Podcast
The Good Builder Podcast
Hosted by The Good Builder · EN
This week in home building news! Catch up with Az and a colourful array of guests, to hear about who's killing it, who's innovating, and who's getting into strife in the world of new home construction.
33episodes
Episodes
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The Daily Dose #318 | Winter Sucks giveaway, Pulse goes live, and Dreamworld's master plan gets the nod
3w ago00:11:06Tap to summarizeA big week at The Good Builder. Az runs through three announcements and three headlines moving the residential building industry right now.The announcements first. The Milwaukee Tools Winter Sucks campaign kicks off, with [20] pieces of heated gear going out over four weeks. Tell TGB why winter sucks and you go in the running. It is a game of skill, so get creative. Pulse opens to a small group of builders. It is a customer experience program that surveys your build clients at key stages, then hands the data back to you. Because most of what goes wrong between a builder and a client is not the build. The slab is fine. The frame is fine. What breaks is the experience around it, and the communication sitting behind it. And a new State of Australian Land report is close. It maps where land is being released across two states, how supply and pricing are actually moving, and where builders should be looking over the coming years. A lookback across six years, built so you can forecast off it. Then the headlines. Dreamworld's master plan on the northern Gold Coast has been approved by the state. It covers 55 hectares, four precincts, and staging across roughly a decade. The theme park keeps running and gets room to grow, alongside a big slab of housing, apartments and mixed use. Victoria has started teaching the country's first prefab installation qualification, a Certificate III at Melbourne Polytechnic. Good news on the face of it, with a catch sitting in the paperwork. Google has quietly started tracking social profiles inside Search Console. A signal of how much of the customer journey now runs through Instagram, reels and reviews, not just your website. Plus a look ahead to next week's guest from Brett's Timber and Hardware.Links:Milwaulkee Giveaway: https://milwaulkee.thegoodbuilder.com.au/winThe New Home Electrical Specialist: https://www.tnhes.com.au/The Pulse: https://australianbuildingresearch.com.au/the-pulse-cep
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The Daily Dose #317 | Leadership and Culture: What's Really Breaking Builders with Dan from 1000 Feet Deep
4w ago01:02:02Tap to summarizeBurnout. Staff churn. Chasing defects. A team that only works when you're standing over it. Dan from One Thousand Feet Deep says none of those are the real problem — they're the cracks that show up when a building business has no foundation under it.Dan joins Az as co-host for this one, tackling real questions pulled from past episodes with some of Australia's top builders, Kyle Zanetto (Zanetto Builders), Tony Gall (Creation Homes), James Stroud (Stroud Homes) and Peter Wood (Avid Property Group).What's covered: • The first cracks that appear when you're working in the business, not leading it • Why sales, cashflow and retention are byproducts — not targets • "Structurally sound" vs "momentarily stable" — the hit-by-a-bus test for your business • Tensions to manage vs problems to solve (and why you can't fix a tension) • The four steps that make hard conversations professional, not personal: set the expectation, empower the outcome, measure the results, hold people accountable • What the Penrith Panthers and Toyota can teach a building company about cultureDan's take is simple: you're not a builder of homes, you're a builder of people who build homes.Connect with Dan and One Thousand Feet Deep: https://www.1000feetdeep.com.au/Proudly sponsored by:The New Home Electrical Specialist - https://www.tnhes.com.au/MyConstruct - Get your 30-day FREE trial with your code GOODBUILDER at https://myconstruct.com/ More from The Good Builder: thegoodbuilder.com.au#TheGoodBuilder #ConstructionLeadership #BuildingBusiness #ConstructionCulture #AustralianBuilders
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The Daily Dose #316 | The Only Franchise in the QLD Top 100 That Grew: James Stroud on Kaizen, Quality & Listening to the Client
4w ago00:49:22Tap to summarizeWhile the rest of the industry went backwards in FY26, Stroud Homes was the only franchise in our Top 100 report to grow — in both revenue and numbers. So we sat down with James Stroud to work out why.It's not a growth-hack story. James talks about Kaizen, the Toyota-born habit of fixing every small thing that goes wrong, no matter how lame it seems, and why panning a hard client's feedback for that one fleck of gold beats getting your feelings hurt. We get into defects and why he's anti-handyman, checklists over memory (the way pilots are legally required to use them), and the health-wealth-happiness link that keeps builders from wearing themselves out.James also flips the whole premise of the show: asking a builder what makes a good builder is like asking a chef if the food's good — the only judge that counts is the client. That one point is changing how we do things at The Good Builder.Plus his read on where the market's heading: affordability driving duplexes, quality over volume as clients de-risk their build, why modular/prefab hasn't found its time yet, and being a "sense maker" for customers drowning in information.A frank, no-fluff conversation with one of the most respected operators in Australian building.For more head to https://franchise.stroudhomes.com.au/Sponsor: The sponsor for this episode is MyConstruct. Built by Aussie Builders for Aussie Builders, you can get your FREE 30-day trial with the code GOODBUILDER - head to myconstruct.comHashtags#TheGoodBuilder #StroudHomes #JamesStroud #AustralianBuilders #BuildingIndustry #ConstructionAustralia #Kaizen #ContinualImprovement #BuildingBusiness #TradesBusiness #ResidentialConstruction #BuilderPodcast #ConstructionPodcast #NewHomeBuild #FranchiseBusiness #QualityBuilding #BuildingBetter #ConstructionLeadership
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The Daily Dose #315 | The FAFO Tax: Why Cheap Paint Jobs Cost You Twice
Jul 1401:04:27Tap to summarizeBrendan and Hayley Kelly have spent two decades building XP Finishes into one of the Gold Coast's most respected finishing trades — named Trade Business of the Year in 2025 — but as they say themselves, they're only as good as their last job.In this episode, Az sits down with the husband-and-wife team behind XPHQ, their customer-facing design hub, and their new decorative brand Atelier. We get into why the finishing trade makes or breaks a home, the real cost of cutting corners (what Brendan calls the "FAFO tax"), and the science behind specialty finishes like lime wash and French wash.It's a straight-talking conversation about quality over speed, respecting trades, and the culture Brendan and Hayley have built with their team. Plus the line that had us nodding: "perception isn't perfection" — why the builder with the perfect Instagram isn't always the one who can pay their bills.If you're a builder, designer, or homeowner who cares about doing it properly, this one's for you.📍 XP Finishes — Gold Coast | XPHQ design hub - https://xpfinishes.com.au/atelier-by-xp-finishes
Transcribe →The Daily Dose #314 | Fewer Homes, More Money: The QLD Top 100, a Land Report Sneak Peek & Why Customer Experience Wins Jobs
Jul 1200:14:21Tap to summarizeFewer homes, more money...that's the Queensland building market in one line. In this Monday episode, Az runs through what's just dropped, what's coming, and the one tool he reckons is one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle for any builder.Inside this episode: • The QLD Top 100 Builder Report (with Australian Construction Data) — why it's a read on the market, not just a ranking. The hundred biggest QLD builders wrote ~6% fewer homes but banked ~5% more, with average contracts up 11.5% to $540k. Plus three ways to actually use the report: benchmark yourself, price your next job, and read the intel. • The State of Australian Land report (data partner: Terralytics) — a sneak peek before it drops in two weeks. Greenfield land across QLD and VIC, 25 quarters, 36 council areas — including the untitled pipeline. QLD land up 90% in six years with supply nearly gone; Victoria flat with stock to spare. • A Milwaukee Tools giveaway — we're not telling you what it is yet. Keep an eye on our socials this week. • The Customer Experience Program — the top 5 things it does for your business: red flag alerts, whole-journey tracking, staff scorecards, your recommend (NPS) score, and benchmarking. Az shares how this drove GJ Gardner's "most trusted" campaign and helped grow the business ~$700m in 12 months.With thanks to our sponsor MyConstruct. Australia's building software built by Aussie builders, for Aussie builders (30-day trial at myconstruct.com).Got questions about the customer experience program? Get in touch with us at The Good Builder. Like, subscribe, and share it with a builder who needs it.#TheGoodBuilder #AustralianBuilders #ConstructionAustralia #BuildingIndustry #ResidentialConstruction #QLDBuilders #CustomerExperience #BuildersOfAustralia #ConstructionData #PropertyDevelopment #LandSupply #TradiesAustralia #NPS #BuildingBusiness #ConstructionPodcast
Transcribe →The Daily Dose #313 | Michael Hopkins: Why Australia Is Decades Behind on How We Build Homes
Jul 900:51:26Tap to summarizeAustralia tends to think it has home building figured out. Michael Hopkins isn't convinced.A bricklayer by trade, Michael learnt the trade in Wales, worked across Germany, and has spent 30 years on sites in Australia. He keeps going back to Europe to see how they build, and he comes home with the same message every time. On the way we put homes together, we are decades behind.In this episode he sits down with host Az to walk through what he has seen. Timber frames delivered to site and made weather tight in two days. Keys handed over in four weeks, back in the late 1980s. Double glazing and insulation that all but removes the heating and cooling bill. A German research lab warming a room with a film on the wall and a small solar panel. Slab screeding done standing up, faster and flatter than we manage on our knees.None of it is theory. It is already being done, just not here.The real question is why. Michael's answer takes in conservative habits, a fragmented industry, and the red tape holding better building back.Listen to the full conversation on The Good Builder Podcast, available on Spotify and all major platforms.#thegoodbuilder #constructionindustry #australianbuildingThis episode is proudly supported by The New Home electrical Specialist. Find out more at thnes.com.au
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The Daily Dose #312 | Building homes like cars: Pryda's Truss House, with Adam Dawson from Pryda
Jul 701:02:04Tap to summarizeEvery builder is up against the same question right now. How do you build more homes, faster, without dropping quality or blowing the margin?This episode makes the case for answering it differently. Az sits down with Adam Dawson, engineering and builder solutions manager at Pryda and a chartered engineer, to unpack why the industry stays stuck treating every home as a one off project, and what changes when you start building in systems instead.At the centre is Truss House, Pryda's framing system that turns the structural shell of a home, the roof, wall and floor, into a set of standard engineered components. Adam explains the shift from project thinking to product thinking, using the car industry as the model of fixed, flexi and free. He walks through what it means on site, where the real bottlenecks in housing supply actually sit, and why total build cost matters more than the price of a set of frames.The numbers Adam shares are hard to ignore. Homes framed in a couple of hours. A transportable prototype from Major Timber and Trusses stood and braced in 52 minutes. A wall system that lands close to a 10 star home before you touch the detailing.It is one of the most forward looking conversations the podcast has run, and a real look at what building like a manufacturer could mean for builders across Australia and New Zealand.Learn more: https://pryda.com.au/trusshouse/Sponsor:This episode of The Good Builder Podcast is proudly sponsored by MyConstruct, construction software built by Australian builders for Australian builders. Start a 30 day trial at myconstruct.com.
Transcribe →The Daily Dose #311 | Fewer Homes, More Money: Inside the Top 100 Queensland Builders Report
Jul 500:09:05Tap to summarizeThe Top 100 Queensland Builders report dropped on Friday. Most builders will scroll past the first 30 pages to see if they beat the bloke down the road. This episode is about everything else in there.Host Az walks through the read behind the ranking. It runs on official QBCC data, so no builder is missed, and it groups the franchise networks so you can see who the biggest really are. But this goes well past a league table. It is an intelligence report.The line for the year: fewer homes, more money. Queensland's hundred biggest builders wrote fewer new home contracts than last year, yet total contract value climbed. And most of that lift is not cost being passed on. It is a market quietly building fewer cheap homes and more expensive ones.In this episode:Why the cheap house is quietly disappearingThe big movers, and the builders who walked away from volume on purposePremiumisation and the quiet operators who defined the yearWhere the work is actually landing next, from approvals to land releasesWho holds number one, and how concentrated the top really isIt is not a list of who is winning. It is a map of how the game changed for Queensland, and where it goes next.If you build in Queensland, or you sell to people who do, this is the most honest picture of the market you will get this year.Grab the report at https://qldtop100.thegoodbuilder.com.au/home.Ranking data built on Australian Construction Data. constructiondata.com.au
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The Daily Dose #310 | Margins are won or lost before the job begins with Owen Chambers
Jul 200:58:33Tap to summarizeMost builders think margin disappears on site. Owen Chambers says it disappears earlier than that.Owen joins Az from The Professional Builder, the coaching team working with thousands of residential builders across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and Canada. His argument is simple. Residential construction has limited upside and plenty of downside, so the game is not maximising profit on a good job. It is protecting margin on every job. And most of that protection happens before a contract is signed.In this episode, Owen breaks down:The nine profit zones of a building business, and the four and a half that sit on the front end: pricing, positioning, sales, marketing and contractsWhy pricing to win work is different from pricing to win in business and in lifeThe five concerns every client is really weighing up: timeline, budget, trustworthiness, quality and communication, and how to sell on all five instead of competing on price aloneWhy most builders chase traffic when their real problem is conversionWhere margin erodes after contract: labour, materials, subs and variations, and the tight feedback loops that catch it earlyThe red, orange, green audit: a person and a process for every part of the businessWhy you are the builder, not the bankWhat one percent of margin is actually worth, and why losing it can mean weeks of extra work a year just to stand stillThe Professional Builder's Queensland roadshow runs 21 to 23 July: Gold Coast on Tuesday the 21st, Brisbane on Wednesday the 22nd, and Sunshine Coast on Thursday the 23rd. Three hours in the morning, working on your business with TPB coaches, members and alumni. Tickets are $97 and include a copy of the book.Az will be at the Sunshine Coast session.Book your spot: https://www.tpbevents.com/event/queensland-roadshow-2026/workshops
Transcribe →THe Daily Dose #309 | Builders say quality. Customers say communication. With Increase Construction
Jun 3000:32:26Tap to summarizeBuilders think their customers care most about build quality. Customers say it is communication. Az and the team from Increase Construction dig into where AI actually earns its place in a building business, from sales call coaching to customer experience, plus early findings from TGB's builder marketing survey.SHOW NOTES / DESCRIPTIONWhat do builders think their customers care about most? Quality of work. What do customers actually say? Communication. That gap sits at the centre of this episode.Az is joined by Drew and Sean from Increase Construction to talk about where AI actually earns its place in a building business. Not as a gimmick, but as a way to clear the back office so builders can spend more time face to face with their customers.The conversation runs through real, working examples:Why most builders can stay small and still scale, and the first question to ask before spending a dollar on marketingTurning one recorded conversation into weeks of content, on repeat, without a studio dayScoring every sales call against a checklist that updates weekly, so feedback to the team is based on fact rather than favouritismThe customer experience blind spot: the clients who quietly walk because nobody asked for the appointment or followed upBuilding one dashboard from data a builder already has, instead of a six figure software projectKeeping client data safe: Australian servers, and scrubbing business and personal details before anything reaches an AI providerPlus early findings from TGB's builder marketing survey, including how little most builders spend on marketing and why most cannot say what is actually working.This episode is proudly sponsored by MyConstruct, built by Australian builders for Australian builders. Get a 30-day trial at myconstruct.com.Hosted by Az. New episodes of The Good Builder Podcast every Mon, Wed and Fri.For more on Increase Construction: https://increaseconstruction.com/
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