The Build Show Podcast

Matt does a deep dive into foundations and why one foundation might be a better choice than another, depending on your location.Many foundation styles came about because of frost-line differences. Northern builders might have a 3-foot frost line, which means it's necessary to dig below the frost line to avoid freeze-to-thaw issues in the wintertime. In other parts of the country, there might be a 1-foot frost line so a crawlspace makes the most sense. Finally, in the South and parts of the country with almost no freeze-to-thaw issues, slab on grade works great with a foundation embedded 12 - 18 inches into the existing soil. Matt considers how a foundation should be done when keeping ducts inside the conditioned space of a home. He focuses on crawlspaces versus slab on grade, with an emphasis on HVAC systems inside the conditioned envelope.

This week, Matt goes solo to highlight five common construction mistakes made by Texas builders and offers practical solutions to improve building quality.

In this episode, Lydia Crowder discusses the importance of proper framing and climate control in achieving flawless drywall results, emphasizing the need for high-quality construction practices.

Matt teams up with master plumber Eric Aune, aka @mechanicalhub, to explore the “art” of value engineering plumbing systems. They dive right into cost-effective strategies that don’t compromise quality. Whether you’re a builder, plumber, or homeowner, this episode offers actionable advice on creating efficient, reliable plumbing systems. Don’t miss this engaging discussion with two industry pros.

Matt discusses the pros and cons of fixed-price and cost-plus construction contracts with guest Jeremy Martin, co-owner of Risher Martin, a leading custom homebuilder in Austin. Jeremy shares his firm’s unique approach to fixed-price contracts, emphasizing rigorous pre-construction planning and detailed specifications to ensure predictable budgets and schedules. This method fosters trust and minimizes change orders by clearly defining project scopes, materials, and allowances upfront.