Mindset Shifts Create Opportunities

What’s driving the surge in prefabrication? How do we shift the industry mindset to embrace standardization and long-term partnerships? And where does AI fit into all of this?

In this episode of Bridging the Gap, Todd Weyandt sits down with Matt Graves, third-generation builder and leader at Great Lakes Prefabrication, live from Advancing Prefab. Matt shares his journey from swinging a hammer straight out of Purdue to pioneering prefab solutions that are redefining construction workflows.

Key Takeaways:

🔹 The mindset shift needed to move prefab from “new” to “essential”

🔹 How trust and collaboration drive long-term success in the industry

🔹 AI’s evolving role in prefabrication and digital workflows

🔹 Why some regions still resist prefab—and what’s changing that

🎧 Whether you’re a construction veteran or just curious about where the industry is headed, this episode is packed with insights on the future of building smarter.

Matt Graves is President of Great Lakes Prefabrication. Matt is a leading expert in industrialized construction, prefabrication, and digital transformation. With a passion for streamlining workflows and leveraging technology, Matt has been at the forefront of helping companies scale prefab and optimize construction efficiency. Get ready for an insightful conversation on standardization, AI's role in prefab, and the future of industrialized construction.

 

TODD TAKES

1. Prefabrication isn’t new—it’s just finally catching on: It’s funny how some parts of the industry still treat prefab like some brand-new experiment, when in reality, people have been refining these methods for decades. The difference now? Owners and general contractors are starting to demand it, and that shift is creating a ripple effect across the industry. If you’re not integrating prefab into your projects yet, you might find yourself on the outside looking insooner than you think.
2. Standardizing processes is more important than standardizing products: We all want prefabrication to be plug-and-play, but let’s be real—that’s just not how construction works (yet). Every project is different, but what we canstandardize is the process—creating a predictable, repeatable pathway to prefab success. When teams embrace process-driven prefab, they unlock efficiency, scalability, and real cost savings—without having to sacrifice project flexibility.
3. Industrialized construction will only scale when we rethink contracts and collaboration: If we want prefab and industrialized construction to really take off, we have to fix how projects are structured from the ground up. The traditional contract model incentivizes low-bid, transactional relationships, which works against the long-term partnerships needed to make prefab successful. It’s time to shift the mindset—collaborative contracts, better risk-sharing, and early engagement are the real game changers.

 

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Other Relevant Links: Matt’s LinkedIn Great Lakes Prefabrication