Uniqueness... "Built-In"

Uniqueness... "Built-In"

Welcome to Uniqueness... “Built-In”, a show where we take you behind the walls of luxury homebuilding. We share the insider’s perspective — what truly goes into building, owning, renovating, and caring for a custom luxury home.

Episodes

August 28, 2026 40 mins
Mike Garabedian sits down with host Cassidy to explain why change orders on a custom home rarely cost what Owners expect, even when the new item is the exact same price as the old one. From a Coke-versus-Diet-Coke breakdown of hidden logistics to the time a dome ceiling one foot off center nearly gave Mike a heart attack two weeks before 34,000 people toured the house, this episode covers what actually drives change order costs and...
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Dirt is not just dirt. On this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian sits down with Mike, owner operator of Mike's Trees and More, to talk about the part of a custom home nobody ever sees: what goes under it.

The conversation started with a lot here in town carrying roughly 20 feet of fall, filled over the years with concrete, debris, and junk dirt. No house has ever been built on it, which is probably the bes...
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When you skip a step to save time, that step usually comes back around later. Except, now it costs more to fix. Go slow and deliberate instead, and the job moves faster because nobody has to stop and redo something.

This episode discusses why it is important to slow down and be methodical during the custom home building process. We know this is exciting, and you want to move into your house. That is great! We want you to mov...
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Buying a previously owned smart home means inheriting its network — and everything that comes with it. In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian sits down with Brandon Trimble and Chase Wahlquist of Bravas to cover what decommissioning and recommissioning a smart home network requires, why a password change is not enough, how camera footage must be handled when an incident occurs, and what a properly design...
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What is the difference between a landscaper and a landscape architect — and why does it matter for your luxury home build in North Texas?

In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In," Mike Garabedian sits down with Jason Osterberger of Osterberger Design Group to break down what landscape architecture actually is, how it differs from hiring a landscaper, and why the outdoor experience of a home is shaped by decisions th...
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What separates a custom home from every other house on the street? In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In," Mike Garabedian sits down with Cassidy to break down The Last 10% — the personalization, finishing touches, and architectural details that turn a white box into a home your family will walk into and say, "Holy crud. We did it."

Mike walks through what The Last 10% actually is, why it has to be considered from...
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Construction lending can be a powerful solution for homeowners who want to renovate, relocate, or buy a property that needs work. Instead of forcing a major project into a standard mortgage, the right loan structure can help fund the purchase, cover improvements, and create a clear path from construction to long-term financing.

For many Owners, the biggest advantage is flexibility. You may be updating an older home, adding s...
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Technology has changed. We all feel it, we all see it. Specifically, technological advancements in lighting has changed.

What used to be one switch and one fixture has turned into layered lighting across entire spaces — kitchens, living areas, hallways, and outdoor environments all working together simultaneously. In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", we sit down with Brandon Trimble of Bravas, a Lutron expert, ...
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Welcome back to Uniqueness... "Built-In", where we share an insider's perspective on buying, building, renovating, and caring for custom luxury homes.

In this episode, we walk through the exact step-by-step process Owners should follow when designing a custom home.

First, the fun stuff. Gather visual representations of what you are trying to accomplish and bring those to your builder and architect. Pictures often comm...
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What is the real difference between an architect and a home designer — and why does it matter when you are building a custom home?

In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian sits down with Clay Nelson of C.A. Nelson Architecture Group to unpack the architectural process of building a custom luxury home and discuss practical guidance for Owners starting the custom home building process.

Here are...
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With a custom home, we understand the timelines are longer with substantially larger loan sizes. This also means complex documentation. In Episode 7 of Uniqueness... "Built-In", we sat down with Mark Goodwin of Federal Savings Bank to break down how construction financing works in today's environment and how Owners can prepare wisely.

While one-time closes were common years ago, today's projects are typically structured as a...
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Building a custom home is one of the largest investments an Owner will ever make — financially, emotionally, and even physically. In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian and Cassidy Trahey walk through the most common mistakes they see Owners make when building a luxury home — and how those mistakes can be avoided with the right planning, sequencing, and team.

After more than three decades of...
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Lighting influences mood, energy, focus, and how a home feels from the minute you wake up to the second you fall asleep.

In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian sits down with lighting and technology experts to explore how intelligent lighting systems are changing the way homes respond to the people living in them.

The conversation centers around human-centric lighting — systems designed to ...
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Wellness is no longer a luxury add-on — it's becoming a core part of how custom homes are designed. In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian sits down with Amy Burns of Kohler and Kristen Martin of Ferguson Home to explore how wellness-driven plumbing, technology, and design are reshaping the modern Texas home.

From saunas and steam showers to cold plunges, digital shower systems, and whole-home wat...
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Today's pools are more than a backyard feature — they're an architectural statement. In this episode of Uniqueness... "Built-In", Mike Garabedian sits down with Shelly Claffey of Claffey Pools to explore how precision engineering, intentional design, and family legacy shape North Texas' most stunning outdoor spaces.

Shelly reveals how modern technology and timeless craftsmanship converge to create beauty that lasts ben...
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We sat down with Perry & Wynne Moore of Allie Beth Allman. Our conversation uncovered what Owners should consider when going to sell their home — how you stage it, its curb appeal, and what potential prospects are looking for.

That shared experience in neighborhoods like Clariden Ranch and the Kaleidoscope of Homes laid the groundwork for a friendship built on a shared appreciation for craftsmanship and community. ...
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January 15, 2026 17 mins
Uniqueness... "Built-In" is a home building podcast focused on sharing real insight from industry experts to help Owners make better decisions when building, renovating, and caring for their homes. After 35+ years in custom home building, we have learned a lot about what does and does not work.

We sit down with builders, designers, real estate experts and other Professional Partners about what matters when you're building, r...
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