​On Tuesday, August 10th, the MAF delivered a masonry education and hands-on demonstration seminar at Haskell in Jacksonville.  

Haskell is a unique company that both designs and constructs buildings of all types. However, many of the professionals who set the daily expectations for masonry projects have never held a trowel, or if they have, it has been years since they were exposed!

The MAF's own Don Beers, PE and Haskell Project Design Principal, Michael Schmeider, along with assists from Jerry Painter, Al Herndon and masons from EK Birken Masonry and Capital Concrete set-up 16 stations for the Haskell attendees. 

Don Beers and Jerry Painter instructed the attendees on masonry best practices, masonry detailing and discussions on quality control and codes issues.  The initial instruction was completed in 45 minutes and then the group was broken into teams of four to go to the hands-on training.

The masons from EK Birken and Capital Concrete patiently instructed the "newbies" on how to spread mud, all while Don and Jerry answered a myriad of questions about the different components on a masonry wall.  Jim Painter was on-hand to keep the 16 team's mortar in good workable condition! We the have pictures to prove it! 

In the end, all projects were judged and the winning Haskell team was given a TMS 402/602 book and gift certificates totaling $250.

Everyone had a wonderful time and the Haskell attendees came away with a renewed appreciation of the hard-working masonry professionals who create the masonry projects Haskell designs and manages.

Thanks very much to the masons and laborers from EK Birken and Capital Concrete for working in less than ideal temperatures all while keeping a smile on their face!  It was HOT!

A special thanks also to Brad Clark and Atlantic Coast Construction Group for the great job they did with the parking lot clean-up!​

Words: Vanessa Salvia

At this point, we’re all accustomed to wearing personal protective gear in the form of masks when we go about much of our daily lives. Even though we might rather not, they’ve become a fact of life in many ways. Wearing masks may have been a new experience for many people who weren’t used to wearing personal protective gear, but for masons and others who wear protective gear on the job, it might have been easier to get used to doing it every day. 

Labrie Construction, Inc.
Chris Labrie
21907 County Road 44A
Eustis, FL 32736
Email: chris@labrieconstruction.com 
Phone: 407-432-2774

Concrete masonry cost competitiveness highlighted in comparison study updates
NCMA
According to results of updates in 2020 to the Initial Cost of Construction Study, concrete masonry construction provides the best value and lowest initial cost compared to other building materials. Over the past several weeks there have been many stories in the news about skyrocketing costs for wood and steel, while concrete masonry costs have remained stable. The updates to the Cost Study, which was first completed in 2017, highlight these differences. Across the updates, which were completed for seven cities across the U.S., initial construction costs are less than, or equal to, wood construction for the multi-family structure evaluated in the study. ​

• Florida Results
• Other US Results