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Home UnBuildIt

UnBuild It | Episode 144: Tips for Young Builders with Tim Hill - Risinger Build

Jake and Steve give Pete the boot for good reason. Tim Hill, Managing Partner at Risinger Build, teams up with Jake and Steve to offer a series of absolutely terrific insights for young builders. From accumulating capital to straight budget talk with clients, I count a "baker's dozen" of tips in this conversation.
TIPS:
1. Build capital, even just a bit each year.
2. Budget straight talk.
3. In-person vs emailing budget docs.
4. Yes, you are a builder, but you need to be all about customer service.
5. Be accurate, not wishful, when costing any project.
6. Use your current job to hone the next job.
7. Market your own work rather than pay someone else to market it.
8. Hard to be selective, but in the long run, don't take a project cause you "have to."
9. Matt recognizes that every day, something "cool" is going on your job site, something we think is routine or uninteresting that you need to share or "feature" with your client.
10. Think and act like a building professional, not just a carpenter or a builder.
11. Sometimes you need to say no if your gut tells you the project and/or the client is a bust.
12. Find your niche; don't try to be everything to everybody.
13. You are more than just your business; don't let your business take over your life.

Huge thanks to our episode sponsor, Benjamin Obdyke.
Benjamin Obdyke

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Episodes

UnBuild It Podcast - Live Recording!

Tune in to the UnBuild It Podcast at Build Show LIVE for lively discussions on building science, business management, and industry events.

Unbuild It | Episode 161: Back to Basics Part 1 - The Water Control Layer

Episode 161    

Resources for water management in buildings include guides by Joe Lstiburek, the EPA, and a book on moisture and mold by architects. These resources address all four control layers.

Unbuild It | Episode 160: EXTREME Events - Designing and Building for Them

Episode 160    

Learn how to design and build homes to withstand extreme events like floods, earthquakes, wildfires, tornados, hurricanes, and ice storms. Resources from FEMA, Simpson Strong Tie, and IBHS are available to help.

Unbuild It | Episode 159: 3Qs: Climate Zone 7 T&G Ceiling, Aging in Place Design, and Alternative PreFab Foundations

Episode 159    

This Q&A episode tackles listener questions on ZIP sheathing vs. Smart Vapor Retarder for cold-climate ceilings, zero-threshold exterior doors and Universal Design, and innovative wood-based alternatives to concrete foundations. The discussion wraps up with a look at below-grade SIP foundation systems and plenty of valuable resources for deeper exploration.

Unbuild It | Episode 158: The Doctor is In - Retired building scientist and pulmonary physician Nathan Yost

Episode 158    

Steve and Pete welcome Nathan Yost to discuss Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), exploring how building materials, indoor environments, and evolving medical understanding can impact those living with sensitivities. Nathan shares insights from years of working with clients, while Steve recounts recent projects where MCS dramatically influenced design decisions, specifications, and material choices—including one project in a surprising "dead zone."

Unbuild It | Episode 157: Three Guys on Four Highly Technical Building Puzzles

Episode 157    

Three hyperlinks to scientific articles: ScienceDirect article, PubMed Central article, and Frontiers in Physiology article.

Unbuild It | Episode 156: Building Standards for Building Professionals?

Episode 156    

In this episode, we dive into the construction industry’s obsession with standards, certifications, and “best practices” — and question whether they actually lead to better buildings. Through a lively discussion on education, building science, and the need to “chase friction,” we explore what it really takes to improve the way we design and build. Featuring insights, debate, and practical resources for building professionals and clients alike.

Unbuild It | Episode 155: ZIP-R on the roof?

Episode 155    

Plenty of folks in our industry have been talking about using Huber's ZIP-R panels on roofs, and certainly, Huber has been working on this as well. But Steve, Jake, and Nick Sabol (lead on Huber's Technical Team) take a deep dive into all the considerations: structural, hygrothermal, and long-term durability. And Pete's leading resource on this topic? Call Steve

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