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Modern Craftsman: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Modern Craftsman
The Modern Craftsman is a podcast for builders who think beyond the jobsite. Hosted by Nick Schiffer and Tyler Grace, this show explores what it takes to build a better business, a stronger team, and a more sustainable career in the trades. Each episode features real conversations about leadership, project management, client communication, team culture, mental resilience, and long-term success in construction. Whether you're a carpenter scaling your company, a remodeler refining your process, or a builder navigating burnout, you'll find insight, support, and hard-earned lessons from those who've lived it.
Latest Episodes
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- Yesterday1h 29m
#419 How Maturity Changed The Way Gary Katz Sees Architecture
Nick and Tyler sit down with Gary Katz to talk about American Mantelpieces, a project that began nearly three decades ago and became something much bigger than a book about fireplaces. Gary reflects on craftsmanship, architectural proportion, rejection, persistence, and how years of studying the work helped him understand not just what looks right, but why it looks right. The conversation expands into how a craftsperson's perspective changes with experience, why finishing imperfect work can be more valuable than chasing perfection, and how understanding the history behind what we build can completely change the way we see our own work. Gary Katz https://garymkatz.com/new-book Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
- 1 weeks ago49 min
418 Knowing how to utilize in-house labor in residential construction
Nick and Tyler sit down with Jeff Sweenor to talk about what it actually takes to keep framing, finish carpentry, cabinetry, masonry, and other trades in-house. Jeff breaks down the constant balance between quality, productivity, overhead, scheduling, hiring, and knowing when a specialized subcontractor can simply do the work more efficiently. The conversation also gets into how Sweenor Builders tracks each division, develops skilled craftspeople, and decides which capabilities are worth continuing to own. Join the Modern Craftsman Community 👉🏻 https://modern-craftsman.kit.com/b41e44fc86 Sign up for the newsletter: https://modern-craftsman.kit.com/1cc009f591 Video Notes: Self-Performing vs Subcontracting Managing Labor Productivity Competitive Advantages in Framing Logistics of Custom Builds Hiring and Market Positioning Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
- 2 weeks ago42 min
417 Building My Own House Without Chasing Perfection
Tyler is back with an update on where his house build actually stands, what has gone according to plan, and where he has intentionally chosen practicality over perfection. He gets into framing the house, crawl space and insulation decisions, managing costs, working alongside a framing crew, upcoming windows and rough-ins, and the lessons he is learning from being both the builder and the client. It is also a look at everything happening around the project, from TRG and Modern Craftsman to family, work, and trying to keep all of it moving at once. Join the Modern Craftsman Community 👉🏻 https://modern-craftsman.kit.com/b41e44fc86 Sign up for the newsletter: https://modern-craftsman.kit.com/1cc009f591 Tyler is back with an update on where his house build actually stands, what has gone according to plan, and where he has intentionally chosen practicality over perfection. He gets into framing the house, crawl space and insulation decisions, managing costs, working alongside a framing crew, upcoming windows and rough-ins, and the lessons he is learning from being both the builder and the client. It is also a look at everything happening around the project, from TRG and Modern Craftsman to family, work, and trying to keep all of it moving at once. Video Notes: House Build Details and Challenges Foundation and Crawl Space Preparation Framing and Subcontracting Decisions Next Steps and Project Management Challenges and Learnings Personal and Professional Updates Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
- 3 weeks ago45 min
#416 Nick And Tyler Walk Through 45WO & The Reality of Building A Home without Compromise
This house looks calm. Precise. Almost effortless. Behind that simplicity is an enormous amount of coordination, fabrication, experimentation, and restraint. Nick and Tyler walk the completed home from front door to mechanical room, breaking down the details that made it possible, from full-height doors and flush transitions to custom millwork, stone fabrication, integrated ventilation, dropped framing, hidden storage, and thousands of hours of finish work. Nothing here happened by accident. It was a prototype in nearly every sense, built around the idea of seeing how far a team could push residential construction when compromise was taken off the table. VIDEO NOTES Entryway and Initial Impressions Cabinetry and Material Coordination Kitchen and Material Consistency Detail and Execution in the Kitchen Dining Space and Skylight Living Room and Outdoor Spaces Staircase and Second Floor Details Primary Bedroom and Bathroom Secondary Bedrooms and Bathrooms Basement and Mechanical Room Garage and Mechanical Room Details Final Thoughts and Reflections
- 4 weeks ago1h 19m
#415 Custom Residential Building Doesn't Have To Mean Expensive
Nick and Tyler sit down with Architect David Hornstein to talk about what has been lost as residential construction has become more specialized, more layered, and more expensive. Drawing from decades as a carpenter, builder, architect, and product designer, David makes the case that highly custom work can still be efficient if the people doing it understand the entire process. They get into the master builder mindset, the value of having experienced people on site, why communication gets diluted through layers of management, and how relentless attention to small efficiencies can dramatically change the cost of custom construction. David also shares how that same mindset eventually led him to create Dura Gutter. David Hornstein https://www.light-house-design.com/ https://www.duragutter.com/ Join the Modern Craftsman Community 👉🏻 https://modern-craftsman.kit.com/b41e44fc86 Sign up for the newsletter: https://modern-craftsman.kit.com/1cc009f591 Video Notes: David Hornstein's Background and Initial Impressions Challenges of Modern Construction Efficiency and Specialization in Construction The Role of the Master Builder The Impact of Product Development on Craftsmanship The Evolution of Construction Management The Importance of Building Experience The Development of Dura Gutter Architectural Details and Product Evolution Insulation and Exterior Details Efficiency in Construction Challenges of Modern Construction Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
- Aug 17, 20261h 29m
414 Who Should Carry The Cash Burden In Residential Construction? with Shane Durkin
Nick and Tyler bring Shane Durkin back, with Brad Leavitt joining the conversation, to challenge one of construction's most persistent problems: how project money moves and who should actually carry the financial risk. They get into deposits, escrow accounts, credit card rewards, cost-plus construction, project-level accounting, lien waivers, trade payments, and the hidden complexity that comes from running millions of dollars of client funds through a builder's business. Shane explains how LedgerWise separates project finances into their own accounts while Brad, Nick, and Tyler push on the tradeoffs, risks, and real-world practicality of the model. Ultimately, the conversation asks whether builders should be spending their energy managing cash flow and financial workarounds at all, or whether a simpler system could let them get back to building. From Contractor to Company Workshop: https://www.moderncraftsman.co/workshop-registration Sign up for the Modern Craftsman Community: 👉🏻 MC Community Sign-up Sign up for the newsletter: Newsletter Sign-up Shane's Websites: https://www.buildpatriot.com https://www.ledgerwise.com ShowNotes: Cash Flow Challenges in Construction Introduction of Ledgerwise and Construction Accounting Discussion on Construction Accounting Models Details of the Escrow Model Benefits and Challenges of the Escrow Model Case Study: Handling Project Cancellations Conclusion and Final Thoughts Minimum Balance and Client Trust Payment Process and Trade Onboarding Lien Waivers and Preliminary Notices Cost and Revenue Model Builder Testimonials and Industry Challenges Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
- Aug 9, 202641 min
413 The Five Systems Every Construction Company Needs
Most builders start by taking every job, doing everything themselves, and figuring out the business after the work is already underway. Nick & Tyler pull together the five systems that helped them move from owning a job to building a company: pre-construction, numbers, production, lead vetting, and team. From Contractor to Company Workshop: https://www.moderncraftsman.co/workshop-registration Sign up for the Modern Craftsman Community: 👉🏻 MC Community Sign-up Sign up for the newsletter: Newsletter Sign-up This episode was compiled from conversations originally heard in episodes 380, 384, 387, 390, 394, 399, and 410. Show Notes: 00:00 Coming Up 00:35 Where Most Builders Start 05:36 System 01 - Clarity Before Construction 14:31 System 02 - Know Your Numbers 19:32 System 03 - Run the Build 23:38 System 04 - Attract the Right Work 30:54 System 05 - Build the Team 36:25 Teaching From the Scars 40:25 Free Workshop August 11 Video Version:https://youtu.be/PjjwwTEz3TM Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
- Aug 6, 20268 min
Offcut 412: Why Builders Keep Going When the Job Should Stop
A job can turn into a completely different house when major design changes arrive after framing starts. Charles Ochello, Nick, and Tyler talk about the pressure to keep moving, the cost of avoiding a full stop, and why the big decisions need to be settled before construction begins. Charles' Website: https://www.vitruviusbuilt.com From Contractor to Company Workshop: https://www.moderncraftsman.co/workshop-registration Sign up for the Modern Craftsman Community: 👉🏻 MC Community Sign-up Sign up for the newsletter: Newsletter Sign-up Show Notes: 00:00 Bringing the Design Team in Too Late 01:34 A Beautiful House Delivered a Year Late 02:50 Why the Project Needed a Full Stop 07:43 Preconstruction Is Everything Full Video Version:https://youtu.be/Dvm4c6QxY5I Partners: Andersen Windows Harnish Workwear Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear Bolster The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts: Nick Schiffer Tyler Grace Podcast Produced By: Motif Media
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About Modern Craftsman
The Modern Craftsman is a podcast for builders who think beyond the jobsite. Hosted by Nick Schiffer and Tyler Grace, this show explores what it takes to build a better business, a stronger team, and a more sustainable career in the trades. Each episode features real conversations about leadership, project management, client communication, team culture, mental resilience, and long-term success in construction. Whether you're a carpenter scaling your company, a remodeler refining your process, or a builder navigating burnout, you'll find insight, support, and hard-earned lessons from those who've lived it.
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