Groundwork: The Art & Craft of Utah Custom Homes

Building a custom home along Utah’s Wasatch Front is an extraordinary experience, but turning a vision from raw dirt into a legacy estate takes far more than just blueprints. It takes real groundwork. Welcome to Groundwork: The Art & Craft of Utah Custom Homes, the podcast that demystifies the entire custom homebuilding and residential development journey. Hosted by Pete Codella, chief marketing officer at Gordon Milar Construction, this series pulls back the curtain on high-end residential construction across Northern Utah. Whether you’re dreaming of building your first custom home, actively planning a mountainside build, exploring property and lot development, or working as an artisan trade professional passionate about the craft, this show is built for you. What You’ll Discover Inside Each Episode Custom homebuilding can often feel daunting, complex, and full of hidden surprises. In Groundwork, we replace guesswork with transparency, actionable insights, and master-level trade knowledge: * Site Selection & Complex Topography: Understand how heavy civil excavation, slope engineering, soil conditions, freeze-thaw frost lines, and lot grading protect your home's foundation and maximize panoramic Wasatch mountain views. * Architecture & Spatial Design: Learn how top architects, drafters, and interior designers translate a family’s lifestyle into functional floor plans, tailored spaces, and timeless aesthetics. * The Invisible Building Science: Explore the modern technology behind the sheetrock, from pre-drywall 3D digital-twin scanning and advanced framing to smart electrical routing and high-performance building envelopes. * Artisan Craftsmanship & Custom Finishes: Go behind the scenes with master woodworkers, stone masons, finish carpenters, and design innovators to discover the details that define true quiet luxury. * Value Engineering & Smart Planning: Learn proven strategies for navigating municipal permitting, establishing detailed specifications, making finish selections without stress, and keeping project budgets aligned. Decades of Real Wasatch Front Experience Rooted in over 50 years of Utah homebuilding history, Groundwork is built on the belief that enduring homes start with enduring relationships. Gordon Milar Construction has spent decades shaping Northern Utah’s residential landscape by collaborating hand in hand with the region’s finest subcontractors, artisan trades, engineers, and financial leaders. In each episode, host Pete Codella sits down with these very experts, the craftspeople, builders, designers, and project leaders who make Utah’s most impressive homes a reality. You'll hear firsthand stories, lessons learned from real job sites, practical building advice, and the essential questions every prospective homeowner should ask before breaking ground. From lot acquisition and foundation pours to four-way walkthroughs and the day you receive your keys, building a custom home should be an inspiring collaboration. Subscribe to Groundwork: The Art & Craft of Utah Custom Homes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and let’s dig in. Connect with us at gmilar.com or follow @GordonMilarConstruction.