Marti sits down with Steve Glover from Paragon Homes in Toowoomba, Queensland. Steve shares his journey from battling in the "race to the bottom"—where the winner was whoever had the smallest number on the page—to running a high-end architectural building company with nearly $20M in revenue.

Steve reveals the specific "Design Experience" model that allows him to charge a $3,300 prelim fee and achieve a massive 90% conversion rate. They also discuss the dangers of "margin creep," the importance of transparent cost-plus pricing, and the personal health wake-up call that saw Steve drop 14kg to get his energy back for the business.

🕒 Timestamped Key Points
[09:26] The "Race to the Bottom" pricing trap
[11:56] Why volume builder tactics (margin creep) destroy trust
[14:56] Scrapping 50 plans to focus on custom design
[16:44] Charging a $3,300 base fee for prelims
[20:10] How to achieve a 90% conversion rate
[21:28] The danger of running at 150% capacity
[25:24] Using percentage-based overhead recovery
[06:13] The health wake-up call: From 128kg to fit

***

The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.

Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Marti sits down with Steve Glover from Paragon Homes in Toowoomba, Queensland. Steve shares his journey from battling in the "race to the bottom"&mdash;where the winner was whoever had the smallest number on the page&mdash;to running a high-end architectural building company with nearly $20M in revenue.
Steve reveals the specific "Design Experience" model that allows him to charge a $3,300 prelim fee and achieve a massive 90% conversion rate. They also discuss the dangers of "margin creep," the importance of transparent cost-plus pricing, and the personal health wake-up call that saw Steve drop 14kg to get his energy back for the business.
🕒 Timestamped Key Points
<ul>
<li>[09:26] The "Race to the Bottom" pricing trap</li>
<li>[11:56] Why volume builder tactics (margin creep) destroy trust</li>
<li>[14:56] Scrapping 50 plans to focus on custom design</li>
<li>[16:44] Charging a $3,300 base fee for prelims</li>
<li>[20:10] How to achieve a 90% conversion rate</li>
<li>[21:28] The danger of running at 150% capacity</li>
<li>[25:24] Using percentage-based overhead recovery</li>
<li>[06:13] The health wake-up call: From 128kg to fit</li>
</ul>
***
The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>
Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.
Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>

Welcome to The Builders Ladder, for residential builders and construction business owners who want to fast-track their results, scale their construction company, and create a systemized, profitable construction business.

If you’re ready to free up your time, increase profit, and build a high-performing team, you’re in the right place.

Your host, Marti Amos, has worked with over 5,000 building companies globally over the last 19+ years through builder coaching and proven business systems. His mission? To help you climb the builder’s ladder and run a predictable, high-margin construction business.

Tune in to hear from industry experts and discover step-by-step strategies to become a strategic building business owner - and ultimately, achieve true wealth, time freedom, and financial freedom through your residential construction business.

Welcome to The Builders Ladder, for residential builders and construction business owners who want to fast-track their results, scale their construction company, and create a systemized, profitable construction business.
If you&rsquo;re ready to free up your time, increase profit, and build a high-performing team, you&rsquo;re in the right place.
Your host, Marti Amos, has worked with over 5,000 building companies globally over the last 19+ years through builder coaching and proven business systems. His mission? To help you climb the builder&rsquo;s ladder and run a predictable, high-margin construction business.
Tune in to hear from industry experts and discover step-by-step strategies to become a strategic building business owner - and ultimately, achieve true wealth, time freedom, and financial freedom through your residential construction business.

The Builders Ladder: Business Growth Strategies for Residential Construction Businesses

Epi 188: How To Hit A 90% Quote Conversion Rate

Marti sits down at the Beehive with Chris Penk, New Zealand's Minister for Building and Construction, to tackle the regulatory roadblocks slowing down sites across the country. Chris discusses the government's push to make building faster, easier, and more affordable by attacking the root causes of council delays.

They dive into the "three P's" of his agenda: People, Products, and Processes. Chris explains the plan to overhaul the liability model so councils aren't paralyzed by risk, forcing accountability back onto designers and engineers. He also covers the potential for AI to replace "old mate with a clipboard" in consenting, and the strategy to stop skilled tradies from leaving for Australia.

🕒 Timestamped Key Points
[01:49] From Navy submarines to Parliament
[04:38] The goal: Faster, affordable, easier building
[06:16] Copying Australia: Learning from our neighbors
[09:03] Why councils are scared of liability
[10:43] Using AI to speed up consents
[15:19] Why it is easier for councils to say "No"
[21:28] Avoiding the "boom-bust" cycle
[22:04] Addressing the "brain drain" to Australia
[27:08] The problem with Personal Grievances (PGs)

 

-

The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.

Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Marti sits down at the Beehive with Chris Penk, New Zealand's Minister for Building and Construction, to tackle the regulatory roadblocks slowing down sites across the country. Chris discusses the government's push to make building faster, easier, and more affordable by attacking the root causes of council delays.
They dive into the "three P's" of his agenda: People, Products, and Processes. Chris explains the plan to overhaul the liability model so councils aren't paralyzed by risk, forcing accountability back onto designers and engineers. He also covers the potential for AI to replace "old mate with a clipboard" in consenting, and the strategy to stop skilled tradies from leaving for Australia.
🕒 Timestamped Key Points
<ul>
<li>[01:49] From Navy submarines to Parliament</li>
<li>[04:38] The goal: Faster, affordable, easier building</li>
<li>[06:16] Copying Australia: Learning from our neighbors</li>
<li>[09:03] Why councils are scared of liability</li>
<li>[10:43] Using AI to speed up consents</li>
<li>[15:19] Why it is easier for councils to say "No"</li>
<li>[21:28] Avoiding the "boom-bust" cycle</li>
<li>[22:04] Addressing the "brain drain" to Australia</li>
<li>[27:08] The problem with Personal Grievances (PGs)</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
-
The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>
Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.
Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>

Epi 187: Stop The Brain Drain: How To Keep Tradies In New Zealand

Marti sits down with Nick Avery from Avery Construction, a Victoria-based building company specializing in high-end architectural new builds ($2M–$4M+). Nick shares his journey from starting out "flying by the seat of his pants" after being denied a pay rise, to running a sophisticated operation that no longer relies on hope marketing.

They discuss the massive bottleneck of estimating complex jobs and how Nick reduced his quoting time from 50 hours down to just 10 hours using a Quantity Surveyor (QS). Nick also reveals why he stopped relying on "word of mouth" and proactively targeted 25 local architects, and how implementing a "Default Diary" stopped the daily chaos of being "available all the time."

🕒 Timestamped Key Points
[02:29] Starting the business after being denied a pay rise
[08:40] Why staying in the office stops "lag" on site
[12:00] Current margins: 22% markup vs 12.5-15% cost plus
[13:05] Why 95% "word of mouth" is a bad business model
[13:35] The strategy: Sending "Wow Packs" to 25 local architects
[15:51] Cutting quoting time from 50 hours to 10 hours using a QS
[16:30] The value of a QS report labeled "A to Z"
[19:25] Advice for stuck builders: "Be a sponge"

 

-

 

The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.

Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Marti sits down with Nick Avery from Avery Construction, a Victoria-based building company specializing in high-end architectural new builds ($2M&ndash;$4M+). Nick shares his journey from starting out "flying by the seat of his pants" after being denied a pay rise, to running a sophisticated operation that no longer relies on hope marketing.
They discuss the massive bottleneck of estimating complex jobs and how Nick reduced his quoting time from 50 hours down to just 10 hours using a Quantity Surveyor (QS). Nick also reveals why he stopped relying on "word of mouth" and proactively targeted 25 local architects, and how implementing a "Default Diary" stopped the daily chaos of being "available all the time."
🕒 Timestamped Key Points
<ul>
<li>[02:29] Starting the business after being denied a pay rise</li>
<li>[08:40] Why staying in the office stops "lag" on site</li>
<li>[12:00] Current margins: 22% markup vs 12.5-15% cost plus</li>
<li>[13:05] Why 95% "word of mouth" is a bad business model</li>
<li>[13:35] The strategy: Sending "Wow Packs" to 25 local architects</li>
<li>[15:51] Cutting quoting time from 50 hours to 10 hours using a QS</li>
<li>[16:30] The value of a QS report labeled "A to Z"</li>
<li>[19:25] Advice for stuck builders: "Be a sponge"</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
-
&nbsp;
The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>
Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.
Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>

Epi 186: Why "Word Of Mouth" Is A Dangerous Construction Business Model

Marti sits down with Martin and Helen, a father-daughter team from NFL Construction in Auckland. Martin opens up about the brutal reality of a rapid growth phase where the business went from 3 to 20 staff, resulting in mistakes that cost "close to a million dollars."

They discuss the specific pricing disaster where a fixed-price project estimated at 8,000 hours blew out to 13,000 hours. Martin and Helen reveal how they stripped the business back to a lean contractor model to slash overheads, implemented rigorous back-costing systems, and now use physical "Lookbooks" to win high-end work without competing on price.

🕒 Timestamped Key Points
[01:31] From landscaping to commercial decking contracts
[03:00] Family dynamics: "Whatever doesn't involve a hammer, I do"
[11:11] The growth trap: Scaling to 20 staff and losing $1M
[14:40] The blowout: Allowing 8,000 hours for a 13,000-hour job
[16:29] Using WonderBuild for real-time back costing
[27:00] Losing a job by $80k to a builder who "starts Monday"
[27:40] Marketing pivot: Using "Lookbooks" to prove value
[30:51] Winning high-end work without price resistance
[33:28] Moving beyond "the accounts lady" label
[39:16] The goal: Hitting $10M turnover by 2029

The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.

Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!

https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder

Marti sits down with Martin and Helen, a father-daughter team from NFL Construction in Auckland. Martin opens up about the brutal reality of a rapid growth phase where the business went from 3 to 20 staff, resulting in mistakes that cost "close to a million dollars."
They discuss the specific pricing disaster where a fixed-price project estimated at 8,000 hours blew out to 13,000 hours. Martin and Helen reveal how they stripped the business back to a lean contractor model to slash overheads, implemented rigorous back-costing systems, and now use physical "Lookbooks" to win high-end work without competing on price.
🕒 Timestamped Key Points
<ul>
<li>[01:31] From landscaping to commercial decking contracts</li>
<li>[03:00] Family dynamics: "Whatever doesn't involve a hammer, I do"</li>
<li>[11:11] The growth trap: Scaling to 20 staff and losing $1M</li>
<li>[14:40] The blowout: Allowing 8,000 hours for a 13,000-hour job</li>
<li>[16:29] Using WonderBuild for real-time back costing</li>
<li>[27:00] Losing a job by $80k to a builder who "starts Monday"</li>
<li>[27:40] Marketing pivot: Using "Lookbooks" to prove value</li>
<li>[30:51] Winning high-end work without price resistance</li>
<li>[33:28] Moving beyond "the accounts lady" label</li>
<li>[39:16] The goal: Hitting $10M turnover by 2029</li>
</ul>
The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business.
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>
Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business.
Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there!
<a href="https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder">https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder</a>

Epi 188: How To Hit A 90% Quote Conversion Rate

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The Builders Ladder: Business Growth Strategies for Residential Construction Businesses

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