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 want to take. I have no financial incentive, btw. Just like what these guys are about!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 who can help elevate your business is steering clear of those who will damage it.

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.

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.

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.

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 related to the North American lumber markets.

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 related to the North American lumber markets.

If you aren’t separating your wages from your profits, you’re losing money and fooling yourself along the way. This was a conversation I began with Bryan Uhler, second generation builder at Pioneer Builders, Inc, a company his father started 42 years ago.

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/

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 been building out a proven model and system that has helped generate thousands of leads for his clients. He specializes in helping home builders and remodelers bring their websites up to speed – not only building traffic but focusing on lead conversion and ROI.

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 Studio Ferme, an interior design firm out of Austin. He sits on the board of the Austin Passive House Alliance and is an expert on sustainable design and construction.

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 Studio Ferme, an interior design firm out of Austin. He sits on the board of the Austin Passive House Alliance and is an expert on sustainable design and construction.