Chuck the Contractor
January 1, 2008
Meet David Ur of New Jersey
Name: David Ur
Where you reside: Rockaway, New Jersey
Position/Company: Owner of Northwest Construction and Excavating
Responsibilities: “I have to wear many hats and multitask as an entrepreneur. Each day is different from the next. Some days the job calls for me to drive the lowboy or a dump truck, and then meet with a potential client and bid a project. Other days I’m networking with general contractors, engineers, and commercial and residential real estate owners. The one consistent task is keeping the employees and trucks moving and meeting deadlines. I can’t be at every jobsite at the same time, but I always stay on top of scheduling and making on-the-spot decisions. I’ve equipped my trucks and construction equipment with the latest GPS technology. I can track where each piece of equipment and each truck is at all times. Knowing the locations of my guys and equipment helps scheduling and cuts back on downtime, which saves money for the client. I guess you could call me a babysitter, too.”
Year you started in construction: 1998
How you started in construction: “I always had an interest in the construction field. I started out by getting my CDL and then got a job as a lowboy driver. I enjoyed driving the lowboy and delivering equipment and material to jobsites. Over time my interest for the construction industry grew. Dan Carson, owner of Carson and Roberts Site Construction and Engineering Inc. [Lafayette, New Jersey], saw my growing interest. He took me out of the truck and put me in the field as a laborer. I worked as a laborer and learned firsthand how the business works from the ground up. I moved to the foreman position after a few years in the trenches, then to supervisor. I’ve taken that precious experience and started my own business. Thank you, Dan!”
What you like best about construction: “I love taking on jobs that no one wants to take on. My company handles construction and excavation as well as soil remediation. Very few companies in the construction industry like to handle contaminated soil. I’m able to provide all three phases of soil remediation in-house with a quick turnaround. I jump all over the contaminated soil jobs while most contractors walk away from them.”
What grinds you: “When people tell me that they’ll make it up to me on the next job.”
What keeps you going in your job: “Families that benefit from the paycheck their spouse brings home.”
Weird/craziest thing you’ve seen on a jobsite: “I saw a tin-knocker jump off a building to prove to his boss that he was tied-off.”
Personal philosophy: “There is never a problem--only a solution--in life and in business.”
Favorite/coolest equipment you use in your job: “I love the zero turn excavator.”
Why it’s your favorite: “There are some very tight jobsites in New Jersey and New York. The zero turn decreases the chance of damage to the machine and the surrounding environment. Repairs to a machine are not cheap. Plus it has a radio.”
Advice for contractors new to the business: “Every contractor has to make decisions, whether they are major or minor, on a daily basis. My advice is to do what you feel is right and not worry about the other contractors. Chances are they’re worried about you. Money is also an issue. You have to be strict about your payment process. Do not provide services to clients that do not pay.”
Do you know a contractor who deserves to be profiled as the next “Chuck”? Visit www.siteprepmag.com and access the online entry form to nominate a worthy candidate.
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