Operations

Ep.129: Dealing with “The Runs” with Joe Betz

November 30, 2020 Management, Operations, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:43:30

The Runs! Most of us think of two situations. There is an unfortunate personal issue, which is not good.

And then there are “the runs” from the job site to the store or lumberyard to pick up $10 worth of stuff.

Both scenarios are bad, but the latter will quickly eat away at your job costs and profit margin.

Lumberyard runs are notorious among production professionals; a necessary part of the project, but if not planned correctly, can throw things off track quickly. You are factoring in the time it takes to leave and return to the job site into your cost per hour for labor and then expanding that over the life of the project.

To look at this more closely, Tim and Steve welcome Joe Betz to the show. Joe was listening to our podcast and invited Tim for an on-site consulting gig with Buraski Builders Inc. in Springfield, IL – and the lumber yard run issue was one they were able to tackle.

Joe is currently the Production Manager for Buraski Builders and has been with the firm since 2009, working his way up from Carpenter, to Foreman, to Construction Manager and onto his current role with the award-winning remodeler and home builder.

Tim, Steve and Joe talk more about:

  • Background of Buraski Builders (the type of work, number of field staff, etc.)
  • Lumberyard run situation before the change and during the transition.
  • The process Buraski went through to implement change.
  • Getting buy-in and acceptance from the team.
  • The results of making changes to the lumberyard run process at Buraski.
  • And more…

Ep.127: Controlling the Chaos with Tim Faller & Steve Wheeler

November 16, 2020 Management, Operations, Production 00:38:14

In episode 177 Marion Faller joined us to discuss dealing with the stress that we are currently seeing in the industry, specifically in the production departments.

In Tim’s Production Manager Roundtable groups, he is hearing about it and seeing the symptoms that Marion described in her conversation with us.

We are facing the “perfect storm” of a booming remodeling/building industry in the midst of a global pandemic that seems to be getting worse, not better.

Unfortunately, the production teams and their leaders are on the front lines of this battle and we are seeing and hearing about the breakdowns.

In this episode, Tim and Steve breathe a little fresh air into a troubled environment and encourage people to control the chaos as much as possible.

Tim and Steve talk more about:

  • What we are hearing and seeing out there.
  • Producing more work with less people.
  • What is causing this issue now more than ever before.
  • The impact it is having on business owners, production teams and leaders.
  • What do companies need to do to take a breather and evaluate where your company is.
  • First Break all the Rules by Marcus Buckingham.
  • And more…

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Ep.126: Transitioning from Carpenter to Business Owner with Jared Thayer

November 9, 2020 Management, Operations, The Tim Faller Show 00:34:36

Some remodelers want to stay small… just do the work themselves, avoid the challenges that managing a team can bring and just “build things.”

However, there are those that embrace the challenge of building their companies, wear all the hats, and make the transition from Carpenter to Business Owner successfully.

In episode 119, we spoke with Brad Sawler in New Hampshire and got his view of how this happens and in this episode, we get another perspective, but this time from the west coast.

Tim and Steve welcome Jared Thayer to the show and talk more about this transition; one that he has actually done twice! Jared is the Founder of Thayer Construction in beautiful Corvallis, Oregon.

Tim, Steve and Jared cover:

  • Finding the right person to replace you in the field.
  • Challenges Jared discovered during the transitions.
  • What made the transition to owner easy… and what made it difficult.
  • One piece of advice for others wanting to take that same step.
  • And more…

2020 Remodelers Summit - Registration Closes 11/10/20

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Ep.125: Motivating & Engaging Employees With Consistent Performance Reviews With Selema Lawson-Jack

November 2, 2020 Hiring, Management, Operations 00:32:43

We have heard contractors say, “This would be a great business if it weren’t for the people!”

Many remodelers get into the business to build and create… the unfortunate reality is that they can’t build things without people…yet!

One big challenge owners and managers face is the annual employee review. It seems ineffective at creating change and is often just a platform for an employee asking for a raise.

The Owner feels in a bind and grants the raise, often against their better judgment or without any data to back up their decision.

Tim and Steve welcome Selema Lawson-Jack to the show to talk more about how she has assessed each of her company’s Production staff, through periodic performance reviews, and has determined a growth path for them.

Selema Lawson-Jack is the Director of Production at Schroeder Design Build in Fairfax, VA. and has had great success with their performance review process that has resulted in more promotions from within the department than they have had in the past.

Tim, Steve and Selema talk more about:

  • Selema’s overall experience with job reviews in the past and currently.
  • The thought behind holding performance reviews every 3 months.
  • What the reviews consist of and what content is used.
  • The goal of each interaction.
  • Dealing with requests for raises and promotions.
  • Getting the ownership, management and team on board.

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Ep.124: 50 Shades of Green with Paul Eldrenkamp

October 26, 2020 Management, Operations, Production, Technology, The Tim Faller Show 00:36:33

How the concept of “green remodeling” has evolved over time and what, if anything, does it mean today?

In this episode, Tim and Steve discuss the green movement, where it has been, where it is going, and a little about being involved.

To dive further in we welcome Paul Eldrenkamp – Founder and Project Manager for Byggmeister, Inc. in Newton, MA to the show, as he was an early adopter of green building, and remains a thought-leader in the industry years later.

After a wide range of carpentry jobs and a bachelor’s degree in History and Literature of Medieval Europe, Paul founded Byggmeister (Scandinavian for “master builder”) in 1983. Over the course of nearly forty years in business, he has “always placed a high priority on two things: fostering easy, friendly relations with his clients and building a team of people who are as interesting and diverse as they are talented and dedicated.”

Tim, Steve and Paul cover:

  • Defining what “green renovation” means.
  • The biggest mistakes remodelers make when they incorporate green practices into their business model.
  • Reliable sources of building science information.
  • Some of the most entrenched myths about green remodeling.
  • How “green” practices have evolved over 40 years in the industry.

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Ep.121: Cracking the Code; Mastering the Art of Building Code Compliance with Mike Guertin

October 5, 2020 Management, Operations, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:39:06

In this episode, Tim and Steve are talking about code… yes, the building code.

Who gets excited about the building code? One of the most common thoughts is that it makes it hard for a contractor to make money, however another thought is, it sets a low bar and as professionals, we should all be building better than the minimum standards.

While likely different across the US and Canada, building codes have a common trait in that they can be a barrier to workflow and our guest for this episode, Mike Guertin, provides us with some useful information and advice on things you may be getting wrong and ways you can stay compliant.

Mike Guertin has been building and remodeling homes in the smallest state in the union for over 40 years. Mike regularly writes for Fine Homebuilding and JLC magazines and trains other contractors on better building practices and building codes at JLC Live, Deck Expo, IBS and other construction trade shows.

Tim, Steve and Mike talk more about:

  • Background on building codes and their purpose.
  • What “Building above code” means.
  • Some common code mistakes contractors & remodelers make.
  • Parts of the building code that contractors may find useful.
  • And more

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This is such a valuable resource for your production department… Every person on your production team should have one of these.

Click here to learn more and get your copy from Amazon.

Ep.120: After the Fire – Where Are They Now? with John Murphy

September 28, 2020 Management, Operations, The Tim Faller Show 00:33:59

In Episode 87, back in January, we spoke with John Murphy about the devastating fire that ripped through his cabinet shop and office and the process they were using to rebuild, literally from the ashes.

And, of course, soon after we spoke, COVID hit and they were faced with yet another obstacle… however John’s company was already working remotely, so perhaps they had a head start on the rest of us.

John and his team at Murphy Bros. Design/Build/Remodel in Minneapolis are ready to move back into their offices in the next few weeks and in this episode, Tim and Steve catch up with John to talk more about the process he went through to get there.

Tim, Steve and John cover:

  • A quick review of what happened with the fire.
  • How the business operated while rebuilding the office.
  • Any significant changes to the business (process, procedures, etc.) because of the fire.
  • Outsourcing work & working through other contractors.
  • Working remotely; challenges, opportunities, etc.
  • And more…

Ep.119: Moving from Carpenter to Owner with Brad Sawler

September 21, 2020 Management, Operations, Production, The Tim Faller Show 00:34:26

Today’s topic came from a subscriber who contacted Tim asking about making the transition from a single owner-operator to building a team and assuming the role of “Boss.”

Some remodelers just want to do the work themselves and stay small. They enjoy wearing all the “hats,” resigning themselves to the fact that they don’t have the energy or desire to take the next step.

This episode focuses on the transition and growth needed to take the next step. No better example than our guest, Brad Sawler, owner of Oxland Builders in Stratham, NH.

Brad Sawler, started Oxland Builders in 2003 with a partner intent on building high-end spec homes. As the company grew, Brad found himself being pulled away from the field more and more often. The time had come for him to take off his tool belt and focus on growing the business.

Since 2016, Brad has focused on sales, estimating and marketing. The company has grown to a field staff of 7 with plans to hire more personnel in 2021.

Tim, Steve and Brad cover:

  • The transition from working in the field and being hand-on to more of a supervisor role.
  • The determination that growth and hiring a staff was necessary.
  • What the hardest hurdles were and what the easiest tasks were to hand off.
  • Learning to trust others in the front office.
  • Changes in project process and documentation.
  • Changes in pricing, labor hours, etc.
  • Establishing a training system with the team.

This Episode Sponsored by: Builder Funnel​

We are excited to have Builder Funnel joining us as a featured sponsor for The Tim Faller Show. Spencer Powell and his team at Builder Funnel have been huge supporters of R/A and the remodeling community for years and it is great to have on board as a featured sponsor… Welcome, Builder Funnel!

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Ep.118: What Makes a Good Boss with Aaron Enfinger and Les Anderson

September 14, 2020 Management, Operations 00:34:05

In this episode, we take a look at what it takes to be a good boss from an employee’s perspective, but also from the supervisor side as well, as both of our guests have risen through the ranks to become leaders of their respective businesses.

Our first guest, Aaron Enfinger, came up through the ranks and is now General Manager of the company he works for. And our second guest, Les Anderson, has been with his boss for almost as long as the company has been in business, in a market where there are many great remodeling companies.

Aaron is the General Manager at The Cleary Company, a Remodel-Design-Build firm in Columbus, Ohio. As The Cleary Company was growing steadily, it became evident in early 2017 that additional oversight and management was needed in the other areas of the organization. The role of General Manager was created, and Aaron was promoted to the role to help fill this void.

Les is a Field Supervisor Sylvestre Remodeling & Design. Les has over 42 years of construction experience, including 36 years in residential remodeling. He has been with Sylvestre for over 34 years, and a field supervisor for twenty years.

Tim, Steve, Aaron and Les talk more about:

  • The most important thing a business owner can do to be a great boss
  • As a supervisor, what you do to try to do to create a great work place
  • What is it about your boss that makes you want to stay
  • What the “deal breaker” is for many employees
  • And more…

This Episode Sponsored by: Builder Funnel

We are excited to have Builder Funnel joining us as a featured sponsor for The Tim Faller Show. Spencer Powell and his team at Builder Funnel have been huge supporters of R/A and the remodeling community for years and it is great to have on board as a featured sponsor… Welcome, Builder Funnel!
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Ep.117: Maintaining Good Mental Health with Marian Faller

September 8, 2020 Management, Operations, The Tim Faller Show 00:35:56

We are well into the Covid crisis of 2020 and we are starting to hear of people struggling with the stress.

We also see business owners and production leaders that are working like crazy to handle the surge of business, catch up or even to just make it all work.

Our guest today is someone that deals with people everyday that are just trying to deal with life and the stress it can bring.

Tim’s wife, Marian Faller, joins the show today with insight and advice on handling and dealing with stress in the workplace, and in your personal life as well.

Marian, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), is a psychotherapist working in Rhode Island for over sixteen years through her private practice, Cornerstone Counseling. She excels at providing customized counseling for individuals, groups, and couples with relationship, mental health and addiction concerns.

Tim, Steve and Marian cover:

  • The impact stress can have on people and a workplace.
  • The signs that an owner or manager should be looking for, to see signs of stress.
  • The difference between “normal stress” and “burnout” stress?
  • In talking with an employee, what should a manager watch for to avoid getting “wrong” info.
  • If a manager sees the signs of stress what they should do.
  • What an individual should do if they are seeing themselves over-stressed.
  • Resources for listeners.

This Episode Sponsored by: Builder Funnel

We are excited to have Builder Funnel joining us as a featured sponsor for The Tim Faller Show. Spencer Powell and his team at Builder Funnel have been huge supporters of R/A and the remodeling community for years and it is great to have on board as a featured sponsor… Welcome, Builder Funnel!

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