Feed Me Your Construction Content

Bridging the Gap Between Design Concepts and Finished Homes

• Joshua & Carolyn McMahon • Season 3 • Episode 35

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What happens when your dream home design collides with the realities of construction? Find out as we unpack the intricate and often unpredictable design processes within the construction industry. Through Carolyn's firsthand experiences at a design center, we explore the push-pull between efficiency, cost, and customer satisfaction. From the intense, high-stakes selection timelines of production building to innovative web-based design catalogs and designer-curated packages, we discuss how various business structures, personnel, trades, and suppliers shape these processes. Get ready to discover practical insights on balancing speed and personalization to enhance the buyer's journey.

Ever wondered how design concepts seamlessly transition into brick-and-mortar reality? We tackle the critical handoff between design and production, sharing our trials, triumphs, and tips for success. Learn how bringing in a specialized interior designer early on can address critical items like cabinets and fireplaces, and how meticulous planning with reliable vendors prevents delays. Listen to stories of navigating change orders and customization challenges, ensuring robust communication and avoiding costly misunderstandings. Our aim? To offer strategies that streamline design-to-production transitions and boost customer satisfaction. Don't miss these invaluable lessons from the construction trenches!

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Carolyn can be found on LinkedIn at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-mcmahon-937b89158
Joshua can be found on LinkedIn at:
www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamcmahon15
Email for feedback, questions, complaints, etc:
mcmahonjoshua15@gmail.com

Daily Journal: https://amzn.to/41p9aKE

Speaker 1:

Oh, I love that, love that.

Speaker 2:

Hey y'all, Welcome back to another episode of Feed Me your Construction Content. I'm Carolyn McMahon.

Speaker 1:

I'm Joshua McMahon.

Speaker 2:

Nice to be back.

Speaker 1:

Great to be back. What is on the docket for tonight?

Speaker 2:

Design process.

Speaker 1:

Design process and there's no real set way on how you do this right. I think that's the reality that we have come to realize, as we were kind of discussing this before getting on the air.

Speaker 2:

Right, it's based on your business 100%.

Speaker 1:

It's based on your people in the business too. It's based on your trades, your suppliers, how you do things, and there's such varying different ways on how to do this, which goes back to there's no real one way to do it From the production side. I think it's fairly simple true production, right? You've got set selections. Some builders have a design center with design people, design managers, design individuals. You worked in that at one builder. Sure, and what was that process like?

Speaker 2:

It was intense.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it was intense. Because why was it so intense?

Speaker 2:

Well, because I mean they wanted you to do full selections in four hours and be done and um you know it's. It's interesting those builders that um use a survey company right, and there's a section about it on design.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, that's right.

Speaker 2:

And you know you, in a production builder, you do the design part so early in the process, prior to them even starting, which there is a beauty in that right, because then the budget is done, everything else behind the scenes is done, before they put one, you know know, shovel in the dirt yeah so, but people's feedback is that it was really hard to get done.

Speaker 2:

They felt pressure to make a decision. Um, yeah, we had pressure to get it all done and and still provide a good experience, because you are rushed I mean it is laughable saying provide a good experience.

Speaker 1:

How do you provide a good experience? Because, say, medium price of homes. When we built our first production home it was $425,000 home, which yeah, I know I hear you laughing in the background that's a starter home today.

Speaker 2:

Right, and that was eight years ago.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so now today it's $6's 700 000, so 700 000. You're racing through your design process. How? Intimate is that I can't wait to design my house with this builder. That is not to say there's anything wrong with it.

Speaker 2:

It's all about efficiency and speed right and you know, we, we, we did some know preview times where a customer could become a little acclimated. Yeah, preview night. Things have changed a little bit, you know, with technology. There's now, you know, design manager, so there's a catalog where it's web based. A buyer can see some selections you know in advance, to kind of get ready for the appointment.

Speaker 1:

So I do applaud you know those, those efforts. That's a huge impact. I mean we've got the ability to do it digitally where, before they even come in to see the specialist, you can go on there and look at it. You can see what your faucet is going to look like, your tile.

Speaker 2:

Right, so that that was real helpful and, as I was leaving that position, that was really you know they were really getting on board with that program. So that's great, and I would imagine that a lot of builders in our area use some sort of tool like that.

Speaker 1:

I'm sure. So I think there's a way that they're saying hey, we're still going to be quick because this is how we keep the price where it is. Because, let's not fool ourselves, the reason the price is what it is is because we have a certain number of people, hours to do certain tasks, and when we can do that, we can keep the price where it needs to be for the consumer right. So you might not have this great experience, but you do, relative to your budget.

Speaker 2:

Well, and if you can imagine a buyer actually remembering that like, hmm, you know, my experience wasn't great, but I'm okay with that because I understand the price of the house is X. I mean, that never happens, you're always. I mean.

Speaker 1:

Well, it doesn't happen because our buyers, our consumers, are not educated. We are not doing a good job educating the value that you're getting for the price and for the time. We're not doing a good job doing that. Are we getting?

Speaker 2:

for the price and for the time. We're not doing a good job doing that, are we? Well, I mean listen, I would love to hear someone's speech or how they would combat and talk about that.

Speaker 1:

I think you just come right out and say it. I think there are builders, national builders, who they're unapologetic about. This is what we build, this is who we are, this is who we are. This is what we build. And there are people who will say they build a crappy product, they don't take a lot of care in what they do, they don't take pride in what they do. They're still the number one builder in America. Folks, there's a reason they're number one in America in volume. They know what they do and they're unapologetic about it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah yeah, we went into a model of a national builder right. And all they did was packages.

Speaker 1:

Oh, packages, that's great. I'm glad you touched on that.

Speaker 2:

Now it's designer curated packages. That sounds really sexy. Oh, that's a nice buzzword. Yeah, that is sexy. Designer curated, sexy designer curated yeah, okay I like it, tell me more about this designer curation so you know, and even builders here are are moving towards that. You know there's a beauty in a, in a package to curate a product. I keep on saying package like it's canned or something, but that's essentially what it is. But you know the budget, it's easy Package A, b, c, d, whatever has a price point, great, and it's done.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

And you really don't get into the minutia. I mean, I struggled with a timeline because I wanted to give the experience and really talk to them. You know we would still do kind of custom lighting plans, things like that, which I really enjoyed.

Speaker 1:

Well, you take a lot of pride in that design piece, like you want to make sure that touch point is well-received. And they're like yeah, it was really raced, but we love Carolyn. I mean, let me just brag on you just for a second. There are people you have done this with years ago that still remember you and who are now building with you here and they're like is that the Carolyn from X? And it's like yep, that's the same one. And they're like thank God.

Speaker 1:

Yes, Like that's insane, a four-hour process and they still remember, and they still remember me for building their parents' house.

Speaker 2:

Right. So I mean you, member, and they still remember me for building their parents' house.

Speaker 1:

Right, you're, you're memorable as well, yeah, but not for the same reasons. They remember you in a positive light, so that's all that matters, which is really crazy.

Speaker 2:

So that's early in my career, yeah, yeah, so yes, I mean you're, you're, you're looking for for that win Um, you know, as, as a team and the production team, I mean you're all reaching for that. You know. Good survey, you know I think some of the problem is is that you engage with a buyer so early in that process.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

And then you, you know, fast forward four to five months and they're then closing the home If nothing really goes wrong in their build, like from a selection standpoint. You never talk to that buyer again.

Speaker 1:

Uh-huh, that's right.

Speaker 2:

And so when it rolls around to survey time, you're like huh. Well, I hope they remember that they had a fantastic experience with me.

Speaker 1:

I don't think we're going to go down the survey path, but I think there's a way you can still manage that you understand that whole piece, exactly what you're saying.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I mean you understand the game and you reach out. When selections start going in, you know being installed and you're like, hey, I had a chance to get out into the field.

Speaker 1:

You got it.

Speaker 2:

Saw this. Da, da, da, da da.

Speaker 1:

It was just. You know you really made great selection. So listen, I'm not dumb, it's that, but I think that's valuable content, that's a gem for somebody else. I mean whether it be sales, because you've sold it and now you it's like I've handed it off, I'm out of the loop, I'm selling the next one, right? Well, that that short video, text or email or something, just to say great selections, your house looks amazing. We want to be reassured that we've made the right choice.

Speaker 2:

Well, and for me just recently. You know I like to take the opportunity and Mitchell really likes me to do that too. You want to see how things go together, I mean. And I told our VP of production. I was like, look, I get that I'm typically a pain in the ass, but sometimes I do catch things that are really wrong. And he's like you sure did. And you know, there's just this one instance where, um, a toilet wasn't installed yet. But I'm like man, how are you going to open the door with that?

Speaker 2:

I could just tell that the toilet flange was like way close. I was like and they didn't buy standard toilets. They're a little big and I mean it was short by an inch. Oh so it was really close it was very close, but you know I can see it because I give you shit about that yeah, but I can see things that are.

Speaker 2:

You got that damn eagle eye correct, you can't really get over much on me. And he was like, well, damn, we were getting ready to, you know, lay the hardwood floor in this powder bath.

Speaker 1:

And I was like, yay, I saved the day I would have put an offset flange in there and kick that toilet back uh, there was, there was no way oh man, there's always a possibility yeah, the possibility was they move the flange it's a crawl space, get it done oh, it's a crawl space, get it done. Oh, it's a crawl space. Oh yeah, yeah, that's no big deal. I'm so used to building on a slab that it's like, oh, this is going to suck.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you're just tainting with that slab.

Speaker 1:

I am, that's exactly right.

Speaker 2:

But you know, again, going back to that, it's twofold. We want to go see If you're working with multiple vendors who do the same thing, like two tile people, you know, are they both installing the same way? You? Know, are folks, you know, following your scope of work. If you have a scope of work.

Speaker 1:

I think that's super valuable as part of the design process, because, yeah, the design process, in theory and in writing, is just this four-hour block that you race people through and then it's off to the next one. But you're going to have that downtime that you should go out there and walk it because you need to constantly be improving your craft. Right as you start looking at selections, you're like, ooh, that wasn't a good choice.

Speaker 2:

I should have guided them a different direction, right, because I mean there were some pitfalls or just something that just didn't go together like what you said. But what I also found really valuable and I think the people in the field found it valuable too is that because you were a one-stop shop for design when you had a pre-construction meeting, because we would also be involved in the pre-construction meeting.

Speaker 1:

We would have it back at the design To be part of the handoff.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so again just ensuring a good handoff, and we so like, hey, hope this looks familiar. That's what I would joke after. I pulled it a month or so after they. But then the project manager or your superintendent gets to see it. So I think that was really valuable and, gosh, if there was something wrong you could catch it right then.

Speaker 1:

Well, and that's what you want to do. I mean, you're not going to catch everything, and the reality is your superintendent, whoever you're handing it off to, they're not going to remember everything, but something might spark something from before that they're like oh wait, a minute, that's a problem. I remember hearing X, Y and Z.

Speaker 2:

Right, or you know it's all pull. Take the opportunity to take a picture of it.

Speaker 1:

So I think it's oh my god, yes, pictures. So technology is in our favor. Take pictures and upload them. Because here's the thing okay, we all know what ubatuba looks like when it comes to countertops, but you don't know what maybe new venetian gold is. You don't know what galaxy black is, you don't know what. This is right. So if you have a picture, what do I here? I want to tell you, from the superintendent side, the builder side, I know it says granite, I know that's what I'm getting. So if I see Formica or something else, or Corian, I'm like, oh, that's not right, it's supposed to be granite, that's the extent of my knowledge and I'm not apologizing for it I don't need to know what all these things look like.

Speaker 1:

But if I can look at a picture and say, nope, that's not right, it's so much easier Because I would look at, say, tile is another example and it's like, oh, it's going to be Casablanca 12 by 12. What are you? Going there and look at it and like I don't know what that looks like, but I'm reading the label. I'm like, yep, that that's it. That matches the selection sheet.

Speaker 2:

Right, I mean, that's that's really how far you can take that, right? Oh, before the brick is on the house, let me just verify that at least the name on the brick matches the paperwork or the boxes of tile. I mean, I remember this one tile installer sending me a picture of tile before he laid it and what he was actually trying to get me to do was verify the pattern and I was like, oh no, that's not the right tile. And I was like I know for a fact that she wanted this like tumbled marble or whatever. I'm like that. I don't know what that is, but that is wrong, yeah.

Speaker 1:

and so, look, I saved the day again it's great, that's what we want, and and let's, let's change gears a little bit.

Speaker 2:

Now go to the custom side yeah, so again, boone is, is kind of in the middle. We're dancing around that, so the process for me is a little different, but for full custom folks For full custom, complete shit show.

Speaker 1:

Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat it, it's a damn free-for-all for the most part. When I got to Bermonte it was like we got it all figured out. It's buckled in. Yeah great, maybe buckle up buttercup.

Speaker 2:

You know what it was.

Speaker 1:

The handoff was more of a jerk off between design and production. And then it was exactly what you said it was buckle up production.

Speaker 2:

Here it comes again, bendover production.

Speaker 1:

I'm not joking.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, because you know what? It's never design's fault, it's your fault.

Speaker 1:

Not one time has design or sales ever said yeah, we screwed that one up. In fact, when I've gone back and now the person who I'm talking about has been fired, so he's no longer there, so I can openly talk about him and, joe, if you're listening, I still don't like you, buddy, but anyways, they would have issues that we would bring up and show them and it would be oh not, my problem works on paper, and that was the kind of answer, and so what I want to talk about is how do you improve that process and what do you do differently? So the one thing we did do differently is we brought in an interior designer that specializes in this. The idea was we wanted the customer to have that really good feeling every single time they talk to the designer. So the designer will start with kitchens and cabinets. Right, some people start. Well, I guess Moen starts with a kitchen faucet. Everything starts with a faucet. You design the house around it.

Speaker 2:

That is like buying an outfit to match a pair of earrings.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, exactly. So we start with the cabinets and she'll start designing and drawing and laying things out. And I joked with her and I was like, well, it's not like it's to scale or anything. She's like like hell, it's not, this is to scale, it's done.

Speaker 2:

Well, right. So that's a good point that some selections are more critical path than others.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

So you know, part of the process for most, I would imagine, is that the, the selections that they have identified as critical path, are done earlier, typically anything that involves framing changes, and it could be, as you know, small as a, as a custom niche box, I mean it's critical. I mean you do a, a, a horizontal niche box, and now you've got a problem because most you know again, the niche boxes that are pre-made are made to install between a stud bay.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, how do you? How do you frame the wall? They're vertical Easy.

Speaker 2:

It's 14 and a half Easy. It fits between standard framing. But once you turn that thing over, then you've got a problem. So think about that. Anything that involves framing is an issue. Your fireplace is a critical path item because what you pick out can alter the framing.

Speaker 1:

It does, and while it's easy-ish to fix it while you're in framing. So let's say the house is framed and you've got to make these modifications. It's fairly easy to make those modifications. It's still a loss of time. So you're still losing time, if not also money. It's still a frustration for everybody in the field and the customer gets involved. It's a frustration for them and then you lose confidence in what you're doing.

Speaker 2:

Right so any delay like that, which was avoidable. So cabinets are a huge piece.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

Because usually the cabinet part can take months.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, I mean, we're doing complete custom cabinets in this particular house and many houses moving forward, so the cabinets drive everything. So while the architect makes it look pretty on paper, it doesn't always work. So the cabinets have to come in and the cabinets override what the plans are, and then the plans might have to be modified to match the cabinets.

Speaker 2:

Well, right, because oh, I've got this centered here, so we may need to tweak your window location. Oh yes, exactly, you got it yeah.

Speaker 1:

Because you need the window to be centered on the sink, not in the vicinity. Like those, little details are critical.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, I mean vicinity, like those little details are critical. Oh yeah, I mean, I got hung out to dry for something like that, and great, I mean me, as in our company, right and and it's. It was all about weird, just like these weird scenarios. The faucet was centered in the sink and it was fine until you lined it up with the grids in the window. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, I mean everything looked fine until you lined it up with the grids in the window. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

So yeah, everything looked fine until you lined it up and you're like, oh no, I'll bet you if that window didn't have a colonial kind of like a six over six or whatever.

Speaker 1:

You're saying if it was clear glass, nobody would have noticed, you never would have noticed. And that's a lesson learned that you need that feedback, to learn from it on the next one.

Speaker 2:

But I mean Janice and I would get along real well because we are so exacting about reveals things like that.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, Y'all would drive me crazy.

Speaker 2:

But you know, the devil is in the detail.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, and that's why you need someone like that. That's why I need someone like you. I'm a big picture thinker. I that's why you need someone like that. That's why I need someone like you. I'm a big picture thinker.

Speaker 2:

I can't get in the weeds like that, and if I do, you don't want me there very long. No, get out, get off of my cloud.

Speaker 1:

So I think it's important to identify those critical path items in your design process. So as we go through our design from a custom side, we go to every vendor and Janice might accompany the client to the vendor. Or we've got a good relationship with the vendor that we don't have to go, and it all depends on what the situation is. So we vetted that vendor beforehand. Where I've gone with Janice, sonia, other people to say let me see what you guys are working with, what's the process look like, how does this feel? And when we leave there, if my team doesn't say, wow, that felt really good, they're not the right person.

Speaker 2:

Or they need to be shadowed, because I mean, listen, you go to selections. It's kind of twofold right. You want to certainly make sure that they're having a good experience and your, your vendor partner is providing it.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

But part of that is you're also making money.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

Selections drive.

Speaker 1:

Everybody's making money. Well, yeah, everybody's making money. A little bit funny for us on the custom side because we might have a set margin, no matter, like we have a set margin based on what you spend. But you also might have a budget that we're saying, hey, yeah, you're going to sell windows and your budget's $100,000. Sure I need you to stay within that window.

Speaker 2:

Right if that's important to them, and sometimes the buyer doesn't know. I do like what you do is that most of the selections are done prior to you starting.

Speaker 1:

That is the new process.

Speaker 2:

Right, so the buyer has a comfort level, unless they have something weird with a variance, correct? They hit a boulder the size of Rhode Island or something.

Speaker 1:

But that's a bit extreme.

Speaker 2:

Well, you do build in the mountains, so who knows?

Speaker 1:

what you're gonna, true, and we do hit rock.

Speaker 2:

Yes, you do hit a lot of rock, so that's that's comforting for the buyer. You know when, when I talked to our buyer about, about our process and it's like, look, we don't get all of the selections prior to starting construction and, honestly, it's on your timeline. If you move slowly, then you may be surprised by something that you want to spend money on, but because you've, like, dragged your feet on everything things you know, either you start to run out of money. You make decisions based on that, but had you moved your tail earlier and done what I've asked you to do, you may have a better concept of money. Like, look, go, get all the selections done. You may not necessarily need to sign off on them today, but you need to have an understanding of what this stuff costs. Maybe you've been in a home for 30 years and haven't had to do this, so you have no clue what this stuff calls and you want to, you know, swing for the fences and then you have to, you know, kind of readjust.

Speaker 1:

Very true, which is why it's so critical to have a guide like yourself or Janice or somebody else to kind of keep you, keep the train on the track, or Janice or somebody else to kind of keep the train on the track, so to speak. And plus, that timeline is super hard to manage Because while we have a timeline we're starting here, we're closing here, we're doing this here the client's like uh-huh, uh-huh, yeah, when I'm ready, so I just have to say something, and maybe this has happened to you or you know about it.

Speaker 2:

If there are production builders, anybody listening, have you ever been told by a buyer that you just nickel and dime them to death?

Speaker 1:

I think every builder has been told that, that statement.

Speaker 2:

It's so frustrating because, like making money is criminal, selling a customer what they need or correcting something, I'm still so pissed off about something.

Speaker 1:

Share how you really feel.

Speaker 2:

And I actually channeled you today.

Speaker 1:

Oh shit, I was very proud of myself.

Speaker 2:

There was this buyer. The superintendent made a mistake on an electrical change order. It's like an a la carte menu. Oh, you do your electrical walkthrough.

Speaker 1:

You want to add an outlet? Yeah, a lot of builders are that way. Blah, blah, blah blah blah.

Speaker 2:

So we sell bookcases in the family room as an example.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

We sell bookcase options on one side of the fireplace or two sides of the fireplace and we also sell LED lighting in those bookcases. Oh sure, yep, okay.

Speaker 1:

So LED lighting in bookcases, one side and two sides, oh, so you can pick one or the other.

Speaker 2:

No, well, you don't pick one or the other. If you buy one bookcase, you get one, settle. I mean you, you would pick.

Speaker 1:

Oh, so the LED lights come with both or one, depending on what you get. You can't go both ways.

Speaker 2:

If you buy two sets of bookcases, are you saying that you only want to light up one side?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, maybe no. That's stupid, I know, but what if that's what I want?

Speaker 2:

That's not what you want.

Speaker 1:

So this is not Burger King.

Speaker 2:

No, so you know what? Yes, but you're going to pay for that extra cheese and you're going to pay for that extra whatever and that bacon or whatever. You can have what you want, prepared to pay for it. So I corrected the superintendent's change order.

Speaker 1:

Okay, good.

Speaker 2:

Reflected what they wanted.

Speaker 1:

Superintendent made a mistake on the on the correct.

Speaker 2:

And you know, and I do this for every change order that comes in, because I double check it. I see the lighting that is selected and I'm like, hey, they picked out pendants you don't have rough ends for this or they bought out pendants you don't have rough-ins for this.

Speaker 1:

Good, that's awesome, or?

Speaker 2:

they bought five ceiling fans and you don't have any labor for this, then this is what I do for my company, right, yeah?

Speaker 1:

That's what makes you great. I mean, how are you going to get the damn pendant lights if you don't have a rough-in? It should be automatic, but it's not the way it works. You have to pick option A, b and C to get all the lights.

Speaker 2:

Again, it's that cost analysis. And if we included everything in the house that you wanted in the base price, you could no longer afford the base price, nor would you come looking at our house, Anyway, anyway, so I corrected it. It was sent to the buyer. The buyer comes back and says well, that's not what he said and I'm like you know what. I regret the error I said. But the options are this you bought two bookcases, it's two times, and when we do bookcase lighting it is four times the labor of under cabinet LEDs in the kitchen.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's a strip light. It's a lot more difficult.

Speaker 2:

It's a strip light and it goes up, four, up, eight feet, down, up down. I mean it's you know cause you're going behind the styles of the upper side and it's a ton of material.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So he said that we were nickel and diming him Cause I was like, look, you know, let me know what you want to do. If you want to remove it, great. Otherwise, you know, sign it and shut up.

Speaker 1:

The thing is, how is it nickel and diming right? Because are you thinking that? Oh, it's just free.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's free, and let me just say what the difference is. So one side I'm not going to give out our numbers, but let's say one side was $1,000. Two sides are what do you think?

Speaker 1:

$2,000. Yes, I mean, the number sounds a little high, if I'm being honest $2,000. I'm just doing some simple math because I know math is not your strong point. I only have 10 units to count off.

Speaker 2:

You need to take off your socks. I tell my painter that I'm like Chuck. You need to go home and figure this out and take off your socks if you need to count your toes too. We always chuckle about that, but anyway. So I was nickel and diming him for a thousand dollars. Nickel and diamond him. I mean, wouldn't that qualify if it was like a hundred dollars? So this other buyer told me that I was nickel and diamond him and I'm like God. This guy's name was Jeff too. Maybe it's a Jeff problem.

Speaker 1:

It's definitely a Jeff thing.

Speaker 2:

So Jeff, my other buyer was like I just feel like I'm being nickel-diamond, like look, jeff, if I take care of this for you, and that is the only complaint that you have it's money well spent, and you know. So I took care of him in that moment. But this guy saying I'm nickel-and and diming him when the sheet was wrong.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

The superintendent just filled it out incorrectly and he didn't know.

Speaker 1:

So it's unfortunate that you were quoted the wrong number. But what is fortunate? This is the fortunate thing. Folks Pay attention to this. If you paid for one set of bookshelf LED lighting, you're going to get one bookshelf.

Speaker 2:

LED lighting and you would be pissed and becky. She is a pitbull. She'd be like, oh it's just one side, and she'd keep on moving. And then, when the electrician came out, it's like so which side do you want me to put these lights on? Well, what do you mean?

Speaker 1:

and if we're if we're probably being honest what would happen is exactly what you just said. The electrician would then install both led lights and then send you a charge for it, and then the builder would pay for you to have lights in your home, and then you would still make the same nickel and dime comment on something else. That's the thing that's always been frustrating, for me is like you're not giving me grief about the items I'm losing money on, but you're giving me grief about the item that you want extra.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, and if we had sold it and maybe this would have been a non-issue for somebody, it's not a non-issue for me. I do not like our company to lose money. I like our company to be paid for the services and material that we provide. It's not nickel and diamond. It's given you what you've asked for.

Speaker 1:

I mean, if you're a consumer and you value the builder you're working with, but you don't want that builder to make a profit. That builder goes out of business.

Speaker 2:

If the builder goes out of business.

Speaker 1:

Your brand is diminished. Your brand as a builder is diminished, which means the value of your home is, in theory, diminished. Your brand as a builder is diminished, which means the value of your home is, in theory, diminished.

Speaker 2:

Oh, and guess what? Who's going to warranty your house?

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

And all of those and all of those things. I mean, I had a conversation today with a man who built with Boone 30 years ago 30 years ago and I told Augusta that no good deed goes unpunished. I was nice to him. He's like hey, I've been to your communities. My foundation vents are rotting because he didn't have a conditioned crawl space at the time, so this is a 30-year customer 30 years Boone installed Hardy Plank our first Hardy Plank house with this guy 30 years ago.

Speaker 1:

Not to cut you off or cut your story short, but really what you're saying is 30 years ago and he's looking for warranty to be done because something Well, no, he's willing to pay for it.

Speaker 2:

But because I'm nice, I get involved.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, you're a sucker.

Speaker 2:

But yeah, you want to nickel and dime boon for not, you know whatever.

Speaker 1:

But people aren't going to see. People see what they want to see. Whatever I believe is true, I will see. And this is true if you have your heart set on a white Tesla Model 3. That's the vehicle I'm going to get. You will see that Tesla Model 3 all over the flipping place.

Speaker 2:

Isn't that weird how that happens.

Speaker 1:

That's the way the world works. So if you think somebody is nickel and diming you everything somebody does, no matter who it is you'll feel that way. You go to the grocery store and like these people just nickel and diming me every freaking day.

Speaker 2:

Well, I mean they are. Have you seen the price of food lately? It's terrible, but anyway. So I completely digressed. My apologies.

Speaker 1:

You did, so let's round the corner. This is the most important thing that I really want to get across with our design process. There's no one way that's the right way, your way, your builder way. You got to work on it. You need a process. That's the key component, the key takeaways. You need to have some process. It doesn't mean the process you have is the one, it doesn't mean it's always working. It means you have a process, you have a plan of how you're going to execute this. Second thing you have to focus on continuous improvement, because your process is going to need feedback from other people to improve it.

Speaker 2:

Well, and do you find, as a smaller company, it's obviously quicker for you to embrace change.

Speaker 1:

Hell no.

Speaker 2:

Oh.

Speaker 1:

It's not the size of the company that determines how quick you can make change right. You can have a 100-person company and you can make a change on a dime and the whole company is going that direction If the people, if your team is all bought into the change you want to and put in place. If you're not interested, then you will find reasons to say no.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so you're saying no matter the size of the company?

Speaker 1:

It's the people, the people size of the company. It's the people, the people. It's the leadership, it's the vision.

Speaker 2:

What vision are you putting forward and are your people following? Do you think it's everyone? That's? What did you say? That everyone is agreeing with the process. What did you say, Sorry.

Speaker 1:

Buying in.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, if they're bought in. But what if they're not necessarily buy in but at the same time they're going to be a good soldier and do what they've been told to do, right Cause large corporations? They don't give two S's about what you think is what's better for the company. This change that we're going to make and you need to implement it the end.

Speaker 1:

Well, I think it depends on the people, right? So the military does this really well. The military can say here's the new policy, everybody on board? Good, got it. Everybody in leadership is going to enforce it, whether they agree with it or not.

Speaker 2:

Okay that, that that is law done so are you saying like big builder, national builders, like the military?

Speaker 1:

I think they're probably closer to what the military is like. They have a more success rate, our highest success rate, of saying here's what it is. I mean, we've said it, you drink that kool-aid or you get the hell out. Right, that's your option, like I understand. You might have better ideas. I understand you might have a way that we can make better things better, but we're not interested you're not in a position to do that, right, do what you're supposed to do.

Speaker 1:

It's been working. Last thing on this when it comes to process, we get this messed up in our industry. We get it messed up at my builder. Everybody thinks you have to have it a hundred percent or it doesn't work. So back to that point how do you get everybody bought in and moving towards the thing? We have to get them to understand that a hundred percent doesn't mean it's right. It's never a hundred percent. But if I got a 20% idea and this is what we're doing so say, hey, what we're going to do is, every time we step off, like we're going to walk somewhere, you're going to start with your left foot and that's what we're going to do. And you're going to say, well, how do I always remember it? You're not going to always remember it, but you're going to start thinking about it. So at least if we're 20% to the start line, let's go, let's start moving, let's start doing it.

Speaker 2:

You're making us little soldiers. We're going to march.

Speaker 1:

That's exactly right, babe, you got it. You start with your left foot, right Forward march, left foot goes. What that's of it in different terms? If everybody would get on board with this, this idea, the moment the light turns green, everybody takes their foot off the brake. The entire line of cars take your foot off the brake the same time. We would all start moving. We would go faster. You don't have to hit the gas because there's somebody in front of you, but just take your foot off the brake oh, I would totally hit the gas, you damn sure would.

Speaker 1:

So here we go, folks. No matter what it is, design, it's critical. It's critical to the everybody down the line. It's critical to think about continuous improvement in that and don't get lost in the details on. It's not perfect. Be comfortable with 20%, 40%, 60% and constantly improve it until you get to where it needs to be.

Speaker 2:

All right, just start somewhere.

Speaker 1:

Start. That's the goal, just start. Stop complaining, start.

Speaker 2:

All right. So I'm going to say see you folks, not folks.

Speaker 1:

Okay, you say what you want to say. You're the boss Until next week. See ya, yeah.

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Carolyn McMahon

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Joshua McMahon

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