144 - Tips for Young Builders with Tim Hill – Risinger Build
What does it really take to grow as a young builder today? Jake and Steve bring in Risinger Build’s Managing Partner, Tim Hill, for a fast-paced, experience-packed conversation full of practical advice for builders looking to level up their craft, business, and mindset.Jake and Steve give Pete the boot for this one—and for good reason. Tim joins them to share real-world insights on everything from building capital and managing budgets to client communication, niche-building, and avoiding the projects that drain your time and sanity. Across the episode, there are a “baker’s dozen” takeaways that every young builder needs to hear:Build capital each year.Have honest, direct conversations about budgets.Meet clients in person for budget discussions instead of relying on email.Remember that builder or not, you’re in the customer service business.Cost projects accurately, not optimistically.Use the job you’re on to improve the next one.Market your own work and own your story.Don’t take projects just because you feel you have to.Show clients the cool things happening on-site every day—they care more than you think.Think and act like a building professional, not just a carpenter.Trust your gut and say no to the wrong projects or clients.Find your niche instead of trying to be everything to everybody.Don’t let your business consume your entire life.A ton of wisdom in a single episode—and a must-listen for builders on the rise.
A deep dive into cathedral roof design and insulation strategy. The team compares solid-sawn rafters vs. scissor trusses, smart vapor retarders vs. poly, and discusses optimal roof pitches. You’ll learn when to vent from the topside, from below, or go unvented entirely—and why those choices matter.In the last 10 minutes, the crew unpacks one of building science’s trickiest topics: 6-sided containment of air-permeable insulation—and how it impacts attic R-values and energy performance. PETE'S RESOURCES:1. GBA "Five Cathedral Ceilings That Work:"2. BSD-149: Unvented Roof Assemblies for All Climates3. "Convection in Loose-Fill Attic Insulation - Measurements and Numerical Simulations"
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142 - Sage Advice for Young Architects
Seriously? These 3 clowns are sages? The discussion includes how to select the "right” school. How much should a school include building science compared to learning it on the job? And what about even just the 4 control layers? And all three of us stand squarely with Steve: if you want to design buildings, get out on the job site first, second, and last over the course of your prep and your years on the job. And then take what you learn at the site to improve the information transfer you accomplish with your drawings!PETE'S RESOURCES:The architecture school Steve went toPete taught for Keene State in building science (briefly)ACSA (Assoc of Collegiate Schools of Architecture): cool resource including a Quiz that leads you to schools that reflect what you want out of your architecture educationNICHE Building Science and Technology Graduate Programs in AmericaBuildingScience Newsletter: sign up by scrolling to the very bottom of their home page
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141- BUILDING SCIENCE NAIVETE? You heard it here first!
All of us in the industry have projects--likely early in our careers--that we just either cringe about or wonder how the heck we got away with that one? The boys wax nostalgic about stories of their naivety over the years, turning them into valuable lessons learned. Actual building topics include spray foam, sill sealer, combining blower door & IR imaging, slab-on-grade insulation, and rainscreens. PETE'S RESOURCES:"Foam-In-Place Insulation: 7 Tips for Getting Injection and Spray Foam Right:""Sources of Household Moisture" (GBA blog)
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140 - Window Installation: Can We Do Better?
Installing windows is getting more, not less, complicated. Pete lobbies for a different, more durable, and simpler gasket installation of windows. Steve and Jake weigh in with their insights and challenges to what Pete is up to. And a bonus: with Steve and Jake's help, Pete creates a new word: "Poninions" (Pete crashed the words opinions and positions, and his "friends" just could not let it slide).PETE'S RESOURCES:- Pella Steady Set: https://www.pella.com/professionals/steady-set/- Build Show LIVE 2024 Austin, TX: "Why I am a Wingnut: Real World Testing of Building Materials Including Windows & Their Installation:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGLbHItOH-Q- BSI-004: Drainage, Holes and Moderation - https://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-004-drainage-holes-and-moderationwww.santa-fe-products.com/
THE GOOD news: our homebuilding industry is jam-packed with new materials, new techniques, and new systems, and it’s so easy to get information online in an instant. THE BAD news: How do we know what we can trust, what will work, and under what conditions? Where do we turn to separate the spin-and-hype from the true-and-square? We’ve got you covered! The UnBuild It Podcast is an industry-leading opportunity to get good information. UnBuild It podcast is a three-member team – Peter Yost, Building Scientist; Jake Bruton, Builder, and Remodeler; and Steven Baczek, Architect. We are nationally recognized industry leaders: Jake as a homebuilder, Steve as an architect, and Peter as a building scientist. You can find us at leading homebuilding industry events, in top-notch publications, and online media outlets. We believe that solid industry-related information has four key ingredients;RELEVANCE: You need insight on your job site. Jake, Steve, and Peter are in the field regularly doing what we strive to do. We walk the walk – then talk about the walk. We have worked together long enough to build on each other’s expertise and not take ourselves too seriously. We are among the best at taking what may seem like complicated concepts, breaking them down, and turning them into job-site-ready breakthroughs.ACCURACY: Jake is often quoted as saying, “Trust but Validate.” We don’t ask you to be the bleeding, leading edge; we develop trusted solutions based on our work in the field, pushing each other to practice what we preach. Our accuracy comes out of triangulation: building, design, and performance.UTILITY: We guarantee that each podcast episode will move you from all ears to all action. Our information is born from our work. We pride ourselves on delivering information you can use the same day you listen to an episode. CAMARADERIE: We work together because we love homebuilding, hitting the airwaves, and humor. We are not doing our job if you are not enjoying learning with us during each episode.
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