The Building Code

On this episode of “The Building Code,” we sat down with the husband-and-wife duo behind Reclaimed Karma, where they share their honest answer to the question every growing builder asks: where’s the line between stretching yourself and overselling what you can do?

It’s a special Halloween episode, complete with real job site horror stories to set the mood. Chris and Yvonne Johnson also get into the transition from residential-only work into commercial projects, and the systems it took behind the scenes to handle that kind of growth without losing control of the details.

Share a job site horror story that still haunts you to this day:

“My guy was upstairs taking out a vanity. He didn't shut the water off and he nicked one of the water lines. Water was coming down out of the recess lights into the main living room area that we had just remodeled, and the client came in from a job and was like, ‘Hmm, that's interesting. I know you'll fix it,’ and walked out.”

What did your expansion out of residential-only work actually look like?

“It was a big switch when we moved over to commercial. The projects were much bigger, much more expensive. You're dealing with such a large amount of square footage that even the smallest job is a lot of money. You could be furnishing a space with a million dollars. And then you're also dealing with a lot of different decision makers, or people that think that they're the decision makers. And it gets very hard with emails. I don't know how we would really do it without having the right system in place.”

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On this episode of "The Building Code," we sat down with Adam Copenhaver, owner of CopeGrand Homes, and one of his project managers, Sam Wilson, to talk about what actually keeps a luxury build feeling calm week after week.

Most builders talk about client experience in vague terms like communication or service. This conversation gets specific: the routine documentation, the client updates and the day-to-day discipline that clients never see directly. They just feel the absence of chaos. Adam and Sam also get into how much trust it takes for an owner to step back from daily oversight and let the system do its job.

Today on "The Building Code," Carly and Jordan sit down with Kevin Nguyen, founder and owner of Capital Development in Kennesaw, GA.

Kevin started the company as a way to pay for college -- knocking on doors to replace mailboxes -- and in seven years has grown it into a firm running three business lines at once: custom residential, commercial retail buildouts for national brands and full design-build. Capital Development has moved more than $75 million through those three lines and built over two million square feet across metro Atlanta, all under one operating system.

In this episode, you'll learn:

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Today on "The Building Code," Carly sits down with Joe Christensen, founder and owner of Cardinal Crest Homes in Kansas City and, as of this year, president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City. Buildertrend just released the Modern Builder Playbook -- a new industry survey on what separates today's top builders from the rest. Joe is a real-world proof point of those findings, and in this episode he walks through 15 years of building Cardinal Crest from a two-man startup to a multimillion-dollar custom home business.

Learn how builders can future-proof their businesses with better documentation, communication and digital approvals to reduce risk and improve client trust.

In this episode of “The Building Code”, host Carly Ward is joined by Eric Stenger and Preston Reed of Seed Development + Design for a candid conversation about what separates builders who will thrive in the next decade form those who won’t

As the construction industry evolves, success is no longer defined by craftsmanship alone. Builders are facing rising client expectations, increasing project complexity and growing operational risk – and many are still relying on outdated habits like verbal agreements, scattered communication and incomplete documentation.

Eric and Preston share how those exact gaps once cost them – and how tightening their processes, centralizing communication and documenting every decision helped transform their business into a more profitable and resilient operation.

Key takeaways from the episode

“In the next five years, building beautiful homes won’t be enough – you need disciplined, resilient operations behind it,” Carly said.

“If not documented, you’re leaving yourself exposed – two people can walk away with completely different expectations,” Preston said.

“We don’t touch a change without a signed approval. That’s what protects both us and the client,” Eric said.

From handshake agreements to signed approvals, this episode explores why documentation – especially digital – is becoming a non-negotiable part of modern construction.

What you’ll learn:

Why it matters

The builders who succeed in the next five years won’t just build great homes – they’ll run disciplined, transparent and well-documented businesses.

This episode shows how small operational gaps – unclear scopes, missed documentation and informal approvals – can compound into major financial and reputational risk, and how fixing those gaps creates stronger, more scalable companies.

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Margin pressure is squeezing builders from every direction – rising costs, longer timelines and more complex projects. But profit isn’t usually lost in one big moment. It’s lost through small breakdowns in process, procurement and pricing discipline.

In this episode of "The Building Code", Carly Ward is joined by Sarah Biben and returning guest Tyler Farrell, founder of Killowen Construction, to break down how builders protect profits through tighter workflows, smarter procurement and clearer pricing communication.

They explore how forecasting, purchase orders, job costing and standardized processes help builders surface risks earlier, defend margins and maintain trust with clients throughout long build cycles.

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Volatility in pricing, lead times and material availability isn’t going away – but the way builders and suppliers partner can determine whether projects stay on schedule and client experience can evolve.

In this episode of “The Building Code”, guest host Scott Hale is joined by:

Together, they break down what trust between builders and suppliers looks like in practice, including using analytics to reduce uncertainty, building discipline around selections, collaborating across the supply chain to forecast demand and why face-to-face relationships still matter in a digital-first industry.

What you’ll learn:

A builder-centric blog that breaks down key procurement lessons and how CBUSA’s network and strategies help builders avoid costly mistakes.

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Finding the right builder peer group used to take years. Not anymore.

In this episode of “The Building Code”, host Charley Burtwistle and Kate Vazquez sit down with builder and business owner Nick Baldo to explore how Buildertrend is transforming the way builders connect, collaborate and grow with Community by Buildertrend.

Learn why digital communities are outperforming old-school networking, how curated spaces remove friction and Nick’s tips for connecting with builders at your level.

Whether you're stuck on a workflow, seeking peer advice, or wanting to level up your business, this conversation shows how the right network can fast-track your success.

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Cash flow isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s the lifeblood of every construction business. Get it wrong and you’re stuck chasing checks and juggling credit lines. Get it right and you unlock growth, stability and peace of mind.

In this episode of The Building Code by Buildertrend, host Charley Burtwistle, VP of Core Operations at Buildertrend, and guest host, Sarah Kate Hartt, Senior Product Manager at Buildertrend, sit down with Elizabeth Splan, Director of Finance and HR at Basements Plus. Elizabeth pulls back the curtain on how her company turned cash management form a stress point to a growth engine.

💬 Quotes you’ll hear in this episode:

🔑 What you’ll learn:

Elizabeth’s real-world playbook proves that strong processes create steady cash flow — and Buildertrend Payments makes it easier than ever to get paid up to 3x faster.

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Today on “The Building Code”, Charley sits down in studio with two of the best in the business: Brad Leavitt of AFT Construction and Tim Coughran of Alderview Construction.

Brad and Tim pull back the curtain on how they went from lone-wolf contractors to respected leaders of systemized, scalable construction companies. From In-N-Out-inspired SOPs to onboarding processes that rival luxury brands, they share practical strategies for building smarter – not harder.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Whether you're hiring your first office manager or juggling million-dollar builds, this episode will show you the power of process-driven growth.

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