55 Sales Pay Compliance 30:30 Call Center Incentives 31:53 Manager Bonus Structures 33:29 Keep Bonuses Simple 34:55 When Not to Launch 36:33 Non Discretionary Overtime 38:55 Weighted Overtime Accrual 42:47 Recap and Next Steps 45:25 Outro and Disclaimers My calendar link: https://per4mance.io/meetings/will723/qa-with-will-blake Link to the  non-discretionary rule based on the Department of Labor article: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/56c-bonuses Check Out Greenbaum Stiers Strategic Marketing Group: https://www.greenbaumstiers.com Foundation Rescue Supply Link: https://www.foundationrescuesupply.com/ Contractors Kick Ass! Podcast Store Link: https://williamwalkerblake.com/store-1 The Worker Incentive Program that Contractors Love! - Per4mance Software https://per4mance.io - Pay for performance, not hours