Blog · #construction
Construction (15 posts)
- 6 min read
How to track engine hours accurately
Accurate engine hours are the foundation of every PM schedule. Here's the operator-level habit that keeps the number honest — and the fallbacks for when the meter doesn't cooperate.
opsconstruction - 5 min read
Why end-of-month estimates break PM
End-of-month "let me just guess what the meter said" is the most common reason PM intervals drift. Here's the math of why a 5% estimate error breaks a 500-hour service schedule.
opsconstruction - 5 min read
Hour meter logging SOP for crews
A copy-paste SOP for daily hour-meter logging. Who logs, when, what to do when the meter is broken, and how to flag a number that doesn't match yesterday's.
opsconstruction - 7 min read
How small contractors should evaluate fleet software (a non-bullshit framework)
Most fleet software is built for 500-asset enterprises and demoed by sales engineers. A 25-asset contractor needs a different evaluation framework. Here it is.
opsconstruction - 6 min read
When spreadsheets stop working for equipment maintenance
Excel works fine for 5 assets. Past 20 it starts to break in specific, predictable ways. Here's how to tell your spreadsheet is the bottleneck — and what to do about it.
opsconstruction - 8 min read
How to track generators, welders, and compactors across jobs
Engine-powered tools need PM like real assets but move between jobs like consumables. Here's how to track hours, location, and PM intervals when the tool is on a different job every week.
opsconstruction - 7 min read
QR tool checkout for construction shops
A practical guide to setting up QR/NFC checkout in the tool crib: which labels to buy, where to put them, who scans when, and how to keep the system from collapsing in week 3.
opsconstruction - 5 min read
Low-stock alerts for consumables (welding rod, filters, bits)
Consumables don't need PM — they need alerts before you run out. Here's how to set min-stock thresholds that fire early enough to reorder without panic.
opsconstruction - 8 min read
500-hour service checklist template (heavy equipment)
A copy-paste 500-hour PM checklist for construction equipment. Engine, hydraulics, undercarriage, filters, fluids, safety items — printable and editable.
opsconstruction - 8 min read
How to build PM intervals for mixed fleets (hours, miles, cycles)
When one fleet has on-road trucks, off-road equipment, and trailers, the 'common PM interval' trap costs you. Here's how to set intervals per asset class without doubling your admin load.
opsconstruction - 6 min read
PM by engine hours vs mileage — which does your fleet actually need?
Engine hours and odometer miles measure different kinds of wear. Picking the wrong PM trigger costs you reliability or money. Here's the decision tree.
opsconstruction - 5 min read
The 25-asset fleet: why this size is the sweet spot
Fleets of 5 don't need much software. Fleets of 500 need an ERP. Between them is the 25-asset fleet — the one DirtFleet was built for. Here's what changes at this size.
opsconstruction - 4 min read
What your accountant actually wants from a maintenance app
After two years sitting between fleet managers and their bookkeepers, here's what the accounting side wants when they ask for 'shop spend.' Spoiler: it's three CSV columns, not a dashboard.
opsconstruction - 6 min read
Cost-per-hour is the only fleet metric most owners need
Asset utilization, MTBF, fuel efficiency — all useful. But cost-per-engine-hour is the one number that exposes the worst unit in the fleet at a glance. Here's how DirtFleet computes it and what to do with it.
opsconstruction - 5 min read
Hour-based PM beats calendar PM in heavy-equipment fleets
Calendar reminders are easy to set up and easy to ignore. Engine-hour thresholds are harder to game and surface real risk. Here's the math.
opsconstruction