The Building Code

Hectic building conditions in 2021 forced builders to rewrite their plans on the fly as they adapted to historic materials scarcity and labor shortages. So how should they prepare for profit and growth in 2022 and beyond?   In this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley learn the best construction goal-setting strategies from Doug Howard of Remodelers Advantage.   Doug shares how remodelers and home builders can approach scaling and the ways construction software like Buildertrend can bring goals into reach.   HOW WILL THE TURBULENT MARKET AFFECT MY ABILITY TO REACH MY GOALS?   “What I really try to do is get folks to think about growth in terms of a five-year plan. I always want to know where people want to be five years out. Even though people say, ‘Well, how can you do that in the crazy world we live in,’ I will tell you the people that had five-year plans as they were going through COVID, they at least knew how far off track they were. It was a really good rudder to bring them back in line.”   HOW CAN FOCUSING ON QUARTERLY METRICS HELP BUILDERS REACH THEIR FIVE-YEAR GOALS?“We can look at what's going to drive production capacity. ‘Hey, we need another small job,’ or ‘we're going to be finishing a big job – we need another one to start in May.’ It really translates all these numbers into something actionable, but the really cool thing about it is when someone grows at that pace, and each of those quarters has an escalation, when they get to the fourth quarter, all they really need to do is maintain that level for the next year and they're going to go up in revenue again. They're doing it in a very controlled and a very profitable way, as opposed to, ‘We've sold a bunch, let's go build a bunch. Let's go sell a bunch more – let's try to fit it in.’"   LINKS AND MORE   Related content:   Want to book time with Doug to discuss your company’s goals? Schedule time here.   Catch the latest tips on how to retain the best employees here. Explore Remodelers Advantage’s free resources covering entrepreneurship, talent development, and more here.Got podcast topic suggestions for 2022? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com. “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Resolved to improve how your team plans projects with the world’s No. 1 construction management software this year? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now. Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend   Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.  

Construction software has helped thousands of builders optimize their operations, and it’s also powering life-changing charity right in Buildertrend’s backyard. On 2022’s first episode of “The Building Code,” Lynette Farhart of Project Houseworks tells Zach and Charley all about the Omaha nonprofit’s mission to help seniors with free home repairs. Lynette describes how the Buildertrend helped them better serve seniors and the benefits of the Estimate and Time Clock features for her team’s fundraising. WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOUR TEAM NEEDED PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE? “We were serving more, and the projects were getting really big. We're trying to manage all of this on Word documents and spreadsheets. And I think it was pivotal when someone accidentally messed up one of our spreadsheets and saved it. And all of our data was completely messed up. And it was like, "Okay, we can't do that anymore." Because I think what's important to know is that our funding comes a lot from grants, and we have deliverables on those grants. And so, if we told a donor through the grant process that we're going to serve X amount of people, we've got to report that we did that work. So trying to manage our data with spreadsheets just didn't make sense for us anymore”   HOW ELSE DOES BUILDERTREND HELP YOU WIN OVER DONORS?“Some of our grants are reimbursable, which means we have to do all of the work, and then we ask for funding. So we have really accurate reports to submit. And that just earns the trust of our donors knowing that we're keeping such good records on everything that we do.”   LINKS AND MORE   Related content:   Read more about their Buildertrend story here.   To help Project Houseworks serve more seniors, visit their website here.   Want to get your finances in shape for the new year? Listen here for accounting pro-tips.Got podcast topic suggestions for 2022? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com. “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Resolved to improve how your team plans projects with the world’s No. 1 construction management software this year? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bing-eable episodes on your favorite listening app now. Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend   Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.

As builders close out a frenzied construction year, we’re highlighting Buildertrend patterns from the past year and how construction software factored into 2021 home building. On this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley examine the data trends from a historic construction year with Buildertrend data analyst Kayla Schmitt.  Kayla also offers insight into a service Buildertrend is testing to help builder’s reach their business goals.   WHAT’S A TREND THAT SURPRISED YOU? “One element that we've seen a large increase in over the last year, even two years, is that communication piece. So especially in the age of COVID, you can't necessarily go out and see people face-to-face anymore. We've had an increase of about 40% in our daily log consumption. So that's speaking to what happened on a day-to-day basis throughout the job and messaging that, whether it's to the subcontractors or the homeowner, making sure everybody's up to date and they understand what's going on.”   WHAT KINDS OF DATA ARE BUILDERS SEEKING FROM BUILDERTREND? “I think some of the bigger takeaways that we've had so far is just identifying holes in their workflows. Maybe some inefficiencies that they've had. So at the end of the day, as we talked about, it's all about optimizing their revenue. And then I think if you don't know where to start, it's really just, you got to ask yourself, what do you want to do with your business? Where do you want your business to go? You communicate that with us. And then we can even help you identify the proper Key Performance Indicators that you need to track.”   LINKS AND MORE   Related content: Get insight on how to future-proof your business by checking out our latest blog.   Want to get your finances in shape for the new year? Listen here for accounting pro-tips.Got podcast topic suggestions for 2022? Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.   “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Ready to optimize how your team plans projects with the world’s No. 1 construction management software? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now.   Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend   Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.            

  Solid financials keep builders in fighting shape to handle the day-to-day and big picture challenges thrown at the construction industry. In this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley pick up financial pro-tips from Carla Merrill, a consultant who helps builders integrate their financials with software like Buildertrend and CoConstruct. Carla offers practical advice for builders looking to better organize or order their books to protect their profits and reputation. WHAT ARE THE KEY PRACTICES OF A FINANCIALLY FIT CONSTRUCTION COMPANY? “Statistically, it's been proven that builders who track their cost on a daily basis usually finish their projects on time and within budget. And so, you do have to have that job costing component set up in order to be able to do that. So a financially healthy (company) would be one who is regularly, whether that's daily or at least weekly, tracking their estimated versus actuals, which can be done on a budget page in Buildertrend. (A company) who's staying on top of their upgrades and additions and price changes by using tools such as change orders and purchase orders so that they don't fall behind on that, and they don't end up eroding their profit as the project is progressing, which can easily happen. And then they're integrating actually with QuickBooks so that they can see it.”   WHAT’S ONE TACTIC BUILDERS SHOULD FOCUS ON BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR TO GET THEIR FINANCIALS IN ORDER? “I always tell people the end of the year is a perfect time to figure out what your overhead costs are and make sure that you're taking that amount and that you're allocating it to your projects.” Plus, tune in to hear Catie Brown of Buildertrend’s data and research team highlight how builders can instill a growth mindset in their organization.   LINKS AND MORE Related content:   Learn more about Carla’s consulting services.   Master Buildertrend’s accounting integrations for free.   Listen to our last episode on how to retain top talent in construction. “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Ready to optimize how your team plans projects with the world’s No. 1 construction management software? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five bingeable episodes on your favorite listening app now. Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend   We want to hear from you! Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.   Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.  

Higher turnover. An aging workforce. Surging demand. Construction businesses face a trio of challenges stressing their workloads and their workers. So how are construction owners attracting and keeping their best talent? In today’s episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley discuss how builders can empower their workforces with Benji Carlson of Breakthrough Academy. The Canada-based construction company consultant seeks to help transform honest, hardworking contractors across North America into thriving entrepreneurs. Benji highlights strategies to engage, retain and develop your workers, including how to rethink the compensation question. WHY DO CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES STRUGGLE TO HIRE AND KEEP THEIR TOP TALENT? “A lot of construction companies struggle to create and articulate a clear career path for people. High performers don't want a dead-end job. And a lot of people, a lot of owners don't, I think put themselves in the shoes of an applicant, of a candidate, enough.” HOW ARE CONSTRUCTION OWNERS SUCCESSFULLY MAPPING CAREER PATHS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES?“They're thinking through how their organizational chart is designed. And they're linking one step, one node on the system to a higher one, to a higher one, to a higher one. They're getting very clear on what skills, what aptitudes the person needs to develop to move up, what results that business owner would need to see from the employee to move them up. So, it's not just giving promotions willy-nilly. There is actual measurable stuff that you need to see.”   LINKS AND MORE   Related content: Read more about why the construction industry’s churning workers faster than other industries.   Listen to more advice from Benji on charting career paths for your best employees.   Download Breakthrough Academy’s training checklist for retaining top talent.   “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Ready to optimize how your team plans projects with the world’s No. 1 construction management software? Pick up Buildertrend project planning pro tips on the newest season of “The Better Way, a podcast by Buildertrend.” Subscribe and stream all five binge-able episodes on your favorite listening app now.   Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend We want to hear from you! Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com. Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.

Advances in technology, foresight in construction, and Americans’ growing desire to age in place have expanded the installation of home elevators and stairlifts in the U.S. And Arrow Lift, with its 13 locations nationwide, has been a leader in this accessibility transformation. On today’s episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley learn all about home accessibility from Pete Newstrom, Arrow Lift’s vice president of finance and accounting. Plus, Pete shares how Arrow Lift has reaped the rewards of Buildertrend as a subcontractor.   EARLY ON, YOUR CLIENTELE NEEDED ELEVATORS AND LIFTS DUE TO LIFE CHANGES OR DESIRED LUXURY. WHAT’S CHANGED? “Now it is much more common for folks to plan ahead, and a lot of times they are putting the elevator in before it is physically looked at as a need, or if that is not in the budget, they might just stack closets in advance so that however many years in the future, when an elevator is in the budget or is needed, it is that much easier to add to the home.”   HOW HAS BUILDERTREND BENEFITED YOUR TEAM’S WORK AS A SUBCONTRACTOR?   “One reason that we like Buildertrend is that those jobs tend to go relatively smoothly. It might be because the type of builder that uses Buildertrend is the type of builder that really is deliberate with open communication with their clients and subcontractors, or it might be because of the added benefit that Buildertrend provides with communicating with subcontractors like us. But in any event, it does seem to help things go smoothly.”   LINKS AND MORE Related content: Explore the elegant elevator offerings of Arrow Lift that have Charley raving.   Are you a subcontractor curious about Buildertrend? Learn more about how our platform can enhance your relationships with general contractors. “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Improve how you use the world’s No. 1 construction management software. Subscribe and stream all four seasons on your favorite listening app now. Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend   We want to hear from you! Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.   Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.  

Chris Ledet Homes has thrived in southeast Louisiana despite the ups and downs of the building economy and routine setbacks from hurricanes. A secret to their longevity? Customer service that connects with the homeowner and extends well behind move-in. On today’s episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley talk to owner Paul Ledet about what it takes to create customer relationships that withstand the stresses of construction. Ledet also shares his thoughts on taking over his father’s business, navigating new tech and the personal touch of customer relations, and the hardest part about building in a hurricane hotspot.   WHAT ASPECT OF THE BUILDER-HOMEOWNER RELATIONSHIP DO YOU FEEL BUILDERS STRUGGLE WITH? “I find that the more transparent you are with having your selections or allowances open and available, and my vendors are uploading quotes that they can view, I mean, that goes a long way for an owner to be able to see a flooring selection, to be able to click through there, and they can see, basically, exactly the labor amount, the flooring amount, the square footage, the labor rate, the flooring rate. And they just give them a better sense of trust, I suppose. I know not everybody does that and that may be a weird concept for some builders, but when you open that door to have that trust and communication, I find that the jobs, generally, go a lot smoother.”   HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC COMPLICATED CUSTOMER RELATIONS? “The last two years have been pretty weird with COVID. Lots of loose ends that are way more loose ends than normal, things taking lead times, are taking forever and you try to move them in without appliances and stuff. Managing their expectations is the key, but even then, we're trying to manage them and we're wrong several times because we rely on information, too, but really just trying to manage their expectations and trying to set deadlines, but not, ‘Hey, look, we're trying to commit to this two weeks, but we want it to be finished before you move in.’ That was a real tough one for us.”   LINKS AND MORE Related content: Download Buildertrend’s guide to maintaining strong relationships during a custom build.   Enjoy hearing Paul’s take on building? Listen to his podcast “The Wasted Hour” on any major streaming platform.   “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend: Improve how you use the world’s No. 1 construction management software. Subscribe and stream all four seasons on your favorite listening app now.   Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend   We want to hear from you! Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com.   Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.  

Slammed by surging demand, pool builders and other outdoor contractors head into an off-season as busy as ever. So how should they seize that downtime to set up their 2022 season for success? Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley uncover how outdoor contractors can optimize their marketing and sales processes in the off-season with Corey Halstead, co-owner of Halstead Media. Corey helps outdoor contractors increase their sales and has worked in all facets of the industry, including on an installation team, as a project manager, in design/sales, and for an industry product manufacturer. He shares his insight on how to capitalize on the off-season building break, offers strategies to improve your business’ marketing game, and analyzes how building in the pandemic may change how outdoor contractors think about their goals.   LINKS AND MORE Related content: See how you can stay financially competitive with tips from Russ Stephens on a recent episode of “The Building Code.” Busy as ever? See why Halstead Media believes you shouldn’t let up on marketing your business. Want tools and tips to improve your marketing and sales process? Check out the latest season of the “The Better Way” a podcast by Buildertrend. Subscribe and stream this bingeable series on your favorite listening app now.   Follow us on social: Instagram and Facebook: @Buildertrend We want to hear from you! Reach out to us at podcast@buildertrend.com. Listen to “The Building Code” on YouTube! And be sure to head over to Facebook to join The Building Code Crew fan page for some fun discussions with fellow listeners.  

How can general contractors and their subs streamline back-and-forth communication and share ever-changing schedule and vital project details easily? Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley learned how construction software like Buildertrend has helped general contractors better collaborate with their subcontractors from a Minnesota builder who’s worked in both roles. Jesse Kath, founder of Jkath Design Build + Reinvent, got his start in construction building cabinets and now runs a boutique remodeling firm. Listen to the full episode to hear Jesse’s insight on how builders win with construction management software and how and when to implement change in an industry slow to adapt tech.  

Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley discuss how builders can remain competitive in a turbulent construction environment with Russ Stephens, cofounder of the Association of Professional Builders. The Australia-based organization helps construction company leaders maximize their profitability through training and consulting to ultimately make the home-building process a world-class experience for consumers and contractors. Listen to the full episode to hear Russ’ advice for builders looking to bolster their business amid the trials of a construction boom and the best ways to ensure profitability and ultimately, viability.  

Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley explore Buildertrend’s exciting, new partnership with The Home Depot that will simplify product and expense management for builders. Frank Blake, The Home Depot’s general manager for outside sales, joins the podcast to highlight the exciting aspects of integrating Buildertrend with Pro Xtra, the leading home improvement retailer’s loyalty program for construction pros. Tune in to the full episode to hear Frank’s insights on how this partnership will help builders better their businesses, what values drive both companies and more.

On this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are chatting with Catie Brown, a user researcher on the Data and Research team here at Buildertrend. Catie is an expert in collecting and analyzing customer feedback to determine areas of strength and where we can get better. Tune in to the full episode to learn more about why we call ourselves a user-centric company and why we collect customer feedback on a daily basis. Hear about how we use this research to inform our important decisions and the improvements we make within the Buildertrend platform.

Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are learning all about what it takes to create homes that can withstand the extreme impacts of earthquakes in New Zealand. They’re joined by Bill Gray, expert builder at LMC Building and Construction, to hear about his personal experiences as well as the strict standards for building in a known earthquake zone. Tune in to the full episode to hear Bill’s insight on what it really means to build earthquake-proof homes. It’s not just about preventing houses from falling apart. It’s about saving lives.

On this episode of “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are chatting with returning guest, Marge Haley, a development coordinator here at Buildertrend. Marge is an expert on the inner workings and processes that make up our construction project management software.   Listen to the full episode to hear Marge’s insights about setting your team up for success with the Buildertrend onboarding process and how to maximize and save time on the job.

Today on “The Building Code,” Zach and Charley are joined by Ryan Lipcheck, vice president of sales at CBUSA, to talk about group purchasing and why it’s becoming more of a necessity with the growing material costs and shortages of the post COVID-19 environment. Check out the full episode to hear Ryan’s view on the best ways to run purchasing departments and the outlook for construction pros who aren’t taking advantage of group buying power.