Construction Hot Takes

Ascent Consulting
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Management
  • Updated Biweekly

Hosted by Adam Cooper, CEO of Ascent Consulting, alongside Senior Consultants Gregory Gorman and Jeff Robertson, Construction Hot Takes show dives into the gritty, unfiltered realities of building a profitable construction company. With nearly 100 years of combined experience, they’ve been there—from carrying gear on job sites to leading Ascent, a consulting powerhouse that exclusively serves construction companies across North America. Each episode is packed with insights, strategies, and insider knowledge from the industry’s top consulting firm for contractors. Discover what big national contractors know about growing a business, get actionable advice on boosting efficiency, and learn how to supercharge your project pipeline. Tune in, get inspired, and gain the knowledge to take your construction business to the next level.

  1. 5d ago

    Whose Fault Is a $25M Overrun, Estimating or Engineering?

    How do you lose $25 million on one job? By building exactly to the construction spec while a second engineering spec, signed off by your own leadership, sat unread until the systems were turned on. If you run design-build work, sit between an engineering department and an estimating department, or have ever assumed someone upstream read the owner's performance criteria, this is the failure that nobody catches on a walkthrough. In this episode, Adam Cooper walks through the job with Greg Gorman and Jeff Robertson, answers the comments it drew, including whether submittals should have caught it and whether the estimator deserves the blame, and gets into what it actually cost the people involved. Here is the TikTok video source for the comments: ‘$25M Spec Miss’: https://www.tiktok.com/@construction.hottakes/video/7657698121111129358  Build a business that runs without you: https://ascentconsults.com/build-it-better-ebook/ Chapters: 00:00 – Cold Open and Episode Introduction00:24 – The Specification Mistake That Cost $25 Million02:02 – How Did the Error Escape the Submittal Process?04:33 – Why Didn’t the Owner Catch It Earlier?05:47 – Was It Really the Estimator’s Fault? 5 Reasons Construction Projects Fail: https://blog.ascentconsults.com/5-reasons-construction-projects-fail For operational assessments and process review: https://ascentconsults.com/ops_assessment/ Adam Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcooper/ Greg Gorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-gorman-hern%C3%A1ndez-mba-115ba34/ Jeff Robertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrobertson72/ Check out all the Construction Hot Takes episodes on the Ascent website!: https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Follow Ascent Consulting on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsult Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/ Follow the Construction Hot Takes Podcast on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constructionhottakespodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@construction.hottakes #Construction #DesignBuild #ConstructionManagement

  2. Sep 4

    Will AI Replace Your Superintendent?

    Will AI replace the superintendent who won't use it? Not completely, but it could help your most experienced employees perform better and share their knowledge. A superintendent who knows how to build keeps the job. The one who also uses these tools gets better information can make the same calls sooner. If you run the field and have been told AI is coming for the trailer, or you are deciding whether to put these tools in front of your supers at all, the hosts do not agree with each other here and that is the useful part. In this episode, Greg Gorman, Adam Cooper, and Jeff Robertson work through this issue, sort out where the tools genuinely help when expert judgment does not transfer, and get into what happens to institutional knowledge as the most experienced people age out. Here is the LinkedIn video source for the comments: ‘AI and the Superintendent’: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7483899974649409536/ Build a business that runs without you: https://ascentconsults.com/build-it-better-ebook/ Chapters: 00:00 – Cold Open and Episode Introduction00:45 – Will AI-Savvy Superintendents Replace Those Who Aren’t?02:54 – Balancing Human Expertise and AI07:50 – Judgment, Paperwork, and Better Decisions11:39 – Agentic AI vs. Basic Automation Procore Isn't Broken, It's Just Not Built Around You Yet: https://blog.ascentconsults.com/procore-isnt-broken-its-just-not-built-around-you-yet For AI in construction, in firms with clean data and disciplined process: https://ascentconsults.com/ai-for-construction-companies/ Greg Gorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-gorman-hern%C3%A1ndez-mba-115ba34/ Adam Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcooper/ Jeff Robertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrobertson72/ Check out all the Construction Hot Takes episodes on the Ascent website!: https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Follow Ascent Consulting on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsult Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/ Follow the Construction Hot Takes Podcast on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constructionhottakespodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@construction.hottakes #Construction #AIinConstruction #Superintendents

  3. Aug 27

    Job Costing Fundamentals: Are You Actually Making Money on Each Job?

    You can feel the money moving. You can't tell if any single job is making it. In this episode, Greg Gorman breaks down job cost management and why hidden jobs that quietly bleed can still occur in a profitable company. Plus the three fundamentals that make job costing work and why you can still save a job at 40 to 50 percent complete (but rarely at 75). Chapters:00:00 - Why job cost management is a top priority02:13 - How does company profit hide a bleeding job?03:45 - What actually counts as a job cost?09:54 - The three fundamentals of job costing15:51 - How do you catch profit fade in time?19:42 - Why acting at 40-50% beats a locked-in loss For fractional CFO support: https://ascentconsults.com/fractional-cfo/The operator's playbook for scaling construction: https://ascentconsults.com/build-it-better-ebook/ Greg Gorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-gorman-mba-115ba34/ Check out all the Construction Hot Takes episodes on the Ascent website! https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Follow Ascent Consulting on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsultInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/ Follow the Construction Hot Takes Podcast on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constructionhottakespodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@construction.hottakes#Construction #JobCosting #ConstructionFinance

  4. Aug 13

    Your Data is All There. Why Can't You See It in One Place?

    In this episode, Adam Cooper and Jeff Robertson break down how contractors go from siloed systems to one source of truth for their data, why Procore is built for projects (not company management), and the three ways to actually connect your stack. Including: Off-the-shelf connectors, custom middleware, and a data lake, plus where AI is heading over the next 12 to 24 months. Chapters:00:00 - The 300-job treasure hunt03:35 - Why don't your systems talk to each other?05:54 - What is a data lake, really?08:03 - Connectors vs. custom middleware16:08 - Where is AI taking system integration?19:33 - How contractors end up with a messy tech stack See if your data's ready for AI: https://ascentconsults.com/get-your-ai-score-cardA helping hand with AI in construction: https://ascentconsults.com/ai-for-construction-companies/ Adam Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcooper/Jeff Robertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrobertson72/ Check out all the Construction Hot Takes episodes on the Ascent website! https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Follow Ascent Consulting on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsultInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/ Follow the Construction Hot Takes Podcast on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constructionhottakespodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@construction.hottakesThis week, try to build one company-level view of your active jobs. Where it breaks is where your systems aren't connected.#Construction #ConstructionTech #ConstructionAI

  5. Aug 6

    Do We Even Need General Contractors? Reacting to Your Construction Hot Takes

    Holding your hot takes to the fire in this episode, Adam Cooper, Jeff Robertson, and Greg Gorman take on what our audience actually posted: Do we even need general contractors? Does safety paperwork do anything? Does one platform really fix the chaos? Plus the E-Myth, GCs with skin in the game, one big job versus ten small ones, and whether LEED earns its cost. Chapters:00:00 - We went ‘viral’ on TikTok01:18 - Should you pay yourself first?03:57 - Do we even need general contractors?12:39 - Does safety paperwork actually do anything?19:28 - How do GCs lose money on a bid?25:41 - Can you really force a jobsite to be safe?31:17 - One platform for everything, and is LEED worth it? For operational design and process help: https://ascentconsults.com/operational-design/The operator's playbook for scaling construction: https://ascentconsults.com/build-it-better-ebook/ Adam Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcooper/Jeff Robertson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrobertson72/Greg Gorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-gorman-mba-115ba34/ Check out all the Construction Hot Takes episodes on the Ascent website! https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Follow Ascent Consulting on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsultInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/ Follow the Construction Hot Takes Podcast on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constructionhottakespodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@construction.hottakesDrop the take you disagree with in the comments. The sharpest ones become a future mailbag episode.#Construction #GeneralContractor #ConstructionManagement

  6. Jul 30

    CFO vs. Controller: Which Does Your Business Actually Need?

    In this episode, Greg Gorman and Jeff Robertson breaks down the key differences between a CFO and a Controller, why so many growing construction companies hire without clear expectations, and how defining the right role can lead to better financial decisions and long-term growth. Chapters:00:00 - Pre-Show Banter & Studio Setup01:50 - Trending LinkedIn Discussion05:43 - CFO vs. Controller Roles Defined10:03 - Financial Strategy & Risk Management17:27 - Audience Insights & LinkedIn Feedback Check out our whole catalog of Construction Hot Takes episodes on our website! https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Interested in learning how Ascent's consulting services could potentially help improve your business's operations? 📈Click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation with one of our expert construction consultants: https://info.ascentconsults.com/meetings/acooper/30-minute-performance-consultation Follow Ascent Consulting on social media! 🤳 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsult/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/X: https://x.com/ascentconsults/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel for alerts on our new episodes! https://www.youtube.com/@constructionhottakes

  7. Jul 23

    Don't rely on AI to fix this part of your business. It makes it WORSE.

    In this episode, Jeff Robertson and Adam Cooper uncover why adding more software and even AI won't solve your biggest operational problems. If your systems don't communicate, your data is scattered, and your team is stuck entering the same information multiple times. Learn why integration matters, what AI can and can't do, and how Ascent Consulting helps construction companies evaluate, simplify, and integrate your technology stack to improve efficiency and support long-term growth. Chapters:00:00 - Introduction and Studio Set Discussion00:17 - The Problem with Fragmented Tech Stacks02:57 - Client Case Study & Custom Middleware Solutions13:51 - Automation vs. Artificial Intelligence (AI)24:33 - The Future of APIs, AI Agents, and Outro Check out our whole catalog of Construction Hot Takes episodes on our website! https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Interested in learning how Ascent's consulting services could potentially help improve your business's operations? 📈Click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation with one of our expert construction consultants: https://info.ascentconsults.com/meetings/acooper/30-minute-performance-consultation Follow Ascent Consulting on social media! 🤳 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsult/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/X: https://x.com/ascentconsults/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel for alerts on our new episodes! https://www.youtube.com/@constructionhottakes

  8. Jul 16

    Why Most ERP Implementations Fail Before They Begin

    In this episode, Greg Gorman, Jeff Robertson, and Adam Cooper get into why companies change their ERP's and why the "why" has to come before the "what." Is the need to change stemming from reporting you can't get, systems that don't talk, functionality you're faking with manual work?  Plus, the real reasons behind a new ERP, questions to settle before you sit through a single demo, and why no system can handle it all. Chapters: 00:05 - Introducing ERPs in Construction02:30 - Common Motivations for ERP Migration04:40 - The Importance of "Why" Over "What"14:20 - Best Practices for Evaluating a Transition18:24 - The Myth of the All-In-One System Check out our whole catalog of Construction Hot Takes episodes on our website! https://ascentconsults.com/construction-hot-takes-podcast/ Interested in learning how Ascent's consulting services could potentially help improve your business's operations? 📈Click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation with one of our expert construction consultants: https://info.ascentconsults.com/meetings/acooper/30-minute-performance-consultation Follow Ascent Consulting on social media! 🤳 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ascent-consulting-inc-/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ascentconsult/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascentconsults/X: https://x.com/ascentconsults/ Subscribe to our YouTube channel for alerts on our new episodes! https://www.youtube.com/@constructionhottakes

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About

Hosted by Adam Cooper, CEO of Ascent Consulting, alongside Senior Consultants Gregory Gorman and Jeff Robertson, Construction Hot Takes show dives into the gritty, unfiltered realities of building a profitable construction company. With nearly 100 years of combined experience, they’ve been there—from carrying gear on job sites to leading Ascent, a consulting powerhouse that exclusively serves construction companies across North America. Each episode is packed with insights, strategies, and insider knowledge from the industry’s top consulting firm for contractors. Discover what big national contractors know about growing a business, get actionable advice on boosting efficiency, and learn how to supercharge your project pipeline. Tune in, get inspired, and gain the knowledge to take your construction business to the next level.

Information

  • Creator
    Ascent Consulting
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    62
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ascent Consulting

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