2025-09-22 – Weekly Construction News : Why old brick corners rarely crack

Last week in the construction forum, members delved into job opportunities across various roles, sparking discussions on career choices and industry standards. The community also tackled technical challenges, such as GNSS drift issues under canopy cover and optimizing machinery schedules on construction sites. Persistent supply chain delays, particularly with switchgear, featured prominently, with members exchanging strategies to mitigate impacts. Additionally, insights into structural resilience, like the surprising durability of old brick corners, sparked interest.


This Week’s Hot Topics

Would You Take This Job? – Construction Worker - Carpenter
A lively debate about accepting carpenter roles, considering the pros and cons of current job offers.
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GNSS drift under canopy - what’s your move
Forum members are brainstorming solutions to GNSS drift issues that affect precision in dense environments.
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Dialing in excavator and bulldozer schedules on site
An exchange of best practices for coordinating heavy machinery schedules to maximize efficiency.
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Switchgear delays are still brutal - what’s working for you
Continued supply chain woes spur discussions on effective workarounds members have found.
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Would You Take This Job? – Concrete/Masonry Foreman (Newark, NJ) :construction:
Exploring the responsibilities and expectations for masonry foremen, and what makes this job appealing.
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:construction: Would You Take It? – Construction Manager (Power Construction)
Insights into the unique challenges faced by construction managers in the power sector.
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Why old brick corners rarely crack
A fascinating look into the longevity of historic brickwork and what modern builders can learn from it.
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:hammer_and_wrench: Would You Take This Job? – Construction Project Manager (ARCO, Rogers, AR)
Discussion on the project management role at ARCO, focusing on opportunities and challenges.
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:spiral_calendar: 2025-08-04 – Weekly Construction News & Trends: Big Transit Wins, and Contech’s Cash Influx
An overview of significant industry trends, including financial moves in construction technology.
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Would You Take This Job? – Engineering Equipment Operator (Heavy Construction)
A closer look at the skills and demands of operating heavy machinery in construction projects.
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Thanks for catching up with us this week. Looking forward to seeing what you bring to the discussion next time.

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On the β€œGNSS drift under canopy cover” note, I’ve cut drift by setting a temporary local RTK base just outside the tree line (RS2 on a tripod) and holding each point 60–90 seconds β€” our offsets went from about 0.5 m to under 5 cm. If you can’t stage a base that day, schedule those shots for a low PDOP window and plan an extra 20–30 minutes to resection control.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€β€‹β€Œβ€β β€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

But for switchgear delays, we’ve used PEARL-certified reconditioned gear β€” solid stopgap; verify labels with the AHJ: https://www.pearl1.org/.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

And i’ve had better luck under canopy by planning shots around low PDOP windows using Trimble’s GNSS Planning tool (https://www.gnssplanning.com/); on a utilities corridor it cut our re-occupies by about 40%. If the cover’s truly dense, I still run a quick backsight traverse to sanity-check the control.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€β€‹β β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€‹β β€β€‹β€‹β€β β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β β€‹β β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

When we’re under canopy, I log raw GNSS for 15–20 minutes per point and run it through OPUS afterward (OPUS: the Online Positioning User Service, process your GNSS data in the National Spatial Reference System); it keeps me from chasing drift in the field. It’s slower, but the accuracy’s worth it β€” if time’s tight, I’ll grab an open-sky offset with a laser and compute back.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€‹β β β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹

On brick rehabs, corners stay happy if you match the original lime-rich mortar and don’t over-tooth your tie-ins; hard Portland makes the old brick β€œfight back” and crack, and if you need more strength I’ve had luck with a mild NHL blend.

β€Œβ β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ β€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€β€β€‹β β€Œβ€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€‹β€‹β€Œβ€β β€‹β€Œβ β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€Œβ€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€Œβ β€‹β β€‹β β€‹β β€β€Œβ€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€‹β€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€β€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β β€β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ€‹β€β€‹β€Œβ€β€‹β€Œβ€‹β β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β β β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ β€Œβ€‹β€β€Œβ€Œβ€‹β€Œβ€Œβ€Œβ€β€‹β β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€β€Œβ€‹β€‹β€β€‹β€β€‹β€β€Œβ β β€Œβ€‹β€‹