America’s Construction Crisis: Why Projects Go Over Budget — Barry LePatner

In this must-watch episode of The Real Finds Podcast, host Gordon Lamphere sits down with legendary construction attorney and author Barry LePatner to uncover why the U.S. construction industry is broken and what needs to change. From cost overruns and project delays to failing infrastructure and supply chain turmoil, Barry breaks down the hidden risks facing every developer, investor, and public official in the built environment.

Barry shares the origin story of how he became one of the nation's foremost experts on construction law, project management, and owner representation. He reveals why most construction contracts are based on incomplete documents, how the “guaranteed maximum price” is a myth, and what owners must do to truly protect their investments. Plus, he explains why infrastructure funding still isn’t fixing bridges and why America’s construction workforce shortage is far worse than most realize.

🔍 Key Topics Covered:

- Why most construction firms are inefficient “mom-and-pop” shops

- The real reason projects go over budget and get delayed

- The myth of Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contracts

- How bad design documents sink projects before they start

- What tariffs and labor shortages mean for construction pricing

- Why U.S. infrastructure is crumbling—and how policy makes it worse

- How COVID and China reshaped the construction supply chain

- Real advice for developers, lenders, and LPs on risk management

- Books that changed Barry’s life: Carnegie, Waitley, and Tolstoy

📚 Books Mentioned:

- Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets – Barry LePatner

- Too Big to Fall: America’s Failing Infrastructure and the Way Forward – Barry LePatner

- How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie

- Timing Is Everything – Denis Waitley

- War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy

🧠 Whether you’re underwriting a deal or walking a job site, this episode is essential listening for anyone who builds, funds, or manages real estate. Learn how to avoid the traps even the pros fall into.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe to The Real Finds Podcast.

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