How Technology is Changing the Earthwork Industry
Our job sites today look a lot different from the ones we worked in 2016 when Sara and I founded the company. There were no drones back then. Our equipment today is intelligent. The software we use today is game-changing.
Technology is changing everything, and the earthwork field is no exception.
We're embracing it. It's allowing us to work more efficiently, safer, and faster. When it comes to hiring a company for earthwork, choosing an innovative company that is committed to modern tools and processes is important. If you hire someone who's not keeping up with industry changes, you're playing with fire.
Remember, almost everything we do as earthwork contractors is done underground. So, if it's not done right the first time, you could be digging up your project, burning through your budget and delaying completion dates.
Safety is the focal point of what we do at Sy-Con. I'm going to walk you through why it's important and give you some tips that we follow.
Sy-Con's Commitment to Innovation
If you've been reading any of our recent posts, like this one on Why Our People Are the Difference Makers, you know I've been hounding on our core values. They are Innovative, Integrity, and Impact. I'm bringing them up again because innovation isn't just a buzzword for us. When it comes to earthwork, we want to be at the cutting edge of the industry.
You need a forward-thinking company. Find a contractor committed to precision, efficiency, and safety. That's us. Don't just look for the cheapest bid. What might seem like a good deal can come back to haunt you later if their team does a sub-par job. So, let me toot our horn a little more and break down why we're Arkansas' trusted earthwork and civil utilities contractor.
A Commitment to Safety
I already harped on safety in my last post. But let's be honest: safety is about keeping our guys safe. No doubt. It's also about keeping your projects moving and your business in the black. If you hire a contractor that's not using innovative machinery and processes, they're probably not safe either.
When someone gets hurt, everything stops. Toodle-oo timelines. Now you've got the eyes of OSHA on everything and insurance companies' strangle holding progress.
Innovation and safety go hand in hand. Before any earthwork project, we're sending up our drone. We're taking photos for site inspections. We're getting a clear view of hazardous areas to be aware of before sending a team to the job site.
It makes our planning time quicker and more efficient. We also use our drones to document that everything we're doing complies with all pertinent codes. We can provide inspectors with visual evidence of the work we're doing, which our clients love.
We're also utilizing equipment like the Komatsu D51EXi Dozer, which features intelligent machine control (iMC), helping us reach the next level of safety and efficiency.
How Sy-Con Sets Itself Apart With Software
While a lot of other guys are still running around with clipboards and best guesses, we're using tools like Topcon to create geotechnical reports with actionable insights and get our quantities right.
This means we're able to pinpoint materials and costs. Our clients appreciate this level of detail. We're not sitting down with a ruler and wheel trying to figure things out. We rely on PlanSwift to provide our clients with a no-nonsense estimation. Here's what their software does in their words: "PlanSwift is digital takeoff and estimating software for construction professionals. It helps you measure blueprints, calculate material and labor costs, and create fast, accurate estimates. With tools like drag-and-drop assemblies, customizable templates, and Excel integration."
When we're out there doing earthwork, our machines aren't just moving dirt; they're collecting data. With every pass of the excavator and every cut we make, it's all being tracked through Topcon's positioning system. The software provides a comprehensive digital workflow that enables us to manage projects, evaluate various options and costs, and create realistic earthwork plans. So what does this mean for our clients? Instead of handing over a generic report at the end of the job, we're providing them with precise documentation of every cubic yard we moved, the exact depths we reached, and the soil conditions we encountered.
We can also provide them with information on what's happening beneath the soil. We can probe up to fifty feet down and see all that we're going to face in a project. This data lets us know beforehand how much machinery, dirt, and manpower we're going to need, giving you a more accurate look into costs and time.
We can combine our survey data with the original plans to create accurate digital terrain models. The efficiency gains are huge.
Clients love it because they get transparency and accuracy.
If you want to see some of these tools in action, check out this video of our team using Topcon GPS Rover.
Streamlining Operations and Optimizing Communication
We rely on a ton of tools to communicate effectively and run a smooth operation. We're experts at Microsoft Office: we can do a lot with Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Word. But now, we've implemented ChatGPT into our workflows to triple-check everything we're doing and to ensure that what is happening in the office is translating to success on the job site.
We use Adobe Acrobat Reader to collaborate with our clients, markup PDFs, and get everyone on the team on the same page with planning.
For estimations, we lean on InSite Elevation Pro. Everything has to be precise. I mentioned it before, but it's all about getting the right quantities.
Then, there's communication. We use a tool called BuilderTrend to manage all of our jobs. It also allows us to schedule out our work and keep every stakeholder in the loop on how the projects are progressing. And here’s where Sy-Con sets itself apart:
We keep highly detailed accounts of where projects are. Look, every earthwork project is different, and cookie-cutter software doesn't cut it. With BuilderTrend, we've tailored our stages to match our actual process — from initial site assessment all the way through final grading and cleanup. We don't let things fall through the cracks. Our project managers can see exactly where each job stands in our process.
Everything we need is right there on one dashboard. Instead of digging through emails and spreadsheets to figure out project status, we've got real-time visibility into budget status, which crews are where, and how each job site is performing. Our dashboard shows us if we're on track with our earthwork quantities. Plus, we log all of our correspondence. The last thing you want from an earthwork contractor is them constantly asking you to resend emails. We pride ourselves on clear communication and rigorous organization.
Our field teams stay connected no matter where they are. Earthwork means we're often spread across multiple job sites. With BuilderTrend, our foremen can update job progress, upload photos of completed work, and flag any issues they're seeing in real-time. Everyone stays up-to-date, and projects keep moving forward.
We also use Buildertrend to keep on schedule and keep daily logs. We have our teams take five to ten pictures, write a summary of the day, and share that with our clients. You, as someone we hope to work with, have your own reporting and processes to follow.
You don't need to feel like you're pulling teeth to get a hold of a supervisor and get caught up on what's been happening on your project. With Buildertrend, it's just one more way for us to communicate clearly and consistently.
Ready to Get to Work?
As you're looking for earthwork contractors, it's easy to get tempted to take the cheapest bid. But that doesn't always go over so well. I've seen it go very poorly, actually. One gauge of whether or not you've got the right team to handle your project is their commitment to innovation. Our field is no exception to technological advancements. Things will only continue to progress.
Sy-Con is here for it. We know that we're able to better serve our clients if we're using the best technology for the job. The machinery we use and the software we depend on help us gather reliable data, make our job sites safer, and communicate more effectively. That means accurate estimates, met timelines, and successful projects.
Let's get to (earth) work.
