Modern Craftsman
The Modern Craftsman is a podcast for builders who think beyond the jobsite. Hosted by Nick Schiffer and Tyler Grace, this show explores what it takes to build a better business, a stronger team, and a more sustainable career in the trades. Each episode features real conversations about leadership, project management, client communication, team culture, mental resilience, and long-term success in construction. Whether you're a carpenter scaling your company, a remodeler refining your process, or a builder navigating burnout, you'll find insight, support, and hard-earned lessons from those who've lived it.
Episodes
Stay out of the cold with these hot budget tips as Tyler breaks down exactly how he budgets a real porch job, from the precon fee and deposit strategy to tracking every cost day by day. The big takeaway is how to communicate "extras" without panic, keep cashflow protected, and still finish strong without rushing.
Builders already have thousands of jobsite photos on their phones, but most of those shots are not protecting them, selling future work, or showing what they really do. In this episode we break down a simple way to use your phone, a few habits, and better organization so your photos become insurance, a sales tool, and a real portfolio instead of digital clutter.
Show Notes:
00:00:00 The Shot That Saves You
Nick and Tyler break down how line item budgets, tiered estimates, and value engineering actually protect you when clients start pushing on price and scope. From losing out on a five million dollar job after an eleven hour estimate to using that same work to land better projects, they talk through transparency, expectations, and how not to let your own standards wreck your profitability.
Show Notes:
00:00 Cold Open, Winter
Tyler answers a listener's question about two belt-on GCs teaming up in a 50-50 partnership and trying to keep things simple while still making real money. He breaks down how to price owner labor, define roles, track time, and protect both your margins and your friendship when you run a tiny company with two owners.
Show Notes:
00:00 Two owners, tiny company
05:26 Ryan's email setup
Nick and Tyler break down how they use preconstruction to protect the architect's vision, keep clients on budget, and avoid the usual bid and bleed disaster. They get into real numbers, value engineering that is not just stripping scope, and how to track the everyday inefficiencies that quietly kill your profit.
Show Notes:
00:00 Hidden inefficiencies
00:18 Precon and race recap
Tyler answers a listener email about what he'd do differently if he were starting his business today, beyond just setting up insurance, lawyers, and an LLC. He digs into why chasing "sexy" high-end projects can crush your margins, how T&M and paid pre-con changed his business, and why the less you work, the more you can actually make when your systems and numbers are dialed.
The Preconstruction Course: Click Here
Show Notes:
00:00 ...
This episode gets real about money stress, comparison, and the head noise that comes with trying to run a construction business and still show up at home. We talk through how we handle the dark season — from boundaries and better systems to finding people you can actually be honest with.
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro, sponsors and ...
Nick and Tyler sit down live at CCS in Chicago to walk through how they go from 100 inquiries to one real client and why risk is the number one reason people never build. They break down self-qualifying leads, budget reality checks, and using precon and VE to protect both your business and the homeowner before anyone signs.
Show Notes:
00:00 Why clients don't build
04:48 Live from CCS in Chicago
05:58 From lead gen to lead convers...
Tyler tears into the "stop buying lattes" take and runs the numbers that actually break buyers and clients. The squeeze lands on builders too - changing bids, quality, and what projects even pencil out.
Show Notes:
00:00 The meme and why it's off
04:00 Life costs vs "coffee" costs
06:30 1981 starter home vs today's code & specs
The guys dig into the real split between self-performing and running a GC outfit and what actually moves a build when design runs headfirst into the schedule. From Bugatti-level brand lessons to field fixes (bracing, factory edges, install expectations), this one's about picking a lane and building like you mean it.
Show Notes:
Anderson Windows and Big Doors Promotion (0:00)
Builder Trend and Client Management (2:13)
Harnish Workwe...
Pricing by square foot is how budgets blow up. Tyler breaks down the real process—scope first, design up front, WAGs, SWAGs, and contingency noted so the numbers hold once you hit the job.
Show Notes:
00:00 Understanding client priorities and personal update
01:35 Consulting call and estimating process
02:54 Client communication and zoning variance
06:07 Budget creation and design iterations
07:24 Detailed budgeting and cost track...
The guys get into the messy reality of pricing—no templates, no magic—just expectations, scope, and the triangle of quality, budget, and time. We cover scope gaps, site protection, and how pre-con (plus a little AI) de-risks the job so your estimate actually matches how the work gets built.
Show Notes:
00:00:00 Intro & our awesome sponsors
00:05:22 Sick kids and water bottles
00:08:51 Welcome & rapid-fire plan
00:09:51 Estimating p...
Tyler lays out why he still self-performs—from demo and drainage to framing and trim—and where he draws the line with subs, risk, and bandwidth. We get into scaling by margin instead of volume, keeping quality tight when you're the one on the tools, and how to make a good living without taking the belt off.
Show Notes:
00:00 Keep the belt on and make a living
02:01 Screened porch demo grading ...
From airtight envelopes to oversized HVAC, the guys unpack the sexy internet details versus what actually survives install and warranty. They get into service cavities, exterior insulation, window boxes, and why simplifying details, coordinating early, and charging to manage risk keeps you out of trouble.
Show Notes:
00:00 Perfection Doesn't Scale
04:44 Hiring: Attitude vs Skill
12:59 When a Great Fit Stops Fitting
39:54 HVAC Real...
Dependability is the quiet backbone of every project—show up, follow through, communicate. Tyler breaks down how to be the person no one has to chase: say "no" to protect your best "yes," model reliability for your crew, build simple systems, and rebuild trust when you drop the ball.
Show Notes:
Dependability in Leadership and Business (0:00)
Contractor Coalition Summit Announcement (1:25)
Personal Commitment to Dependability (3:2...
Three elementary-schoolers sound off on work, the trades, and whether construction is "just for boys." Tyler turns their unfiltered takes into a reminder to open doors early and make the jobsite welcoming to everyone.
Show Notes:
00:00 Cold open: "You're capable"
03:02 What do adults actually do at work?
06:23 What is "construction," in their words
09:31 Is construction just for boys?
11:02 Tyler on inclusion & respect on site
17:2...
In this follow-up to the previous episode the guys expand on their discussion of 'buying your peace'. They get blunt about arrival fallacy, hustle-as-band-aid, and where to buy back time instead of chasing the next dollar.
Show Notes:
00:00 Money vs. Life: Who's in Charge?
04:36 Arrival Fallacy: 'I'll Be Happy When…'
05:17 Fixer-Upper Reality Check
Your jobsite sits inside someone else's daily life—treat the neighbors like stakeholders or they'll turn into adversaries. Tyler breaks down parking, noise, intros, and real-world fixes (including a septic test-pit fiasco) so the job finishes strong and the street still waves when you drive off.
Show Notes:
00:04 Why this matters beyond the client
00:36 Fence d...
Money solves problems, but it doesn't buy peace—and the squeeze is real. We get into the cost-of-living crunch, time freedom, and how builders decide between making more or needing less.
Show Notes:
00:00 Money's weird: easy to make, hard to keep
02:45 Cost of living vs "money buys happiness"
05:07 Is the problem money—or imbalance?
07:13 Personal equity, real-world numbers
11:15 Make more or need less?
11:54 Would zero money stres...
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