Hammer & Grind : Built For Contractors

Have you ever looked at one of your employees and thought, "How do they not know this?" If so, you're not alone. After years of experience, it’s easy to forget what it was like to be a beginner. In this episode, I unpack the frustrations that come from this phenomenon and how it can impact your business.

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

• The Curse of Knowledge: Understanding how experience can lead to frustration in communication with team members.
• Common Sense vs. Common Experience: Why what seems obvious to you may not be clear to others.
• The Tapping Experiment: A demonstration of how knowledge gaps affect understanding.
• Beginner's Mindset: Adopting a fresh perspective to improve training and communication.
• Defining Standards: The importance of clear expectations and visual aids in training.
• Accountability vs. Experience Problems: Differentiating between accountability issues and genuine knowledge gaps.

Links to resources:

Join our new community on Skool: https://www.contractorprofitblueprint.skool.com

Get your free ebook and labor burden worksheet for the first 100 sign-ups!

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you stuck trying to do everything on your own as a contractor? Brad breaks down the hidden price of inexperience and why hiring experts for tasks outside your core skills is crucial. Valuable advice on delegating without abdicating, managing time wisely, and boosting contractor profits. Learn to stop bottlenecking your growth and focus on what matters most.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• The true cost of DIY projects in your business
• Why your time is not free and how to assign a dollar value to it
• The dangers of trying to figure everything out on your own
• Real-life examples of costly mistakes made by business owners
• Strategies for effective delegation and management

Links to resources:

Join our new community on Skool: https://www.contractorprofitblueprint.skool.com

Get your free ebook and labor burden worksheet for the first 100 sign-ups!

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Empower your contracting business with vital tips on managing change orders, improving contractor profit, and addressing scope creep issues. From contractor marketing to business transition and cash flow management, this podcast delivers expert contractor advice and practical solutions for contractor business challenges. Elevate your contractor confidence and profit through effective decision-making and execution.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• The significance of executing decisions swiftly to gain a competitive edge.
• Understanding opportunity costs and the impact of indecision on your business.
• Practical strategies for setting decision deadlines and overcoming fear of failure.
• Real-life examples of how quick decision-making has led to success in Brad's own business.

Join our new community on Skool: https://www.contractorprofitblueprint.skool.com

Get your free ebook and labor burden worksheet for the first 100 sign-ups!

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the inspiring business transition journey of Cameron Matteucci as he masters kitchen remodeling and builds contractor profit through focused contractor advice and project management strategies. Learn how narrowing your niche and effective business transition can lead to remodeling success and contractor profit boost.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• Transitioning from handyman to kitchen remodeling
• The importance of niching down in business
• Building strong relationships with subcontractors
• The impact of client demographics on pricing
• The benefits of streamlined systems in a focused business model
• Overcoming the fear of change and saying no to certain jobs

Links to resources

Connect with Cameron at Redtail Renovations

Join our new community on Skool: https://www.contractorprofitblueprint.skool.com

Get your free ebook and labor burden worksheet for the first 100 sign-ups!

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Contractors face significant profit leaks due to scope creep. This episode breaks down practical solutions including clear change order processes, tracking free work, and managing client expectations to boost your bottom line.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• What scope creep is and how it happens
• The hidden costs associated with extra work
• Strategies to prevent scope creep without alienating your customers
• The importance of having a clear change order process
• Tips for training your team to handle customer requests effectively

Links to resources

Join our new community on Skool: https://www.contractorprofitblueprint.skool.com

Get your free ebook and labor burden worksheet for the first 100 sign-ups!

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re paying an employee $30 an hour, they don’t actually cost your construction business $30 an hour.

In this episode of the Hammer & Grind Podcast, Brad Huebner breaks down how contractors can calculate their true labor costs and use the right labor burden rate to protect their profit margins. Your employee’s hourly wage is only one part of the total cost. Payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, employee benefits, paid time off, training, meetings, and other non-productive paid hours can significantly increase what that employee actually costs your business.

You’ll learn how to:

• Calculate your true labor burden rate
• Separate employee wages from total labor costs
• Account for payroll taxes and workers’ compensation
• Factor in employee benefits and other direct labor costs
• Calculate the cost of non-productive paid time
• Determine your true cost per productive hour
• Understand the difference between markup and gross profit margin
• Avoid underpricing labor on construction estimates
• Identify hidden labor-related profit leaks
• Price your labor correctly across multiple employees and crews

If you’re a contractor who wants better construction estimating, stronger profit margins, and a clearer understanding of what your employees actually cost your business, this episode is a must-listen.

Get the Labor Burden Worksheet:

Use the worksheet to calculate your labor burden rate and understand your true labor cost per hour, day, week, month, and year. The worksheet can also help you calculate costs for different employee teams and crews.

Links to resources

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your contracting business is losing money before your crew ever steps onto the job site? A job doesn’t always become unprofitable during production. Sometimes, the profit was already gone the moment you sold it.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• The importance of accurate job costing
• Common estimating mistakes: guessing labor and material costs
• Understanding true labor burden rates
• The impact of non-productive time on project timelines
• The dangers of pricing based on competition
• The necessity of a clear scope of work
• Strategies to avoid discounting correct estimates

Links to resources

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can be bringing in more revenue and still wonder where all the money went. For contractors, profit doesn’t always disappear because of one big mistake. Sometimes, it leaks out through bad pricing, scope creep, underbidding, wasted time, poor job costing, change orders, and other small issues that quietly add up.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• The difference between revenue and profit
• Bad pricing strategies
• Fully burdened labor rates
• Scope creep and its impact
• The costs of callbacks and rework
• Managing overhead effectively
• The owner's role in profit leaks

Links to resources

Grab my free job costing worksheet and start job costing every job right away.

https://go.hammercrm.com/widget/form/4Bws6E9GGX0RZPoED1bn

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Enjoying the podcast? Visit our website at https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com for the latest episodes, resources, and more.

Have a question, story, or topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a message here: https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com/voicemail.

We'd love to hear from you, and your message could be featured on a future episode!

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your next decision could make or break your construction business. Lower prices. Take every job. Avoid the hard conversation. Sound familiar? These short term decisions can quietly hurt your profit, growth, and freedom.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• Every decision shapes your future: building the life you want vs. escaping the one you don’t.
• Stop optimizing for immediate comfort; think long-term.
• The importance of making decisions that buy freedom rather than steal from your future.
• The three decision filters:

1. Does this move me closer to my goals?
2. Can this be done better, faster, or simpler?
3. Does this decision buy freedom or steal from my future?

Links to resources

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast! https://www.hammerandgrindpodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creating a mission-driven workforce is the key to unlocking contractor confidence and boosting your business growth. This episode shares actionable contractor advice on building employee engagement and fostering a strong contractor marketing presence to scale your operations effectively.

In this episode, Brad talks about:

• Understanding the difference between tasks, projects, and purpose in employee engagement.
• The importance of a clear mission statement and core values.
• Empowering employees through ownership and accountability.
• Recognizing and rewarding desired behaviors to foster a positive culture.
• The impact of leadership on employee motivation and performance.
• Creating an environment where the right people thrive and the wrong people are removed.

Links to resources

Want to go deeper?

Check out the Contractor Profit Blueprint: https://www.thecontractorprofitblueprint.com/

Book a strategy call with Brad: https://hammerandgrind.com/qualification-website

Help us get the word out to other contractors by leaving us a review or sharing our podcast!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.