Better Builder Podcast

Hosted by Better Studios

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Episodes

116

Latest episode

Sep 2026

Language

EN-NZ

About the show

Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders convert higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bradvisser01/?hl=en Gro's Socials Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro's Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@groagency Gro’s website https://groagency.co/ + https://www.gro.video/ Disclaimer: This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this podcast. Any third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of this podcast, and no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any content contained in any third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this podcast.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 27, 2026Episode 971 hr 0 min

The Honest Truth About Building | Sam Hayes #97

Send us Fan Mail This week on the Better Builder podcast, Sam Hayes is back for a second time, two and a half years after one of our earliest episodes. Sam runs one of Auckland's respected high-end building companies, and he doesn't hold back on where the industry is really at right now. Sam gets honest about surviving a slow market with projects on hold and good people to protect, and why so many builders hide their struggles when everyone is feeling the same thing. He breaks down the right process for building a bespoke home, fixed price versus cost plus, and why he thinks builders should stay firmly in their lane and leave the design to the architect. He also tells the story of the Muriwai home that took his business to another level and pushed him off the tools for good, and why he's never once chased revenue or a quick buck on the side. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

September 20, 2026Episode 181 hr 1 min

Do It Right, Not Fast | Jake Woods BBA #19

Send us Fan Mail This week on the Better Builder podcast we sit down with Jake Woods, founder of Calibre Homes. Jake came up as a boat builder, spent nearly two decades on superyachts, then came home and built Calibre into a respected Auckland renovation company. He gets into precision on the tools, why trust is everything, and his push to fix the apprenticeship pathway with Builders Academy. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

August 23, 2026Episode 961 hr 6 min

When Good Builders Still Go Broke | Jarrett Howe #96

Send us Fan Mail This week we sit down with Jarrett Howe from Frontline Project Management, on-site at a bespoke Auckland home he built with architect Jason Bailey of Hoxha Bailey. Jarrett and his partner Ernie run a small operation that takes on big things, from one-off homes to projects worth tens of millions. He gets into why getting the builder in early is a game-changer, how his open-book system shows clients where every dollar goes, and why so many busy building companies still go under. He also shares his own story, from learning his trade in the army to the loss that reshaped how he thinks about work, money and family. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

August 16, 2026Episode 951 hr 9 min

The Cost Of Pushing Too Hard | Jason Bailey #95

Send us Fan Mail This week we sit down with Jason Bailey of Hoxha Bailey Architects, who flew in from the Sunshine Coast for the chat. Over 30 years designing Auckland homes, Jason shares his story and the lessons behind it. He takes us from a creative Auckland childhood and an arts degree into architecture, and the leap of starting a practice from scratch with no clients. Along the way he gets into the pros and cons of a business partnership, the art of pulling a real brief out of a client, and why working collaboratively with builders early makes all the difference. He's also honest about the budget realities of building today, and the burnout that led him to set boundaries and move across the ditch to find some balance. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

August 2, 2026Episode 941 hr 4 min

What Working Every Night Cost Me | Ben Kevey-Maiden #94

Send us Fan Mail This week, we welcome Ben Kevey-Maiden, founder of New Wave Construction, to the Better Builder podcast as we sit down on location in St Luke's, Auckland, inside the striking little commercial building he built off the side of his family's car wash. Ben has built a reputation across Auckland for bringing complex, high-end architectural designs to life, with a craftsman's eye for detail and finish. In this episode, Ben pulls back the curtain on the technical reality of the build, from setting footings into solid basalt rock to pouring a cantilevered concrete staircase that hangs off the side of the building. He shares how he came up through an old-school apprenticeship, cut his teeth on high-end projects in London, and went out on his own to build a deliberately small, tight-knit team he treats as equals. Ben also opens up on the honest stuff: the "circle of trust" that holds a project together, learning to step back from working every night, and how family, meditation and staying on the tools keep him grounded. He explains why he has never needed to market, why he would rather stay small than become "a guy behind an email signature," and how early collaboration with the right architect keeps projects running on time and on budget. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

July 26, 2026Episode 931 hr 13 min

Why Architects and Builders Clash | Ben Lloyd #93

Send us Fan Mail This week on the Better Builder podcast, we sit down with Ben Lloyd from Lloyd Hartley Architects, on location at a small St Luke's office he designed in the corner of a busy Auckland car wash. Ben shares what it really takes to run a small architecture practice, how he guides clients through a stressful once-in-a-lifetime build, why holding firm on budget matters, and why early builder involvement is a game-changer for keeping projects on time and on budget. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

July 23, 2026Episode 1839 min

What Year One as a Building Apprentice Actually Looks Like | Lawrence BBA #18

Send us Fan Mail Lawrence is a second-year building apprentice from Tauranga who joins Brad for an honest chat about life on the tools. He breaks down how the apprenticeship actually works: the trainer visits, the night classes, the book work, and the mistakes along the way. They cover site culture, the first-year learning curve, why he chose the trades, and what makes a good apprentice. Plus a rapid-fire round on tools, energy drinks, rugby and more. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

July 12, 20261 hr 3 min

Remote Island Builder Specialist | Matt Garlick #92

Send us Fan Mail This week on the Better Builder podcast, we sit down with Matt Garlick, founder of Supreme Builders NZ, to talk about what it actually takes to execute high-end architectural construction in some of the most remote, awkward locations across the Bay of Islands. Originally a carpenter from Kent, UK, Matt moved to New Zealand at age 22 and has spent the last two decades cutting his teeth on complex, regional builds. In this episode, Matt pulls back the curtain on the brutal logistical challenges of island building—including the extreme management required to shuffle subcontractors back and forth via workboats with limited passenger capacity, and what happens when your concrete pump breaks down on a secluded island mid-pour. He also shares his approach to fostering a tight, hands-on crew culture, mentoring Gen-Z apprentices, and transitioning from an employee to a business owner handling complex architectural expectations. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

July 5, 2026Episode 911 hr 1 min

Logistics Of Building On An Island | Paul Francis #91

Send us Fan Mail Architect Paul joins the Better Builder podcast for our second outdoor episode of the season, sitting down on location to discuss the brutal realities of building on an island. From navigating the nightmare logistics of ferry-bound concrete trucks and winter storms to making 2,600 boat trips over the water, Paul pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to project manage a build isolated from the mainland.⁠ Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

June 25, 2026Episode 1747 min

What Makes A Good Apprentice | Charlie BBA #17

Send us Fan Mail Charlie is a 19-year-old, third-year building apprentice from Auckland who joins Brad for an honest chat about life on the tools. From a school work-experience day on a commercial site to choosing residential building over sparky or plumbing work, Charlie breaks down how the apprenticeship actually works — the training, the book work, the pay structure, and the mistakes (and injuries) along the way. They talk site culture, staying motivated through winter, ignoring the "get rich quick" hype on social media, and what it takes to be a good apprentice. Plus a rapid-fire round on tools, music, festivals, and more. Social Links Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/betterbuilderpodcast Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@betterbuilderpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/betterbuilderstudio LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-builder-podcast Linktree - https://linktr.ee/betterbuilderpodcast Better Builder is hosted by Brad Visser. Brad is the CEO and founder of Gro, a builder centric agency that helps custom home builders attract higher quality projects. Brad’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/betterbradvisser Gro’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gro.agency Gro’s Offer https://builder.groagency.co/vsl Disclaimer This podcast does not constitute professional advice (financial, legal or otherwise) and you should seek your own professional advice where required. By listening to and/or accessing this podcast you acknowledge this, and you acknowledge that no warranty, guarantee or representation is made as to the accuracy of any information featured in this ...

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