Podcasts

Join us as we unravel the hidden power of landscaping, going beyond aesthetics, to reveal its profound impact on your home. Get ready to learn from horticulturalist Kyle Cahill and our experts as they guide you towards holistic landscaping strategies that preserve nature, prevent foundation issues, and optimize water consumption for a greener and more efficient home.

Discover the hidden secrets beneath your feet! Dive into the world of flooring with Curtis Lawson and Toner Kersting as they unveil the often underestimated factors that can make or break your home’s foundation. From design influence to installation success, this blog post will equip you with the knowledge to make informed flooring choices and elevate your home’s performance.

Beat the heat with our insightful conversation on HVAC performance and installation issues. Join Curtis Lawson, Toner Kersting, and HVAC expert Lee Kurtas as we debunk myths, tackle system woes, and share valuable tips for a smoothly running HVAC setup. Don’t miss out on this educational exchange that ensures you keep your cool indoors this summer!

Discover the unexpected solution to slashing your electricity bill in Texas – tune in as Curtis Lawson and Mike England from Energy Ogre unveil how they’ve saved customers nearly $250 million by navigating the energy market intricacies. Learn how this revolutionary service takes the guesswork out of choosing the best electricity plan and supports the elderly and economically disadvantaged communities.

Dive into a compelling new episode of the Your Project Shepherd Construction Podcast where tradition meets innovation! Join Curtis Lawson, Toner Kersting, Bradly Hirdes, and Jeff Ehrich as they unravel the transformative power of alternative wall assemblies, spotlighting ICF and 3D printing. Discover how these cutting-edge methods elevate energy efficiency, resilience, and cost-effectiveness in construction.

Discover the untold truth about home inspections in the construction industry on the Your Project Shepherd Construction Podcast! Join Curtis Lawson, Toner Kersting, and special guest Gordon Fox as they debunk misconceptions, shed light on crucial inspections, and equip you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about your biggest investment. Don’t miss this engaging conversation promoting a collaborative approach for successful home building!

Discover invaluable insights on preventing building performance failures and roofing expertise from Robert Coreale, President & Owner of Tile Roofs of Texas, in our captivating NEW PODCAST EPISODE with hosts Curtis Lawson of Shepherd Construction Advisors and Toner Kersting of TONER Home Matters.

Uncover the truth behind structural deficiencies attributed to misapplication, not the foam itself, as we debunk misinformation in the foam industry and emphasize the importance of considering complexities in existing homes. Our experts, Toner and Shadrick, share real-life stories of assessing projects gone awry, highlighting the significance of choosing the right spray foam company for your home’s health and functionality. Don’t miss this eye-opening discussion that will empower you with valuable insights for your custom home aspirations.

Discover the future of architectural design trends as we dive deep into multifunctional spaces and innovative designs with industry pioneers on the Your Project Shepherd Podcast. Gain invaluable insights and inspiration from Brinn Miracle, Bryce Conner, and David Cox as they share their expertise on how to create a home that perfectly reflects your unique vision and aspirations. Tune in now and embark on your journey towards a successful custom home build project!

In this episode of the Your Project Shepherd Podcast, Rhondalyn Riley, a Water Intrusion Specialist, joins us to shed light on the potential risks of exterior wall claddings and the importance of preventative measures. We discuss common issues with stucco and masonry, highlighting the significance of third-party inspections and proper maintenance to avoid building performance failures. Discover the importance of strong relationships with subcontractors, the role of third-party inspectors, and the power of education in ensuring well-built homes and satisfied customers.

In this episode of the Your Project Shepherd Podcast, Rhondalyn Riley, a Water Intrusion Specialist, joins us to shed light on the potential risks of exterior wall claddings and the importance of preventative measures. We discuss common issues with stucco and masonry, highlighting the significance of third-party inspections and proper maintenance to avoid building performance failures. Discover the importance of strong relationships with subcontractors, the role of third-party inspectors, and the power of education in ensuring well-built homes and satisfied customers.

Unveil the hidden truth behind building performance failures with host Curtis Lawson and Building Performance and Energy Efficiency Expert, Toner Kersting. Explore the pivotal role of the building envelope, discover the consequences of shortcuts, and empower yourself with the knowledge to turn your custom home aspirations into a reality, ensuring functionality and confidence in every decision you make.

Discover the incredible potential of your garage space with Aaron Cash, Co-Founder & President of Garage Living, on the latest episode of Your Project Shepherd Podcast. From car lifts and epoxy floors to wall storage systems and garage cabinets, Garage Living specializes in transforming garages into functional and stylish spaces, reducing stress and improving organization. Don’t miss out on the insights and tips shared by Aaron and Curtis to make informed decisions and achieve your dream garage!

Tune in now!

Discover the critical role of design and engineering coordination in avoiding construction failures. Join host Curtis Lawson, co-host Toner Kersting, and guests Greg Swedberg and Matt Gray as they share real-life stories and valuable insights on effective communication and collaboration for successful project execution. Don’t miss out on learning how to strengthen your workflow and processes to ensure project success!

Discover the incredible potential of your garage space with Aaron Cash, Co-Founder & President of Garage Living, on the latest episode of Your Project Shepherd Podcast. From car lifts and epoxy floors to wall storage systems and garage cabinets, Garage Living specializes in transforming garages into functional and stylish spaces, reducing stress and improving organization. Don’t miss out on the insights and tips shared by Aaron and Curtis to make informed decisions and achieve your dream garage!

Tune in now!

In the final episode of Season 2 of the Year Project Shepherd Podcast, Curtis reflects on the highlights of the season, where the focus was on the theme “What does it cost?” Through a range of discussions, the importance of defining a budget and effectively communicating it to the team was emphasized, as Curtis shares some key takeaways, including the danger of forcing a project beyond its budget and recognizing the sunk cost fallacy. Tune in to hear his expert advice on the best pre-construction workflow for custom home build projects.

Join us for an insightful discussion with Earl, the Zen Builder, as we explore the emotional impact of construction projects and the importance of trust and having an owner’s representative in custom home construction and high-end remodels. Discover the challenges homeowners and builders face and learn about why it is important to have an advocate for you on your project.

Join Curtis Lawson and his team of experts on Your Project Shepherd Construction podcast as they discuss the costs of solar panels and battery storage, the pitfalls of buying solar systems from social media ads, the benefits of removing the economic burden, and the most consistent renewable energy option for homeowners. Learn from these experts how to make informed decisions for your home!

Understanding how to work with historic homes and the costs associated with these types of projects is the main topic of today’s epidosde with Architect Kevin Dahlstrand and Toner Kersting. Their wealth of experience and expertise is shared on this episode, as well as their valuable insights on approaching historic home remodeling in a cost-efficient and respectful manner. From embracing the history of the structure to assembling the right team and proper planning, these three experts provide their advice for homeowners, contractors, and anyone interested in historic homes.

“Trust but verify” is the mantra in the construction industry, and in this episode of our podcast, host Curtis Lawson is joined by industry experts Rhondalyn Riley and Reece Scott to discuss the crucial role of third-party inspections in ensuring successful home builds. From evaluating building materials and applications to verifying compliance with building codes and standards, Rhondalyn and Reece share their experience and insights on the costs, benefits, and best practices of incorporating third-party inspections into the construction process. Don’t miss out on this valuable episode that can help you navigate the complexities of home building and learn from the insights of industry experts. Tune in now and trust but verify for a successful home build!

In this episode of Your Project Shepherd, host Curtis Lawson is joined by Karalynn Cromeens (The Cromeens Law Firm) to discuss the costs of litigation, mediation, arbitration, and how to navigate issues that can lead to construction disputes. Karalynn, with her expertise in the construction industry, shares valuable insights on how to avoid expensive problems on your custom home build project. Don’t let construction disputes take a toll on your emotions, time, and wallet.

Join us for a conversation between Curtis Lawson and Elliott Owen, Business Development Manager at Hogue Landscape Services, as they delve into the world of landscaping costs and design. Discover the secrets to successful budgeting for landscaping, as part of the overall project budget, and learn why involving a landscape designer early on in the project can save you money in the long run. Gain valuable insights on cost drivers, trending features, and tips for creating a cohesive and stunning home design.
Don’t miss out on this educational podcast – tune in now!

Erich Kleine and Curtis Lawson continue their Home Maintenance discussion and go into the fall and winter months and the checklists.
Don’t miss out on the remainder of their two-episode conversation and their expert insights into how to keep your home in excellent condition!

Discover the cost-saving tips for home maintenance with Erich Kleine and Curtis Lawson. Learn about the Spring/Summer checklists and compare retail, DIY, and professional service costs. Tune in now for must-do tips to keep your home performing at its best!

Jay R. Shimpf (Founder & CEO of Authenticus Inc) joins Curtis on this episode to discuss the importance of visual clarity in home building. They talk about using 2D and 3D modeling services before building and the ability to see and walk through a projected plan in the Authenticus studio, at the current job site under construction, or at the future job site.
Jay emphasizes how this is critical to ensure that customers are able to authenticate what they are thinking and what is being designed and built. Learn how you can save money in the long run with proper planning and visualization before starting your home build.

In this episode of the Your Project Shepherd Construction Podcast, host Curtis Lawson is joined by Architect Danny Rigg to discuss the costs of designing and building projects. They talk about how to find the right architect and how investing in good design can save you money in the long run. The conversation centers around understanding how architects arrive at fees and what drives their costs, and how a comprehensive and holistic design solution is an asset for success. Listeners will gain insights into the process behind creating successful and cost-effective projects.

Subscribe to our channel to continue learning from industry experts and to ensure you are well-informed before starting your project.

In this episode of the Your Project Shepherd Construction Podcast, host Curtis Lawson is joined by Architect Danny Rigg to discuss the costs of designing and building projects. They talk about how to find the right architect and how investing in good design can save you money in the long run. The conversation centers around understanding how architects arrive at fees and what drives their costs, and how a comprehensive and holistic design solution is an asset for success. Listeners will gain insights into the process behind creating successful and cost-effective projects.

Subscribe to our channel to continue learning from industry experts and to ensure you are well-informed before starting your project.

Two builders and an architect get into the costs for custom home renovations and additions. Jeremy McFarland and Matt Sneller chat with Curtis Lawson about how to arrive at a realistic budget, the overlooked hidden costs in whole-home renovations, cost drivers, and how you, the client, should move forward with choosing the right team for your project.

Two builders and an architect get into the costs for custom home renovations and additions. Jeremy McFarland and Matt Sneller chat with Curtis Lawson about how to arrive at a realistic budget, the overlooked hidden costs in whole-home renovations, cost drivers, and how you, the client, should move forward with choosing the right team for your project.

Two builders and an architect get into the costs for custom home renovations and additions. Jeremy McFarland and Matt Sneller chat with Curtis Lawson about how to arrive at a realistic budget, the overlooked hidden costs in whole-home renovations, cost drivers, and how you, the client, should move forward with choosing the right team for your project.

Two builders and an architect get into the costs for custom home renovations and additions. Jeremy McFarland and Matt Sneller chat with Curtis Lawson about how to arrive at a realistic budget, the overlooked hidden costs in whole-home renovations, cost drivers, and how you, the client, should move forward with choosing the right team for your project.

Two builders and an architect get into the costs for custom home renovations and additions. Jeremy McFarland and Matt Sneller chat with Curtis Lawson about how to arrive at a realistic budget, the overlooked hidden costs in whole-home renovations, cost drivers, and how you, the client, should move forward with choosing the right team for your project.

We dive into the topic of WHAT DOES IT COST to build a custom home build or a custom home remodel.
Joining Curtis Lawson to kick off this first episode of Season 2 is Owner of ALBARRAN | Architecture + Construction, Franco Albarran. Tune in to learn a little more about the custom home build process and the costs that drive the architecture part of the project and gain insight into what to expect.

Toner and Curtis discuss their favorite episodes, what they think are the big take-aways, and dive into the questions from our followers and friends, and give their feedback and answers. Whether you are a home owner, a contractor, an architect, a builder, a designer, these episodes are all aimed at going into what truly goes into a custom home build and having your foundation, team, communication, and proper execution.

We hope that if you have not tuned in before this episode, that you go back and check out our previous episodes, in order, so that you may learn more about what goes into the custom home building process and how to avoid common mistakes.

Although they have their owner’s representative to guide them now, the consequences of prior mistakes cost Brian and Heather a lot of money, once again!

Joining us to discuss a very important aspect of the construction process is Insurance Broker, Tye Justice, of Hotchkiss Insurance. Insurance should be part of the planning process and supports execution of a project as the long term protection plan for everyone. Tye and Curtis get into the details of residential construction insurance, home owner’s insurance, builder’s risk, types of coverages, liability and more.

Joining Curtis on the podcast this week is Erich Kleine, co-founder of Goodsmith Home Care and Repair. They talk about the oversights by new home owners that may very well void their warranties, and simple things which seem to be unimportant, but may become huge problems if not remedied.

Tune in to find out what happens and how to ensure that you properly maintain your home.

We talk with Owner / Partner of Alair Homes Houston, Chris Bolio, about building here in the Gulf region, builders warranties, having a strong relationship with your client and trade partners, focusing on the clients’ experience, and much more.

Steven and Curtis chat to educate consumers on the importance of looking at their home as an ecosystem: one that works together symbiotically to create a healthy, durable, and efficient structure.  They discuss punch lists, why it is important to have a good process, utilizing a construction management software, and how to achieve successful results, without voiding warranties.

With the new addition to the family, Heather and Brian are even busier than before and it would be nice for the project stress to lessen. Unfortunately, more issues arise with the build and it is causing strain. The designer connects the couple with their true guide and shepherd in hopes he can turn the project around.
Will they hire the owner’s representative? Will they pull through to finish this project?

Tune in to find out!

We speak with architect, Bradly Hirdes, of H Office of Design + Construction (HOOD/C) regarding the problems on this project, the complexity of building in today’s times, the team approach, and innovative house technologies that are coming into the building industry. We hope you join us again to learn more about the custom build process.

Shannon Vestal, of Steve Shannon Design, is featured on today’s podcast release to help us educate you on how an interior designer may support you in achieving a great outcome with your custom home build, and why they should be brought in early in the project.

Although Brian and Heather’s home-build is showing apparent progress, they are feeling loads of stress from the mistakes that keep surfacing on the project. The problems on site are not only becoming costly, but dangerous for the family now.

The home is a living organism and for it to function properly, there is a lot more than just following plans, to have a successful project. Toner and Curtis discuss building performance and the consequences of short-cuts which are commonly done because builders and home-owners are making cost-cutting decisions without discussing the implications of those choices on functionality of the home.

Brian and Heather start recognizing that their builder isn’t as experienced as they hoped he would be, and it is becoming a big problem for their project. There have been some pretty big oversights in regard to design and engineering plans and materials choices. Furthermore, their cost-plus contract is turning out to be not only bad for them, but also for the builder – costing big bucks for all. Will they be able to get through this project?

We talk with Karl Breckon, CEO of BEC Engineers and Consultants, LLC, about many of the issues with the young couple’s home, and how their builder’s poor decisions on cutting quality, are causing more trouble than necessary. Getting the engineer involved from the start is key, as they play an essential role in designing and implementing complicated building plans, and ensuring the home is going to be structurally sound. Finding a good builder, choosing the quality materials, and taking a team approach are all vital to a successful outcome.

The builder that Brian and Heather have contracted pulled a free contract template off the internet and they all signed quickly before having it reviewed by a lawyer. How do you think this will pan out for all parties involved?

Our story characters, Brian and Heather, have made yet another wrong turn in their adventure with their “false” guides who simply are not knowledgeable enough in the Custom home build process. They face problems with the bank for unknowingly violating the terms of their agreement and possible foreclosure – they are defeated it seems!

We talk with Jamie Wolf of First United Mortgage Group to discuss what you must be aware of before starting to finance your custom home build. We delve into the wrong choices the couple has made and the right way to approach a project, with awareness of floating two mortgages, the type of loans you will require, the importance of full disclosure to your lender, and other key factors. Tune in to learn about construction lending and get the right guidance.We speak with owner of Sneller Custom Homes, Matt Sneller, about the factors to consider when choosing a builder, the importance of having a project development process in place, and how essential it is for all the key players to be involved from the start. We unpack all of the couple’s choices in our story and the problems that transpired as a result. Selecting a builder is not simply about selecting the builder that gives you the “best” rate with a free estimate. It is about finding a builder that has earned your trust and acts as an advocate for you, to achieve the best possible outcome within the scope of a well-planned budget.

We aimed to create fictional characters in our story based on our “train wreck” project, to highlight how a custom home build project can go south, real quick, if the people involved are not all communicating efficiently with one another, as process and building the right team are key to a successful project.

Curtis clears the air about any possible misrepresentation of design professionals that may have been spoken about, in previous or future episodes, that may seem to illustrate their roles, rather than their level of expertise, as the negative aspect in our story.

Thanks for tuning in once again!

Now that Brian and Heather have their future home designs they move forward with choosing a builder for their project. Rather than choosing someone based on custom home expertise, they focus on finding someone that provided a free estimate and the lowest bid. Will things improve for them or will they be stuck with another costly consequence on their hands?
We speak with owner of Sneller Custom Homes, Matt Sneller, about the factors to consider when choosing a builder, the importance of having a project development process in place, and how essential it is for all the key players to be involved from the start. We unpack all of the couple’s choices in our story and the problems that transpired as a result. Selecting a builder is not simply about selecting the builder that gives you the “best” rate with a free estimate. It is about finding a builder that has earned your trust and acts as an advocate for you, to achieve the best possible outcome within the scope of a well-planned budget.

In our ongoing story, Brian and Heather are starting to face the harsh reality that their decision with buying online plans, which were not designed for their lot, is costing them a huge chunk of their savings. They now have the option of either selling the home they purchased and giving up, or hiring an architect to redesign the plans and move forward with their increasingly expensive home build. The couple realizes they need guidance.

Joining Curtis are Garrett Delano and Bryson White, of Arc Three Studio, to discuss some of the situations this couple is facing and what really goes into the planning process of a custom home-build. They explain how to go about getting plans for your lot, who to bring on board at the start of the project, and how to communicate effectively so that everyone has a clear vision of what the project will entail.

Heather struggles to get permits and sort out the issues without proper guidance. The couple becomes increasingly frustrated with the obstacles and wonder if maybe they are in over their heads.
Curtis and Jeremy discuss the importance of building your team right from the beginning of the project. Getting a team assembled to coordinate all the elements is key to having a successful project because it is a collaborative process that requires proper planning.