On-Site Series

The Contractor’s Site Report brings you business insights learned in the best school – on the construction site. Created by ForConstructionPros editors, hear straight from contractors the tips and tricks that keep them learning and growing.

Tips & Tricks C Thumbnail

5 Steps to Finding and Hiring Loyal Employees for Your Construction Business

Ballmann Earthworks owner/operator Jon Ballmann started his St. Louis, Missouri-area business in his 20s and has since achieved much success. Here, he shares tips for finding and keeping great employees.

Tips & Tricks D Thumbnail

5 Tips for Maximum Equipment Maintenance ROI

Here, Jon, with the help of his Fabick Cat representative Junior Gilliam, give their tips for getting the best out of your equipment with scheduled maintenance.

Tips Tricks B Thumbnail (002)

5 Reasons to Buy One Brand of Equipment for Your Business

Successful construction businesses are often built on the brand name and reputation of the equipment they operate. Missouri-based Ballmann Earthworks is no different. Owner/operator Jon Ballmann works with Fabick CAT to ensure his company's success.

Tips & Tricks A Thumbnail

Three Steps to Starting a Successful Construction Business

Ballmann Earthworks owner/operator Jon Ballmann started his St. Louis, Missouri-area business in his 20s, and his rise to success was paved with great ideas that were also well-executed.

1 Cat S1 e11 Thumbnail V2 632b0d115babd

S1.E11: How Renting Equipment is Helping Solve a Contractor’s Labor, Materials-Availability Issues

When Johnson & Galyon traded its equipment for rentals, they freed up people and buildings where they can stage materials with long lead times. Here’s how it helps them get the ‘very best pricing’ from subcontractors.

S1 e10 Thumbnail

S1.E10: Some Benefits that Convinced Johnson & Galyon to Spend More Renting than Owning Fleet

In deciding, the general contractor was ‘confident’ renting all of its equipment needs would cost more. Here’s how the move improved project and fleet management to make it a good investment.

S1 e9 Thumbnail

S1.E9: Contractor Counts the Ways Renting Improved its Equipment Operations

When Johnson & Galyon decided to rent all of its equipment needs from a single rental partner, they expected machine performance to improve but CEO Doug Kennedy seems a little surprised at how deeply the value penetrated into his company.

S1 e8 Thumbnail

S1.E8: The Surprises that Eased Johnson & Galyon into a Rental Partnership that Adds Value

How the east-Tennessee general contractor made it look easy to ensure pricing, quality and service it could depend on in structuring its commitment to rent all of its equipment needs from a single partner.

S1 e7 Thumnail

S1.E7: What Changes Convinced Johnson & Galyon to Trade In its Equipment Fleet for Rentals?

One of East Tennessee’s biggest general contractors took the long view of challenges presented by new equipment, vendor practices and labor availability to gain big improvements in equipment performance.

S1 e6 Thumbnail

S1.E6: How Jon Ballmann Turned a 5th Grade Dream into an Earthworks Business

Drawn to construction by the heavy equipment, Jon Ballmann’s fascination for earthworks has spread to all aspects of the business and kept his right-sized company growing at just the rate he wants since graduating from high school.

S1 e5 Thumbnail

S1.E5: Contractor’s Smart Investments Recruit Just the Equipment Support His Company Needs

Small earthmoving contractor Ballmann Earthworks continues to grow well beyond its owner/operator stage with the leader’s commitment to enlisting dealer fleet support so that he can nurture his business.

S1 e4 Thumbnail

S1.E4: Smart Grader Blade Satisfies Earthmover’s Quest for Versatility that Grows

Ballmann Earthworks is built on machines that not only do a lot of different jobs but also are efficient doing a lot of different sizes of jobs. Here’s how Jon Ballmann weighs the cost and payback on a ‘Cadillac’ grader attachment.

S1 e3 Thumbnail

S1.E3: How a Contractor Keeps Crews that Sustain Business Growth

Ballmann Earthworks keeps growing in a competitive commercial construction market on the strength of customer-first workers and the care their company owner takes to know and fully employ their skills.

S1 e2 Thumbnail

S1.E2: Count the Values Supporting 15 Years of a Single-Brand Earthworks Company’s Growth

When Jon Ballmann can fill a machine need with a Caterpillar he does, going to Fabick Cat where he balances sales price with support that softens his risk and helped the skid steer owner/operator to shift into sustained heavy-construction momentum.

Thumbnail 1 Cs Report

S1.E1: Contractor Explains How Technology Literally Built His Fledgling Earthworks Business

Jon Ballmann built his earthworks business from a skid steer in college to what he admits as having achieved his goals in his early 40s. Here’s how customer focus and technology got him there.