Production

Hiring an Estimator with Chris Fox – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

April 1, 2024 Production 0:37:31

We are pleased to welcome Chris Fox today to discuss the process of hiring an estimator in the remodeling industry. Chris Fox is the Sales and Design Manager at Fox Home Innovations located in Manhattan, Kansas.

As the company’s Director of Design and Sales, Chris is heavily involved with the management of all design projects from inception to completion. Additionally, he actively cultivates and manages leads, working tirelessly to find new projects and business for the team.

Tim, Steve and Chris talk more about:

  • What can prompt the need for an estimator
  • Creating clear expectations
  • The benefits of prioritizing estimating
  • And more…

Preconstruction with an Independent Designer with Sarah Walker – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E19

March 18, 2024 Management, Production 0:39:48

In today’s competitive business world, preconstruction is a crucial process that can make or break a company’s success. Tim and Greg, in their numerous podcasts, have shared valuable insights on how companies can achieve better results by improving their preconstruction process. One of the key factors, they point out, is having in-house designers, which allows for efficient management of the process. However, what if you use subcontracted designers? To address this, Sarah Walker is joining the show today to share her perspective as an outside designer.

Sarah Walker is the owner and principal designer of Nuance Interior Design in Seattle, Washington. She has close to 20 years of experience specializing in luxury and sustainable interior design, holding degrees in interior design, business, and art, as well as certification in construction management. Her full-service design studio is committed to streamlining the process through detailed construction documents, cutting-edge software, and collaboration with trades. Nuance’s showroom features 3,000 square feet of sustainable cabinetry, finishes, fixtures, window treatments, and furniture exclusively available to clients. Sarah’s award-winning, sophisticated interiors have been published locally and nationally. On a personal level, Sarah was born and raised in Dubai and loves to bring a global and holistic point of view to her projects.

Sarah, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

  • Why use outside designers
  • Design schedules and impact on the contractor
  • And more..

The CG&S Way with Sara Hadden and Nathan Morris – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E18

March 11, 2024 Operations, Production 0:37:04

Nathan Morris and Sara Hadden, seasoned professionals from CG&S Design Build, have crafted a unique approach to processes that helps management control the way things are done, named the CG&S Way. Tim and Greg delve into the origins of this innovative system and how these experts garnered widespread acceptance.

Sara Hadden is the Design Manager at CG&S Design Build, located in Austin, Texas. Sara and Nathan have both worked for CG&S for 10 years. Sara started as a project architect and was given the opportunity to manage the Design Studio about 5 years ago. Nathan and I were instrumental in bringing The CG&S Way to fruition.

Nathan Morris is the Production Manager at CG&S Design Build in Austin, TX. CG&S is a Residential Design-Build Firm that has been in business for over 65 years and is focused more on renovations than new builds. Nathan has been with the Company for 10 years this year. He started out as a Project manager and moved into the Production Manager role 7 years ago.

Sara, Nathan, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

  • Process that created the CG&S Way
  • Results from the CG&S Way
  • And more…

Calculating Capacity in Production with Chris Peterson – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E16

February 26, 2024 Production 0:41:23

Determining the right amount of work for a company can be a challenging task. The industry has tried to define it, but each company has different budgets and employees who may not work at the same pace. Additionally, the completeness of job packets or job information provided by sales/designers can vary greatly in any company. One employee may be more thorough than another. So, what’s the solution? In today’s discussion, Chris Peterson will talk about how Schloegel Design Remodel measures its capacity.

Chris Peterson, MCR, CRPM, CLC, is a Co-Owner of Schloegel Design Remodel. The award-winning Kansas City-based design-build firm focuses on creating the ultimate client experience during every project. Chris started his career as a craftsman and continued to climb the ranks with his attention to detail, management skills, and love of the industry. Chris has served as president of NARI Kansas City, actively participates in Remodelers Advantage, and persistently advocates for industry growth through NARI’s Future Fund program. Another of Chris’s greatest passions is BBQ! He actively competes in Kansas City competitions and has brought several awards home. He loves to spend time with his wife and two daughters, as well as his 16-month-old granddaughter.

Chris, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

  • What is VPW
  • Any pushback from the team
  • How to track the information
  • And more…

The Whiteboard: Onsite Visual Communication with Tim Faller and Greg Woleck – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E15

February 19, 2024 Production 0:30:52

In a world where technology is constantly evolving, it’s easy to overlook the power of traditional communication tools. Take the humble whiteboard, for example. It may seem outdated, but it’s actually a highly effective tool for remodeling companies. Tim and Greg discuss why whiteboards could be a good choice for any team looking to communicate effectively. By using a whiteboard, scheduling becomes a visual experience that can be shared with clients on job sites.

Tim and Greg talk more about:

  • Uses of a whiteboard in remodeling and other industries
  • Personalizing your whiteboard to your company
  • And more…

Capacity Beyond Demand with Chris Fox – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E14

February 12, 2024 Production, Sales 0:42:48

On today’s episode of The Tim Faller Show, Chris Fox is joining us as the guest to talk about the concept of Capacity Beyond Demand. In order to maintain a good budget and client experience, it is important to determine the capacity of each department, as having an over-capacity department can lead to a decrease in both. Chris Fox will explain how his company, Fox Home Innovations, uses this approach and its positive impact on the business.

Chris Fox owns Fox Home Innovations, LLC, located in Manhattan, KS. Chris founded the company in 2009 and currently manages the Sales Department. He and the rest of our Leadership Team want to hit their big goal of 90% self-performed Revenue by 2026.

Chris, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

  • What are the benefits for a business (owner) to have this as a principle of practice?
  • Is there any way to measure capacity?
  • And more…

Going From Employee to Being the Owner with Ray Hornsby – [The Tim Faller Show] S5 E13

February 5, 2024 Management 0:33:22

During Episode 21, Tim had a conversation with Ray Hornsby about his journey from being a Lead Carpenter to becoming a Production Manager. Ray is among the few who have successfully made this transition. He has moved up the growth track and is now the proud owner of Hopkins and Porter Construction located in Potomac, MD. The shift from being an employee to becoming an owner, or even just a Production Manager to an owner, can be quite challenging. Ray, along with Tim and Greg, discuss the process of purchasing the company and how the employees reacted to this change.

Ray Hornsby is the General Manager at Hopkins & Porter, a construction company located in Potomac, MD. Ray’s career in construction began in the late 70s in West Virginia and North Carolina. In 1986, Ray joined Hopkins & Porter as a carpenter and worked his way up to lead carpenter, project manager, production manager, and eventually, the general manager. In 2015, Ray became the owner of the company, after purchasing it.

Ray, Tim, and Greg talk more about:

  • How did other employees respond?
  • What worked well that you would recommend to other business owners who may want to sell to an employee?
  • What advice would you give to employees who aspire to own the business they work for?

Scheduling From Sales Through Completion with Eric Bain – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

January 29, 2024 Production 0:32:30

Scheduling has been a challenge for everyone over the last few years. Scheduling individual jobs is a challenge by itself but adding the sales design process, the job set up, and then the job itself makes the challenge grow exponentially.

Getting the sales design process scheduled is a growing trend in an effort to more accurately predict the start dates for clients.  This process involves gaining the buy-in from designers, sales, and production which can be a daunting task. Our guest today is navigating these waters with success and is here to share his experiences with our listeners.

Eric Bain is the project manager of Innovative Construction and oversees projects as well as handles client relations. He previously worked for the City of Vail where he sharpened his site inspection, landscaping and heavy equipment skills.

Tim, Steve and Eric talk more about:

  • Working alongside sales and design teams 
  • Utilizing a master schedule
  • Dealing with issues regarding supplies
  • And more…

Design and Production: Can we really get along? with Morgan Thomas and Candice Rania – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

December 18, 2023 Production, The Tim Faller Show 0:45:36

On this episode of The Tim Faller Show, Candice Rania and Morgan Thomas join the show to answer the question: Can design and production get along? While the production and design teams have the same overall goal of completing a project that will delight their clients, they do it differently. Morgan and Candice talk about their struggles with time constraints, delays, and change orders and how they developed new processes that involve team reviews with proposed estimates to ensure each department has the proper budgets and limit unexpected client costs.

Morgan Thomas started at Leff Design Build in Sonoma County, California 5 years ago as a project manager and was then promoted to her current role as the production department manager. She is excited and proud of her team’s input to the project’s budget, which she thinks has created an improved sense of ownership among her coworkers.  Candice Rania is the pre-production manager at Leff Design Build and works closely with Morgan.  

Tim, Steve, Morgan, and Candice talk more about

  • Integrating production and design and how that creates a better customer experience
  • Evaluating current methods and creating new processes can lead to better businesses.
  • And more…

Client Experience: It’s what they feel, not what we do! – [Best of The Tim Faller Show]

December 11, 2023 Production, Sales 0:38:52

On this episode of the Tim Faller Show, Tim and Steve discuss the client experience and how to turn clients into raving fans. The client experience is all about how the client feels and not what you do. Tim differentiates the customer service a company provides from how clients perceive that service. Not only do salespeople have a major role in the client experience, but the production team and lead carpenter do as well.   

Tim and Steve talk more about…

  • Establishing a client experience vision statement
  • The importance of a pre-construction meeting in providing an excellent client experience
  • And more…