All posts by Tena Larsen

The materials shortage is set to continue and prices could continue to rise. These shortages will likely lead to construction delays and could affect small companies, self-builders, and renovators. Not only is lumber in short supply but we are now seeing a shortage of steel, cement, roof tiles, electrical components, paint, and plasterboard. Some manufacturers are weeks and even months out on supplies. Builders and contractors looking for ways around this problem might try substituting materials if possible or adding higher costs for the materials in their budget. If you’re planning on a DIY project or renovation this summer plan as far as you can in advance so you aren’t caught by surprise with shortages and price increases.

OnRivet is excited to announce that bills and purchase orders are no longer linked together. You can create them independently. Purchase orders are the first step in business transactions. Po’s are documents sent from you, as the buyer, to a supplier with a request for products or services as an order. The invoice is a bill issued by the seller when that product has been delivered or the service has been completed. As you can see in the picture below there are two separate tabs for purchase orders and bills. We hope this will help your business run smoother and be easier to use. If you have any questions or need help with our new updates feel free to contact us at info@onrivet.com.

Congratulations to the Graduates of 2021. Your years of hard work have paid off and you made it! Oprah Winfrey said,” your life journey is about learning to become more of who you are and fulfilling the highest, truest expression of yourself as a human being.” Never stop learning, never stop trying, and live life to the fullest. Good luck in all your endeavors.

If you’re a graduate and your thinking of going into the trades check out North America’s Building Trades Unions at https://nabtu.org/apprenticeship-and-training/.  They have over 1,600 apprenticeship and training programs in the United States and Canada. They produce the safest, most highly trained, productive, and skilled craft workers found anywhere in the world. Go to their website to find locations near you.

ENR Future Tech will be holding its annual event virtually on June 9-11, 2021. This show is ideal for anyone in construction, engineering, and architecture wanting to explore technology that can enhance construction productivity, profits, and safety. The event will be several days filled with interactive sessions and a look at what’s coming for the future of the industry. To learn more information or to register for the event visit their website at https://www.enr.com/future-tech.

The International Surface Event will be held June 16-18, 2021 in Las Vegas. You can also attend the event virtually this year. This is the largest North American floor covering, stone, and tile industry event. This mega event is comprised of exhibits, products, education sessions, and hands-on demonstrations all under the same roof. To register for this event or to learn more about The International Surface Event you can visit their website at https://www.intlsurfaceevent.com. Save with code: ATTND21.

When you come across a company that is working hard to make a difference you have to share it. Working Gear is a non-profit that provides clothing and gear free of charge to low-income or unemployed individuals in search of employment around Vancouver. They are outfitted with anything from construction clothing and steel-toed boots to business casual attire and suits. They even offer a barber service in-house.

Working gear was also featured on CTV’s Holmes Family Effect. Professional contractor Mike Holmes, alongside his son and daughter, surprise deserving people by transforming their spaces. Holmes and his family created an updated and functional space for the folks at Working Gear. Plus they were able to get 800 pairs of work boots donated to the cause.

The majority of business casual donations come from individuals and local businesses. Most of the construction gear comes from partnerships and organizations in the construction sector. If you would like to learn more about this amazing non-profit or if you want to donate to their cause you can find that information at https://workinggear.ca/ or https://www.facebook.com/workinggearsociety/.

Dear OnRivet Friends,

After listening to your feedback and working to make OnRivet better for you, we have some exciting new changes to announce. We have made some major upgrades to how our purchase orders and bills work.

Going forward a purchase order and a bill will now be two separate entities. When you create a purchase order it’s only a purchase order. When you create a bill it’s only a bill. There is no longer a status of “pending” or “approved” for either purchase orders or bills.

OnRivet will continue to support Quickbooks syncing for bills but purchase orders do not have the option for Quickbooks syncing.

The link below will take you to a document that will walk you through everything that has changed and get you up to speed. All of these updates and changes will be coming soon to all of our OnRivet customers.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eXqYxVE6RED-HS_cvcDgYId-UZVaQ_Unj5w7B6h8ULE/edit?usp=sharing

The Utah Chapter of the NAHB Professional Women in Building and the Utah Home Builders Association in a joint effort is designing and constructing the first all-women-built home that will be showcased in the 2021 Utah Valley Parade of Homes.

The House That SHE Built is located in the Wander community in Saratoga Springs. The home is approximately 3,200 square feet of living space including a finished basement that was designed and built for family functionality, from a women’s perspective. All stages of this project will highlight and utilize skilled tradeswomen, women professionals, and women-owned companies.

Proceeds from the sale of the home will go to scholarships, women-focused charities, and future projects like this one. If you want to find out more about this amazing project, how to donate, and see fun pictures of the progress being made check out their website at https://www.utahpwb.com/the-house-that-she-built/.

Women in Construction Week was founded by the National Association of Women in Construction. NAWIC was created in 1953 by a group of women to create a support network for other women in the industry. There are 120 chapters and over 4,000 members of the organization. The focus of Women in Construction Week is to promote women as a viable component of the construction industry. WIC provides us the chance to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in construction. We will be celebrating some of the amazing women making strides in the construction industry so stayed tuned next week as we highlight some of their projects. If you want to find the chapter near you for events next week you can check out their website or Facebook links below.

https://www.facebook.com/NAWICWICWeek/

https://www.nawic.org/nawic/default.asp

This last year has had many of us spending more time at home and has piqued our interest in remodeling our homes. Since more of our time is being spent in our kitchen, living room, bathrooms and bedrooms it’s worth it to invest in our dream home.  We have the top trends of 2021 to inspire you.

The Pantone core classic colors for spring and summer 2021 are earth tones with compliments of metal pieces like hammered metal sinks and pendant lights. We’re slowing down and taking the time to really appreciate nature and the environment around us.

Larger kitchen and dining spaces are trending in 2021. Families are spending more time at home for breakfast, lunch and dinner so more remodels include a kitchen island with dining space attached. Quartz is a popular trend in countertops and is a form of engineered stone, made from ground-up particles of stone bound together with plastic resins. It’s one of the hardest minerals on earth making it extremely durable and typically a more affordable option.

Indoor-outdoor living is a trend that is gaining popularity because of the many benefits. Creating a space to bring nature and the outdoors to your home without leaving is key to most homeowners. These areas add space, function, value, and beauty to your home. The options are limitless and it will bring you together as a family.

Working from home has become essential for many people so there is no better time to create a work-from-home space. Having a designated workspace in your home will help you separate the time for work and home life and help you to be focused, efficient, and more productive. Home office remodels are flexible and can be done with a lower budget. By taking advantage of these trending design ideas you will be making your life easier and investing in a home you love and want to live in.

Black History Month is an opportunity to share the stories of Black Americans who have helped shape the world and have also made an impact in the construction industry. Black Americans have contributed to the foundation of how we work, live, and play but sometimes their stories go unnoticed. We would like to share a few stories about these impactful individuals.

Paul Revere Williams was licensed as an architect in California and in 1923 he became the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects. He became known as “Hollywood’s architect”, designing homes for Carey Grant, Lucille Ball, and Frank Sinatra. He also designed civic and commercial buildings throughout the city including the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Williams was awarded the AIG Gold Medal in 2017, making him the first Black American to receive the award.

Alexander Miles was an inventor and a businessman. He is best known for dramatically improving passenger safety with his patented innovation of a mechanism to automatically open and close elevator doors in 1887.

Alice Parker graduated from Howard University with honors. She is known for inventing a furnace powered by gas. Her goal was to offer a central heating system that was more efficient than wood or coal. It allowed people to customize temperatures in different rooms using a heat exchanger and a series of burners and ducts.

If you’re looking for more ways to celebrate Black History month click on the link below. The Smithsonian has virtual performances, events, lectures, and family activities all month long.

https://www.si.edu/events/heritagemonth