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We Need to Build Our Lives on a Solid Foundation Using the Right Cornerstone

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The Problem is That Most Amateurs Think They Know More Than the Builder

As a builder I understand the importance of building on a solid foundation. Sure, it’s harder and takes more work than building on sand. Amateurs often look at the quicker, less expensive way of constructing. The problem is that the short-term gain isn’t worth the long-term cost.

The same is true for building the best life.

In Luke 6:47-49 Jesus tells us that listening and obey Him is like digging down and building our lives on solid rock. But anyone who hears what He says and doesn’t obey is building their life on sand. When the storms of life come, they will be washed away.

Over the past several weeks Pastor Lisa has been taking us through the book of Luke. This week’s message is focused on Luke 20-21.

Throughout the book of Luke, the Jewish leaders of the day were continually trying to trap Jesus.

The same is true in this week’s Scripture. In Luke 20:1-16 we see them once again questioning Jesus. They ask Him who gave John the right to baptize. Of course, He, being Jesus, knew what they were trying to do so he answered their question with a question. Either way they answered it was going to get them in trouble with somebody.

Jesus went on to tell a story about a man who owned a vineyard and had rented it out. When it was time to harvest, the owner sent a servant to pick up his share of the grapes. The renters beat him and sent him away without the owner’s share.

After having the same thing happen to a second servant, he sent his son. The renters, thinking they were smarter than the owner, decided to kill his son thinking that they would inherit the vineyard.

Jesus tells those listening that the owner will then have the renters put to death and rent the vineyard to someone else.

Like the renters in this story or the amateurs building on sand, we often think we’re smarter than God.

The people listening to this story were outraged at the renters and said, “This should never happen.” Jesus looked right at them and said, “Then what do the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘The stone the builders tossed aside is now the most important stone of all’? Anyone who stumbles over this stone will get hurt, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces.” (Luke 20:17-18)

Here we are, back to the importance of a solid foundation.

This most important stone that Jesus is referring to is called the cornerstone. A cornerstone is the first stone laid in a foundation. All other stones will be set, referencing the cornerstone to determine the position of the entire structure.

The Jews listening to Jesus would have had the Psalms memorized and would have immediately thought of Psalms 118:22 and the stone that the builders tossed aside.

This sounds a little like the renters above, doesn’t it?

We can choose to be like the renters and the amateur builders, or we can build our lives on a solid foundation using Jesus as our Cornerstone.

Having the Right Builder Can Help Protect Your Home Investment

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The Question is, How Do You Know If You Have the Right One or Not?

In our last post we discussed how expensive home construction can be and the importance of knowing your builder.

If you’re not careful, building the home of your dreams can become a nightmare.

The number of times I’ve heard people say that building their new home was the worst experience of their life is too many. This is not how construction projects should be remembered.

So, as a construction customer, how can you avoid this from happening to you?

I recommend using the 5-step BUILD process.

This simple system will help you avoid construction catastrophes.

  • Being aware that there are problems when it comes to construction. If you’ve never been involved in a construction project, they can look pretty smooth from the outside. Not so much. Part of the problem is that the professionals that do this every day know this and are prepared for it. Construction customers on the other hand can be surprised when this happens.
  • Understanding what the problems are and what to do about them. If you know about the problems and are prepared it makes the process much easier to handle. There’s nothing quite so upsetting as when you’re expecting one thing and it’s not what you get.
  • Information and Instruction. This step requires some research or guidance from someone who knows construction. This Information includes things like knowing what the processes and procedures of construction are or simply knowing what questions to ask. You can search the internet for the basic information but if you don’t know construction, it can be hard to tell what you can trust and what you can’t. This is where it is helpful to find a trusted professional.  
  • Learning can give the inexperienced construction customer confidence to ask questions of a professional builder. Being Informed and Instructed will help you Learn about the construction process so that you won’t be afraid to ask your builder questions.

A big part of the problem is that most builders either don’t realize customers are intimidated by them or they don’t care.

  • Delivery of the DREAM is the final step of this process. This should be the goal of both the customer and the builder. It’s where all the scary, hard work and time pays off. The customer gets the home of their Dreams and the contractor makes a profit.

To achieve that dream it’s important to have a builder you can trust.

Bridging this gap between construction companies and customers is why here at Solution Building we’ve developed the 5-step BUILD process. This will help construction companies Be aware, Understand, get Information and Learn. Implementing this process pays off for both the customer and the builder when the Dream is Delivered.

This system includes a Business BUILDing Toolbox for Construction Companies full of document templates and instructions for things like:

  • Proposals
  • Contracts
  • Change Orders
  • Payment Applications
  • Profit Comparisons
  • Job Costs
  • Saving Account Transfers
  • OneNote systems and processes

There are also individual and group training courses available as well as custom designing and building of business systems for individual companies.

If you know of a builder or construction company that you think could benefit from this 5-step BUILD system, have them contact us for a free 30-minute construction company consultation.

Your Home is One of Your Biggest Investments

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That’s Why it’s Important to Know Who Your Builder Is

Building a new home is expensive, but the same is true for remodeling.

Let’s face it…construction of any kind costs a lot.

Currently the average cost to build a new house is around $300,000.00 not including the land. Like anything, this price will vary depending on what you want in your dream home. There’s a wide range of materials and workmanship that will affect the final price. The size of the home and location are also determining factors.

The national average price per square foot is $150.00. This means that a $300,000.00 price would get you a 2,000 square foot home.

The final price comes down to what you want in your home. It’s like looking at a bag of groceries – until you know what’s in it, you can’t know what it’s going to cost.

It makes a difference whether that bag is full of tissue paper or steak.

Most people don’t realize how much these choices can affect the price. Some of the things that have the biggest impact are –

  • Construction style – This could be a simple ranch style on a concrete slab or a multi-level house on a finished basement with high ceilings, a complicated roof and wrap around porches or somewhere in between.
  • Windows – These can be simple single hung vinyl windows all the way to custom triple pane wood windows with window treatments between the panes.
  • Cabinets –This is another place where there is a big difference in quality and styles. You could use simple basic lumberyard cabinets with veneered manufactured wood, or you might choose custom made real wood cabinets with specialty options.
  • Countertops – Can be pre-manufactured plastic laminate going all the way to custom solid surface or marble.
  • Flooring – There are a lot of flooring options, both solid surface and carpet. Sheet vinyl flooring is much less expensive the ceramic tile, and, in the middle, there’s a range of luxury vinyl. Carpeting can be a lightweight inexpensive product or a very expensive wool.
  • Plumbing fixtures – Even the lower priced plumbing fixtures aren’t cheap, and higher priced ones can be scary expensive.
  • Electrical fixtures – It’s amazing how many different styles and qualities of electrical fixtures there are, not to mention the number of cool new electrical gadgets that are out there.
  • Woodwork – You can choose to have simple basic base and casing installed or you can have multipiece custom made woodwork done. Not to mention that there is an enormous number of woodwork things like stairways, mantels, post and beams that can be done.
  • Finishes and features – Painting and staining are one of those things that most people see as a simple process that shouldn’t cost that much. What they don’t realize is that there is a lot more to it than simply brushing on a coat of paint. Preparation is the part that makes a huge difference to the finished product. The same is true for staining and applying the clear finish. This isn’t even taking into account custom paints and finishes.

These things are just a small part of what needs to be considered when building your dream home, and this is just the financial part.

In addition to the dollars and cents, there’s an emotional cost that comes with a home construction project. The emotional part can be a lot more expensive and is harder to measure. Most of the time this part of the construction process isn’t given much though.

That’s why it’s important when considering a construction project to know how to BUILD.

This doesn’t mean knowing everything about construction, rather it means knowing how to navigate the process so you can avoid the overwhelm that happens too often.

This is where having the right builder comes in. In our next post we’ll explore what you should look for in a builder and how rare it is to find a good one.

It’s Really Not That Difficult

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Six Ways to Find the Right Builder for You

When we called a customer to give them production schedule plans for their construction project, they were relieved to hear from us. They hadn’t heard from us since we met to sign paperwork and get their first payment, a few days earlier. They were concerned that we had gotten their money and weren’t coming back.

I read a study once years ago that ranked building contractors below used car salesmen. This is not to say that all used car salesmen are bad, but they have, over the years had a stigma of…shall we say…not being the most honest and trustworthy. For builders to have been ranked below them was very confusing and a little disturbing. I then realized that I viewed customers differently than a lot of builders. For me they aren’t just customers, a project or just a way to earn money. They’re friends. When considering the spending of money to have a construction project done, sometimes a lot of money.

Having a friend who is looking out for you and has your back the best plan?

We’ve all heard the stories of the “storm chasers” that came through town after a storm. They get money for material and then never come back to do the work. What about the guy that was laid off from ‘his job’? He has a pickup, a hammer and a skill saw, heck he can build a deck for his buddies’ cousin. Oh, don’t forget the kid that worked for a contractor for a couple of months and got fired because he wouldn’t show up to work. He’s now an experienced contractor.

As a customer you can find a builder that will help you bring your ideas to life and has your best interests at heart.

To do this you need to know what to look for, so you can find the right builder for you. Here are six things I would recommend when considering which builder, you should hire. –

  1. Word of mouth – This is the best form of advertising. Find someone that you know and trust that has had a building project done. Ask them who they used. What their experience was like. This will give you a view from someone independent of the industry with nothing to gain.
  • References – Don’t be afraid to ask builders for references. This is a good way to find a variation of ‘word of mouth’ and in addition to people that you know. A builder should be able to supply you with 3-5 names of past customers that you can follow up with. If not, you should proceed with extreme caution.
  • Professionalism – The level of professionalism will very between contractors. There is no one specific style or level that should be used in every instance. What you want here is to know that this builder takes what they are doing seriously. You should be concerned if you get a hand-written estimate on a napkin.
  • Experience – This comes with time. Not every qualified builder has years and years of experience, but the more years the more experience. You don’t want to hire that ‘experienced contractor’ I referred to earlier that was fired for not showing up to work.
  • Communication – Even small and simple projects require communication. Of course, the bigger and more complex the project the more important it is to communicate. In today’s world there are all sorts of ways to do this. The specifics of how aren’t as important as the doing it is.
  • Compatibility – This is the bottom line when it comes to determining who to use. Depending on what is important to you, what your focus is for your project. Find a builder that shares those core values. Each and every one of us is different. Take the time to get informed and find the best fit for you.

Too many times I’ve become aware of construction projects going badly, leaving customers feeling abused and abandoned. I have heard too many people say the worst experience of their life was a construction project.

A construction project should be one of the best experiences of life, not one of the worst.

What Does It Take to Be A Builder?

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There’s So Much More to This Building Thing Than Just Construction

I regularly go back through my life plans, especially at this time of the year, reviewing and revising them as needed to build the best life. Just like a construction project needs reviewed and revised in different phases of the project. Whether a building or a life, this process shouldn’t stop once the initial construction is complete. It is an on-going process until the end.

It is amazing to me the correlations between building a business, a life or doing construction. Building terminology is used everywhere. As a part of my life plan review, I was going back through some Michael Hyatt’s Platform University training. One of the things that caught my attention were the words that were used. In the first two sentences of the instructions I found this; “…building your website…”, “…lay an important foundation….” and “…platform-building…”.

The use of this construction terminology is a great analogy with life building as is evident in the more than eighty times it’s used in Scripture. You can find some examples here. In Luke 6:48 (NCV) it says, “…everyone who comes to me and hears my words and obeys. That person is like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When the floods came, the water tried to wash the house away, but it could not shake it, because the house was built well.” This sounds like a pretty good plan for building a life to me.

If you have read more than a few “Weekly Solutions” posts, you will have noticed the connections with building in many of them. Here are just a few – Building the Life of Your Dreams, Building the Best Life, Means It’s Always Under Construction, The Importance of Intentionality for Building Your Dream Life and Building Your Business Is Critical to The Survival of the Business. This really is the underlying theme for Solution Building. The central purpose is to “help people find solutions for building their dream business and life through improved communication, better business systems, quality construction projects and life lessons.

Most importantly any kind of building, whether it’s a construction project, a life or a business, needs to start with a solid foundation. My foundation is my CORE VALUES built on the SOLID ROCK of Jesus. 1 Cor. 3:11

As we move forward into this new year, we will be sharing more specific examples and systems to help you build your dream business and life. If there are areas in your business or life where you need a solution, let me know in the comment section below.

Christmas Is About Giving, Business Should Be Too

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How Do We Know What to Give Without A List?

Last week I wrote about the coming new year and our excitement about the possibilities and opportunities it will present. This week I’m going to back up just a little (chronologically) to focus on Christmas (considering that it is just a few days away).

Christmas at its very foundation means giving. “God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him would not be lost but have eternal life.” John 3:16, ERV. We’re talking about the ultimate gift. The giving of His child to be mistreated and ultimately killed on a cross. This Holiday is the celebration of that Child’s birth.

“God created humans in His own image. He created them to be like himself.” Genesis 1:27 ERV. If we have been created in His image, then shouldn’t we be willing to give. Isn’t this a part of who we have been put here on earth to be?

What does giving look like in business?

It doesn’t mean we do work for free. It doesn’t mean that if we win the customer loses or the other way around. Business isn’t supposed to be a win-lose arrangement. It can and should be a win-win.

Once again, this last week I met with another couple in the middle of a remodeling project that has taken a bad turn…they had to fire their contractor. What should have been the fulfilling of their dream turned into a nightmare. This was primarily due to a breakdown in communication. As professional builders, or businesses of any kind, this responsibility is ours. This is such a big problem. I have written about it as much or more than any other.

Here are links to some of those “Weekly Solutions”:

So, how do we know what it is that the customer wants? WE ASK THEM

This seems to be a no brainer, but for whatever reason the question doesn’t get asked, not really. The basics get discussed and everybody thinks they know what the outcome is going to be, but some where in the process things go off track. It takes time and effort to dig deep and find the underlying dream. This is critical to the project being a win-win.

It’s like finding out what a child wants for Christmas. Sure, we can go get them a gift and it might be something they like but, the odds aren’t very good. Or, we can have them fill out a Christmas list. If we don’t understand something on the list, we can ask and get some clarity before the process starts or money is spent.

Have the customer fill out a “Christmas List” for their project before moving forward.

To the point of having a list filled out…I need a list filled out to help determine the best direction for Solution Building going forward. I have a lot of ideas, but your input will help me know what would be the most beneficial to helping you build your dreams.

Please share your thoughts, questions, ideas or dreams in the comments below. This will help me know what gifts I can give you.

If you would prefer you can give me your list by taking this short 8 question survey.

The Value of a Professional Builder

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What’s It Worth to Hire A Professional?

I was talking with my wife, who’s a realtor, earlier this week. She was telling me about an individual that had been trying to sell their house themselves and not having any luck. Reluctantly they are now considering listing their house with a realtor.

Her question was why would someone not list their house with a professional? I have thought about this same thing regarding construction for years.

The ‘Do It Yourself’ philosophy has become an industry on its own. This is not to say that doing things yourself is all bad.


The question should be about value, not about dollars.

To hire or not, is the question. I’m pretty capable with a wide range of skills, but there are some things that are just better done by professionals. I don’t know about you, but I would prefer not to do my own surgery or fill my own cavity.

The number one reason that most people don’t hire a professional is the cost. When the purchase or project is in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars the professional fee is big. Is the money saved by not hiring the professional really a savings? The actual cost in dollars, time and heartache may be a lot more in the end.

The value of hiring a professional can go well beyond the dollars spent.

 

 

  • They have been through the pitfalls and can help you avoid them. It breaks my heart the number of times that I have been asked to come finish a project that someone started and then realized they were in over their head.

 

  • There is a process to everything and construction is no different. If you do things in the wrong order the eventual cost is often more than the professional fees. If the walls are sheetrocked before the electrical wiring is ran it isn’t going to turn out well.

  • Doing all the different things a good professional does takes a lot of time. If you plan to do them and do them well, you need to plan to spend the time. As is the case with most things, looking at something from the outside it looks easier and quicker than it really is. What is your time worth?

Once you’ve decided to hire a professional keep in mind that not all of them are created equal. You need to give some consideration to the hiring process and find the right builder for you. In some situations professional may not be the best term when describing some builders. The wrong builder can be as much of an issue as not having one at all. What is the cost of cheap? Good communication with fixed pricing are both crucial to a good professional experience.

The important thing is for you to give some thought to the question of hiring a professional before moving forward and then regretting it later. In Proverbs 19:2 it says, “Being excited about something is not enough. You must also know what you are doing. Don’t rush into something, or you might do it wrong.”, ERV.

What is the value of a skilled professional’s guidance?

 

 

How to Convert Your Construction Project from Unrealistic to Wow

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The Importance of Having Realistic Expectations Before the Project Ever Starts

 

One of the most consistent issues that I hear from people who have been involved in construction projects, is disappointment. These displeasures show up in a variety of ways and most often it comes down to unrealistic expectations and less than desired results. This discontentment can come from either customers or contractors and usually the responsibility lies with both.

The solution to this problem also belongs to both.

As a customer you aren’t continuously involved in construction projects. You don’t have the experience and knowledge that construction professionals do. This is not to say that every person or company that claims to be a professional is. It’s important for you to know what you need in a contractor and take the time to find the right one for you and your project.

The excitement that comes with the beginning of a project starts to wain after a while. You just want to have your project, whether it is a big renovation or a small repair, done. You want to get your life back to normal as quickly as possible. Regular life is disrupting enough without a construction project, but to have trades people coming in and out of your home or business periodically and/or unexpectedly wasn’t a part of that initial excitement.

The best way for you to prepare for a construction project is to learn all you can about what is involved, before you start. Even small projects have several pieces that need to be fit together to achieve the desired outcome. This takes knowledge and experience to get these pieces to fit together at the right time and in the right way.

Watching home remodeling programs on television isn’t the best place to learn realistic expectations. Often these programs are more of a problem than a solution. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of valuable information that can be gleaned from these shows. The thing you need to realize is that the purpose of these programs is largely to generate viewers not create realistic expectations for your construction project.

This is why it is important to get the right contractor. If a contractor does their job well, all the various pieces will fit together in the way that you wanted. This doesn’t mean that it will be what you initially expected, but rather an informed realistic expectation. What is important for you as the customer to do is to know how to determine if a contractor is the best one for you.

There are several things to consider when looking for a contractor.

  • First and foremost is compatibility. Are they going to be someone that you can work with day in and day out for the duration of the project? This is critical to the outcome.
  • Second is honesty and integrity. Often you can tell this with a few conversations and can confirm it with references.
  • Third is the experience and skill level. How long have they been doing construction and what types of projects have they done previously?

Projects rarely go the way the customer or the contractor think they should or would like, but this doesn’t mean that they need to be disappointing for either. The key is to plan and learn all that you can before you get too far into the process. If you will do this, you will decrease your chances of unrealistic and increase your chances of a wow project in the end.

To Hire or Not to Hire, That Is the Question?

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Over the last several years ‘Do It Yourself’ has become a popular theme for TV programs as well as marketing for building product suppliers. As a builder, one of my pet peeves is the DIY shows and marketing. There are even whole TV channels dedicated to this. My problem with it is, that in 30-60 minutes’ whole rooms are transformed. This can be misleading, not to mention 898282907_10c68e3ac4_odown right impossible. Don’t get me wrong, the satisfaction that comes from doing a repair, changing a light switch or faucet, installing a window, building a deck or even remodeling a complete room can be extremely rewarding. The thing is, you better know what you are getting into before you start.

 

Reasons for hiring a professional – You need to consider what your skill level is and what the parameters of the project are before tearing into it. Depending on the specific project there is a lot to be aware of. Even something simple like painting a wall can be more complicated than many people realize. Once you start getting into things that are structural, for example, cutting an opening in a wall or building a deck. You sure need to understand what is involved. Not knowing how to do something like this can lead to big problems or maybe somebody getting hurt. It can be hard for those of us that are micro managers to give up the control.

It comes down to priorities. Of all of the things I can choose to spend my time and money on what’s going to be the most important? With over 35 years of construction experience I have determined that getting the right help is a good plan. I just can’t do everything myself…as much as I would like to.

 

Benefits of hiring that professional – Time is a precious commodity. If you are like me, I can’t ever seem to be able to get everything done that I want to. So when I find someone that I can trust, who I have determined has the desire and skills to do the thing that I need done, doesn’t it make sense to pay them to do it? This allows me to be able to do something else that I am better suited for or maybe would just prefer doing.

Then there is the whole ability thing. Having grown up on a farm I learned how to do a lot of different things. I learned how to be pretty self-sufficient. I am proud of this heritage and I think this is a good quality. The thing is, I was taught this from an early age, over several years and through trial and error. I didn’t just watch a 30-minute TV program or go online to learn it. I am sure that I could make a car given enough time and money, but doesn’t it make more sense to buy one made by professionals.

 

Reasons for not hiring a professional – The key here is defining ‘professional’. If you’re considering hiring someone then you need to do some research and make sure that you get the right person. There are a lot of people out there that seem to be qualified and aren’t. If you hire someone that isn’t then the outcome might not be much better than if you did it yourself.

Maybe you have the time and desire to learn something new. This is a great reason for doing the project yourself. Just be careful to not get in too far over your head. Be clear on what it’s going to take to do this.

You could save money by not paying somebody else. Just be aware that there most likely will be more time spent in researching, planning, buying, exchanging, returning, redoing and cleaning than actually constructing.

Doing physical work is good exercise. Some people go to the gym or have equipment at home. Some people walk, ride bikes or run. Depending on what your normal routine is doing a home project can be a great way to exercise.

 

A third option – If you really want to do your own home project, but need some help with knowing how, what, when and where. You might consider finding an experienced professional to guide you through the process. Finding the right person for this can be as tricky as anything. Just realize the value of knowledge and the benefit that it can have.

 

Once you have determined that you have the ability (knowledge, time, money and physical strength) to do your project, then by all means go for it. There is nothing much more rewarding than stepping back and being able to see something that you have built.

Six Ways to Find Your Right Builder

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I read a study once years ago that ranked building contractors below used car salesmen. This is not to say that all used car salesmen are bad, but they have, over the years had a stigma of…shall we say…not being the most honest and trustworthy. For builders to have been ranked below them was very confusing and a little disturbing. I then realized that I viewed customers differently than a lot of builders. For me they aren’t just customers, a project or just a way to earn money. They are my friends. If you are looking to spend money to have a project done, sometimes a lot of money. Isn’t having a friend who is looking out for you and has your back the best plan? We’ve all heard the stories of the storm chasers that came through town after a hail storm. They get money for material and then never come back to do the work. What about the guy that was laid off from ‘his job’. He has a pickup, a hammer and a skill saw, heck he can build a deck for his buddies cousin. Oh, don’t forget the kid that worked for a contractor for a couple of months and got fired because he wouldn’t show up to work. He’s now an experienced contractor. As a customer you can find a builder that will help you bring your ideas to life and has your best interest at heart. You need to know what to look for so you can find the right fit for you.

  1. Word of mouth – This is the best form of advertising. Find someone that you know and trust that has had a building project done. Ask them who they used. What their experience was like. This will give you a view from someone independent of the industry with nothing to gain.
  2. References – Don’t be afraid to ask builders for references. This is a good way to find a variation of ‘word of mouth’ and in addition to people that you know. A builder should be able to supply you with 3-5 names of past customers that you can follow up with. If not you should proceed with caution.
  3. Professionalism – The level of professionalism will vary between contractors. There is no one specific style or level that should be used in every instance. What you want here is to know that this builder takes what they are doing seriously. There should be something unsettling if you get a hand written estimate on a napkin.
  4. Experience – This comes with time. Not every qualified builder has years and years of experience, but the more years the more experience. You don’t want to hire that ‘experienced contractor’ that was fired for not showing up to work.
  5. Communication – Even small and simple projects require communication. Of course the bigger and more complex the project the more important it is to communicate. In today’s world there are all sorts of ways to do this. The specifics of how aren’t as important as the doing it is.
  6. Compatibility – This is the bottom line when it comes to determining who to use. Depending on what is important to you, what your focus is for your project. Find a builder that shares those core values. Each and every one of us is different. Take the time to get informed and find the best fit for you.