Positive Friction Consulting, LLC

Tell us what you think! Our contractor field guide “More Than 100 Ways to Build Better” is slowly getting into the hands of the construction industry, and we could not be happier about sharing what we have learned about building better. So far, the verbal and unofficial reviews have been great! The unofficial responses have included: 1) This book has been needed for a long time! (we know), 2) Can you put together a similar book that is just about roofs? (yes, that book is in the works – stay tuned), 3) Can you publish a “normal” desk version of the book that is less expensive? (yes, we have contacted the publisher to discuss), 4) Best money I have spent. (thanks so much!), and 5) When will the Spanish version be available? (we hope to finish the Spanish manuscript soon – stay tuned). However, if you have a copy, please provide a review via LinkedIn, or a text/email that we can use to help spread the word! I was able to present a book review webinar for Oldcastle APG last week with over 400 attendees. It was going great until we lost power 🙁 Even though I was not able to finish the presentation, I think the attendees were able to pick up on the book format that delivers 109 common-sense better practices, many of which apply to every single construction project, regardless of location or construction type. If you have anything to do with construction, please consider adding this to your collection of “go to” references. We are also interested in sharing with any students involved with construction-related programs such as architecture, engineering, and construction management, among others. Please spread the word. We can build better! 🦺 🔨 📘 https://lnkd.in/e5zKx2gt

PFC Has a Home! Positive Friction Consulting (PFC) has a home at 220 East Main Street in Westminster! PFC is conveniently situated below the REI Engineers, Inc. office and next to the REI Construction Lab. I can walk upstairs to collaborate on engineering/construction issues and walk next door to make/break/test stuff – perfect! Just as cool, the office is located in a 1920 building that has 14- inch thick multi-wythe structural brick walls. This building is a great venue for teaching about building better and durable construction practices. There is no telling how many times the spaces in this building have been repurposed over its 104-year service life – something that could never happen with newer, code-minimum, rushed, value-engineered construction! How “green” is it to build stuff that does not stand the test of time? We can build better!

I am honored to be serving on the RICOWI, Inc. Board of Directors as the IIBEC representative. These have been 2 of my favorite organizations to be a part of, among many. The amount of knowledge collected in one room from so many different perspectives in the roofing and building envelope industry is amazing! Each individual is a wealth of information specific to his/her field and bring an attitude of exchanging and sharing ideas to improve the durability of the built environment. If you are not already involved with these groups or want to hang out with others that share your passion about building good stuff, please check them out, become a member of one or both, get involved, learn a bunch of stuff, and have fun! FYI – the next RICOWI meeting will be held in March of 2025 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida immediately preceding the IIBEC Convention and Trade Show. I hope to see you at a RICOWI and/or IIBEC function soon!

It’s here! The long-awaited (at least for me) contractor field guide: “More Than 100 Ways to Build Better” is now available! This book has been in my laptop for more than 8 years and provides 109 common-sense “better practices” that serve to improve the overall durability and safety of the built environment. Most of the practices were actually the subject of construction litigation cases that I was involved with over my 30-year career. Incorporating these practices should serve to reduce the chances of call-backs and the risk of construction litigation. The book is intended to be used by contractors at the job site, but would look great in the office as well! If you would like a "sneak peak" of the book, I will be doing a 1 hour presentation with Oldcastle APG University on October 10th and would love for you to join! See the link below to sign up! Please check it out and order your copy today! 📘 https://lnkd.in/e5zKx2gt 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dCnxcK43

Thanks for coming! I appreciate the great turnout at the Anatomy of Construction Litigation seminar in Charleston. It was a great day of discussing the business of litigation, highlighting the proper role of experts that serve this process. We discussed the perhaps unintended, but harmful consequences of experts willing to be used by attorneys for the sole purpose of minimizing and maximizing the value of a claim. We described the desired valley that is created, where settlement will be reached, based on the unrealistic claims of the 2 sides. We discussed how to properly evaluate an existing building to determine what is wrong, provide a defendable scope of repair and fix it. We had some great discussions regarding recent South Carolina case studies. We also discussed upcoming litigation topics to look forward to for years to come. If you are involved in the business of construction litigation and would like to schedule a seminar, please contact me to discuss. I am particularly interested in meeting with contractors, manufacturers, design professionals, attorneys, experts, and insurance providers to discuss various aspects of construction litigation and ways to work together to improve the process. Special thanks to our sponsors: Kemper System America, Inc. Fortress BEC (Jeff Martin, RRC, RRO, CDT, CIT) Southern Wall Systems (Lee Cope, P.E.) Applied Building Sciences, Inc. (Al Schweickhardt) Visual Consulting / Dow, Inc. (Scott D.)

Time is running out, SIGN UP THIS WEEK! We are counting down to the construction litigation seminar/retirement party/book release on September 16th in Charleston, SC. I can’t decide which part I am most excited about. If you want to discuss 30 years of lessons learned serving as an expert witness in construction litigation – this seminar is for you! We will discuss how to behave (and NOT behave) as an expert – which requires a balancing act between meeting professional obligations and client desires. If you want to celebrate the end of the expert witness chapter and the beginning of the construction education chapter – you will enjoy the retirement cocktail reception! If you want to learn 109 ways to build better (all of which were learned from thousands of construction litigation cases), you will be interested in the new book: “More Than 100 Ways to Build Better – A Contractor’s Field Guide to Better Practices”, which will be available for the first time at the seminar! No matter what your interests are in hanging out, PLEASE SIGN UP THIS WEEK so that Home Team BBQ will know how much food to bring, the bar tenders know how many drinks we will need, and my daughter Marley will know how many binders and name tags to put together. We look forward to seeing you in Charleston! 📃 The Anatomy Of Construction Litigation Seminar 📆 September 16th 📍 Charleston, SC 🎖 6 Credits (IIBEC, AIA (w/HSW), NC Bar, SC Bar, GA Bar, RCEP) 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eR3Vq3vS 📘 https://lnkd.in/e5zKx2gt

Does it seem strange for Positive Friction Consultants (PFC) to have seminar sponsors that represent ALL parts of the construction litigation spectrum? That is the point. It does not matter what side of the construction litigation business equation you fall on, unless we ALL join in the conversation about the good, bad and ugly aspects of the construction litigation business, how can we expect to make a positive change? Our sponsors include law firms, design professionals, consultants, contractors, manufacturers, and others that have a role to play, from all sides of the equation! PFC has reached out to folks in our circle that are part of the construction litigation process and share our desire for positive change, building better, and fixing things that need to be fixed. Come join the conversation at our “Anatomy of Construction Litigation Seminar” on September 16th in beautiful Charleston, SC as a registrant or a sponsor, we would love to have your company. It is going to be a great day! 📃 The Anatomy Of Construction Litigation Seminar 📆 September 16th 📍 Charleston, SC 🎖 6 Credits (IIBEC, AIA (w/HSW), NC Bar, SC Bar, GA Bar, RCEP) 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eR3Vq3vS

Happy Professional Engineers Day! As I wind things down toward retirement, today was a bitter/sweet celebration of a great “first chapter” career of forensic engineering/expert witness work. I feel blessed to have become associated with many great forensic engineering mentors early in my career. I think that it is amazing to have clients pay you good money to take deep dives into a variety of different subjects, learn all kinds of cool stuff related to product development, codes, standards, materials, structures, weather, building science, chemistry, etc., develop opinions (sometimes favorable and sometimes not), and teach others through testimony at a deposition and/or trial. What a great gig!    If you have any younger attorneys, engineer/experts, contractors, etc. that have an interest in construction litigation, please consider sending them to our “Anatomy of Construction Litigation” seminar in Charleston, SC on September 16, 2024. It will serve as my last hoorah speaking as an engineer/expert witness as I transition to education. I will teach about how to behave as an expert as you navigate through the 4 primary elements of a construction litigation case: 1) identification of defects, 2) written report, 3) repair scope, and 4) testimony. The seminar is based on my IIBEC book of the same name, and each registrant will receive a copy.   We will finish the day with my retirement cocktail reception, where I will toss my old-school, completely worn-out day-timer in the garbage can! It will also serve as a book release party for my new book: “More Than 100 Ways to Build Better – A Contractor’s Field Guide to Better Practices”. It should be a great day! I will certainly be paying tribute to my employers: Alan O. Campbell, P.E., Inc., Campbell, Schneider & Associates, LLC (CSA), Construction Science and Engineering, Inc. (CSE) and REI Engineers, Inc. that have provided an amazing career of forensic engineering cases, and allowed me to be surrounded by others that honor our profession and are always seeking to learn more!   I hope that you or some of your team members can come learn and celebrate with us as I begin my “second chapter” career of construction education with our new firm, Positive Friction Consulting. All the best! 📃 The Anatomy Of Construction Litigation Seminar 📆 September 16th 📍 Charleston, SC 🎖 6 Credits (IIBEC, AIA (w/HSW), NC Bar, SC Bar, GA Bar, RCEP) 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eR3Vq3vS