BuilderLink Radio

#016 Learning from a Lumberyard

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:04:03 PDT

As the economy continues to struggle along, small to mid-sized lumberyards all over the country are fighting to maintain their market share in the face of aggressive price shopping and vicious competition. In this episode, Greg and Jim speak with Tony Rodriguez, Outside Sales/Estimator for Square Deal Lumber Co. of Springfield, Oregon, to hear what he has been doing to keep sales up, distinguish himself from the competition, and get his take on the state of the industry.

#015 Industry Insider--A Publisher's Perspective

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:08:33 PDT

News, projects, trends, events, manufacturers, and more--building industry magazine publishers have a unique view of the industry that few can replicate. In this episode, Greg and Jim speak with Alan Oakes, owner and publisher of sister publications The Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest and get his take on how the industry has changed over the years and where it's headed.

#014 What's Bugging You?

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:11:43 PDT

Bug, bugs and more bugs. Greg and Jim speak with Guy Schultz, an expert at pest control and long-time BuilderLink community member...and they learn everything they didn't want to know about homes, construction and pests.

#013 The Life of an Outgoing Architect

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:04:01 PST

Bob Borson, a licensed architect in Texas and an active blogger, speaks with Jim and Greg about the life of an architect in today's housing market. During the discussion, Bob talks about how he works with clients and chooses which contractors to recommend. For builders and remodelers looking to increase referrals, it's an insightful look into the thinking of a successful residential architect.

#012 The Design/Build Remodeling Model

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:36:27 PST

The Design/Build business model for remodeling contractors is becoming a successful alternative to the traditional "design-bid-build" approach. Jim and Greg speak with Neil Parsons, the owner of Design Build Profit, a consulting firm that assists contractors with this approach.

#011 One Exit Strategy Option -- An ESOP

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:45:10 PST

When the owner(s) of a business considers leaving or selling, one exit strategy is called an ESOP – an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. On this podcast, Jim and Greg speak with Ciro Giammona the president of Harrell Remodeling about ESOPs and about how his firm has successfully used this ownership model for the betterment of their company and its employees.

#010 Japan, Wood Products and the Housing Industry

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:31:39 PST

Ben Gokami gives Jim and Greg insights into the foreign world of the Japanese housing market. Ben is the owner of Columbia West International, an importer/exporter of wood products. Based in Vancouver, WA, Ben has been doing business and trading with Japan for over 30 years.

#009 China, Logs and the Lumber Business

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:32:05 PST

Gordon Culbertson joins Greg and Jim in-studio to talk about the market for logs, lumber and how China has been influencing the prices of wood products in the US. Culbertson is an expert in emerging markets and the wood fiber supply chain.

#008 The All-American Home

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:03:16 PST

Anders Lewendal, from Bozeman, Montana, joins Jim and Greg to talk about his project, the "All American Home" and how it's attracted national media attention. Lewendal, an economist turned homebuilder, is building a house made entirely from US-made products.

#007 Leveraging Technology...tips for the Non-Expert

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:42:40 PST

Mark Tschetter, COO at a technology firm, speaks with Jim and Greg about the challenges and pitfalls of running a small business as an internet and IT technology non-expert. The session gives some valuable tips for dealing with technobabble, all-powerful geeks and other pitfalls of managing and purchasing technology services.

#006 Lead Paint Poisoning & Remediation – A Mother's Perspective

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 21:38:34 PST

Greg and Jim speak with Tamara Rubin, who tells her story about the evolution of the efforts within the industry on the topic of lead paint poisoning and remediation. Tamara's journey with this topic began when her family was poisoned by lead in 2005 during a remodeling project. Tamara has responded to her personal tragedy by becoming an advocate for educating homeowners and contractors about the dangers of lead poisoning.

#005 Passive House Design...Pushing the Envelope

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:00:39 PDT

Architect Dennis Wedlick teaches Jim and Greg about the principles behind the Passive House building standard. Dennis is the founder of a New York City-based architecture firm and most recently, he has been recognized for building the first Passive House in New York State, The Hudson Passive Project, one of the highest performing homes in the world.

#004 Structural Engineering – trends and challenges within the construction industry.

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:42:43 PDT

Mark Scambray, the President of Structural Resource Group, joins Jim and Greg to talk about the relationship between structural engineers and other segments within the construction industry. Structural Resource Group helps construction material suppliers educate engineers about new products.

#003 Performance Contracting - an Emerging Market in an Otherwise Difficult Climate.

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:02:11 PDT

Mark Fischer, the President of Green Home Solutions, joins Jim and Greg to discuss the growing market of what's known as "performance contracting". Green Home Solutions is a California company that has successfully reinvented itself in response to the crash of the housing market.

#002 Technology and the Construction Industry.

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 06:18:40 PDT

Jim and Greg discuss breaking industry news and then speak with guest John Niedzwiecki, BuilderLink's VP of Sales & Marketing, about the state of technology within the construction industry.

#001 The New Housing Marketing Is...Let's Just Say "Not Good."

jenright@yourbuilderlink.com (BuilderLink) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:14:52 PDT

Jim and Greg introduce themselves in their own goofy way, then discuss the state of the new housing market and their opinions of what the future holds.