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A podcast by Buildertrend that explores people, technology and innovation.
Episodes
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Episode 172:
On this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are chatting with Josh Schaffer, owner of Rog & Wilco in Denver, Colorado. After growing up and working for his dad’s framing company, he swore he would never come back to it after he graduated college. He spent ten years in the United States Airforce as a pilot before eventually making his way back to construction. Josh and his wife flipped houses for three years before starting to design and build their own homes.
Listen to the full episode to hear about how Buildertrend’s educational opportunities and training helped their team find success using construction management software.
When did you make the decision to expedite implementing Buildertrend into your processes?
“We have 10, 12 projects going on. So, it got to a point over the summer where my project managers were just like, ‘We need a better process. There's got to be a better process.’ We had done a year of just trying to work our way through it until my senior project manager and I went to Buildertrend on the Road, hosted here in Denver. We learned about Onsite Consulting, and we were like, ‘Oh, this is exactly what we need.’ And it was so refreshing to really hear from her that, ‘Hey, this is what other builders do, and you guys aren't alone.’"
What did the Onsite Consulting process look like for you?
“I want to say we did about six weeks of pre-work, and then it was the two days of Onsite Consulting. Then it extended past that for another three, four weeks. As we implemented the things we set in place during the onsite period, we had follow-up to say ‘Hey, how's this working? Do we need to pivot at all?’ So, I would say the whole thing was two months long. I was really impressed with the pre-work that was done and that we got all the hard work done. And when I say hard work, I mean really digging into how we do things. So, when Chloe was here in person, we had specific questions, and we weren't wasting anyone's time.”
LINKS AND MORE
As home builders and residential remodelers begin to wonder what an impending economic downtown means for their business, one thing's for certain: the more prepared you are, the more resilient you'll be. Consider this your guide. We surveyed hundreds of home builders and spoke with economic experts for insights on where the industry stands now – and how you can be ready for whatever comes next. Read our recently published 2023 construction outlook to learn more.
Related content:
Tune in to the last episode of “The Building Code” to hear about how Piper Stromatt started her career in construction, how other women paved the way and how she’s currently helping women break into the industry.
Subscribe here, and never miss an episode.
Got podcast topic suggestions? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.
The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend:
Looking to improve how you run your construction business? On the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend,” we’re exploring how our software calms complex processes and allows you to work simpler. Subscribe and stream today wherever you listen to podcasts.
Follow us on social:
Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are joined by returning guest, Piper Stromatt, director of interior design and partner at Boutique Living by Curate in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Piper grew up in the construction world and recalls being on job sites before she could even walk. The passion for the industry came to her at a young age and has remained with her over the years.
Tune in to the full episode to the hear about her career in construction, how other women paved the way and how she’s currently helping women break into the industry.
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Thursday Feb 16, 2023
Thursday Feb 16, 2023
On today’s episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are live from IBS with Steven Sanders-Myers, general contractor at Brightwater Homes in Sandy Springs, Georgia. While waiting tables, Steven was offered a construction job after a simple handshake – and hasn't looked back. He then got his degree in construction management and joined the team at Brightwater Homes where he shares their passion for economical building.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about Brightwater Homes’ sustainable building practices and how they’re implementing technology and group purchasing to ensure continued success.
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Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Episode 169
Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are sitting down with Dan Houghton, CEO and co-founder of Buildertrend, to chat about the company rebrand and expectations for 2023.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about the reason for Buildertend’s recent rebrand and how our customer-first mindset is driving all company initiatives.
Join “The Building Code” Facebook group:
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Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Episode 167:
On today’s episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are talking to Mark Boud, a real estate economist. Mark’s modeled forecasts and analytics are trusted by major builders, land developers and capital groups and financial institutions. He and his team conduct master planned residential market research throughout the nation.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about the economic outlook for construction in 2023 and how to prepare your business.
How will the small to mid-sized builders benefit in the forecasted economic climate?
“What I've seen most recently is the advantage kind of shifting to smaller builders, and I like that. I love working with small- to medium-sized private builders. They tend to be a little bit more nimble and a little bit more sensitive to market trends. And I think that can translate to them having the ability to change more quickly during an inflection point where most public builders take some time to right that ship. A smaller builder can change pretty quickly. They still need research to do that. And the weakness that I see some of those smaller builders having is that they don't necessarily invest in research the way the big builders do. That's changing. I do a lot of presentations for CBUSA and of course Buildertrend. I've seen that change mainly because of entities like yourselves (Buildertrend) have enabled them to group together for educational purposes, for supply line purposes, for all kinds of advantages that those larger entities have had in the past. You kind of translate that to the smaller builder, which I think is really encouraging.”
What economic advantages are you seeing for smaller builders in terms of material supply?
“There might be a little bit of an advantage for those smaller, more nimble builders because a lot of those larger builders during the past 24 months in fear of losing supply entered into long-range, long-term contracts at the very peak of the market in order to control that supply. So, the smaller builders were left out of that and had a real hard time with all kinds of supply issues. However, that pendulum is now shifting with those larger builders stuck with those very high costly contracts and the smaller builders being able to move in and take advantage of what I think is going to be a correction in supply. I mean, we're already beginning to see that a little bit, but I think during the next six months, the smaller builders will be able to take advantage of that while the larger builders are still trying to calm down the supply pipeline that they currently have. To me, there's a potential advantage in there for the smaller builders, now that we're in the midst of this inflection point.”
LINKS AND MORE
Check out Harvard University’s Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity report.
Learn more about Boxabl’s accessory dwelling units.
Related content:
Listen to the last episode of “The Building Code” to hear more about the importance of managing your construction team with grace and how to prioritize giving back to your community.
Subscribe here, and never miss an episode.
Got podcast topic suggestions? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.
The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend:
Looking to improve how your team plans projects with the top residential construction management platform this year? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now.
Follow us on social:
Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
The Building Code Ep 168
Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are chatting with Heather Tankersley, co-owner and vice president of operations at Tankersley Construction in Sacramento, California. Before taking on a full-time role at the company, Heather managed complex electrical projects for some of the largest electrical contractors in the United States.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about how making connections in the construction industry promotes success and what to expect at the upcoming International Builders’ Show panel that Heather will be a part of.
Join “The Building Code” Facebook group:
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Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Episode 166
Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are talking to Joe Christensen, founder and owner of Cardinal Crest Homes in Kansas City, Missouri. Joe got an early start in construction by working on his family farm. He then earned a degree in construction management and a minor in business management from Brigham Young University. Today, Joe works closely with clients to make their dream homes a reality.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about the importance of managing your construction team with grace and how to prioritize giving back to your community.
How do you promote positivity with your construction team?
“If you can't find satisfaction in your job, you're going to quit. You're going to move on. And I've seen that happen in our industry right now. Jobs are delayed, they're over budget and they're really difficult to get done. And if your boss is also yelling at you, why would you stay? I know we're passionate about construction, but you've got to find the silver lining. So, we try really hard to celebrate the small wins and try to not sweat the small stuff and move on. Correct it, but be like, ‘Okay, it's time to move on.’ We try to have a lot of fun. And during closing days or the day after closings, we like to have lunches together. We take the team to lunch. I think it's important.”
What community work does your team do to bring them together?
“We just did a charity event called Rebuilding Together. And they have a day where we're assigned a couple homes. They have a day or a couple weekends where you go, and you might be adding ADA ramps, doing new flooring, fixing up these people's homes because they can't do it themselves or can't afford to do it. And we want to make it something we do every year. Because it's something we do already. We know how to build. And it’s nice to be able to rub shoulders with each other while we're helping out. It's such a big team building exercise.”
LINKS AND MORE
Related content:
Read their case study to see how Cardinal Crest Homes uses Buildertrend’s construction management software to promote efficiency and build more than a dozen Kansas City custom homes per year, totaling upwards of $20 million.
Listen to the last episode of “The Building Code” to hear more about what it takes to be a successful project manager and how building relationships is a key component.
Subscribe here, and never miss an episode.
Got podcast topic suggestions? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.
The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend:
Looking to improve how your team plans projects with the top residential construction management platform this year? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now.
Follow us on social:
Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Episode 165:
On today’s episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are talking to Tom Henning, director of construction management at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. Tom has an extensive career in the industry that started when he was in college. After graduating with in field engineering, he worked for several companies managing projects and even owned his own construction company for over five years.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about what it takes to be a successful project manager and how building relationships is a key component.
What is one thing you’ve learned after so many years in project management?
“What I've learned with all my wisdom is that you should be humble enough to say, ‘Look, I'm not the smartest guy in the room.’ And that's what you find as you get older. You don't want to be the smartest guy in the room. I want the smart guys doing the work. You know what I'm trying to say? What I want people to look at me as being smart for is I get the right guys doing the work. That's where you're smart. I think that only comes with experience, and it also comes with just good people skills and working well with folks.”
How has Buildertrend helped manage so many renovations at the same time?
“I have a schedule on Buildertrend, so I actually use Buildertrend. I actually have a Westminster Canterbury renovation tab job that everybody has access to, and you pop that open and it has a schedule in there of all my bids, when they're due, and what apartments they are, and what time the pre bids are. Going to Buildertrend University though I learned, not only can I do that, but I can actually have them put the bids in. I truly believe it's the Buildertrend organization pieces that I'm using, that helps my guys just stay dialed in. The schedule feature alone is phenomenal. You just pop guys, when you update stuff and they're tied into the schedule. The plumber gets an update that, hey, we didn't pass an inspection, so you're going to have to come back tomorrow. It's not going to get done today, or whatever it might be. It's phenomenal.”
LINKS AND MORE
Related content:
Listen to the last episode of “The Building Code” to hear more about what it’s like starting a remodeling business in a booming construction industry and how tech is making it possible to achieve a work-life balance.
Subscribe here, and never miss an episode.
Got podcast topic suggestions? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.
The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend:
Looking to improve how your team plans projects with the top residential construction management platform this year? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now.
Follow us on social:
Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.
Thursday Nov 10, 2022
Thursday Nov 10, 2022
Episode 164:
On this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are chatting with Courtney Baxter-Marsh, co-owner of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen in northwest Arkansas. Courtney is the marketing manager as well as the office manager who handles all the business financials. She works alongside her mom, Mary, who does project design and her dad, Scott, their general manager.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about what it’s like starting a remodeling business in a booming construction industry and how tech is making growth possible.
What was it like starting a business in 2020?
“We've had to figure out some processes with COVID being a real thing, but luckily not as bad as in 2020. When we entered in 2021, it was actually an incredible year to enter the remodeling industry because it was so lit. Honestly, there's no other way to put it. Remodeling was lit in 2021. Everyone was spending extended amounts of times in their homes, unable to get out. They then realized, ‘I am so sick and tired of looking at my cabinets. I hate my bathroom.’ Or ‘There is no place for my kids to do homeschool or homework.’ So, then they were turning to us, which was so crazy because no market analysis could ever project what happened in 2021. And then throw in the supply chain and labor shortage. It was a good thing, but also there were some headaches.”
What has been one of the biggest benefits of using Buildertrend?
“The coolest part about Buildertrend is that we do our own estimating. We do our own change orders. We do our own purchase orders within. But I think the really cool part about Buildertrend is the unlimited storage space that it has for holding our photos – not only for the home site visits, but also the finished photos. Then you also have your legal documents, everything you need. I can access it on my laptop, on my cell phone. If I'm on vacation and didn't take my laptop, I can log into my husband's and all I need is my username and password. Immediately I can see the same exact thing I see when I'm at home.”
LINKS AND MORE
Related content:
Listen to the last episode (link last episode when live) of “The Building Code” to hear more about Color Homes’ decade-long journey of renovating historic homes and how Buildertrend Takeoff helps them simplify their processes and scale their business.
Subscribe here, and never miss an episode.
Got podcast topic suggestions? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.
The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend:
Looking to improve how your team plans projects with the top residential construction management platform this year? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now.
Follow us on social:
Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
Thursday Nov 03, 2022
On this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are chatting with Eric Pierce, co-owner of Color Houses in Houston, Texas. The Color Houses team has been renovating historic homes for the past ten years and share their passion for restoring a home’s original beauty and character.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about their decade-long journey of renovating historic homes and how Buildertrend Takeoff helps them simplify their processes and scale their business.
Read the shownotes for this episode here:
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