Feed Me Your Construction Content

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In this podcast episode, the hosts of "Feed Me Your Construction Content" discuss updates on their construction project, including becoming landowners, obtaining a construction loan, and working on obtaining permits. They also discuss the challenges of working on the project while holding a full-time job and the importance of doing due diligence in checking details in their estimates and plans. Additionally, they discuss their decision-making process for choosing windows, struggles with design, and the importance of having a well-designed kitchen and bathroom. The hosts also share their excitement about upcoming guests on their podcast, including Frank Lackman, Christopher Brement, and Brad Haubert.

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Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

The podcast episode discusses the challenges and issues facing employers and employees in the construction industry regarding job recruiting and hiring practices. The hosts are joined by a recruiter, Luke Ha, who shares his insights on how employers can address gaps in their employees' skills and provide opportunities for growth and development. The discussion highlights the need for better hiring and retention practices in the construction industry, and the importance of supporting employees as they grow and develop in their careers. The episode emphasizes the need for honesty, transparency, and mentorship in the hiring and retention process.

Luke Hill can be found on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukehillconstructionrecruiter

He is the CO-Host of Off the Hook with Erica and Luke and they can be found at: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/off-the-hook-with-erica-and-luke/

#hiring #coaching #recruiting 

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

Introduction: Deciding whether to self-build a home in 2023. Brad Haubert asked the question after last week's episode, and it was simple, why now? 

To answer this question, it is only fair to list some of the reasons not to self-build a home.

1. Interest rates are elevated
2. Stress is going to be challenging to manage
3. Cost of construction
4. Financing the deal
5. The time commitment
6. Lack of expertise

Why now? We have given you the reasons to not self-build or start a homebuilding business, so what are we thinking? 

1. If we wait for everything to be perfect, we will never step out and make our dreams real. 
   1. Interest rates are outside of our control
   2. If we wait for rates to come down, material or labor will be more expensive
   3. Scared money doesn’t make money
2. Finances
   1. We have been strategic with our earnings over the last 5 years and are financially in a position where we can make this step. 
   2. We are being honest with our budget and make modifications should an item be more than we budgeted. 
   3. We discovered a bank willing to work with us on a self-build
3. Land
   1. We have been on the search for land for 8-plus months
   2. The price of land is not going to get any cheaper
   3. When we reviewed our home budget and the price of land, the numbers worked.
4. Energy Efficiency and Customization
   1. We have complete control of the design and layout of the home. 
   2. The ability to raise the bar on quality or finishes to meet our expectations and specifications.
   3. I want an energy-efficient home and when in the driver's seat, we can ensure the building envelope is tight and right. 

#customhomebuilder #homebuilder #success #construction #projectmanagement #residentialconstruction #superintendent #financing #banking

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Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

Financing and Budgeting your Dream Home:

Introduction: Today, we will discuss the financing and budgeting section of building our dream home. The first and most crucial step is establishing a budget before taking your position on the start line. We will talk about financing a build, budgeting, and managing the budget throughout the build. 

1. Financing your home building project
   1. A construction loan was the only option
   2. Several banks we talked to wouldn't finance the deal
   3. Banks would finance, but not if we were going to self-build
   4. William Hendricks - Integrity Home Mortgage
2. Budgeting the home-building project
   1. Creating a budget based on each aspect of the build
   2. Specifications and cost codes for each (from clearing to closing)
   3. Using my knowledge and gut feeling, applying a guess on each line item
   4. Developed a budget based on gut feeling to have a baseline
   5. Land, County fees, Materials, Labor, etc. 
   6. Tip on saving money on your project: Don’t act like you know everything! Contractors are willing to help if you show humility and respect. 
3. Managing your budget
   1. Discuss the importance of tracking all expenses and comparing them with your budget.
   2. Set up a dedicated bank account for bank draws and paying invoices
   3. Have a purchase order system or a means to commit trades and suppliers to an agreed-upon price before any work commences
   4. Regularly review your budget and expenses. You might need to change your expectations or finishes to stay within your budget. 
   5. Common budget pitfalls: Foundation, Framing, Overspending on finishes

Vendor of the week: William Hendricks Integrity Home Mortgage

Conclusion: building our own home has been a long-term goal of mine, and it is an exciting time—financing, budgeting the build, and managing the home building budget. The project will be rewarding and exhausting, all in the same breath. 

Thanks for tuning in. Please subscribe to the show and leave a review as we read all reviews and make changes to improve the content.  

#customhomebuilder #mcmahoncustomhomes #homebuilder #construction #purchasing #budget #success #banking #finance

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Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

We wanted to share the process of buying land, securing a construction loan, and some of our lessons learned thus far. 

The process is not for the faint of heart! We are into the selections and sending our plans out for bids while working the banking numbers behind the scenes. 

1. Finding land
2. Making offers on land and being beaten out
3. Making an offer and going through the counteroffer process
4. Being under contract on land
5. Working with a bank to purchase the land, construction loan, and conventional loan
6. Sending our drawings and specifications out for bid
7. Trying not to stress out about the costs of each estimate

#construction #customhomebuilder #homebuilder #process #success #goals #dreambuilder

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

Construction Challenges Podcast:

Introduction: Managing construction projects have never been more challenging than they are today. 

We struggle to manage projects for numerous reasons, and in todays episode, we intend to list five reasons and have some dialogue around each. 

1. The complexity between projects: multiple phases and tasks must be completed sequentially. Each task can be affected by the following:
   1. Labor shortage
   2. Weather 
   3. Resources
   4. Quality 
2. Dependency between tasks. Activities are dependent on other tasks, and if one item is not completed on time, it will have an impact on the activities that follow.
3. Resource Allocation: projects require the coordination of various resources
   1. Materials
   2. Labor
   3. Equipment
   4. Time
4. Communication and Collaboration:
   1. Communication between tasks and owners. 
   2. How well do we communicate between trades? 
   3. How far in advance do we schedule activities, and are we confirming that the schedule is accurate and the job is ready? 
5. Unforeseen Issues: You will always encounter unexpected issues. It is the nature of the business, and you should anticipate them and be ready to pivot and make new decisions. I suggest having your Plan B ready if you need to deploy it. 
   1. Pre-Construction delays
   2. A need to ask for more information delays the project
   3. A need to bring in an engineer to approve something done in the field to the drawings. 

Vendor of the week: Foster Heating & Air

Conclusion: To overcome the challenges you will face on projects, you must have several tools and techniques ready. Project management software, Critical Path Analysis, and Contingency Planning to name a few. Effective project management will require cooperation between all stakeholders, and you must be agile enough to make changes when things don’t work. If you remain rigid in the face of adversity, your business might survive, but it is at the expense of your people. 

#construction #homebuilder #customhomebuilder #projectmanagement #superintendent #success #personaldevelopment 

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

Customer Service Podcast

Introduction: When we build a customer a new home, we provide a safe place for others to live. We must focus more on building an experience and a home. 

When we go out to dinner, are you just going to eat? We are paying for the environment, great customer service, food, and an experience we look forward to telling our friends about. 

Vendor of the week: Next Level Stairs LLC out of Petersburg Va. 

Customer Service is essential in homebuilding. When you consider that building or buying a home is a significant investment and that customers want to feel comfortable with their purchase. 

The home-building process is complex and can be overwhelming for customers. We must have a simple process and extremely warm handoffs between each department. 

Who is customer service? Production? Sales? Support staff? Warranty Department? 

What are five ways that we can improve our customer service today? 

1. Communication 
   1. Updates
   2. Schedule
   3. Process communicated
2. Responsiveness
   1. Treat service with urgency
   2. Provide a response to help (don’t fall in the trap of blaming)
3. Honesty
   1. Don’t ever lie or try to BS your client
   2. If you don’t know, write it down and let them know you will get back to them.
4. Alignment
   1. Ensure a playbook is adopted
   2. Everyone on the team is on the same team
   3. Don’t blame one another, it just makes it worse
5. Follow Through
   1. Do what you said you are going to do
   2. Ensure you are scheduling and maximizing the time you are asking your customer to take off from work. 
   3. Paperwork to document the items
   4. Signed off paperwork
   5. Close items only once it is signed and documented

Conclusion: Overall, good customer service can help build customer trust and loyalty, leading to positive word-of-mouth referrals and a strong reputation in the industry. 

#production #warranty #success #homebuilder #customerservice #improvement #process #playbooks #construction #coaching #projectmanagement

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

Zepps Gear Podcast

Introduction: Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. In 2020, 35% of all deaths in construction were due to falls. Of interesting note, if you are six feet or higher and you fall, you are at a greater risk for severe injury or death.  
OSHA requires that employers provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job. This includes ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear. 

Story: The roofers were on top of the roof without fall protection. 

Background

1. How long have you been in the construction industry? 
2. As a scaffold builder, how have employers handled Personal Protective Equipment for yourself and others during your career? 
3. What was the aha moment you realized that the Zepps Gear jacket could be the missing component for others using Personal Fall Arrest Systems? 
4. When did you develop the Podger Ratchet, and what was the driving force behind the idea? 

Story: I was walking the job site on my afternoon walk and walked in on the painters on top of a mobile scaffold trying to paint a section of the ceiling. The scaffold wasn’t tall enough, so they put four buckets on top of it and then placed a ladder. 

Conclusion:

-Recap any highlights from the discussion. 

- Had a fall and figured out that the jacket he had acted as a noose when he fell. 

-Remind folks about the sale going on through the end of March. 

#construction #projectmanager #safety #roofing #fallsafety #harness #peoplefirst #homebuilder #superintenedent #foreman

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

Walking Projects - Podcast

Introduction: Each time we walk a project in construction, we need to focus on quality. 

The job superintendent walks their projects at least once daily, if not twice. What is the intention of our walk? What are we looking for, if anything? 

How often does the sales agent walk homes under construction? 

How often does management walk homes under construction? 

What do people outside the superintendent do when they walk homes?

Story: 

1. Tornado Manager: AKA The Baker. The manager would come to the job site, walk a few jobs, raise hell with everyone, and disrupt anything he touched.  
   1. He intended to ensure everyone knew he was in charge. 
   2. The employees were all scared of him and called each other to warn him if he was in the neighborhood or heading that way. 
   3. The team would only raise concerns or opportunities for improvement if they were confident of what he would say or how he would treat them. 
2. Coaching Manager: A manager that listens to your struggles and opportunities and helps guide you toward a good solution for the project. 
   1. Not interested in the spotlight
   2. Willing to support you and create a culture where vulnerability is accepted
   3. Support encourages and holds the team accountable.
3. Sales Team: In most cases, our sales team knows more about the selections in each home than anyone else. 
   1. Walk the home to help and expose items that might be incorrect for the home. 
   2. Take good pictures while walking the home and add them to the weekly buyer update. 
   3. The superintendent often carries more houses and stress than they should. Help them build the home you sold, so the customer is happy. 
4. Design Team: The designers know the selections better than anyone in the business. 
   1. Walk homes to see how everything comes together. 
   2. Be comfortable making changes to your program if the product doesn’t meet your expectations. 
   3. Our customers deserve the product they are purchasing, and your eye for detail is critical for the superintendents in the field to turn over a quality product. 

Conclusion:

We are all on the same team to deliver a quality home or project to our consumers. Each person on the team should walk homes with an eye for quality and help one another reach a new level of quality with each walk we perform. 

#constructionpodcast #podcast #construction #homebuilder #projectmanager #superintendent #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

We appreciate any and all feedback so feel free to send a text.

CHANGE ORDERS Podcast

Introduction: the one constant in construction is that the projects will change! Accepting this reality will help us build better experiences with each project. 

Change orders help us keep projects on track and that projects are completed successfully. The value of a change order is that all stakeholders have a say in the cost, scope, and time that will be adjusted. It allows all parties associated with being on board with the changes. 

Story: 

1. Customer X. and his 170k dollar change order that we have fought for six months to get approved and finalized. 
   1. Details were not clear or documented in the system
   2. The customer remembered things differently from the trades, which put the builder and trade in a battle. 
   3. The customer wanted to negotiate each line item 6-12 months after the work was completed, which resulted in concessions by trades, builders, and customers. 
2. Base contract and selections
   1. Create your baseline contract
   2. Build out your specifications for each portion of the build
   3. Estimate and price out each option as accurately as possible
3. Changes to your scope of work (scope, cost, time, etc.)
   1. First, work will only be completed with a written and signed change request. 
   2. Changes can come from site conditions, material shortages, a change in design, the client finding something on Pinterest, etc. 
   3. When you agree to the change, consider all impacts on the project. Procurement? Labor? Time? Ensure the customer is made aware of each point when they agree to sign the change request
4. Change orders must be managed to ensure success
   1. Ensure we have a change order process or playbook
   2. Do all internal and external parties understand the playbook?
   3. Has the change order process been communicated to the customer? I would go as far as to create a specification or addendum to your contract to specify a change order process. 
   4. The lack of a change order process WILL create animosity, confusion, and a spoiled reputation for all involved, and it is all avoidable. 

Conclusion:

Change Orders are essential to all projects. 

Communicate the change order process up front and reiterate it to each trade you bring on and each internal team member. 

#homebuilder #construction #coaching #changeorders #documentation #contracts #process #personaldevelopment

Support the show

Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
[email protected]

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE