Building Optimal

Jared shares some of the lessons from his home building journey, and announces the latest offering from Building Optimal...our Builder Accelerator, to help others find success and build a great company. To learn more about the Builder Accelerator, go to: https://www.buildingoptimal.com/the-builder-accelerator Use code LAUNCH between now and 5/19/22 For 20% off all our products at the Building Opti...

There are a lot of misconceptions about  Zip System .®  Mike Dye, Senior Engineer at  Huber Engineered Woods , joins us to dispel those and also provide some useful ideas to improve the efficiency and sustainability of your builds. Enjoy the episode! New products launching in the Building Optimal Shop! Need a little help growing your business or making more money at it? In addi...

RAM Windows has emerged as one of the leading window manufacturers in the State of Texas and beyond. We use their modern-design, aluminum windows on most of our projects (you can see them on our recent Kennelwood project here ). As a brand partner of ours, I’ve gotten to personally know Eric Spence, President and CEO. It’s easy to see why RAM has experienced the growth trajectory it has with him a...

Brian Potter is the author of  Construction Physics , the best blog on construction news and innovation that I've found. " Why It's Hard to Innovate in Construction " is one of my favorite and a central theme in today's discussion. Brian is a structural engineer by training. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Progress and previously led an engineering team at Katerra. E...

This is one of my favorite conversations to date with Luke Mezger, a top builder from Austin, Texas. Luke is Owner of  Mezger Homes , a superb leader, and a brilliant student of the game. He lays out probably a dozen actionable tips most of us can implement today to build a better company. Enjoy the episode! Have any topics you want me to discuss, guests to interview, or feedback about the sh...

Austin Miller is an Australian carpenter and builder who moved to Canada six years ago to build in the remote Arctic. In this episode we are exploring how building works in one of the world's most inhospitable places. If nothing else, this episode will make you extremely grateful next time you are looking for a bolt on your own jobsite (gotta listen to understand)! Have any topics you want me...

Gabe Jewell is CEO of MT Copeland , a new online education platform to learn the building and construction trades. We need more affordable, accessible education within our industry. It’s why I started Building Optimal, and it’s why I’m a fan of what Gabe and his team are doing. Check out the episode to learn about what these innovators are doing to help builders, and you just may find a class you...

Pre-selling your homes under construction isn’t all rainbows and kittens, as many veterans know. Check out this short episode to learn the pros, cons, and nuances of pre-selling. Plus, I share some of my own strategies for crafting a more favorable pre-sell for your company. Have any topics you want me to discuss, guests to interview, or feedback about the show? DM me on Instagram @buildingoptimal...

A messy or worse, non-existent, change order system can sink a home builder. What should be a source of profits is often a place of loss and chaos. We can fix that in a hurry, though. Here is my company’s strategy to change order the right way. Have any topics you want me to discuss, guests to interview, or feedback about the show? DM me on Instagram @buildingoptimal or send me an email at jared@g...

The success of every project is built upon meeting, or better, exceeding expectations. So it stands to reason that one of your many jobs as a builder is to proactively address with clients topics that could later become issues. In this episode I share 12 topics I always cover with new clients as soon as we enter into our pre-construction agreement. Have any topics you want me to discuss, guests to...

Most builders I know are overworked and underpaid. Today's short episode covers a framework I like to use called The Eisenhower Matrix. It is a simple tool that can help you prioritize the things that will really propel you forward and leave behind the things that are sucking your time. Have any topics you want me to discuss, guests to interview, or feedback about the show? DM me on Instagram @bui...

Working with a difficult or exhausting client can make life miserable and put your company in danger. After working with hundreds of clients I've identified four red flags. If I start working with a client who demonstrates any of these behaviors in our early interactions, I will graciously walk away before signing a construction contract. Just as important (if not more) than securing good clients...

Kyle Diamond is partner of  New Dimension Construction , in Millbrook, New York. The family-owned business has operated for more than 30 years with a stellar reputation. Check out some of the tips that Kyle graciously shares with us. Y'all enjoy the episode.

Treacy, of  NWC Alliance , returns to answer some FAQ from our community about insurance and third party warranties. Sit back, enjoy a nice cocktail, and sharpen up your insurance skills my friends.

You've probably seen Jason Pietruszka on Instagram or YouTube . He shares some great content on social media, but his day job is owner of JJP Construction , a luxury builder in L.A. Jason has had a rocket ship growth trajectory from an unlikely background, and now he's not only building but sharing his lessons with others. Y'all enjoy the episode!

If you're getting *hammered* on lumber prices, well so is the rest of America. What's happening and when will it get better? Lumber economist, Dustin Jalbert, has a few answers. Dustin leads the lumber analysis on Fastmarkets RISI's Wood Products team. He is responsible for the monthly Lumber Commentary, the North American Lumber 5- and 15-Year Forecasts, and both consulting engagements relat...

This is a reading of an article we just published on the Building Optimal blog. If you prefer the written word, check it out here: https://buildingoptimal.com/8-tips-to-combat-soaring-costs/ By the way, if you aren't already signed up for our Building Optimal newsletter, head over to buildingoptimal.com and sign up for free right now. Should take about 15 seconds and the extra value we will be del...

Michael Anschel is owner of  Otogawa-Anschel , a design-build firm out of Minnesota. Michael frequently lectures on topics in the industry and also writes for several well-known publications. He has built a company that allowed him to actually take three years off! If that isn't enough incentive to listen to this episode, we also discuss ideas to implement from culture to transparency. Enjoy...

This is one of my favorite episodes to date.  Wally Staples , a builder from Maine, has always made a profit over his 28 years in business. He has never had to lay anyone off. And, he has a financial freedom plan for himself and his entire team. Tune in for the secrets and wisdom of Wally. As I say in the episode, it's an avalanche of good ideas. Enjoy, and happy building out t...

Dan Edelman with Rockwool joins us to share his perfect wall assembly and discuss a few new innovations and changes in the building science space. Enjoy the episode!

If employee benefits make your head spin, you aren't alone. Luckily, we have Lauren Allen and Elisa Thornton on today's episode to help you out. They are with Brookstone Insurance, my own company's health and commercial liability provider. Enjoy the episode!

Ed Earl  and  Paul Sanneman , both previous guests, share the reasons why they like cost-plus contracts. As a fixed-price builder myself, I wanted to get the perspective from the other side of the aisle. If you want to learn more about Paul and Ed's work, visit  https://residentialcontractorservicesgroup.com . Enjoy the episode!    “The wise man knows exactly what value sh...

Most builders would get an F on our digital marketing, but it's an area that can exponentially grow your business if you develop the right strategy. I'm visiting with Spencer Powell, a digital marketing expert who specializes in builders and contractors, to share a few ideas of how to get started or get better. Spencer is the Inbound Marketing Director at  Builder Funnel . Since 2010, he’s be...

What are some of the top systems you can install in your project to move it closer to a passive house? Trey Farmer has a few answers for us. In this episode we are exploring Trey’s personal home he just built as a case study of what worked great and what he would do differently next time. Trey is a licensed architect with the well-reputed firm, Forge Craft Architecture . He is also a partner in St...

I've been using a framework I call "Value Buckets" to structure my deals. It's nothing more than a mental system I created to help me optimize my returns and also create alignment and trust with my investors. It's a short episode - 12ish minutes. If you prefer to read,  here is the link to the blog article . Enjoy the episode!