News + Blog + Social
Check out what's happening at Marek and in the construction industry.
IN THE NEWS.
by Sumner Hunter on
Why are residential drywall companies like comedian Rodney Dangerfield? Because sometimes we get “no respect at all”. I have often wondered why it is that many homebuilders seem to think that almost anybody can do residential drywall. Over the years, I have seen several people go into the drywall business. They usually don’t have much money,… read moreby Stacy Gunderson on
The San Antonio Downtown Pearl District is getting yet another addition to this up and coming trendy destination. Pearl, which is a 22 acre site, is quickly becoming a culinary gathering place where you can eat, live, learn and play on the banks of the San Antonio River. This culinary and cultural destination has an abundance of entertaining… read moreby Stacy Gunderson on
Power tools are used daily in our line of work; we use them to cut metal, secure fasteners, and shape materials. Knowing how to identify and use power tools safely and correctly is very important to our trade. That is why it is a valuable and necessary part of our Workforce Development Program.
On Tuesday May 6th, our Austin apprentices who have… read moreby Chris Kelley on
On May 15th 2014 ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) held their annual crawfish boil and construction expo. With 150 -200 pounds of crawfish to feed the public, it was time for Kenny Ocheltree, Scott Vlasek, and myself to get the water boiling and seasoned up for some crawfish. And of course, it is time for Scott’s “world famous” boudin… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on
[[{"fid":"1064","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_locations[und]":"_none","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_image_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]WHY TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER?Actually, we have no control over rain, snow, sleet, wind, lightning… read moreby Stacy Gunderson on
Marek was happy to aid in the planning of and to participate in the San Antonio Construction Career Day which was held on April 9th at the Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall. The event benefited 600 students who were given the opportunity to explore the different professions which are offered in the construction industry.At the event students had the… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on
[[{"fid":"1048","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_locations[und]":"_none","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_image_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]Sprains and Strains Sprains and strains continue to be one of the highest types of injuries… read moreby Marek Brothers on
The following is an excerpt from an article that appeared in Engineering News-Record:Key to improving the industry's image problem is breaking the "broker mentality" of many companies, says Mike Holland, division president with Houston-based Marek Bros. Instead of cultivating and maintaining their own workforce, more construction companies are… read moreby Stacy Gunderson on
Marek was the recipient the ASA San Antonio Pioneer Award for 2013. This award was given to Ralph, John and Bill Marek for their 75 years of endurance and success. The pioneer award is presented to persons that have made great changes and advancements within their industry, thereby bettering the construction industry as a whole.The criteria on… read moreby Marek Brothers on
Check out the presentations from the 2014 BIMFORUM held in Massachusetts April 23-24!Also, if you missed it, read Paul Godwin's recap from the BIMFORUM here.by Chris Kelley on
On April 4th and 5th Marek held its 35th annual Fishing Fools and BBQ cook-off at Thousand Trails Resort on Lake Conroe. With 14 fishing teams and 13 cooking teams it was a great turn out this year. Thank goodness the weather held up for us (rain was predicted all day in the forecast).Friday evening, we started the BBQ cook-off, with our jack pot… read moreby Marek Brothers on
Here is something to expand our minds into new waves of the future: Holograms may be a simple way for us to view, assign and build walls in the field. Less paper to fumble with and a 3D perspective for clarity. Assess up to 4 different phases in one print.Click to learn more!by Paul Godwin on
After attending the Spring 2014 BIMFORUM in Boston, it is apparent that there is still an ongoing debate within the industry on how BIM should be used throughout the development of a project. The theme of Optimizing Design with BIM led to a wide variety of presentations that showed how there are very different methods in how BIM is utilized… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on
[[{"fid":"1024","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_locations[und]":"_none","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_image_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) are devices designed to prevent accidental electric… read moreby Marek Brothers on
In a marathon hearing held by Texas lawmakers on the issues of workers’ comp and worker misclassification, representatives from businesses and labor came together to talk about what could be done to level the playing field for ethical companies and improve the lives of middle class Texans. But, there was also significant pushback from certain… read moreby Marek Brothers on
[[{"fid":"1020","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_locations[und]":"_none","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_image_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]Jobsite sanitation is critical to your health and well being. All kinds of diseases can be… read moreby Marek Brothers on
Marek Dallas has won AWCI's Excellence in Construction Safety Award 2014. The video details what it took for Marek to win this award. We couldn't be happier!by Marek Brothers on
The following article originally appeared on The Quorum Report and was republished with permission.The Texas House Business and Industry Committee on Tuesday got down to work on an extensive review of whether workers’ comp insurance should continue to be voluntary. Texas, as you may know, is the only state in which employers can opt out of workers… read moreby Jorge Vazquez on
[[{"fid":"1007","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_locations[und]":"_none","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"","field_image_tags[und]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]Note to Supervisors: Read and prepare. Your objective is to demonstrate and prepare a scissor… read moreby Scott Vlasek on
It amazes me to think how far technology in the construction industry has come over the past 25 or so years. I can remember being a spry, young bright-eyed high school drafting/wood shop student sitting at a drafting table lining up my paper with a t-square and a triangle. Fast forward to the present, and I’m certain high school kids have NO idea… read more