The Tim Faller Show

For many people, the actual building of the project is what Production is all about. Looking at the bigger picture, Production has a great deal of responsibility to keep profit up. Production is a huge contributor to the financial health of the company. It’s about the numbers — but what numbers are critical for the... The post Ep.49: The Numbers that Matter Most with Judith Miller appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Client satisfaction is a huge component of making any business successful. Remodeling has an extra personal factor — your team and your subs are in a client’s home every day. Most of the time, the homeowners are living in and around your job site. Understanding their experiences, asking questions about what they really need, and... The post Ep.48: A View From the Client’s Seat appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Today we’re talking about LEAN in Production. Doug Howard has been helping remodeling companies see how they can make their processes better, cut wasted effort, and streamline their systems for better profits. In this episode, Doug talks to Tim and Steve about what it can do for your company — especially in Production. Doug Howard,... The post Ep.47: An Introduction to LEAN with Doug Howard appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

There are many different ways to work with architects in the remodeling industry, whether you’re working in the design/build model or as a builder using plans developed outside your company. Regardless of the work model, most remodelers agree the architectural plans they get at the beginning of the production process are only half done. So communication... The post Ep.46: Working with Architects with Jason Stearns appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Technical education at the high school level seems to be fading, but it’s growing at the college level. There are more programs turning out skilled workers that can start producing for home remodeling and construction companies on Day One. In this episode, Paul Lewandowski of Fox Valley Technical College talks to Tim and Steve about... The post Ep.45: The Strength of a Technical Education with Paul Lewandowski appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Television is full of construction and remodeling shows, but we all know many of them leave false impressions of how fast and easy the process can be. But the pioneering program This Old House still shows viewers how complicated it can be. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the program, and they’re tackling a... The post Ep.44: Special Guest Kevin O’Connor of “This Old House” appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

A good job autopsy can lay the foundation for better processes and more profits for your company. But you have to do it right. Some companies use them like a club, which leads to finger-pointing and the blame game. Some owners just brood over the numbers and do nothing. But the numbers tell the story,... The post Ep.43: The Importance of Job Autopsies with Chris Beck appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

With growth comes a need to hire a Production Manager — someone responsible for the entire department. It can be a difficult transition to move a Production Manager or Lead Carpenter up into that role. It’s about managing a department and the people, and it’s much more complex than running a job. Your company may... The post Ep.42: Becoming a Production Manager Without a Construction Background with Brad Yetman appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

We hear it all the time — you can’t find good help anywhere. But finding new employees is necessary for growth. You have to add staff, and keep them — not just in your company, but in the industry. We have to step up in a big way when it comes to offering employees reasons... The post Ep.41: Remodel My Business with Shawn McCadden appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

As the old saying goes, to truly understand someone else’s situation, you have to walk a mile in their shoes. In our case, it’s more like work all day in their OSHA-approved work boots, but the intention is the same. There’s always at least two points of view in any interaction. Running a small business... The post Ep.40: Seeing Your Jobs from the Trade’s Point of View with Jason Wright appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Meeting client expectations and getting jobs done profitably greatly depends on hitting your schedule. Cloud-based software makes it simpler to set up a schedule, but you still have to get your staff, Trade Partners and other Subs to understand and follow through on those plans. In this episode, Keith Blose talks scheduling with Tim and... The post Ep.39: Hitting Production Schedules with Keith Blose appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

When you’re managing a project, you need your Trade Partners and Subcontractors to work with you, not against you. That means you need to build strong relationships and make them feel like they’re all part of the same team. The three main things to help that along, says John Vendafreddo, is to do your research... The post Ep.38: Working with Trades On-Site with John Vendafreddo appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Although wages and benefits are rising faster in the remodeling industry than in others, the labor shortage remains an ongoing problem. Good talent is hard to find. Many companies are poaching production staff from other firms to solve their problems. In this episode, Erika Taylor talks to Tim and Steve about the issue, why it... The post Ep.37: How to Prevent Employee Poaching with Erika Taylor appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Remodeling solutions that make people more comfortable in their homes, while saving energy, are becoming more important to remodelers and homeowners. Researchers and specialists are diving into this, and manufacturers are creating new products that will achieve those goals. But it’s still not simple. You have to look at the building itself — not just... The post Ep.36: Creating Comfortable Buildings Through Energy Efficiency with John Viner appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

As the labor shortage drags on, and may even be getting tighter, getting the word out about open positions in your remodeling company is more important than ever. Your recruiting effort is really a marketing function. In this episode, Jack Jostes drops by to talk with Tim and Steve about going beyond the help-wanted ad... The post Ep.35: Find Great Employees with Effective Marketing with Jack Jostes appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

You need to take time at the start of a job to plan so you can keep to a job’s schedule and the budget. But the Production department almost always feels like they’re under the gun at the start and just want to get to work. Even with a schedule, something unexpected almost always happens... The post Ep.34: Job Planning for Success with Dave Wittig appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

A full week where no production, no work on projects at all, might seem like any remodeling company’s nightmare — the kind that wakes you in the middle of the night. For one company, though, it’s a reality that’s worked like a dream. In this episode, Dave Domenichini explains the hows, whys, and benefits of building... The post Ep.33: The Reboot Week with Dave Domenichini appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Skills training is a hot topic, but too few companies are doing anything more than discussing it. The industry can no longer count on anyone else to do the basic training for trade skills, those in the remodeling business need to do it to help solve our labor shortage. There’s also a fear of training... The post Ep.32: The Importance of Hands-On Tool Training with Gary Katz appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

We’re taking a stroll down memory lane, to pick our Top 10 moments from our first 30 episodes. These episodes discuss the big ideas that can really change your company and how you do business. Every time we talk to a guest, we come away with something new. Although we look at Production, our biggest... The post Ep.31: Tim and Steve’s Top 10 Episodes (So Far) appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.

Systems aren’t just for manufacturing or assembling a fast-food burger. There are tasks remodeling companies do every day, week, and month on every job. As your company grows, building systems into your business and production processes to standardize this work is a necessary step to avoid total chaos and wasted time. In this episode, Brad... The post Ep.30: Building Systems in Production with Brad Hogan appeared first on The Tim Faller Show.