Precon Geeks

Hey there, podcast pals! 🎙️ On today’s episode, our host John is joined by none other than Chris Reeder, the Preconstruction Technology Manager at Brasfield & Gorrie. 🚀

Now, let me tell you, Chris is a precon wizard—he’s got the whole tech game on lockdown! As the go-to guru for all things tech in his precon team, he’s like the Captain Marvel of construction software. 💪

What’s his secret sauce? Well, Chris not only wrangles the tech but also weaves magic into processes. He’s the guy who ensures everything runs as smoothly as a well-oiled machine. 🛠️

In this lively chat, John and Chris dive into the nitty-gritty. They’re talking about:

• Data organization: Because let’s face it, a tidy database is like a closet with color-coordinated socks—life-changing! 📊
• Tech juggling: Imagine Chris with a bunch of tech balls in the air, doing a flawless juggling act. 🤹‍♂️
• Best practices for standardizing your database: It’s like teaching your dog to sit—consistency is key! 🐶
• Why having a tech manager rocks: Chris spills the beans on how it’s like having a personal tech superhero on your precon team. 🦸‍♂️

On today’s episode, John hosts another precon freak, Chris Reeder, Preconstruction Technology Manager at Brasfield & Gorrie.

In this unique position, Chris manages all the tech his precon team deals with. He helps establish the best processes and mitigates issues with technology.

John and Chris discuss the importance of organizing your data, the challenges of juggling tech, best practices for standardizing your database, and the benefits of having a tech manager on your precon team.

John hosts Taimoor Khan, Vice President of Preconstruction at Satterfield & Pontikes and adjunct professor at the University of Houston.

Taimoor has a passion for innovation and is an advocate of exploring construction technologies and growing the next generation of preconstruction professionals. He is an experience leader and has developed successful tactics on how to grow and retain younger generations getting into precon.

On this special episode of Precon Geeks, John and Taimoor discuss the challenges precon teams face finding new talent and how leadership is vital in creating an environment where younger estimators thrive and want to stay at your company.

Innovation is our mandate. It is one of our core values. It is way we are here. Our founder, Peter Beck, formed Beck Technology because he knew innovative technology could fix the many problems we face in construction.

We are passionately working on solving preconstruction problems through innovative technology every day. But those solutions don’t just come out of thin air. It takes a lot of work. Beck Technology's Innovations Lab is what drives these innovative ideas. Through the lab, we test ideas. Some of them make it. Some of them fail.

Today, John hosts Eric Fritsche, Head of Innovations Lab and the two talk about Beck Technology’s Innovation Week, the importance of Innovation, and how you can start an innovation initiative at your company in this week’s episode.

For more on our Innovations Lab, read the following resources:

John hosts our Chief Technology Officer, Michael Boren to talk about the current landscape in construction right now and how that is going to affect precon trends in 2024.

With our fingers on the pulse of what general contractors are doing and what they are preparing for, Mike predicts that because of wider adoption of tech, GCs will shift their focus into markets and regions where they haven’t traditionally been.

He also says that there will be wider use and expectations of use of AI in software. Though more and more GCs are using data to make decisions, in 2024, we predict there will be more sources of data, as well as more use of robotics and automation in construction.

Tune into this episode to learn what you need to prepare for in the construction industry for 2024.

In this first of a 2-part series, John sits down with construction tech evangelist and host of the ConTechCrew podcast, Jeff Sample, about the digitalization of construction and more specifically the use of tech in preconstruction.

In this week’s episode, John and Jeff focus on automation, how tech is making the precon process easier, and how precon teams can utilize data to make better decisions and build better buildings.

Don’t miss the second half of their conversation by tuning in next week!

John hosts Johnny Maghzal, Product Development at Beck Tech partner, Togal.AI takeoff software.

Togal artificial intelligence takeoff software is processing building plans and interpreting them with 97% accuracy producing 80% faster takeoff. With its integration with our construction estimating software, DESTINI Estimator, we’re truly pushing the boundaries of construction technology and what augmentation and AI can do for precon teams.

In this episode, John and Johnny discuss what innovations are happening in preconstruction technology today and their predictions of where construction technology is headed in the future.

It is no secret that Precon Geeks is brought to you by Beck Technology, developers of the best construction estimating software (in our humble opinion) and as a preconstruction technology company that also invests in software for us internally to work efficiently, we understand the investment you’ve made when your purchase new software.

In this episode, John hosts our own Learning and Development Lead, Allison Lewis, to talk about the best practices your precon team can implement so you get the most of DESTINI Estimator and your other estimating and preconstruction software.

Beck Technology is devoted to your success at fully utilizing every feature that DESTINI Estimator offers. Unique to Beck Technology is our Services department, which includes not only a customer success team, but also an entire team that develops and maintains learning and training content for DESTINI Estimator, DESTINI Data Manager, and DESTINI Bid Day users.

With a background in construction, Allison not only understands precon teams, but also as a DESTINI product expert, she also understands the training involved in how to become an expert user of our software.

She suggests:

• Leaning on the resources your software vendor provides you, like our Lessonly content.

• Defining your training goals quarterly and annually.

• Developing a training plan.

• Putting committed time on the team’s calendar to focus on training.

Further, continuous learning opens up new opportunities for career growth. Allsion says it “opens new doors you didn’t know were there.”

Listen all the way through to hear Allison’s challenge to you for this month.

The way your client talks about their project is largely based on the experience you provide them with. Precon is their first impression. Estimators aren’t just number crunchers; they are also relationship builders. Your role in providing an exceptional client experience shouldn’t be undervalued.

Tamara Altom, Project Estimator at Benchmark Construction, joins John on this episode of Precon Geeks to discuss how precon teams can develop a successful relationship with clients.

Tamara says you are selling your company all the way through the project. So, how do you do that to win repeat work?

John and Tamara answer:

1.   What to ask a new client to build a trusting relationship.

2.  How to tell a project’s story through its lifecycle to the client in a way they understand.

3.  What you can do to make the client’s life easier.

It might come as a surprise but the subreddit for estimators is a great channel for precon folks to anonymously ask the tough and not so tough questions about estimating and precon life.

In this week’s episode, Suzanne asks John for his expert advice on some of the issues estimators are running into lately.

What does it mean to be a partner? Is the word meaningless?

How do you make your software vendor work for you?

John hosts Frank Dickenson, Customer Relationship Leader at Beck Technology, to discuss getting the most out of your software vendors.

For more resources on vendor/buyer relationships, read the following blog posts:

Beck Technology’s Precon World 2023 was held at the House of Blues, Dallas, Texas on Friday, October 13th. The event is for preconstruction professionals to get together and network, learn about the current and future of precon, and advance their knowledge of the DESTINI platform.

This year, our host of Precon Geeks, John Reich, along with Grant Stucker, MC’ed the event.

On this episode of Precon Geeks, John and Grant talk about their biggest takeaways and how the presenters at Precon World brought a lot of knowledge on the best practices in precon.

How do we solve this?

John hosts two titans of precon to take sides on using BIM for preconstruction. Based on a Beck Technology blog post, Jan Beran and Brent Pilgrim talk about how we can instill confidence in the model to standardize using it in precon.

Bad data costs businesses $12.9 trillion every year.

As an estimator, getting accurate data and mitigating risk is the majority of what you do. Using accurate data to make the best project decisions is key to winning jobs.

There are two types of data—historical and cost data. John and Jared talk about the importance of keeping you estimating data clean and offer advice on how and when to clean your data.

BIM.

Who is using it? How are they using? What are the roadblocks to using it? What does the future of BIM look like?

At last year's Precon World, Brent Pilgrim, National Director of Preconstruction at the Beck Group, asked who was using model-based estimating regularly—83% replied, ‘no.'

In this episode, John and Jared talk about how preconstruction departments have become experts as using BIM as a selling tool; however, there is so much more to 3D modeling.

Listen in and get John's opinion on where BIM is headed, and you will also get tips on where to find how to use BIM.

For more resources on BIM and model-based estimating, read the following blog posts:

Piggybacking on the episode You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You when John and Jared talk about imposter syndrome, today the Precon Geeks talk about how you can learn how to estimate and how to learn to estimate better.

In our country, there aren’t many official avenues to learn how to create construction estimates, so how can you get into preconstruction with the confidence that you can do the job? How do you learn how to do it? How do you learn how to do more?

Our industry is so hands-on experienced based rather than getting schooling on how to do it that recent college grads and junior estimators tend to steer away from getting into precon. However, it is a highly rewarding career.

John uses his experience as a preconstruction manager to encourage listeners who are either new to estimating or considering getting into precon on how you can learn how to estimate construction projects.

We’ve come a long way, baby.

On this week’s episode of Precon Geeks, the preconstruction podcast made for estimators so we can geek out on all things precon, John and Jared discuss the evolution of how we’ve done preconstruction and how technology has impacted construction and particularly preconstruction.

John talks about his experience with the digital revolution and the evolution of takeoff and where construction technology is headed.

From looking back to how far we’ve come and where we’re headed, technology is making the industry and the world a better place.

You don’t want to miss this exciting episode!

Togal.AI CEO and founder, and Executive Vice President of Coastal Construction, Patrick E. Murphy, is John and Jared’s special guest this week.  

With 80% faster takeoffs, Togal.AI is takeoff software and integrates with DESTINI Estimator.

In this week’s electrifying episode, Patrick and the Geeks discuss the latest in A.I. and how’s it is being used in the construction industry, especially in precon.

You will also hear the benefits of AI, the revolutionary way Togal.AI is utilizing ChatGPT in its software and how the latest and innovative technology is advancing preconstruction.

How heated is it going to get?

It's a show down between U of L and U of K.

JUST KIDDING.

John and Jared host our own Allison Lewis, Beck Technology Learning and Development lead. Allison heads up all our training efforts for end users of the DESTINI suite of preconstruction software.

With a construction background, Allison is an expert in data management, process improvement, and standardizing operating procedures. In this episode, the Geeks talk about the importance of utilizing the resources your software vendor provides you to learn your new tools.

Allison talks about the typical gaps in implementing software and how to handle them, and the steps you can take to complete a successful software implementation.

While Jared is still riding solo for one more week, he hosts Beck Technology Implementation Specialist, Ted Solomon. Ted is our resident born and raised New Yorker. He came to Beck Tech with a civil engineering degree and a background in preconstruction, estimating, and field work. He’s deeply passionate about construction technology and sees how embracing emerging tech will help make the built environment better. In this episode, Ted talks about how to gather the best data from the field, how to use that data, and the coolest AR and VR that is being used in the construction industry.

Though Jared did not get a “strongly worded email” he DID get his Precon World 2023 dates wrong. On October 13th, join us at the badass House of Blues Dallas for an entire day of precon! There is a limited-seating special DESTINI Estimator hands-on training session the day before on October 12.

Burnout is a big deal. And precon is feeling it. In this episode, John and Jared address the question, "As an estimator, how do I care about everything?" John spent nearly 15 years in estimating and construction and knows well the pressures you can face. He gives advice on how to stay focused on your current job while also keeping your eyes on the future, and how to take care of yourself and prevent estimator burnout. This episode will be of particular interest to those who are new to estimating and preconstruction. We'd love to hear how you "care about everything," including yourself. Drop us a line!