The Preconstruction Podcast - Commercial Construction.

Hosted by Gareth McGlynn

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169

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The Preconstruction Podcast tells the story of Preconstruction Innovation within Commercial Construction throughout the US. We will be traveling the country speaking with Preconstruction innovators, Estimating geniuses, and national leaders within Technology, General Contractors, Architects, Owners, and Subcontractors to hear their Preconstruction success stories.

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60 recent

June 15, 202624 min

E163: Luigi La Corte, Co-Founder and CEO at Provision

Gareth McGlynn sits down with Luigi La Corte, Co-Founder and CEO of Provision, recorded live at Advancing Preconstruction 2026 in Phoenix. Provision is an AI platform built to solve scope gaps in preconstruction, a problem La Corte describes as costing GCs an estimated 0.5–2% of total project cost.Key Topics Covered:Career Path to Provision: From civil engineering at Arup, to infrastructure finance at Plenary, to founding Provision after observing scope failures at the largest GCs in North America.Provision's Pivot: From contract review to Scope Agent, targeting scope gaps after general AI models made document review defensible.Why Scopes Are Hard for AI: LLM limitations with image interpretation, thousands of edge cases around drawing legends and plan references, requiring purpose-built tooling.$1M Dataset Investment: Hundreds of thousands of estimator-verified line items across real projects, built to substantiate accuracy claims.Real-World Results: One customer from three weeks to four days on scope prep. Addenda changes caught before subcontractor distribution, preventing a six-figure issue.AI and the Estimator: Automating rote workflows (spec review, RFI conflicts, scope extraction) without replacing the estimator.You can connect with Luigi via his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luigi-r-la-corte/

June 8, 202621 min

E162: Sunil Dorairajan, Founder/CEO at Wyre AI

Wyre AI Founder and CEO Sunil Dorairajan sat down with our host, Gareth McGlynn, at Advancing Preconstruction 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. A construction project manager turned entrepreneur, Sunil brings a contractor's perspective to AI-powered preconstruction tools.Key Topics Covered:From Field to Founder: His ten years in heavy commercial construction, the founding of Pipe in 2017, its acquisition by Autodesk, and what brought him back to the startup world with Wyre AI.Why Preconstruction, Why Now: The combination of team burnout and a generation of retiring estimators creating urgency for technology adoption in precon.WireScopes: How it takes a week-long scope production process and brings it down to a matter of hours, and what that means for precon teams under tight bid deadlines.WireCheck: How it catches conflicts between plans and specs before a bid goes out, and a real contractor example where a single discrepancy flagged pre-bid was worth $25,000.AI Without the Complexity: Why Wyre AI is model-agnostic, what that means for estimators, and why precon managers shouldn't need to be model mechanics.And much, much more.You can connect with Sunil via his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunildorairajan/You can also reach Sunil directly at sd@wyreai.io or visit www.wyreai.io to request a demo.

June 1, 202626 min

E161: Nate Weeks, Director of Estimating at Jewett Construction

Gareth McGlynn speaks with Nate Weeks, Director of Estimating at Jewett Construction, a commercial general contractor based in Southern New Hampshire with operations across New England, upstate New York, and into the mid-Atlantic. Jewett has been in operation for over 50 years and remains family-owned into its second generation.Discussion Highlights:Career Progression: From zero estimating background at 27 to Director of Estimating in under a decade.The Shift to Leadership: Setting clear expectations, delegating effectively, and developing the team.Planning as a Sales Tool: Using a dedicated planning manager and Giraffe software to help developers optimise land use before estimating begins.Tech Stack: Builder, HubSpot, Building Connected, Procore, and Excel for estimating.The Bid Leveling Gap: Data entry from subcontractor bids as the biggest time drain, and what a real solution needs to look like.AI in Preconstruction: Using AI as a research aid while staying cautious about its reliability for cost decisions.You can connect with Nate via his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-weeks-2409385a/More great conversations ahead. Stay connected with The Preconstruction Podcast for weekly episodes featuring voices from across the industry.

May 26, 202635 min

E160: Nathan Schafer, Estimating Manager at Cornerstone General Contractors

Gareth McGlynn speaks with Nathan Schafer, Estimating Manager at Cornerstone General Contractors, at Advancing Preconstruction 2026 in Phoenix. A self-performing GC based in Alaska, Cornerstone gives Nathan a hands-on perspective on preconstruction that is grounded in real field conditions.Key Topics Covered:Nathan & Cornerstone: Working across healthcare, hospitality, and federal military projects, with a focus on vertical commercial construction.New Estimators & Value Engineering: The shortage of talent entering the field, their understanding of value engineering, and professional development through ASPE and AACE.Lean Construction: Its growing impact on the estimating process and the role of AI takeoff tools as a lean principle in action.Data Science in Preconstruction: How Cornerstone is incorporating data science into its workflow, including labor productivity tracking and predicting quantity growth risk as a function of design maturity.Value Management in Practice: Cornerstone's formal pilot on a $90M project: 13 propositions totaling $9M, with $7M accepted.You can connect with Nathan via his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-schafer-cpe-b75991178/Or reach him through his blog: https://www.preconomics.com/blog

May 18, 202633 min

E159: Steve Dell'Orto, Founder & CEO of ConCntric

Recorded live at Advancing Preconstruction 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, this episode features Steve Dell'Orto, Founder and CEO of Concentric. A construction industry veteran who built the platform from the GC side, Dell'Orto brings the perspective of someone who has lived the inefficiencies he is now working to solve. Key Topics Covered:The Excel problem: Most precon teams still running disconnected spreadsheets with no standardization, structured data, or shared repository across the teamPlatform adoption: Concentric is designed to be familiar and Excel-like, keeping the barrier low without reinventing existing preconstruction workflowsThe data flywheel: Each project captured in the platform feeds the next, building accuracy, precision, and certainty of outcome over timeSingle pane of glass: Consolidating precon workflows into one platform eliminates the data transfer friction and security exposure that comes with juggling multiple point solutionsAmplify and agentic AI: Concentric's AI layer operates inside the platform vault, keeping proprietary data secure while delivering company-specific, context-rich outputsPrecon as a unifier: The platform is designed to bring operations into the planning stage earlier, bridging preconstruction and execution rather than treating it as a clean handoffYou can connect with Steve via LinkedIn and book a demo directly through the Concentric website:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevedellorto/Website: https://concntric.com/

April 6, 202635 min

E158: Kyle Stewart, Senior Manager of Estimating at Exyte

Kyle Stewart, Senior Manager of Estimating at Exyte, joins our host Gareth McGlynn for a conversation on preconstruction and estimating within the semiconductor and advanced technology space. An applied mathematics graduate with a stint teaching high school calculus before moving into project controls at Jacobs Engineering, Kyle now leads estimates on some of the most technically demanding construction projects being built today.Key Topics Covered:Career Path: From applied mathematics and high school teaching to project controls at Jacobs Engineering, now leading estimates on semiconductor and advanced technology facilities at Exyte.Technology & AI: The evolution of estimating technology and where AI fits into preconstruction today.Communicating Escalation: Managing and presenting rising project costs and risk to clients and stakeholders.Compressed Design and Construction Timelines: The pressures driving accelerated schedules for semiconductor and data center builds amid the AI boom.Advanced Technology Facility Complexity: The unique estimating and delivery challenges of semiconductor and high-tech manufacturing construction.Kyle delivers a technically sharp and honest look at the realities of estimating mega-scale advanced technology facilities at a time when speed, cost, and complexity are all pulling in different directions.You can connect with Kyle via his Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleestewart/

March 30, 202632 min

E157: Elliot Christiansen, Sr. Vice President of Operations at Cleveland Construction

We’re back with a new episode of The Preconstruction Podcast and it’s a strong one to kick things off.Gareth McGlynn sits down with Elliot Christiansen, Sr. Vice President of Operations at Cleveland Construction, after a recent move that caught a lot of attention across the industry.With so much noise around AI and new tech, this episode focuses on what’s actually working in practice, from real decisions to implementation and what teams are seeing on the ground today.Discussion Highlights:Cleveland's major platform transition: The decision to move from Procore to Autodesk and what triggered the shift, early benefits, cost considerations, and key lessons.Autodesk Construction Cloud: How it's supporting project controls, forecasting, and data continuity.Using AI outside the core platform: Tools like Box AI to support day-to-day work.Elliot's passion for mentoring: The role of mentoring, LMS systems, and building the next generation of preconstruction professionals.A timely conversation for anyone weighing up new technology, reviewing their current systems, or looking at how AI fits into their workflow.Connect with Elliot via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-christiansen/

November 24, 202541 min

E156: Ted Rusch, Vice President - Preconstruction at Batson-Cook Construction

Our host, Gareth McGlynn, sits down with Ted Rusch, Vice President of Preconstruction at Batson-Cook Construction, for a conversation shaped by more than 26 years in the industry. Ted’s path from a decade in project management to leading preconstruction at one of Atlanta’s major healthcare builders gives him a perspective rooted in both field delivery and front-end planning.Discussion Highlights:A decade in the field as a Project Manager before transitioning fully into preconstruction.His progression at Batson-Cook, now serving as VP of Preconstruction.Technology on the precon side. What he uses, what’s working, and tools he has tested over the years.The role of tech in design phase reviews, value engineering, estimating and takeoffs.Building a data strategy over the past two and a half years and how it now supports conceptual and schematic estimates within 2–3 percent accuracy.How this accuracy improves service for clients and strengthens early decision making.You can connect with Ted Rusch on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-rusch/If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to like, share, and subscribe for more conversations from across preconstruction.

November 10, 202540 min

E155: Samuel Liesmer, Hyperscale Estimator at National Technologies

Our host Gareth McGlynn sits down with Samuel Liesmer, Hyperscale Estimator at National Technologies (a Connex Company), to discuss the growing demand for low voltage expertise in hyperscale data center construction.Discussion Highlights:The surge of AI and data center growth driving electrical and low voltage packages.Understanding Division 27 low voltage systems in large-scale builds.The complexities of structured cabling, fiber optics, and media systems.How CCTV, security, and access control systems are managed within hyperscale projects.Working with owners and general contractors to balance delivery, design, and management challenges.And much, much more.Connect with Sam Liesmer:🔗Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-l-424b8a146/🌐National Technologies: https://www.ntitech.com/

November 3, 202529 min

E154: AI in Preconstruction with Nick Papadopoulos, Founder & CEO of Eos Group at Precon World 2025

Recorded live at Precon World 2025 in Irvine, Texas, this episode features Nick Papadopoulos, Founder and CEO of Eos Group, as he shares practical takeaways from his session “Demystifying AI: Practical Predictive Analytics for Better Estimates.” Nick unpacks how preconstruction teams can apply AI with structure, governance, and purpose.Discussion Highlights:Governance and structure around AI implementationCommon pitfalls contractors face when adopting AIUnderstanding where teams stand in their AI journeyFoundational steps for those starting to integrate AI into preconstructionYou can also revisit Nick’s first appearance on The Preconstruction Podcast from a few years ago to see how his perspective on innovation and data in preconstruction has developed since then. LINK: https://www.nichessp.com/pre-construction-podcast/33-nick-papadopoulosYou can reach out to Nick via his Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickjpapadopoulos/That’s a wrap for our Precon World 2025 series.Thank you for tuning in to this special lineup of conversations with industry leaders. Stay with us for more episodes of The Preconstruction Podcast featuring the people shaping the future of preconstruction.