Minnesota 14 Hour Residential Contractor CE Course

This 14 hour package provides all the CE that contractors in Minnesota need. It fulfills the 1 hour of Business Management and 1 hour of Energy content requirements for license renewal. The package includes the following lessons:

OSHA Standard 1926 Safety Training 

A systematic and down-to-earth guide on the hazards that may be present for contractors working in the field and the best ways to reduce the chance of injury or illness. The rules adopted by OSHA for construction are reviewed in depth along with record-keeping, training, and the responsibilities for maintaining safety on a job site.

Project Management

A practical approach to project management the explores the role of the project manager, the planning and scheduling process, the benefits to the contractor, how project management systems and tools have evolved over time, and the major elements that go into managing a project.

Professionalism

What professionalism is and what it means to be a professional, the importance of professionalism, best practices for customer service, and the aspects of professionalism that are critical to success in the trade and construction industries. The class also identifies personal traits as they relate to professionalism, and those personal traits or behaviors that could be improved in order to enhance the personal professional image

Business Contracts

The basics of contract law, the elements of a contract that make it valid, the requirements for formation of a contract, the effects of court rulings on contract law, and how to handle breach of contract.

2020 Minnesota Energy Code

The class covers every amendment to the 2018 IECC during its adoption as the basis of the 2020 Commercial Energy Code. It also covers how the 2020 Residential Energy Code works with the Commercial Energy Code and other parts of the Building Code and Administrative Rules.

Estimating and Job Costing

This lesson discusses bidding and the bidding process and how to successfully bid for a project, what estimating is, the qualities possessed by a good estimator, estimating levels and estimating methods, the process of developing an estimate, best practices, and some major principles associated with estimating. The lesson finishes by discussing job costing, including the elements that go into job costing.

Liability and Risk Management 

This lesson examines the concepts of liability, risk, and risk management, the basic methods for managing risk, how risk is shared through the use of insurance, various forms of insurance coverage and how to purchase the correct form and amount of insurance.

Building the Exterior Shell

This lesson discusses the purpose of the exterior shell, how to build a structure's exterior shell, wall assembly types and types of walls, framing and installation of windows and doors, the installation of decks, and how a roof is assembled. The lesson concludes with the construction of the foundation, chimney penetrations, siding, sealant, and insulation.

Marketing and Sales

What differentiates marketing and sales, the meaning of "eight contacts", what marketing is and is not, the process for putting together a marketing plan, forms of analysis used when developing a marketing plan, pricing strategies, and Porter"s "five forces". The lesson then explores various techniques used in marketing, including how to utilize the internet for marketing purposes, ways to ensure sales goals are regularly met, and basic concepts related to sales such as types of customers, the use of questions, and methods for earning a customer's trust.