Construction professionals are tool junkies. It’s hard to find a gift for your favorite tradesperson because he/she will just buy it as soon as he/she needs it. Here are five gift ideas that your favorite construction professional might not own:

This digital scale makes preparing estimates and performing take-off calculations a breeze. There is no more need for the typical engineering or architectural scale because the Scale Master Pro has every scale you will ever need programmed into it. The best feature of this scale is that you can set a ‘custom scale.’ This means I don’t have to have a full-size set of prints available for my estimates. I can print the drawings on any size paper and set the Scale Master Pro to the scale of the printed copy. All I need is one dimension. It’s super easy and a must have for anyone preparing estimates and take-offs.

I have used Google Apps for Works for many years. You get the entire Google suite of products and apps, like email, calendar, drive, docs, and more. You can not only use all the Google products, but also,] set it up so that your email runs through the Google servers. If you own a domain name, then your email can be your_name@your_company.com. I think this is slightly more professional than [email protected] or whatever other free email you are using.

There is no way you can remember all the details of any given week. Apps and smart phones are great tools and highly efficient. What happens when you are talking on the phone and need to take notes? You grab the closest scrap of paper from the console of your truck. This is why I use a combination of the two notebooks listed below.

I will keep a basic composition notebook like the one below in my office. I keep it handy for taking notes on phone calls, daily reminders, and to-do items. I also order 10 notebooks at a time. That way I will always have enough for an entire year on hand.

I keep a small journal-type notebook in my truck at all times for the same reasons as listed above. A small notebook like this is great for keeping wedged between the seats or in the center console.

This tool has been so useful. I can charge my phone anywhere, any time. I use this when traveling, out in the field (when I am not in my truck), or even at the pool. When it is not in use, I leave it on the window sill of the office or on the dashboard of my truck. It’s always charging as long as there is sunlight.

You need your hot beverages at all times and in any conditions. The COFFEEBOXX is the solution to that problem. I don’t have one, but I want one. I hope my wife reads my blog posts.

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