Category: Huff Cares

Huff Construction Wishes you a Happy Holiday Season

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This is an image of Brad Ardis at the Salvation Army Kettle Kick Off. Happy Holiday!For Huff Construction, being a successful company goes well beyond our daily operations.  At Huff, we see great value in giving back, supporting and investing in the future of the communities in which we live and work.  Our impact is even greater thanks to our employees who give the gift of their time to help a variety of organizations each year. With the year quickly coming to a close, we wanted to take a moment to highlight four local charities that hosted unique events this happy holiday season. We hope you enjoy learning more about these organizations that are doing important work here in our community.

The first organization is the Salvation Army and their Kettle Kick-Off event which occurred on November 17th.  The Kettle Kick-Off was started in Modesto 24 years ago and it kicks off the start of the kettle season. During the kettle season, the Salvation Army raises funds throughout the community by ringing bells outside of businesses and collecting funds in their iconic red kettles. Huff was proud to be a sponsor at the Kettle Kick-off this year with Brad Ardis, the President of Huff Construction, leading the Huff team in his pink hard hat. The event this year raised $214,025 which will go toward funding the Salvation Army’s work in helping the homeless, children and families.  Here in Modesto, the Salvation Army operates a 100-bed emergency shelter and the Red Shield Center which provides programs for children and seniors along with meals, food, and help with utility bills.

The second organization is the United Samaritans Foundation who hosted their 12th annual Legacy of Hope event on November 19th. Huff Construction was proud to participate in this event that helps to raise funds in support of their important programs. Our CEO, Gary Huff, proudly supports the mission of the United Samaritans as he is a member of the board of directors for the foundation. The mission of the United Samaritans is to deliver food to people in need in Stanislaus County and to facilitate the provision of services to assist them in a transition to a better quality of life. Currently, they operate four mobile food service trucks, delivering nutritious lunches to nine Stanislaus communities five days per week. Volunteers help staff their food pantry, clothes closet, and various other services.  In Turlock, the foundation’s facility offers homeless services including a drop-in breakfast center, laundry and shower facilities, and the use of a phone number and address to aid in connectivity and job searches. In Hughson, the Community Center complex includes a county library, medical office and pharmacy.

Thirdly, we’d like to recognize the Community Hospice Foundation who hosted its annual Fantasy of Trees event on December 2nd and 3rd. December 2nd was a holiday luncheon and boutique during which beautifully decorated trees and wreaths, created by local designers, are part of a silent auction. The following morning is the Santa Share Breakfast during which community members come to enjoy breakfast, holiday crafts and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  To spread holiday cheer, tickets are given to local families in need who are served by various local charities. The Community Hospice Foundation raises funds and awareness for Community Hospice. Their commitment is to support the core hospice services provided by Community Hospice to patients, their families and the community including: charity care, bereavement support, education and additional resources. Huff is proud to sponsor this important local charity.

Lastly, we’d like to recognize the Letters to Santa Charity. The mission of Letters to Santa is simple: give hope to those who need it most and keep the magic of Christmas alive! Since their founding in 2008, they have done just that for 2,225 kids – so far.  They start by raising funds through their golf tournament which took place at the beginning of November at which Huff was proud to sponsor. They rely on volunteers who come alongside and help shop for the hundreds of kids who they bless each year. They realize this is a community effort and believe that it takes a village to raise a child. Their focus is to work with those in need, those who are underprivileged and those who are underserved.  As their website sums up beautifully, “Where there are children in need, we’ll be there lending a hand, a smile, and a little magic.”  Seems like a wonderful sentiment for any time of the year but particularly relevant for this holiday season.

Huff Construction is proud to partner with these amazing organizations doing important work right here in our community. We are also proud of the work that our own employees do in the organizations that they support.  We are committed to our communities not only through the projects that we build but also by giving back and supporting the work of our local nonprofit organizations.

Support Local: Central Valley Business Summit

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At Huff Construction we believe in giving back to our local community. We do this in a variety of ways such as supporting meaningful events like the upcoming Central Valley Business Summit. Now in its second year, this unique event strives to provide attendees with a clear understanding of our local business climate along with the opportunity to fine tune their leadership skills, and walk away with clear take-aways that they can implement immediately into their overall business strategy.

This year in addition to sponsoring the event our own President, Brad Ardis, has agreed to be part of the opening Management and Leadership Panel. This will be a truly unique session as Brad will join other successful, second-generation business leaders including Evan Porges of Primeshine and Ian Grimbleby of Grimbleby-Coleman. They will each share their own personal leadership philosophy, answer a series of questions from a moderator and also field questions from the audience. The opportunity to hear from local leaders who have been part of building successful family businesses, will offer attendees a chance for unique learning. We have no doubt that it will be a lively and entertaining session with this panel on stage.

In addition to Brad’s involvement this year, our own Marketing/Business Development Director, Naomi Layland played an integral role in creating and running the first Central Valley Business Summit event and is involved with this year’s upcoming event. We are grateful to have employees who are so dedicated to the community around us. This is a true reflection of “The Huff Way.”

At Huff we recognize the value in going beyond just writing a check, and actually participating in the events that we are supporting. Our CEO, Gary Huff, and President, Brad Ardis, encourage all of our employees to get involved, give back and support the communities in which we live and operate. As part of our local community for more than 45 years, we are proud to come alongside our employees and support a variety of nonprofits, charitable foundations, community events, and much more. At Huff we see great value in investing in the future of the communities in which we live and work. ‪‬‬

The Central Valley Business Summit is taking place Thursday, October 25, 2016, at the Double Tree/Modesto Centre Plaza from 8:00am to 2:30pm, with lunch and key note speaker at 11:30, if you haven’t booked your spot yet we hope you will do so soon! To learn more visit http://www.modchamber.org/central-valley-business-summit or contact the Modesto Chamber of Commerce at (209) 577-5757.central_valley_business_summit_logo_blog

Your Building’s Project Budget Under Control

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A building project is a big investment. At times it may seem impossible for a large project to stay on budget. However, with solid planning, effort, and determination, you can stay committed to your initial budget, no matter how difficult it may seem. One of our priorities at Huff Construction is keeping your building’s project budget under control. Below are a few simple, yet effective tips we’ve found at Huff Construction. These tips can pave the way for a smooth project, and help avoid a headache and costly turmoil of an over-budget project.

A Project that Makes Sense from the Start

The old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” might be a cliché, but it’s certainly one to follow, especially with large building projects. A thorough, complete, and above all, honest upfront assessment of your project, location, and costs, is a critical first step.  Time spent in planning is paramount for reducing and eliminating financial risks, and for identifying and addressing potential issues before they become real problems. Take time to really sit down and consider every aspect of your project before it even begins. Careful and realistic planning can prevent “scope creep,” where more and more things are added in response to dealing with a setback, instead of the problem being worked out in the planning stages. At Huff, we use our design-build delivery method, a very thorough upfront planning process to drive shorter time frames and cost savings.

Knowledge is Power

Remaining on budget requires expert knowledge of yourself, your capabilities, and your construction partner. Know your revenue streams and workflows like the back of your hand. Read and review all construction loan documentation provided by your financial institution. Ask questions from the appropriate party if you’re ever unsure about something, or don’t understand why something is in place. Create new mandates and new processes to meet any needs of the project if you find something lacking. Constant communication with your construction partner is critical so that you can keep up to date about the status of your project. This is an area in which Huff Construction truly shines.  Over the years we have recognized the value of communication and have built processes to facilitate better communication like weekly meetings between our team and our clients.  After all, consistent, up to date information about the progress of a project is vital to knowing whether a project is going ahead smoothly and on budget.

Monthly Project Budget Reviews

You can’t know if your project is staying on budget if you don’t know how much it’s costing you per week. Set aside some time every week for an overview of the project and review its current budget thoroughly. Keep an eye out for any large changes, or any issues that have put an extra drain on your resources. If you see anything out of the ordinary, be sure to note it and discuss it with your construction partner. This is why your choice of construction partner A trustworthy construction partner that cares about customer service is one that’s going to deal with any problems head on to ensure your satisfaction.  An experienced builder has likely encountered a similar issue and will be able to suggest and implement a tested, cost effective solution.

Keep Change Orders in Check

Unexpected things happen despite your best efforts and plans: it’s part of life. It’s important to factor in a little leeway in your budget to make some allowances for the unknown and unexpected, but be sure to keep any change orders monitored to avoid scope creep.  Scope creep is slow and insidious, but can easily run over your budget if it cPay close attention to change orders, and ask yourself and your building partner why they’re happening to see a change. Was it a change in reaction to something you missed during the planning phase, like a noise permit or a materials issue? A great construction partner with experience and expertise will usually be able to provide you with suggestions and potential solutions that can stop scope creep in its tracks. But you need to be able to identify it first and figure out why it is happening.

Stay Determined

The ultimate deciding factor in staying on budget is you. It’s your initial planning, your commitment to staying informed, and your decision to make any changes during construction that ultimately make or break your ability to stay on budget. Prepare as much as you can for what you can, communicate frequently with your construction partner, and stay focused and determined to stay on budget. With effort, knowledge, and willpower – and an experienced, trusted construction partner like Huff Construction – staying on budget is completely possible, even for large building projects.

Design Build

One way that helps for our clients to stay within their building’s project budget is to take advantage of Huff Construction’s Design Build Process.
For those clients who choose to take advantage of Huff Construction’s design-build delivery method, our thorough process, which includes weekly team meetings, leads to numerous benefits such as:

  • Shorter design time frames
  • Design cost savings
  • Minimal stress on the owner as we act as a single point of contact
  • Maximum cost control as we establish a budget up front with the owner and design towards the budget

To find out more about our Design Build Projects follow the link.

Huff Cares: Supporting Central Valley Community

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Being a successful company goes well beyond our daily operations. For Huff Construction, it’s also about giving back and supporting the communities in which we live and operate. Our impact is even greater thanks to our generous employees who each year give the gift of their time to a variety of organizations which are meaningful to them. As part of our local community for more than 40 years, we are proud of supporting a variety of nonprofits, charitable foundations, and community events around the Central Valley.

Part of the Central Valley Community for More than 40 Years

This past May Huff had the opportunity to once again support the First Tee Central Valley and their Corporate Challenge. The First Tee is a national organization with chapters throughout the country. The Central Valley chapter was founded in 2004. Huff has been a supporter of this great organization since 2006.

The goal of First Tee is to positively impact the lives of  youth. They provid programs that teach character and mastery of life skills through instruction in the game of golf. Each year, the First Tee Central Valley strives to administer life skills to over 3,000 youth participants in their program. First Tee after-school and summer programs help shape the lives of young people. First Tee Reinforces values like respect, integrity, and perseverance through the game of golf.

Huff is proud to partner with organizations like the First Tee Central Valley that are making a difference right here in our own community. We are committed to our communities not only through the projects that we build but also by giving back and supporting the work of our local nonprofits and foundations. Huff Construction sees great value in investing in the future of the communities in which we live and work.

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The “Huff Way”

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the-huff-wayWhen Duane Huff founded Huff Construction in 1971, he was determined to build a great commercial construction company. It was Duane’s dedication to quality and commitment to hard work that quickly built Huff’s reputation for unsurpassed quality and integrity. Today all of our employees at every level of the company are expected to carry on Duane’s vision for Huff Construction.

Our CEO, Gary Huff, and our President, Brad Ardis, grew up in this business working side by side with Duane. Each has worked in all areas of the company starting out in the field as laborers on their summer vacations. In addition to Gary and Brad, many of our valued employees spend years at Huff Construction learning the business and working their way up through various positions. Building a foundation of learning every aspect of the business through actually doing it is truly the “Huff Way.”

Our decades of proven performance and unparalleled expertise have made Huff Construction one of the most reliable and respected General Contractors in the areas we serve. Huff Construction is a trusted construction partner valued by architects, sub-contractors, financers and most of all – our clients.

Over 40 Years in Business

Over our 40+ years in business, Huff Construction has stayed true to Duane’s original commitment to quality and hard work. We have also followed Duane’s vision of embracing the newest technology and staying on the forefront of the construction industry. We are honored to be leading the great company that Duane built!

Today, Huff Construction has a large team of highly skilled employees, which continues to grow as we expand into new markets and offer new services. As we look to the future of Huff Construction we look forward to seeing what the next forty years holds for us, in our ongoing pursuit of Duane’s vision and “Building Excellence….The Huff Way.”