Water intrusion is the number one cause of construction lawsuits, and most of it is preventable. I sit down with Mark Stewart and Jeff Martin of Fortress Building Envelope Consultants to break down why roofs, walls, and windows fail and how small mistakes turn into million-dollar problems. We talk about the subcontractor gap, skipped mock-ups, poor supervision, COVID material substitutions, and why testing before cover-up can save massive future cost. If you build, specify, distribute, or insure projects, this conversation will change how you think about risk, communication, and accountability. 

Topics we covered:
• What is a building envelope, and how can it fail?
• How to prevent damage to waterproofing membranes during access and storage
• Why pre-roof meetings, protection plans, and mock-ups matter
• Who hires building envelope testing services and when to schedule them
• Practical steps to align manufacturers, subcontractors, and supervision

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Connect with Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint

Grit Website: GritBlueprint.com
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Stefanie’s Website: StefanieCouch.com

👉 About Stefanie Couch & Grit Blueprint

I'm Stefanie Couch, the founder of Grit Blueprint. I grew up in a third-generation building supply business. I've worked inside dealers, distributors, and manufacturers. I built Grit Blueprint to solve problems I saw in our industry.

Grit Blueprint is a visibility, media, and growth partner for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, service providers, and leaders in the building industry.
We help you get seen, build trust, and become unmistakable.