The Good Builder Podcast

The Good Builder
  • 5.0 (4)
  • BUSINESS NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY

This week in home building news! Catch up with Az and a colourful array of guests, to hear about who's killing it, who's innovating, and who's getting into strife in the world of new home construction.

  1. 15 HRS AGO

    The Daily Dose #286 | The Market Is Splitting: Modular, Mansions and the Squeeze in the Middle (with Emily Pollard)

    Aaron is back with Emily Pollard from Nesta Builder Brokers for another Monday breakdown, and this week they dig into something Aaron has been watching in the Google search data for the past 12 months. The Australian housing market is splitting in two. On one end, more buyers are looking at modular, prefab, tiny homes and alternative builds. On the other, the luxury custom market is busier than ever. And right in the middle, the everyday buyer is getting squeezed. Aaron and Emily unpack what is actually driving the search data, where the project home builder fits now that million dollar builds are becoming the new normal, and what builders need to think about when picking their lane. They get into granny flats and secondary dwellings, intergenerational living, the rise of cashed-up first home buyers in the under-million market, and the buyers agents pushing equity uplift promises that often do not stack up. This is a real conversation about where the market is heading, what builders are seeing on the ground, and the gap between what the data says and what is actually happening in display villages and on building sites across Australia. What We Cover The two ends of the market that are growing, and the middle that is going quietWhy people are searching for modular and prefab, and why it is not always cheaperWhat now actually counts as a high end build in AustraliaWhy project builders are quietly moving into the million dollar spaceThe granny flat and secondary dwelling boom, and why we should stop calling them granny flatsIntergenerational living and the cultural shift happening in Australian housingWhat the under-million first home buyer market really looks like in 2026The buyers agent equity uplift pitch, and why Emily is over hearing itWhere modular fits in display villages, estate covenants, and the future of housingWhy builders need to pick their lane and stop racing to the bottom on priceSponsors This episode is proudly brought to you by MyConstruct, the construction software built by Australian builders for Australian builders. If you are still running your jobs, contracts and client comms across text messages and spreadsheets, there is a better way. Head to myconstruct.com for a 30 day trial. This episode is also supported by Pay.com.au. Pay your business expenses, earn points on everything, and use the code GOOD20 to score 20,000 bonus points when you sign up. Head to pay.com.au/tgb

    31 min

  2. 3 DAYS AGO

    The Daily Dose #285 | Why "Quality, On Time, On Budget" Is Killing Your Margin

    Quality, on time, on budget. If that's how you sell yourself, you sound exactly like every other builder in Australia. And in a market this tight, sounding like everyone else is one of the most dangerous places you can be. In this Friday wrap, Az covers three big stories breaking across the industry this week, then goes deep on the one thing every builder needs but most never sit down to define: their Unique Value Proposition. He shares how UVP work drove $700 million in growth at GJ Gardner Homes, how it helped Avondale Homes hit $24 million in three years targeting a specific niche, and the five practical ways you can find yours this week. Plus an honest look at the mental health stat we can't ignore, the NCC 2025 split that's just gone live in Victoria, and the lessons from Tom Sachs at Stroud Homes Lockyer Valley. What We Cover The RBA rate move and what it could mean for builder enquiry over the coming weeksThe Built and Bunnings modular construction deal and what it signals about affordability and speedNCC 2025 going live in Victoria on 1 May 2026, and why Master Builders called the timing extremely disappointingWhat Victorian builders need to action right now on lead-free plumbing and Class 2 waterproofingThe compliance challenge for multi-state builders crossing the Vic and NSW borderThe peer-reviewed University of Melbourne research showing one construction worker still takes their own life every two days in AustraliaWhy loneliness is the single strongest predictor of risk, and four practical things builders can do from the top downWhy paying subbies on time is one of the most concrete mental health actions in your controlKey lessons from Tom Sachs at Stroud Homes Lockyer Valley on coming through the side door of the industryTom's three pillars of a good builder: leadership, knowing your numbers, then knowing how to buildMarkup versus margin and why most builders go under on the quote, not the buildWhat a UVP actually is, and the brochure test that exposes whether yours is realWhy "we care about clients" and "quality on time on budget" are commodities, not differentiatorsThree reasons UVP matters more in 2026 than ever beforeFive lenses to find your UVP: client, niche, process, proof, and personalityThe three places your UVP must live: website and socials, sales conversations, and operationsWhy UVP is a business exercise, not a marketing exerciseYour Friday action item: don't write your UVP from your desk, mine it from your marketSupport Resources Mentioned Mates in Construction: 1300 642 111 (free, 24/7)TIACS: 0488 846 988 (free phone and text counselling, Mon to Fri, 8am to 10pm)Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7)Sponsors This episode is proudly supported by MyConstruct — head to myconstruct.com to see how they're helping builders run better businesses. And by Pay.com.au — pay your bills, invoices and banking through their platform and earn bonus points you can spend on travel, family, whatever you like. Head to pay.com.au/TGB and use promo code GOOD20 for 20,000 bonus points to get you started. Terms and conditions apply. #TheGoodBuilder #DailyDose #AustralianBuilders #ResidentialConstruction #BuilderBusiness #UVP #BuilderMarketing #NCC2025 #VictorianBuilders #ConstructionMentalHealth #MatesInConstruction #TIACS #BuilderMargins #StroudHomes #MyConstruct #PayComAU

    25 min
  3. The Daily Dose #284 | From Tree Lopper to Stroud Homes Franchise Owner — Tom Sachs on Building the Right Way

    5 DAYS AGO

    The Daily Dose #284 | From Tree Lopper to Stroud Homes Franchise Owner — Tom Sachs on Building the Right Way

    Tom Sachs didn't take the traditional path into building. He left school early, started lopping trees, discovered a love for working with timber in a mate's shed, and eventually found his way into a carpentry apprenticeship. From commercial construction to residential building, and finally to owning a Stroud Homes franchise in the Lockyer Valley — Tom's story is anything but straight lines. In this episode, Az sits down with Tom to unpack the journey, the lessons, and the mindset that shaped the builder he is today. What we cover: How tree lopping led to a passion for timber and eventually a building careerThe commercial construction apprenticeship that surprised him — and what he took from itWhat joining the Stroud Homes franchise system actually looks like from the insideWhy knowing your numbers matters more than being the best person on the toolsHow Tom built a stable team from day one and why culture starts with the person at the topThe role his wife plays in the business and why that partnership worksWhat leadership, numbers, and knowing how to build all add up to — in Tom's own wordsThis episode is one of those conversations that pulls everything together. Practical, honest, and lived in. If you're a builder trying to figure out how to grow a business without losing your standards, this one's for you. This episode is proudly supported by MyConstruct — construction management software built for Australian builders. Learn more at myconstruct.com. Also supported by Pay.com.au — use code GOOD20 for 20,000 bonus points. Head to pay.com.au/tgb #construction #building #StroudHomes #franchise #tradie #builder #thegoodbuilder #podcast #residentialbuilding #buildingbusiness

    54 min

  4. 3 MAY

    The Daily Dose #283 | Is What Reddit Is Really Saying About Builders Right Now True?

    Reddit doesn't lie. It's where clients go when they don't know where else to turn. And right now, it's full of confusion, frustration, and questions that the building industry hasn't answered well enough. This week, Az and co-host Emily Pollard from Nesta Builder Brokers spent time in the trenches of Reddit and Facebook groups, reading what real clients are actually saying about building a home in Australia. What they found wasn't just a trust problem. It was an education problem, a marketing problem, and honestly, an industry honesty problem. They talk about base price marketing and why display home tactics are fuelling consumer rage, the gap between what builders do and what clients understand, variations and why they keep blowing up relationships, the role of builder brokers in bridging that divide, and why the building experience itself has fundamentally changed for clients who can barely afford to get in the door. Emily brings something rare to this conversation. She talks to builders and clients every single day, without being tied to one company. That perspective cuts through. If you've ever wondered what your clients are reading before they even pick up the phone, this episode will change how you think about that first conversation. What we cover: What real clients are saying on Reddit and Facebook right nowWhy base price marketing is destroying industry trustThe gap between client expectations and builder realityVariations, contract confusion, and where communication breaks downHow the housing affordability crisis has changed the emotional experience of buildingWhat builders can do right now to be more transparent and rebuild trustSponsors: This episode is brought to you by MyConstruct, construction management software built for Australian builders. Find out more at myconstruct.com. And by Pay.com.au, use promo code GOOD20 for 20,000 bonus points. Head to pay.com.au/tgb for more

    33 min

  5. 30 APR

    The Daily Dose #282 | Big Changes at TGB, the Market Splits in Two, and Master Builders Take It to the Senate

    A big Friday Daily Dose...and a couple of important changes coming at The Good Builder. From next week, the Daily Dose is moving to three episodes a week; Monday, Wednesday and Friday. More room to breathe, deeper conversations, bigger guests, and more space for the research and data builders have been asking for. In today's episode, Az unpacks: — Why TGB is shifting to three days a week and what builders can expect — A 900% uplift in search terms for both modular and luxury custom builders, and what it tells us about a market splitting in two — Master Builders Australia putting the productivity case in front of the Senate, with construction productivity down 21.5% over the last decade and regulatory burden adding up to $327,000 per new home build — A heads up from Ash Turner at Glenvill Homes on clients running tender packs and contracts through ChatGPT, and what builders need to think about — The new MyConstruct and Billgrid integration that lets builders open up their trade and supply network instantly, all inside one workflow Practical, timely, and built for builders. Articles for every story are up at thegoodbuilder.com.au Powered by MyConstruct — construction management software built for Australian builders, by Australian builders. Head to myconstruct.com. Also sponsored by Pay.com.au — use code GOOD20 to get 20,000 bonus points when you pay your business bills through the platform. Head to pay.com.au/TGB.

    12 min
  6. The Daily Dose #281 | MyConstruct x BuildGrid: The Partnership Opening Up Australia's Builder Supply Chain

    29 APR

    The Daily Dose #281 | MyConstruct x BuildGrid: The Partnership Opening Up Australia's Builder Supply Chain

    This one was completely off the cuff. Toby from BuildGrid flew up from Melbourne to visit us at The Good Builder Studio, and Jake from MyConstruct happened to be in town too. So we hit record. What came out of it is one of the more practical conversations we've had on the podcast. Two of the country's most respected construction software founders sitting on the couch, explaining a new partnership that's now live and what it actually means for builders on the ground. Here's the short version. If you sign up to MyConstruct, BuildGrid is now plugged in. That means when you're sending out a request for quote, you're not just emailing your usual trades and waiting. You can push that scope into BuildGrid's network and open up access to a much wider supply chain. No extra cost. No clunky workaround. Just better visibility on capacity, pricing, and compliance. We dig into: Why both Jake and Toby believe collaboration beats the all-in-one approachHow the integration helps solve one of the industry's biggest issues right now, capacityThe compliance and licensing piece, and how it protects builders from riskWhat this means for franchise builders, regional builders, and anyone trying to scaleWhy pushing sales away because trades are stretched is a real problem in 2026The case study opportunity we're putting on the table for any builder who wants to use both platformsThis is not a sponsored ad read. MyConstruct is a long-time supporter of The Good Builder, and we genuinely back what Jake and Toby are doing. If you're a builder feeling the squeeze on capacity, productivity, or supply chain, this episode is worth fifty minutes of your time. Sponsor mention: This episode is brought to you by MyConstruct, Australia's leading construction management software for residential builders. Get a 30 day trial at myconstruct.com. Also supported by Pay.com.au. Use the code GOOD20 when signing up to receive 20,000 bonus points. Head to pay.com.au/tgb for details Calling all builders: We're looking for one builder using MyConstruct and BuildGrid to feature in a full case study. Videos, interview, the lot. If that's you, get in touch through thegoodbuilder.com.au.

    35 min
  7. The Daily Dose #280 | Dan Urquhart on Seasons, Leadership & Why You Can't Build Alone

    28 APR

    The Daily Dose #280 | Dan Urquhart on Seasons, Leadership & Why You Can't Build Alone

    Dan Urquhart from 1000 Feet Deep is back on the podcast, and this one gets real. Az opens up about the season he's in right now...fired up, frustrated, and questioning where all the money in the industry is actually going. Dan meets him there with a calm, grounded conversation about how leaders move through hard seasons without losing themselves or their business in the process. This is a wide-ranging chat about leadership, team, culture, and the foundations that hold a building business together when the season shifts. Dan shares what he learned through COVID at GJ Gardner, why a strong mission gives you a backbone to measure problems against, and the three questions every leader should be asking themselves regularly: what do I need to drop off, what do I need to take up, and what do I need to move on from. It also gets personal. Both Dan and Az speak openly about the baggage leaders carry from past seasons, the cost of trying to do it all alone, and why surrounding yourself with the right people is the difference between weathering the next storm and getting caught out by it. In this episode: The seasons mindset and why leaders need to be present in the now while preparing for what's coming. The COVID lesson about success having weight, and why foundations are exposed when the pressure ramps up. Why mission, vision and core values are not corporate fluff but the anchor that lets you right-size every problem you face. Leadership, team and culture as the only three things you can actually control, and why everything else (reputation, consistency, finances, communication) is a byproduct. Why builders going to coach after coach are often trying to fix problems that started with weak leadership foundations. The personal side of leadership, the scars we carry into the next season, and why healing matters before the next chapter. Plus, Az floats a new idea: a living case study where The Good Builder backs one builder through the systems, leadership development and processes that we believe make a good builder. If that's you, get in touch. To learn more about Dan and 1000 Feet Deep, head to: https://www.1000feetdeep.com.au/ Sponsors This episode is brought to you by MyConstruct — construction management software built by builders, for builders. Fully customisable and locally owned. Start your 30-day free trial at myconstruct.com Also proudly supported by Pay.com.au — use promo code GOOD20 to unlock 20,000 bonus points. Head to pay.com.au/tgb for more.

    1hr 2min
  8. The Daily Dose #279 | Future-Proofing the Industry with Toby Loft from BuildGrid

    27 APR

    The Daily Dose #279 | Future-Proofing the Industry with Toby Loft from BuildGrid

    Productivity isn't a buzzword. It's the thing quietly costing builders more than they realise. In this episode, Az sits down with Toby Loft — co-founder of BuildGrid — for a wide-ranging conversation about what's actually holding the construction industry back, and what a smarter, more future-focused approach looks like. Toby has spent years inside the industry, including a long stint at Mitre 10, watching how builders, trades, and suppliers operate, where the friction lives, and what happens when procurement gets done properly. This episode covers: Why productivity — not labour or materials — is the construction industry's biggest problem right nowHow BuildGrid connects builders, trades, and suppliers in one place to cut duplication and reduce frictionWhy price isn't winning supply chain relationships — and what actually isThe real cost of an inactive job site, and how locking in procurement early protects your marginWhat future-proofing actually looks like for a custom home builder in 2025 and beyondHow a Brisbane custom home builder used technology to limit price rises to 10% when everyone else was copping 30–60%Why the apprenticeship crisis and the productivity crisis are connected — and what to do about itThe upcoming integration between BuildGrid and MyConstruct, and what it means for the industryBuildGrid is free for builders. If you're not using it, this episode will tell you why you should be. Sponsors This episode is brought to you by MyConstruct — construction management software built by builders, for builders. Fully customisable and locally owned. Start your 30-day free trial at myconstruct.com Also proudly supported by Pay.com.au — use promo code GOOD20 to unlock 20,000 bonus points. Head to pay.com.au/tgb for more.

    44 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
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About

This week in home building news! Catch up with Az and a colourful array of guests, to hear about who's killing it, who's innovating, and who's getting into strife in the world of new home construction.

Information

  • Creator
    The Good Builder
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    286
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Good Builder
  • Show Website
    The Good Builder Podcast

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