Construction Brothers Construction Brothers

Would you guess by the title that Tyler picked today’s topic? He’s got a new paddle. We’re all very excited.

In his extensive on-court experience, Tyler has learned that he plays better when he just doesn't beat himself up. His takeaway: When you’re excessively hard on yourself, you lose focus. When you just try to appreciate the experience and the opportunity to play, you play better.

Eddie refers to Max Homa’s post-Master’s interview. Homa said that he’d played gratefully that day. Tyler breaks down the number of people who let their heads get in the way and fell behind until they shifted their mindsets.

Don’t lose games because you’ve gotten in your own way. Check out the partners that make our show possible.

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00:00 - Introduction
It’s been a long day full of recording. Eddie starts out by hashing out an unsettled issue about crabs. He’s not a licensed crabberman. He pulled a Kramer and harvested without a permit. This sets Tyler off on some reflections about The Little Mermaid and lobster zombies. 

05:40 - Anyway, about family businesses…
Surely you’re still interested in advice from these guys. Eddie asks Tyler if he’d choose to join a family business even knowing what he knows about the challenges. For 20 years, Eddie has been working in the family business where he thought he wouldn’t stay for more than 2 years.

We discuss the day-to-day challenges that are unique to a family business. You’re working around people you know really well. That has its good parts and its bad parts. Eddie shares a bit about the dynamics of working under your father.

We touch on the hierarchy issues, and Tyler advises that you make a big-time conscious effort toward maintaining a sense of active respect. You’ll likely fail in this effort from time to time. When that does happen, work through it openly.

Be family first. Love each other first. Don’t let the business destroy your relationships.

14:40 - Pick some weeds
Eddie encourages family-business folks to pay attention to the little things that can grow into problems. Invest some effort in seeing where tensions might arise. Make room for your family co-workers to grow. Don’t insist that they work so hard that they’re unable to thrive in other aspects of their lives.

Tyler points out that it can be easy to misconstrue growth as greed–especially when some members of the family are progressing at a different pace in earnings or advancement. He also shares about the more natural tag-team dynamic that can become a healthy part of family business.

21:47 - The Podcast
Eddie and Tyler discuss the natural brotherly energy that fills the podcast but also filled their workspace when Tyler was in the detailing business. They discuss their dad’s role in developing them as not just steel detailers and businessmen but as fathers and husbands.

The bros address the topic of boundaries and family time. It’s important to be sure that work doesn’t flood over into birthday parties.

Tyler shares about the sense of reward and pride that comes with becoming better because of the work you do with your family. Eddie discusses the sense of comradery that helps everyone make it through the crappy times. He gives an example of how Dad is taking a laptop and heading off this weekend to be with Pop (Grandpa).

37:30: Pressure
Eddie addresses the disparities in expectations that can come with family connections. He also warns against nepotism. Tyler discusses his decision to stay in the building even when he broke off professionally to do his own thing.  

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The conversation that Tyler and Eddie refer to in this episode is part of Empower 2024, and you can register here: http://www.quickbase.com/empower24/constructionbros

Tyler’s concerned about his hair again, but he’s more concerned to let you know about an upcoming opportunity. Tyler and Eddie recently recorded an episode with Rob Coakley of Lithko Contracting on the topic of renting equipment vs. buying. 

We’ve all experienced the hunger to buy a new toy when a project justifies it, but Rob makes the argument that if you crunch all the numbers, you’ll likely realize that renting is a better way to go.

Check out the partners that make our show possible.

Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedIn

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - Introduction
We start out today with some small talk–or maybe short talk–about online meetings. We share our complicated experiences with meeting people in person after establishing relationships online or over the phone. We also share some speculations about how avatars may affect this in the future.

Then, of course, we express our affection for Bluey because… well, because he’s Bluey. Then things briefly take a dark turn as Tyler shares some of his own dog blues.

06:22 - Welcome, Ken 
Ken is Director of AEC Alliances and Solutions at Dell. In this role, he leads strategy related to the construction industry, geospatial industry, and some parts of the manufacturing industry.

Ken’s background is more in software than in hardware. He brings the voice of the industry into the engineering groups to help them understand how Dell’s towers, laptops, and rugged hardware are used by people in industry.

Ken shares about his work with drafting–from 2D AutoCAD to floor designs. He walks us through the path he followed into Revit design work and training and eventually consultant work. He worked as a BIM solution owner for Kone, a Finnish elevator company.

Eddie asks about Kone elevators, and Ken geeks out in a way that reveals his detailer/designer roots.  

13:28 - Tyler Goofs Up 
Tyler raises the painful story about one of his recent interactions with Ken. It had to do with a rugged laptop that Ken graciously shared for a video shoot. Tyler decided to get kind of Tyler-ish with it and… Let’s just say Tyler pushed it too far. The laptop handled an amazing array of challenges. Then Tyler saw the 40,000-pound boom lift.

Tyler talks through the numerous other tests he conducted with the rugged laptop. Ken glosses over his request for a replacement laptop.

18:51 - A Broad Update 
We ask Ken to bring us up-to-date on what’s going on in computer technology within the construction industry. He talks about the numerous demands on computers operating in the current landscape. He touches on the annual updates to internal hardware components. With a growing number of demanding software packages, these updates make noticeable differences.

We spend some time talking about AI integration and its effects on computer performance. This leads to a discussion about the NPU (neural processing unit) on Intel’s 14th-gen processors. Ken explains how this low-latency unit can help to conduct behind-the-scenes performance enhancements.

Tyler asks about reality capture and the use of AI with registration, stitching, and object classification. We get into some point-cloud talk and photogrammetry. Ken addresses the interplay among ISVs (independent software vendors) and computer companies. He also fesses up to using advanced features to make his house look clean during online meetings.

25:50 - Helping the Lost 
Eddie raises the concern that many people feel overwhelmed or lost when choosing hardware that can meet the demands of their software. He also asks about battery life. Ken shares some scenarios related to battery consumption as well as the heat mitigation that affects computer performance.

We discuss the need for computer down-time–proactive or reactive–that was needed while using early versions of Revit and other demanding software. Ken shares some early-career stories about workloads growing because his boss saw the cool things that he could do in design software.

32:42 - Processor Talk: Core vs. Xeon
Tyler asks Ken to explain the difference between Core processors and Xeon processors. Ken explains that a Xeon processor is like a bus or a train that can get you and all of your friends to your destination reliably...

This is repost details one of Eddie's best pieces of advice to date.

Eddie’s stealing this week’s insight from Micah Piippo (See episode 180).

That insight? Think ahead–way ahead. Plan long.

Dad said it too. Don’t just think about this week, this month, or this year. Plan out 20 years. Where do you want to be?

Tyler mentions how quickly you see time pass when you’re a parent. That’s part of the point, but not all of it.

Eddie points out how few people there are who can stick with a plan of action in order to achieve five-year goals. Tyler said he feels like he’s a bit too obsessed with the long term.

Stick with it. Think about the long game. Don’t just imagine the future; do what you can to plan for it.

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If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

This episode originally aired in 2023 and contains advice that has become increasingly relevant. 

00:56 - Introduction
Brent Wadas is an Army veteran who has also worked in finance and SaaS. In 2020, he and his two co-founders dove into construction automation with BotBuilt. He joins us today to talk about automated framing.

04:38 - BotBuilt Overview
Brent explains why he sometimes feels like a five-year-old. He and his co-founders found that most automated systems required almost complete uniformity. He explains The Panel Book that contains detailed breakdowns of components, designs, and costs.

He talks us through how they use industrial robot arms from eBay to building out wall-panel systems. (Watch a video of the process.)

The marked, labeled panels then simply need to be properly placed and nailed together.

The contractors working with BotBuilt can complete the framing for a single-family residence in 2.5-5 hours using the panels assembled in their facility.

Brent compares BotBuilt’s process to that of other automated-construction companies.

08:48 - Ikea-style Assembly
Eddie asks how BotBuilt lays out instructions for contractors to assemble their plans. Brent explains that the incredibly detailed plans they did for their first run-through ended up in the mud because the builder just wanted the simplest one-page overview plan.

Tyler asks for some more details about the computer programming. Brent talks about the math involved and the challenge of regional code variations.

Brent emphasizes that they can work up a schedule with just a PDF version of the plans. He talks about high school intern Joseph, whose fast work pace caught Brent off-guard.

18:26 - Growth, the Future, and Recruiting
Brent talks about how far things have come in the last couple years and how quickly things are going to change over the next five years. He talks about his company’s work with Y Combinator.

Eddie asks about the challenges of funding such an ambitious business. Brent talks through the way he and his co-founders process those decisions. This conversation includes some insights gained from buying and renovating fixer-uppers.

We find ourselves talking yet again about the challenges of getting the younger generations interested in pursuing construction jobs. Brent ties in some thoughts from his time in the military.

35:10 - What to Consider Before Automating
Tyler asks Brent to outline the things that owners, contractors–anyone–should consider before automating. Here are Brent’s thoughts:
-Reproducibility is the first thing to consider. If you’re looking at a process that repeats the same specs time after time, you might want to consider automation.
-Ask yourself, “Is there a problem here?” Don’t automate just because you see other people automating.
-Consider the personnel demands. Don’t set yourself up to pay the same people for the same number of hours just to solve a problem in a more complicated, new way.

45:00 - Safety and Legacy
We talk about work site safety, and Brent says that you’re 10x more likely to die framing a house than on the battlefield in Afghanistan. He said that 35 service members died every year at the height of the war. 350 people die every year framing houses according to OSHA. He shares how BotBuilt’s consistency, standards, and simplicity can make a dent in these numbers.

Tyler and Eddie discuss their experiences with safety practices (or the lack thereof) on their early-career worksites. Rarely if ever was there anyone designated to keep an eye on safety. We discuss how messed up...