Encouraging more building…
I had always thought the more you use of any material the less it cost, so why is the government not encouraging more building in Jamaica by helping to reduce cost, import duties would be a great help. I do not wish to sound like a Politician but I only wish the Government would help a little more. Thank goodness for outside investment, it helps!

In Falmouth, the chief town and capital of the parish of Trelawny, which is situated on Jamaica’s North Coast about 18 miles East of Montego Bay, is noted for being one of the Caribbean’s best-preserved Georgian towns and was named after Falmouth in the UK,

Falmouth was a wealthy town…
During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Falmouth was one of the busiest ports in Jamaica. It was home to masons, carpenters, tavern-keepers, mariners, planters and others. It was a wealthy town in a wealthy parish with a rich racial mix. Within the parish, (see the caves in nearby Duncans Bay) nearly one hundred plantations were actively manufacturing sugar and rum for export to Britain. Jamaica had become the world’s leading sugar producer.

Falmouth became the central hub of the slave trade and the now notorious cross-Atlantic triangular trade, with its economy largely based on slavery. In Falmouth Harbour as many as 30 tall-ships could be seen on any given day, many of them delivering slaves transported under inhumane conditions from Africa and loading their holds with rum and sugar manufactured by slave labour on nearby plantations.

So what has this to do with construction? The Harbour is back, but not for Slaves, thank god, and will be ready for business again soon.

It is undergoing one of Jamaica’s biggest construction works to date and creating a new Harbour for Trelawny. After years of wasted time a great thing has happened to Falmouth and the construction industry is employing people in Trelawny that can only be a good thing and is welcome by many in the area.

A New Port for Oasis of the Seas: Falmouth, Jamaica
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship and features new-to-Royal Caribbean types of eateries that range from spa cuisine to elaborately staged food and wine pairings. Its entertainment district, a hub for late owls, offers ice skating and disco, comedy and jazz, and a three-tiered theater that features a 90-minute version of “Hairspray,” the popular Tony Award-winning Broadway show. Particularly dazzling is the ship’s Aqua Theater, with its deepest-pool-at-sea, which serves as a platform for performers such as divers and synchronized swimmers.

Falmouth is on its way to becoming one of the most fashionable Parishes in Jamaica once again and the locals and surrounding towns are just waiting to see the outcome of this new venture.

‘Hay Val’, here we go I thought, more begging for money, but no, he said ‘let me buy you a drink’, thanks I said, but you buy me a drink! ‘I am working on the Harbour and after all those years you have always being there for me if I wanted a drink or a food, now it’s my turn’. Thanks!

Giving the people work
The Harbour is doing great things for the people of Falmouth. Give the people work and they will look after themselves and the construction industry in Jamaica has been crying out for help for some time now, it’s time some respect is show for the workers in the construction trade.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

What makes us different?
JA Projects is entering a new year and is growing into an establish construction company, full of ideas and trust from our clients around the world. We are currently making new grounds in our bid to give our clients what they want here on the North Coast of Jamaica.

We are often asked, what makes us different?

The answer is we give our clients what they asked for and more. JA Projects started out as a website offering clients a way… “To view your property at any time and be assured that everything is fine. We will upload your photographs, in a secure area on our server for you to view, make comments, send email from within the database to your contacts in Jamaica, in total private, online at anytime”.

Reliable and Secure
We have given our clients a reliable and secure way to be in charge of the home they have made in Jamaica while away from the country. From your Garden being kept in order, complete rewiring of your Villa, Painting, and Plumbing to Video of the interior.

The last year we have gone heavily into construction to help our clients achieve a greater freedom from start to finish of the dream Villa they had always wanted in Jamaica.

Swimming Pool
Our latest project is an Above Ground Swimming Pool created by JA Projects with all the work carried out by our team of builders. At each stage pictures were taken and uploaded to the database, giving assurance to the owners of our work and progress.

The Pool is near completion and is a true Above Ground Pool that blends in with the already mature garden giving the property a feeling of always ‘being there’.

From the offset JA Projects have designed the Pool with the clients in mind, drawings are also made at all times showing the construction workers what is wanted to the Pool so at no time is the client left in the dark about the project.

Project Manager
Acting also as Project Manager JA Projects is able to help the client see the construction all the way to the end and allowing the client’s input for the overall construction of the work being carried out.

We are looking forward to a New and Happy Year in the world of construction in Jamaica and will do our very best to keep you updated with the construction trends that are occurring in Jamaica.

From the team of JA Projects we wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

Costing in Jamaica is a very serious thing, or should I say ‘ting’, and only after spending time in Jamaica can you see the difference on the working of an estimate in the construction industry in Jamaica. For you the foreigner about to build your dream Villa it could be costly or a lot cheaper than you think.

The different ways to do costing. Lets look at an example and lets see if it makes sense to you the property owner from the USA for an instance.

LETS BUILD A WALL

You are building a wall 12 feet high by 36 feet long.

Foundation Stage
The digging of foundation, approximately 18ins x 18ins deep (cost per foot), 3 rows of Steel lying at base of foundation and the vertical Steel every other block (cost per foot) and all this is cemented into place with a solid mix of concrete which is also cost per foot.

Cost at this stage: Around JA$32,400

First Stage
A total of 372 blocks are used and the cost to lay each block is JA$40.

Cost at this stage: JA$14,880

Second Stage
Then you have the columns, needed to lock the blocks together, a total of 5 columns were used. These have to be Boxed and Cast at JA$560 per foot.

So 60 feet of columns at JA$560 per foot equal Cost at this stage: JA$33,600

Third Stage
Now it’s time to add the finishing touch which comes in many forms but lets go for the costing of the quickest and cheapest way, one coat of sand and cement which is measured in yards.

45 yards of Wall (one side only) at JA$300 per yard equal Cost at this stage: JA$13,500

The above work would normally take 3 men, one mixes the cement, one puts it onto the wall and the other creates the finish work.

The cost for Labour only: JA$94,380

Keep in mind the above cost is for labour only. The guy that creates the finish work gets a whopping 77% of the cost! Also if you add the cost of a contractor your cost will go up even further and that’s just the costing for a block wall with a finish on one side.

JA Projects method of building
JA Projects tends to go for the other way of costing to give the client a fairer pricing, employ your men and pay them based on there experience, persons we can trust and will do a honest day work.

Below is the steel work for a swimming pool we built for one of our clients, the cost here would be huge if the estimate was based on the costing of steel work alone, we saved the client over 1 million Jamaican dollars by using our method of costing.

Check with your Contractor if he pay’s his men for contract work or if they are employed, this would be the way to go to save you, the property owner, a lot of money.

For JA Projects Website GO HERE

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

Have you heard this before “in the last 10 years you will find that Jamaica has changed significantly” I am sure you have? I am a returning resident and lived here for over 6 years and I can tell you Jamaica has not changed in over 50 years. Sure most Rasta’s have a cell phone and cable TV but can we call that changes.

Jamaica’s new Highways are still being built but can we also call that a change or is the Government getting outside people to help build these roads and amazing Hotels. I have to face the truth and so too have a lot of returning residents here in Jamaica, where is the change.

Third World Country!
The real problem is the fact that we are still considered a third world country and until we can get away from that fact we can never change, so why am I saying all this. My aim is to let you all know that Jamaica is still one of the most beautiful countries in the world with some of the best beaches and views you can find anywhere with sunshine all the year round, that I hope will never change.

But candles are still sold here by the bucket load and the significant change you will find is mainly on the North Coast of Jamaica, where the Tourists visit and mainly stay and that is not always good for Jamaica and it’s people.

Don’t think you are going to come to Jamaica and get into Internet Marketing because PayPal, the most used money transfer on the Internet do not recognize Jamaica. We have no Zip Code here so P.O. Box has to do and you have to travel to the Post Office and stand in the queue to get your mail, just as it was 50 years ago.

As for local shops to get your groceries, no, use them for bits to see you through the week and usually at a much higher cost, you have to travel to the supermarket in the main town, no change there. You need to have transport if you are going to live here, so think hard about the swimming pool you were going to build as this could get you your transport. And also keep in mind that Jamaica is the only country that the value of a second hand motorcar goes up in value, else where in the world the moment you buy a car it goes down in value!

Do I sound Negative?
Good! You need to know the truth about Jamaica and it’s problems that will never change. (Let’s face it that is what makes Jamaica!)

In most case the Chinese and the Asian Indians are making a good living here, why?

Because they know poverty in there own countries and know what is needed to fight it here and do well in Jamaica. Japanese cars are everywhere, in fact Japanese cars account for 95 percent or more of cars on the Jamaican road, so the Japanese are doing well here in Jamaica. Even the Irish with Digicel phones are making more money than the Jamaican government, so where is the change?

If you are a labourer working in the sunshine all day you can expect to earn $1500 Jamaican Dollars a day, that’s less than £11.50 pounds – US$17.00 a day and if you have traveled to Jamaica the first thing you will say is “Jamaica is very expensive”, yes it is!

The imagination of Jamaicans!
I could go on and on about the Jamaican way of life but I do not wish to prolong the ‘where is the change’ discussion any more, I just want you to see some of the ‘real Jamaican problems’ that all Jamaican has to face each month. Yet we come to Jamaica and build these amazing Villas with all the money you have and get some of the cheapest workers around, no change there!

Without the imagination of Jamaicans trying to stay alive and ‘eat a little bread’ each day you would not have your Villa. How many Americans, British, Chinese and Asian Indians do you see building homes in Jamaica, very little if at all, you could not afford them. I remember going to Florida and visiting a food hall in the shopping center, I have never eaten so cheap in my life, try doing that in Jamaica!

Now, put all this together and you will find that building your home in Jamaica can be cheaper than America or the UK and the main reason for this is labour cost, material is costly here, just like anything else.

Now I am not saying you should pay more for the work, that is for the government to make that change, not you, but maybe you can buy some of the tools for the workers to use giving you a faster turn round, tools you can keep after the work is completed or sell some of the items. Small Cement mixers are cheap aboard and can easily be fitted in a container and shipped down with your other items, that alone can save you a vast amount of cost. A Gas Cooker for the workers to make a ‘pot’ of food instead of them spending what amounts to a fortune on food each week. That is what I call changes in Jamaica, believe me just those simple items will not only save you money but also give you some of the most loyal workers around.

Your work friend!
We need changes in Jamaica and Returning Resident and Overseas Owners are the people who will change Jamaica for the better, not the Government, the people are still crying out for help and changes will never come in the next 20 or 50 years unless you take responsible measures to do so. Be part of the build and do not use the workers as indispensable items but your work friend. Trust in each other ideas and you will both learn from the experience and as you know Jamaicans can be some of the most helpful people around, that will never change!

For JA Projects Website GO HERE

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

A complete disorder and confusion caused by overseas client sending money to Jamaican contractors to construct or repair their property. A state of order and reassurance is needed to put things right as soon as possible! The contractor and the client working as a team is all you need to do.

Do we need a Judicator?
I mean someone to watch over the funds. No, I do not think so! Contractors need to help the clients as much as they can and keep an accurate account of all transactions and the Clients need to do the same, after all it’s in everyone’s interest to get it right. Being worried about how your money is being spent has and will always be a problem here in Jamaica, why, because Jamaican contractors are not trusted by a vast amount of overseas clients. “I know someone who was ripped off by Jamaican constructors and I do not want that to happen to me”, that is the usual story. Yet some of the most beautiful Villas are built here without any problems. I do not wish to pass the blame on any one group, contractors or client, but I myself working as a Project Manager, still have problems in this area with clients and I give them pictures!

Have a little trust!
I recently got involved in a repair project that has turned out to be a nightmare, why, because even though I broke the project into different stages, supply photographs etc, the client still insists on sending the money in three sometimes four payments for each stage, this cannot work! By the time the project is over you end up collecting twelve lots of payment for a simple repair job, can you imagine if I was building a Villa for this client. And if a problem occurs else where you are ask to use some of the funds from the project to do other work, crap! I am sorry to say but the contractor is put off from the work, interest in the project starts to wilt, and all confidence and enthusiasm goes out the window. Please have a little trust and follow the money, insists on pictures, evidence of the work being done and make sure your contractor can provide this before you start.

Easer said than done!
Well that sounds simple; easer said than done I hear you say! Well I have to agree that it is easer said than done, but never the less it has to be done and only the Contractor or Project Manager can do it. In the real world we don’t always have trust, so funds for projects can be a nightmare to get right. The smaller builders and contractors who do not have the skills to use a computer cannot enjoy the use of programs that does it all for you. Yes, for those of you in the construction trade who did not know this you should also know that everything you could possible think of, a computer program can do it, from estimating to sourcing materials.

So, you don’t have a computer, if you can write you can do the same thing, it just takes longer.

The Clients position!
The client just wants to know that they will not be ripped off! OK I do not know how to stop the ‘contractor thieves’. But I know how to make it harder for them, follow your money.

Keep a Running Total…
Before work even starts you should have an idea of each stage of the construction, a cost for each stage and a plan of action. With this you send the money to the Contractor; keeping in mind we have not discussed why we are using this Contractor, which is a whole different chapter, who should make a record of it straight away. Anything taken from that amount must be written down and deducted from the full amount, in fact a ‘running total’. At any time you discuss with your Contractor about your project you can check how the money is being spent, simple! As long as you are getting what you paid for, to the highest standard, then you should not have a problem with your funds.

The Chaos has to stop!
Sending bits of the money will not work, how can the Project Manager function with less funds, that’s how the chaos starts! It changes the plan of action for a start so the client cannot keep up, more money comes, its more than was needed for the last stage but less than the funds needed for the next stage. Chaos starts!

The Project Manager position!
Keep it flowing with your Clients and it becomes easer. The long and short of it, most Contractors would very much like to have there names passed on to the clients friends so it’s not in the interest of any Contractor to mess up. By quickly filling out a simple small job tracking sheet every day (even if the job only took you a half an hour!), and at the end of the job comparing your tracking sheet expenses with your original estimate, you can quickly spot areas or trends that may be sucking dollars out of your pocket and fix them.

It’s easy to lose sight when you are juggling many small jobs – all those balls in the air at once can be exhausting. But with just a simple small job tracking form, you can streamline your operations and increase your profit margins.

The wise Contractor will set up a ‘Project Fund’, where the remainder of the funds reside, but this is rare, so be careful how you send the money.

Sending Funds
As the client you have a good choice of how you send the funds, from Bank Transfer to Western Union so the sending of funds is not a problem. How you allow the Project Manager to use your funds is of utmost important to the client, so allow the Project Manager to explain the process at each stage of the work.

Tip – Use JA Projects
If your Project Manager has a computer and can use a camera then you can register with us and we will give you a password and username that only YOU and your Project Manager knows. You can use the system anywhere in Jamaica, the world! Your Project Manager can upload photographs at each stage; you can both make comments etc… Try the System, click here – [DEMO]

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

“Do you have specific builders you work with that we can trust? Also, Is it best to sit down with you to discuss our vision/idea? If so we will be in Jamaica in August.

Can you also explain how your service where you watch over the building works and what those costs are. Because we won’t be there we would need to know everything is going according to plan.

Thank you,”

VARIOUS OTHER WORKERS ARE BROUGHT IN!
JA Projects works with a young team of Architects and Builders to create your construction. We find them trusting and hardworking. Various other workers are brought onto the construction site to complete the build such as, Electrician, Plumbers, Labourers etc. Keeping the Team small gives you and JA Projects, your Project Manager, more control over the work.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT!
You do not have to wait until you come to Jamaica! As long as you have a computer and a cheap scanner we can start right away, JA Projects uses experience in drawing to achieve your 3D view of your Villa, wherever you are in the world. Simply sketch an idea of what you want, scan it and email it to JA Projects, we will start from there. Once we have the sketch we will be able to start putting your ideas to work giving you accurate 3D perspective drawings to scale.

IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE LOT SIZE!

You will then see them in stages, e.g.. floor plans, floor areas, balcony if you have any etc. In no time you will have a complete drawing of your *Villa to scale. With that you will be able to use our Architect to give you an accurate cost to build your Villa. Also space, it gives you an idea of the LOT size you need to purchase. So already you can see producing the drawing before you come here is very worthwhile.
*A deposit after the first stage would be expected.

A PHOTOGRAPH MAKES THE DIFFERENCE!
The service that JA Projects gives as a user of our database is to keep you in touch and in control of your construction. You can log into our DEMO and see for yourself:

Username: user
Password: demo

GO HERE for DEMO

YOUR VERY OWN DATABASE
JA Projects upload photos to your very own database with username and password access. You comment on each picture and we follow your instructions, it’s that simple and our client’s loves it! It cuts the cost of you paying to travel to Jamaica by over 80%; you can carry on building and not just when you are in Jamaica and with zero chance of you loosing your money as you can see the work being done. JA Projects is new to Jamaica and is a well-needed assurance that all is OK with your construction.

For JA Projects Website GO HERE

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

SOLAR ENERGY
Remember solar energy that provides hot water for your home, an idea that we take for granted here in Jamaica. I have a friend that gets is hot water from the solar panels located on his roof in St Ann, Jamaica, for the last 8 years he has FREE hot water and the cost of fitting the system was paid for years ago, yet how many of us are using this system!

An idea that could be used here in Jamaica is the Solar Oven. Have you seen them yet? We have all this sunshine and yet we are not using it.

SOLAR COOKING
A solar panel cooker can be built in less than an hour from a single cardboard box and some aluminum foil. This very powerful cooker is a true breakthrough. Here in Jamaica a cooker/oven such as this is a true greener solution and is aimed at all Jamaicans and not only the poor. Chopping down trees or burning gas and electric to cook your meals could be a thing of the past if we could all develop these simple ways of going green in our community.

Get the FREE blue-print for this Solar Cooker click folder

WHAT IS GOING GREEN?
A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources, creates less waste and is healthier for the people living inside compared to a standard home. It’s as simple as that! Making your home a greener place is a commitment – to yourself, your family, your community and Jamaica. But more than that, it is a learning process. As exciting new technologies, products and scientific breakthroughs constantly emerge, maintaining a green home is the best way to ensure your efforts are as effective and beneficial as possible.

We should consider using wood instead of concrete where possible in our construction. One of the problems we have here in Jamaica is the lack of resources to help us such as Recycling Plants and Governing Bodies that offers incentives for adding eco-friendly elements to your homes. Jamaicans are known for their ideas and positive vibes when it comes to the local environment so a little knowledge and encouragement from the government would be a great help to move us forward.

USEFUL TIPS

• Use compact fluorescent lamps in your lights.
  
• Wash your clothes in cool rather than hot water.
  
• Unplug the “secret energy addicts” in your home: TVs, VCRs, DVD players, cable TV boxes, computers and printers, video game consoles, microwave ovens and AC adapters for cell phones, digital cameras and other electronics. Most electronic equipment, including anything that uses a remote control, is designed to consume energy when it is turned off. That “off” setting is actually a “standby” or “idling” mode.
  
• Use non-toxic, environmentally safe, biodegradable cleaning products, including laundry products, which you can find at any natural grocery and even many mainstream stores. Just read the labels carefully.
  
• Buy locally produced items, including produce and other goods. It reduces the amount of fossil fuels required to transport the things you buy from other parts of the country. It also reduces the amount of plastic and paper products consumed in the packaging of such far-traveling products. Buying local reduces the consumption of valuable natural resources and encourages local farming and business in the area.
  
• Instead of using grocery stores’ disposable plastic or paper bags, bring your own reusable shopping bags, which are available for sale at many grocers and other retailers. The bags are sturdier than disposable bags, making the trip home easier, and they don’t waste resources or end up in landfills.

USEFUL GOING GREEN WEBSITES

Recycle Works

153 Ways to Go Green

A 14-point Plan for Healthy House Construction

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

I am still hearing from people all over the world that they are being ripped off and I am still wondering why! Is it the fault of the Project Managers, Contractors, Builders or the Property Owners?

A lot of questions yet we are still not finding the answers to this old problem that is making Jamaican contractors look like a bunch of crooks.

A few days ago I was told of another story that made me put pen to paper, well, word processor, in the hope I can find some answer as to who is causing the problems. The story was that a lady from the States had come down to buy land and build her dream Villa here in Trelawny along the North Coast of Jamaica. She found and bought her land and was ready to build.

WHY USE A CARPENTER?
Now, the builders she used or should I say, the Carpenter she used to build her concrete Villa was a bad choice. Why is she using a Carpenter ? Where was the Architect or Project Manager ? I had to blame this person for her bad choice. The reason is I know the Carpenter in question and I would not have even considered him in the build at all.

I will try to explain without upsetting any Carpenter out there.

The Carpenter in question was well known in the area and had trained many of the young Carpenters around, he was said to be very good at his job; that was over five years ago when I first came to Jamaica. He was a furniture maker and his skills were well sought after a few years ago. Then things changed, work was getting less and quality was falling fast and the client did not know, why should she?

As far as she was told this guy was a known person in the area and that was enough to make her mind up to use him. Bad move!

The Carpenter used the wrong builders because he had no idea about building a house; sawing timber was his trade and not supervising people on a construction site, it cost the client a lot of wasted time and a lot of money to put things right, and he paid himself a lot of money for his own mistake, he ripped her off and kept the money. Her fault I have to say and I will say it out loud.

THE CHEAT BOUGHT PROPERTY
In another case the client was robbed so much the Contractor bought land and started to build before he was caught by chance. Where did that money go? Why did the client allow so much money to go missing and what about the workers, were they paid, no, and whom did they blame, the property owner because the Contractor was on hand to lie and the Property Owner just kept sending him money.

Use a Project Manager and keep close to him if you are building, ask for pictures at all times and pay for the work completed. Don’t just send money. Your Project Manager will know the work and the workers to make your project work. He will also find the Architect for you to work with and be on your side at all times instructing you about payments to the construction team.

JA Projects created a program just for your needs see the DEMO here:

Check it out – Go Here

WE KNOW ARCHITECTS
Acting as your Project Manager we can help you to maintain control of your construction and keep you ahead of the work. You will have the full backing of our program getting pictures to you within hours of the work being carried out. Want to see a close-up of the fittings or any part of the construction and we will place you there. We know Architects, Builders, Carpenters and Plumbers to make the job straight forward as possible saving you the stress and of course a lot of money. We leave ourselves open to our clients and have the right people around us to give the right advice; now in its fourth year JA Projects has proven to be ahead of the game.

Jamaicans do not wish to be called thieves, especially in the Construction industry and the clients are becoming more careful and frightened to spend money here in Jamaica so please lets get it right and we can all benefit from a healthy Construction Industry.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

Are you discouraged, you do not have to be; some do and want to stop trying. The customers are there, waiting for you, they’ve simply changed their perspective on the whole idea. If you wish to continue and get the work you have to feel what the clients feel, hear what they hear and understand what these clients want. If you can talk their language and fill their need, they will hire you for their jobs.

JA Projects saw these problems a few years ago, created a program to deal with it and are still at the forefront of the Construction game in Jamaica.

Here are the concerns, in the order, that seriously make them consider hiring a Contractor here in Jamaica.

Risk • Quality • Price • Communication • Time • Guarantees

The clients want to make sure they will not get screwed in any way. They don’t trust contractors. Sadly, due to the ‘go-go’ mentality of the construction industry in the last few years, there have been many ‘fly-by-night’ scammers posing as construction professionals. They’ve done nothing but tarnish the industry reputation, and as a result, it is this fear of being taken advantage of that the clients are getting wiser and far more careful.

Risk
Give the clients photographs of the work, daily or weekly; keep them from feeling at risk with your company or workers. A picture is worth a thousand words. Pack your website with good photographs of your work and the clients will love you for it.

Quality
Good quality construction begins with a strong, sturdy foundation. Whether building from scratch or doing major renovations and repairs, they’ll want expert advice on foundations and concrete work to get the job done right. Use quality materials at all times. Buying materials in Jamaica can be a risk in itself so check before you buy especially timber, ply, 2” x 2”, 2” x 6” etc… Make sure your hardware shop store the materials in a dry place such as a purpose build shed and not just covered at times from the weather as this can cause damage not clearly seen at construction stage. Use quality windows, doors and fittings where you can as the Jamaican weather ask for strength in the materials and good workmanship in the fitting.

Quality means more pictures. Too often we hear of block holes not being filled and the clients paying for work not done at an even greater cost. Every 4 to 5 blocks start filling and ramming, not more than that or the holes can get ‘ chocked-up’ and cause problems, these are the hidden problems the clients need to have addressed by you as the contractor.

Price
Provide high, medium and low estimates where you can, and point out that the quality of the materials, not your workmanship, impacts the job most. Giving your customers the choice of materials quality directly addresses concerns of risk, job quality, and price. Assure them that your workmanship is the highest quality regardless of the materials used.

Communication
Good communications with your client is more about listening and less about talking, although there is a certain amount of talking you should be doing too. Talk honestly to your client and let them tell you what they want, not what you want because you are the builder.

Change Orders are crucial in keeping communications clean and clear. If there is ANY change in the job, track it and get it approved in writing first.

Time
Be realistic with your time-frames, and then add 25% more time on top of that. The client would be a lot happier if you stick to the time-frame given so cover yourself well. Get to know your suppliers and make sure he delivers on time. Know you builders or subcontractors, know the guys who are working for you and make sure they can do the job right. As Project Managers, JA Projects are good at this and will always get the job done on time so make sure you do too otherwise the client will drop you and move on.

Guarantees
Customers NEED to feel safe. They are about to give you lots of money. You need to give them the feeling of security they crave, and the best way to do that is through your guarantees. The best way to guarantee your work is to put it in writing, and the best way to do that is to have a contract that spells everything out in black and white for the customer to see. Position yourself as the competent reliable professional they seek, and you will get the job, we need it in Jamaica so go and get it.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

Jamaica has felt the damage of the outside world in many ways, not just through tourism but Construction. Don’t get me wrong, Tourist are coming here like crazy, the Tourist Trap is set here in Jamaica and it’s hard to change that. If you drive along the North Coast of Jamaica from Negril to Ocho Rios you will see some of the largest hotels being built at this very moment, hotels large enough for thousands of guest. The Highway is also finished between these towns so getting to your hotel from Montego Bay Airport is no problem these days.

The problem is the shortage of money for everyone else.

The Construction of private Villas is getting worst each month along the North Coast. The days of coming to Jamaica and buying a piece of land and building your dream Villa has slowed down. The Sterling and the US Dollar has stopped the flow of private building here in Jamaica. We need to see more private building going on. The large companies are having all the fun and employing a large amount of skilled overseas workers and managers, the local workers have the skills also and are often cheaper that the larger companies. The Jamaican building force are suffering as is the rest of the world and Construction is at a low.

One of the things we can do here in Jamaica is to advertise our service to the world. We know money is tight for everyone but maybe we can get to the people who are willing to invest in a little sunshine here in Jamaica. We have to use our skills in other areas other than building.

Advertising and Promotion
Now, it’s time to talk about how and where to put your name out so you get the biggest bang for your money. As a Contractor, you are primarily in a service industry, so your Advertising and Promotion activities will differ in some key ways from businesses that are in product oriented industries, such as retail stores or wholesalers.

Furthermore, because your service niche is the Construction and Building Trades (an industry influenced by seasonal and economic cycles), you need to clearly identify your target market, focusing your efforts directly to pursue that market aggressively, rather than sitting back waiting for the phone to ring.

Consistency
The first thing you need to keep in mind is that any Advertising and Promotion effort needs to be consistent. Many businesses make the amateur mistake of trying out an advert or technique one time, and then deciding for whatever reason that it didn’t work and dropping it altogether. That’s like handing out a single business card and then deciding that business cards don’t work because the person you handed the one card to didn’t call. You need to try out every advert or activity a few times at the very least, and track the results closely, before deciding whether or not it produces enough leads to be cost effective.

Running a good advert and putting it where your ideal customers can see it practically guarantees you will make sales. You may not hit the centre of the target the first time, but by applying consistent effort you will be able to refine your approach and obtain good results. And once you know where your target market’s spot is, you can really work on that area.

It is important to remember that future customers, unless they need emergency service, often need to see a business advert several times or more before they call. When a customer sees your company advertising in the same place over a period of time, two things happen, assuming you have an effective advert, customers starts to feel like they know your company and begin to feel comfortable with your business, and your business takes on the appearance of being a solid, permanent fixture in your community. Both of these help to establish a trust base between you and your future customers – before you ever see them face-to-face.

Be a Big Fish in a Small Pond
Paradoxically, you can use the most global of all mediums, the Internet. You can actually target your online Advertising and Promotion activities so that you get a lot of local exposure. Having a website is also important here, a page or two is all you may need to get your point across. Xaymaca Media ( Email them here ) can be of help here and are offering low rates for the Construction websites.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

You don’t want to create a hassle and you trust your customer, so you just agree to the change and then invoice them later. Only later, the customer does not remember things quite the way you do, is ‘shocked‘ at the price increase, and everyone is unhappy. In serious cases, you end up swallowing the cost (so long, profits!) or in court trying to get your money.

You DON’T want to lose money, and you DO want to look professional.

Change Orders will do both for you.

If the customer wants to make a project change, the first thing you do is get together all the existing specs and estimates you already worked up. This does two things: it clearly shows that the current job price reflects the current specs, and it lays the groundwork for justifying price increases due to the changes. Yes, it sounds really obvious. But you have to walk through the process cleanly and clearly if you don’t want trouble.

Next, get the new specs together and develop the change order.

IMPORTANT:
Do not do any work whatsoever until the customer has signed off on the change order.

Seriously, this is not the time or place for handshake deals. If the customer says he doesn’t care about paperwork and to go ahead and start, just tell him you do everything straight up and by the book and please sign here now and you’ll be happy to get rolling right away.

Let’s say the customer wants the change but truly doesn’t see the need for more paperwork. Explain to him that the project spec change will change the materials and labor, which changes the original contract, and the change order just lays it all out in black and white. Help the customer understand that putting it all in writing protects him.

Even if a change order doesn’t impact the price, make it and get it signed off. Any change in work alters the contract and makes you legally liable. Documenting ALL changes using change orders keeps your bottom line legally covered in the event of a dispute – the customer can’t claim he didn’t approve something when there is his signature on a Change Order form.

Lastly, use change orders as a way to streamline the way you do business. If you find yourself having to make all kinds of change orders on job after job, that is a real good indicator that you are missing some crucial things during the design and estimating stages, or that your communications with your customers could use some improvement. Learn from examining the pattern of your change orders to anticipate problems. This will help you write better contracts, which make for fewer change orders – and faster job completions.

Change orders are not just an optional hassle – they are a necessary and amazingly useful part of your business toolbox.

Change orders allow you to be flexible without operating at a loss, opening yourself to legal liability, or wasting time the same way job after job after job. Change orders really are your friend!

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

We combine exclusive technology in our sophisticated design programs to show the clients a close representation of they new project.

Uplift your Project with 3D
JA Projects works with a team of professionals, who are very involved in pleasing the clients by offering precise 3D views of your construction after the CAD work is completed, included in your architectural cost. Below are views of the same project at different angles, the clients can see as many views as he wishes before he makes the final decision on the project.

]]> http://japrojects.com/japrojects_blog/?feed=rss2&p=7 0 http://japrojects.com/japrojects_blog/?p=6 http://japrojects.com/japrojects_blog/?p=6#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:46:33 +0000 admin http://japrojects.com/japrojects_blog/?p=6 Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the use of computer technology to aid in the design and especially the drafting in architecture.

AutoCAD – The big boy in the CAD game.

CAD has become an especially important technology

Current CAD software packages range from 2D vector base drafting systems to 3D solid and surface modelers. CAD is used to design, develop and optimize architecture, used in the drafting and design of all types of buildings, from small residential types (houses) to the largest commercial and industrial structures (hospitals and factories).

CAD has become an especially important technology, within the scope of Computer Aided technologies, with benefits such as lower product development costs and a greatly shortened design cycle. CAD enables designers to layout and develops work on screen, print it out and save it for future editing, saving time on their drawings.

The first commercial applications of CAD were in large companies in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as in electronics. Only large corporations could afford the computers capable of performing the calculations. As computers became more affordable, the application areas have gradually expanded. The development of CAD software for personal desktop computers was the impetus for almost universal application in all areas of construction

Today CAD is still the last stage to having your plans process at the Parish Council.

Major Breakthrough
JA Projects is now taking the first stage of your construction to the limit, offering a major breakthrough in preparing to build your home. From the start our aim is to work with the clients to create the plans. This is where we have change things a little by offering our front end design service working with you to put your ideas together, after all the clients input is always needed to make it work.

Accurate Perspective Drawing
We produce an accurate perspective drawing with the clients supplying ideas and using our technical skills we start to create the clients view with our computer, using our design program, giving us flexibility to make changes and keep the ideas flowing. The artwork is sent to the clients in .pdf format for easy viewing and to make whatever comments they wish, all through JA Projects.

Hand/Computer drawn to clients specs.

At this stage ground plans are also prepared, Plan, Side and Front elevations. With your perspective view and ground plans you already have a full picture of your construction in Jamaica. But we take you further!

Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
We are now in the position to start producing the CAD drawings for you, no changes or prolong work necessary here has you have already covered most of your queries. The plans are also easer to read and understand by the clients who were also involved in the development of the construction to this stage.

But before we print out your plans to be passed by the Parish Council you are shown another 3D of your construction, this time the client will have a full view of the construction showing from all sides including an over head view, a virtual walk-through of the property.

Drawing rendered after CAD was produced, this shows multi-views of your
construction from all sides and angles for the client to see.

This is a new concept for us here at JA Projects, we have made it possible for all to use without additional cost or fuss. This is new, clever and a well-needed boost to Computer-Aided Design programs, now the clients can see a real finish plan, not the finish project in 3D AutoCad, but a rendered form with the shaded areas to give you a realistic view.

JA Projects have worked closely with these guys to give you one package at a cost second to none. I will be updating you soon and have more details to pass on.

The AutoCAD Resource
CADTutor delivers the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly AutoCAD forum and an AutoCAD FAQ. If you need to learn AutoCAD, you’re in the right place.
Visit the AutoCAD tutorials page on the web for more information.

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If you do not yet have Adobe Acrobat Reader it’s FREE from Adobe.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

Doors and windows can be bought easily enough, but if you want something special you may have to import or build it here. Look around and you can find some very good craftsmen who can build you your item to a very high standard before you start to import. JA Projects can help you to get your item built, from beds, sofas, doors and kitchen units to a very high standard, just let us know your needs.

My interest at the moment is in kitchens. The kitchen is maybe the most important room in the house, yet we often ignore its uses. With fast food around the kitchen is left out. But in Jamaica the kitchen is still alive and kicking, turning out some of the best dishes in world cuisine. As with most of the newer Villas the kitchens are made for cooks. Often the maid may cook for the guest or a chef is called in for that special occasion, the meals are prepared with plenty of room for the cook and extractor fans are put in place to keep everyone cool.

Often kitchens are designed in Jamaica as a static, concrete, never to be change again room. Too much concrete is being used in Jamaican homes, I am not a lover of concrete, the kitchen must reflect the home and the people in it. You must be able to change it with little effort and cost in the future, after all it’s an important room.

Designing a kitchen takes a cook, the lady of the house or the chef of the Villa, not just someone who sees it as a load of cupboard and work surface. We work with you to help you get that dream kitchen at a cost you can afford and a quality second to none.

You must be able to work in comfort and little ease, no matter how big the kitchen is. You need an area for preparing your food, which means waste to be thrown away, make it close by. You then have to wash the food so your sink need to be close to the food preparing area. The Fridge, how often do you use it when you are cooking, often one or two trips can get you what you need so think where the Fridge goes, too often it’s in the way. Keep the cooker away from the windows; I have seen that too many times, it’s dangerous and not very cost effective.

Jamaicans love to cook outdoor, the sunshine makes it a must when you can, if not eating outdoor is another great pastime. This makes it a good idea to leave an area outside your kitchen for just that, eating and cooking outdoor, make it part of the kitchen design and it will extend your kitchen area without you realizing it. If you are a gadget freak like me you will want to make sure you have adequate plugs in the kitchen for your needs, the last thing you wand is a clutter of wire in the kitchen.

Last and very important, do not restrict your kitchen design on where to put your units and equipment. I was designing a kitchen recently when the owners insisted that the cooker must be against the outside wall because of the gas bottle. That was what they were told. Your cooker/oven/stove can go anywhere that its best suited by extending your gas line, often the short, quick way is not the best, work with you design and you will not regret your kitchen. Also if you use an electric oven make sure the wiring is correct, electric cookers use a lot of power so make sure the correct regulation is in place.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.

In today’s modern interior design, simplicity is the key to an efficient design. Today’s modern interiors spaces are simple to understand, simple to construct, and project a kind of simplicity. In the villas with contemporary design every element has an order.

Traditional Design
The term traditional house is frequently used when someone can’t be more precise about a particular style. You may hear traditional Country or Victorian, often lumped together as traditional house plans in many Villas. With the arrival of the American design in Jamaica we see larger Villas with varying styles built as single and 2 story buildings. My own beliefs stand firm in keeping Jamaican design as part of our heritage, one of the most important parts of our heritage.

Jamaica National Heritage Trust – Please note also Falmouth

What is a traditional design house her in Jamaica, that’s a question I would love to ask our architects here in Jamaica. If you visit Falmouth in Trelawny along the North Coast you will see Victorian-style houses all over the town. Victorian-style is named after The Victorian era. These houses were considered traditional in its time and are still looking as beautiful as ever.

Jamaican Country Villas
Often know as Jamaican Cottage designs, these Villas are of simple designs with plenty of arches and a common area for relaxation, a place where the breeze flow. Colourful ceramics, terra cotta vessels add interest to a Jamaican Cottage decor. No high-tech design here, just simple and clean and allowing for lots of light.

Modern Design Villas
This is where we can make it or break it here in Jamaica, modern design. What is a modern design Villa? Is it modern because it has a lot of chrome? High tech buildings are built to look like functional and efficient machines, using metal and glass as building materials. However, functionality is often lost to aesthetics which are also often more important than the cost.

High tech architecture is unsuited to an urban environment, requiring freestanding buildings and spacious areas. High tech buildings seem to control the environment around them rather than adapting to it.

My own preference is to create modern Villas with the influence of the Victorian design. This leaves the door open for us to create and leave our heritage that we can be proud of.

We have to remember that when Estates were being built in Jamaica the best architects were used, they could afford to use these guys, after all tap water was introduced here before even New York, Jamaica was ahead of its time in many ways and I believe the architects were used to reflect that.

The shape of the Villa need not be square, have it hexagonal or semi-circle, you may have whatever shape you wish. My main thing is, lift it off the ground and add as much balcony as you can, put air vents in the roof and keep it Jamaican. If you go to Europe you will see what I mean, France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Holland etc., all have designs that belongs to that country, we should start thinking that way too here in Jamaica.

The British and Spanish started something here in Jamaica and I think we should finish it and make it part of our heritage, after all we have the sea, the breeze and the sunshine to make it happen.

Val Barclay
JA Projects – Keeping an eye on your Construction in Jamaica.