If you've ever had a client ask you to use their brother, sister, in-law, friend or whoever they have in the trades this one’s for you. If you allow it you’ve ceded control of the outcome on your project to the unfamiliar. If you say No you can never satisfy the client with the trade partner they never wanted you to use instead of their preferred choice. What’s a builder to do?

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt

Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt

Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/

Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

When we build high-performance homes there is (or should always be) a tremendous amount of focus placed on indoor air quality. With that in mind, should we be considering more pre-finished products so the off gassing happens off site?

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt

Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt

Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/

Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

While many choose to subcontract their building diagnostic testing to their local BPI or HERS rater, a lot of builders (ourselves included) have begun performing a lot of their own testing. Having your own equipment allows testing and troubleshooting at multiple stages of each build as needed without scheduling lags due to availability of others. So what are the top five tools?

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt

Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt

Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/

Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

The homes we build are becoming increasingly complex and the equipment and systems we include in them can be vexing to even the sharpest clients. With many in the trades already moving their business efforts from install to securing service contracts we discuss the pros and cons of that shift, and whether we as builders should do the same.

Thank you to episode sponsor Huber Engineered Woods. Learn more at huberwood.com.

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

Do you hire to need (skills) or to character? What’s a good way to learn about a perspective team member before hiring them on to work with your crew? Are there specific interview tactics and skills tests, or some other path to finding that right fit? Somehow, this podcast does NOT begin with Travis singing the Dr. Dre classic.

Thank you to our episode sponsor Rockwool.  Learn more at: 

https://www.rockwool.com/north-america/

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

How many times should your framing crew mobilize to complete their scope of work? Brandon and Travis have different approaches to this and their strong views lead to some spicy discourse on this absolute battle about efficiency and planning. 

Thank you to our episode sponsor Allura. Learn more at:  https://allurausa.com/

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

Drywall Shorty is possibly the most famous specialty contractor we know here at the BuildConPod and she drops by to help the fellas see what it’s like on the other side being that they’re both general contractors. Being the best at something and only doing that thing sounds pretty awesome, but there are some drawbacks as well. Is the grass always greener?  

Thank you to our episode sponsor Viewrail.  Learn more at:  https://www.viewrail.com/

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit
• Lydia's Instagram:  @drywallshorty

If you’ve ever been told “you’re too expensive” as a builder or tradesperson you know the frustration level that accompanies that type of comment. Are we too expensive because we demand record profits that account for why builders make up the richest people on the planet? Or perhaps we’re pricing the plan supplied with the most up to date cost data of anyone at the table for labor and materials. Curious.

Thank you to our episode sponsor Huber Engineered Woods. Learn more at https://www.huberwood.com/. 

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

Building custom homes allows a simplistic view on wether a product or process is “worth it” or not. If it’s worth it to the client then it goes in the build, but in speculative construction that decision is solely left to the builder. Bryan Uhler builds both spec and custom so we discuss what items are rational upgrades and which are irrational expenditures.

Thank you to Episode Sponsor Mbrico. Learn more at mbricotiledecks.com.

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit

There’s a lot said about the importance of being fully present or “locked-in” when it comes to being effective in your work, home with your family or being a good parent. The nature of building requires an opposing mindset where you’re constantly looking to the future and planning many steps ahead. This week the fellas parse how best to operate on site with future-vision versus how to “live in the now, man!”

Find Travis & Brandon on the Web

• Travis’ Build Show Videos: https://buildshownetwork.com/go/travisbrungardt
• Travis’ Instagram: @catalystbuilt
• Travis’ Website: https://www.catalystbuilt.com/
• Brandon’s Instagram: @bbuildsit