Modern Craftsman

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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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August 31, 202645 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 (0:03) Cabinetry and Material Coordination (2:47) Kitchen and Material Consistency (4:50) Detail and Execution in the Kitchen (8:05) Dining Space and Skylight (13:08) Living Room and Outdoor Spaces (18:23) Staircase and Second Floor Details (20:23) Primary Bedroom and Bathroom (26:11) Secondary Bedrooms and Bathrooms (34:29) Basement and Mechanical Room (36:42) Garage and Mechanical Room Details (37:57) Final Thoughts and Reflections (40:11)

August 24, 2026Episode 4151 hr 19 min

#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 (0:00) Challenges of Modern Construction (9:21) Efficiency and Specialization in Construction (10:25) The Role of the Master Builder (10:42) The Impact of Product Development on Craftsmanship (10:59) The Evolution of Construction Management (11:11) The Importance of Building Experience (11:44) The Development of Dura Gutter (11:58) Architectural Details and Product Evolution (12:32) Insulation and Exterior Details (72:16) Efficiency in Construction (74:10) Challenges of Modern Construction (76:57) 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

August 17, 20261 hr 29 min

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 (0:00) Introduction of Ledgerwise and Construction Accounting (0:39) Discussion on Construction Accounting Models (4:24) Details of the Escrow Model (6:41) Benefits and Challenges of the Escrow Model (6:58) Case Study: Handling Project Cancellations (9:27) Conclusion and Final Thoughts (10:28) Minimum Balance and Client Trust (10:42) Payment Process and Trade Onboarding (11:19) Lien Waivers and Preliminary Notices (11:37) Cost and Revenue Model (74:47) Builder Testimonials and Industry Challenges (79:27) Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts (83:04) 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

August 9, 2026Episode 41341 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

August 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

August 2, 2026Episode 4121 hr 30 min

412 Why Starting Over Can Be Worth the Risk with Charles Ochello

Charles Ochello walked away from emergency medicine to build luxury homes in Park City. He talks about the financial runway, the insecurity of starting over, and how lessons from the ER shaped the way he manages high-stakes projects and clients. 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 The Work You Wake Up Thinking About 02:29 The Financial Reality of Leaving Medicine 06:57 When People Think You're Crazy 17:51 How Insecurity Fuels the Chase 27:39 Why Park City 43:28 Managing Homes Like Family Office Assets 53:32 The Project That Should Have Been Paused 1:06:36 Learning the Language of Luxury 1:12:23 The Emotional Weight of High-Stakes Work 1:17:35 Chasing Consistency Instead of More 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

July 30, 202612 min

Offcut 411: The Real Midlife Crisis Is Giving Up

A midlife crisis might not be losing control. It might be reaching a dead end, quitting on creativity, and deciding there's no better version of yourself left to build. Mark D. Williams talks about risk, fulfillment, expensive lessons, and why the next bet can matter even when it doesn't fully check out on paper. Full Episode: https://youtu.be/A6S_eqGEstA Mark's Website: https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com Mark's Podcast: https://www.curiousbuilder.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 There's Never Enough Time Anyway 01:22 The Entrepreneurs Who Couldn't Give Up Their Phones 02:11 When the Project Doesn't Pencil 04:40 The Guy in the Mirror Can Sell You Anything 05:32 What If You Lose $2 Million? 08:34 The House Became a Reflection of Himself 10:24 What a Midlife Crisis Really Is Video Version: https://youtu.be/BKTU_Q47TfA 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

July 26, 2026Episode 4111 hr 16 min

411 The Risk of Building What You Believe In with Mark D. Williams

Everybody wants to build the project they believe in, right up until the risk gets real. This episode gets into what it looks like to take a swing on a house that does more than one job, why Mark D. Williams built Mysa Hus the way he did, and how the project became part business play, part creative reset, and part bet on the future. Mark's Website: https://www.mdwilliamshomes.com Mark's Podcast: https://www.curiousbuilder.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 The big bet 00:09 Intro 04:19 What Mark fears most 15:18 Risk, danger & decision-making 19:03 From spec house to story home 27:25 The build that made Mark love building again 29:49 What wellness actually means 38:28 Boundaries create freedom 46:37 Buying back time 53:25 When a risky project is still worth it 1:15:18 Building a home that fits your real life Video Version: https://youtu.be/A6S_eqGEstA 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

July 23, 202615 min

Offcut 410: Why Everything Falls Apart When You Hire

The business starts leaking money when the plan in your head never makes it to the people doing the work. Nick and Tyler talk about teaching clearly, building repeatable systems, and why shadowing someone only works when they eventually have to do it themselves. Sign up for the Modern Craftsman Community: 👉🏻 MC Community Sign-up Sign up for the newsletter: Newsletter Sign-up Show Notes: 00:00 The Lesson That Changed the Business 02:47 You Don't Know It Until You Teach It 05:32 Every Step You Forgot to Explain 07:22 Why Apprenticeship Still Matters 13:16 Builders Keep Reinventing the Wheel Video Version: https://youtu.be/tOjp2zn7GWc 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

July 19, 2026Episode 4101 hr 7 min

410 The Education Builders Never Got

Most builders learn the trade first and figure out the business by taking hits for ten years. Nick and Tyler talk about college, online education, fake gurus, systems, financial clarity, and what builders should actually invest in before the business gets away from them. 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: 00:04:15 The Problem With Builder Education 00:14:55 Are Online Courses Any Better? 00:22:49 Builders Never Learned the Business Side 00:30:29 You Don't Know It Until You Can Teach It 00:40:32 Builders Keep Reinventing the Wheel 00:46:45 Where Should a Young Builder Invest? 00:53:43 Teaching From Scars, Not a Script 01:03:06 There Is No Silver Bullet Video Version: https://youtu.be/Th0DA9TFKoU 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