On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt chats with his colleagues Steve Lesem and Tim Hill to dig into the topic of better home building. While a typical explanation might involve craftsmanship, the level of fit and finish of a house, the sustainable practices or materials that used during the build, or the cost of construction and the value engineering that went into making sure it was a good value, we'll learn that that's not all there is to it. Today we're talking about how the house perfo...
Mar 11, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Matt’s back with Season 2 of The Build Show Podcast. He’s joined by Steve Lesem to tackle the topic of… Matt’s house! How did it turn out? What was it like building a house? What lessons were learned and what would he have done differently if he had to do it all over again. After 25 years of building, this was the first time Matt ever built a house from the ground up so there’s a lot of valuable knowledge packed into this episode. What you’ll learn: Role the pandemic played in decision making. C...
Mar 04, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 37
Join Matt on this episode of The Build Podcast as he recaps 2021. Matt reflects on the boom in business in 2021 with some predictions for 2022. He also discusses his personal build (which is finally complete), his colleagues that have been instrumental in the past year, challenges that arose, and the new and exciting aspects of Build Show Network. Get personal with Matt on this episode.Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build...
Dec 17, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter .
Nov 26, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 35
For additional information visit: https://en-roads.climateinteractive.org/scenario.html?v=21.11.0 Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter .
Nov 19, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 34
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Steve Lesem, CEO, Risinger Build, fills in for Matt. He sits down with Travis Brown, Matt’s Construction Attorney to discuss what to do when you’ve done all the things discussed on last week’s episode, but still find yourself in some legal trouble. The two explore what happens when you do have a dispute and perhaps a lawsuit has been threatened. Or maybe even been filed. What do we need to do as builders to respond correctly? And should we ever sue anybody?S...
Nov 12, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 33
This episode is sponsored by BuilderTrend . Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show content. Sign up for our newsletter ....
Nov 05, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 32
On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt and Tim Hill discuss all things maintenance: annual maintenance, seasonal maintenance, and all the things you need to think about after you've completed the house to make sure it continues to function in tip top shape. They’ll also introduce some considerations for both pre and during construction that will help to support a “maintenance free” house – but really there is no such thing as a maintenance free house—but a house that will ultimately look, fe...
Oct 29, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In this post-COVID era, builders are actually faced with a ton of work, however, due to certain supply chain challenges, they aren’t exactly able to deliver on some of the promises they’d like to make to clients. On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt gets real about the issues he’s facing, along with plenty of other industry professionals. From products delivery delays to being unable to find basic supplies on the shelves at stores to cost increases, the climate is becoming a difficult one ...
Oct 22, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 30
From freezing temperatures, heat waves, wildfires, and floods, most of the U.S. is plagued with one form of disaster or another. On this episode of The Build Podcast, Matt is joined by his VP of Construction and good friend, Tim Hill, to discuss how to stay prepared for whatever disaster comes your way. They’ll address each disaster, as well as some great solutions for each including different types of generators for power backup, fireplace considerations, roofing materials, and slab thoughts. E...
Oct 15, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 29
On this episode of The Build Show Network Podcast, Matt and Steve Baczek build on their previous conversation about building efficiently right from the start. While last conversation centered on handling clients’ requirements and expectations at the onset, as well as specific measures of efficiency, this episode will dive deeper into the details: framing, HVAC, insulation and the other “nerdy minutia” as Matt likes to call it! One of the most important takeaways of this episode is going to be ”i...
Oct 08, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 28
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Matt and Steve Baczek team up to mull over a very important question: how do we design a good quality, efficient, durable house that’s going to be long lasting – right from the start? As a builder, Matt often gets plans in various stages of completion, sometimes fully finished plans that cause him to wonder how he’s going to build in a way that keeps clients out of trouble. Whether that's water management, energy efficiency, durability, or comfort, he’s...
Oct 01, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 27
On this episode, Matt sits down with another one of the newest Build Show Network contributors to chat. Meet Doug Cameron, owner of a boutique design-build company called “EcoSafe Spaces,” (currently branded as “ESS Design+Build” or simply “ESS”). Learn more about holistic building science and intention-based homebuilding practices. You’ll hear the personal stories that led Doug along on his path, find out what sparked his interest in green home building, and discover how to channel your creativ...
Sep 24, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 26
On this episode of the podcast, Matt is joined by Zack Dettmore, another one of the newest contributors to BuildShowNetwork.com. Learn more about his business, Dettmore Home Improvements, and discover the backstory that led to his passion for carpentry. Discover what drove him to start a business, as well as the unique services he provides. He started his company as a one-man operation and it quickly grew by word of mouth, and is now excited to share his insights with you. Save the Date for Buil...
Sep 17, 2021•47 min
Today I’m chatting with Eric Aune from @mechanicalhub, one of our newer contributors to the Build Show Network and a Mechanical Contractor, Plumber, and HVAC specialist based out of Minnesota. We’ll be talking all about his career, how he got to where he is today, how his engineering spirit as a youngster led him to pursue an apprenticeship over college, and how this ultimately resulted in him starting his own business. We also cover his inspirations for setting up his very successful Instagram ...
Sep 10, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Today I’m very excited to be talking with one of our newest members of the Build Show Network, Lydia Crowder. You might already know her from her Instagram page @drywallshorty and she's a drywall contractor from Bozeman, MT with 18 years of experience in the industry. We’ll be chatting to her all about the business side of building, learning curves in the drywall industry, and working in extreme temperatures. She also offers tips for all you builders out there to help you get the most out of wor...
Sep 03, 2021•50 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In today’s episode, I’m chatting with my VP of Construction, Tim Hill. Tim is in his 40th year of construction and we’re looking at framing, how it’s evolved and changed since he started working in the industry back in the 70s. We’ll be taking a look at both the labor aspect and even the lumber, how that’s changed and what lessons he, and I have both learned through the years.Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 16-18, 2025! Don't miss a single episode of Build Show cont...
Aug 27, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 22
On this episode of The Build Show Podcast, Steve Lesem, COO, Risinger Builds chats with expert Bill Blalock from Concept Electronics to chat about low voltage and wiring systems in the home. After a recent announcement from a production home builder who was certifying homes for all wireless operation (meaning eliminating costs from the home and just allowing everything to be done wirelessly), we wanted to address some of the pitfalls that come along with that strategy. We’ll chat about less expe...
Aug 20, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 21
On this week’s episode of the Build Show Podcast, I’m joined by my COO Steve Lesem to talk all about wiring in the house. We dig deep into low voltage systems, fiber optic technologies, WiFi Certified Housing and a whole lot more as we talk about how we can “futureproof” our homes so they’re ready for the tech of the future. As an electrical engineering graduate who then worked in high tech and software before turning to building, Steve has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to share with you t...
Aug 13, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 20
On today’s episode of the Build Show, I’m joined once again by my COO Steve Lesem to discuss all about the business side of building and more comprehensively, how we educate our clients on certain aspects of their build so they can make an informed decision about what they’re putting into their home. On any build, one of the major factors clients discuss is cost. However, we like to think of things a little bit differently, and rather than always going for the cheapest possible price on features...
Aug 06, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 19
On today’s episode of the Build Show Podcast, I’m joined by Josh Roth. We’ve talked already on our YouTube channel about this topic briefly, but today we’re going into a little more detail. Well, be chatting about exterior wood and how to do it right and discuss the process of pressure treating different woods and wood before we take a look into the AWPA’s standards for different types and woods and where/how you should be using them on your build project. Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 ...
Jul 30, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 18
On today’s episode of the Build Show, sponsored by Builder’s First Source, we’re chatting with Tim Hill, my VP of construction, all about HVAC systems We’ll talk about the good, the bad and best that we’ve seen over the years, what we personally like to have on our builds and the process we go through to decide the best HVAC system for our clients. Tim offers insight on his HVAC philosophy where he takes a good, better, best approach when it comes to presenting clients with their options. Every ...
Jul 23, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 17
On today’s episode, things are slightly different. We’ve got a part two and are following on from las week’s episode all about building science. This week we’re creating a whole new definition of building science is for a new generation of well-built houses and I’m joined, once again, by Kristof Irwin from Positive Energy – a thought leader in his field and a good friend. Kristof gives us a recap about how and why systems and building science is so crucial to any build before we discuss building...
Jul 16, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 16
On today’s episode, sponsored by Nuvo H2O and Aquor, we’re talking about a topic I absolutely love – mechanicals that last. I’m joined by guest expert Eric Aune, aka @mechanicalhub on Instagram who has over 20 years of experience in the industry and we dive into plumbing and heating systems, typical life spans and longevity of products. Eric also gives us his recommendations on what mechanicals he’d have in his dream home. NuvoH2O coupon code get 10% off for build show listeners. Use code: Build...
Jul 09, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Today on the Build Show, we’re talking all about the future of Building Science and Systems Thinking with my very special guest; a long-time friend, colleague, and one of THE brightest minds in the Industry, Kristof Irwin from Positive Energy. We’re going to be covering A LOT today in a short amount of time and Kristof is super excited to be talking us through the concept of building science. He describes as “using architecture, engineering and systems thinking to design and build beautiful buil...
Jul 02, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 14
So, you want to be a builder? Then today’s episode, Sponsored by Builder’s First Source, is definitely for you. I’m joined by my friend Luke Mezger who is sharing a little bit about his story and how he took his childhood fascinations for all things building (he used to love breaking apart toys as a kid and putting them back together) into the career he has today. He highlights some of the key points in his life that really sparked that passion for construction, tells us about his educational ex...
Jun 25, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 13
On today’s episode, sponsored by Builder’s First Source, I’m going solo and talking you through my top 10 pet peeves when it comes to a build. From cheap plastic vents and missing post bases to cheaply made floors that cause all the problems when installing furniture. I’ll be addressing each point in more detail and I even throw in a few insider tips on the way to help you get the most out of any build. So, tune in to see if some of my pet peeves resonate with you and be sure to reach out on soc...
Jun 18, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 12
On today’s episode of the Build Show we’re doing something a little different. As Father’s Day is fast approaching, I’m joined by my buddy Tim Hill to talk you through a bunch of cool items you can get your Dad this Father’s Day. We’re taking a bit of a practical approach today and helping you out with more “useful” gift ideas, from everyday items, to things your Dad might want in his truck or even something that’ll help him at work.Save the Date for Build Show LIVE 2025 in Dallas, TX: October 1...
Jun 11, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Today I’m joined by my COO, Steve Lesem, to talk all about balancing the cost vs performance aspects on a build. We all want to have a nice home, and of course, if we had an unlimited budget, we could just buy top of the range products for every aspect. However, that’s not usually the way it works. So, how do we make that compromise when it comes to quality and cost? How do we find the right balance? We discuss it all on today’s Build Show Podcast, sponsored by Builder’s First Source. Save the D...
Jun 04, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 10
This week I’m going to be talking about a really important topic, that not all podcasters or builders might mention as we don’t want it to come across the wrong way. However, it’s super important which is why I’ve decided to go there. Today we’re talking all about build quality and what the standard Litmus test should be for a good vs. a not-so-good build and if this same test could be used to assess if someone is a good builder or not, too. The latter of which might help some of you students, y...
May 28, 2021•21 min•Season 1Ep. 9
