25 Years in Construction Just Became a Book. Ask Me Anything.

25 Years in Construction Just Became a Book. Ask Me Anything.

Real Estate Consultant · Houston TX · Member since 2021 · 121 posts · 91 votes

I have been a general contractor, a handyman, a project manager, a property manager, an active investor, and for the last several years a construction consultant for investors and developers. I have done over five hundred commercial projects. I have consulted for publicly traded REITs and served as an expert witness on construction disputes.
I thought writing a book about what I know would be straightforward.
It was not.
The part that surprised me was not the content. I know the content. What surprised me was how much of what I know exists in my head as instinct rather than as something I have ever had to clearly articulate. Writing forces you to articulate everything. You cannot hide behind experience when you have to put it in sentences that a beginner can follow and an experienced investor cannot poke holes in.
So I spent a lot of time asking myself why I do things the way I do them. Why I walk away from certain deals that look fine on paper. Why I qualify contractors the way I do. Why I have never lost money on a deal when plenty of investors with more capital and more resources than I had early on did.
The honest answer is perspective. Not information. Perspective.
Most of the investors I have watched struggle over the years were not lacking information. They were lacking the right frame to put it in. They knew what a deal was supposed to look like. They did not know what it actually cost, what it actually required, or what they were actually building toward before they started building it.
That is what the book is about. Not a strategy. Not a system. A way of looking at this business that makes every decision clearer before you have to make it.
If you are just getting started or if you have been doing this for a few years and feel like you are working harder than your results justify I am happy to answer questions about anything the book covers. Construction costs, deal analysis, contractor management, due diligence, finding deals, protecting yourself when things go wrong. Any of it.

Ask away.

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  • Michigan, USA · Member since 2026 · 20 posts · 12 votes
    6mo

    You mentioned that what separates successful investors is perspective more than information. From your experience across so many projects, how early in a deal do you think design decisions (layout, scope, level of finish) start to materially impact returns, and what are the biggest design-related mistakes you see investors make that quietly erode value?

    As someone working on the design side, I’m interested in how to better align design decisions with investor outcomes without overcomplicating the build.

  • Real Estate Consultant · Houston TX · Member since 2021 · 121 posts · 91 votes
    6mo
    Philippe, Fantastic question.
    Smaller projects like SFH under 500k I would say it matters, but not much. Typically those deals are minor repairs or changes. Rarely have I seen deals with any kind of real design changes; beyond things like removing walls, cabinet layout, and finishes. 
    It usually isn't until you get into much larger homes or CRE that it really matters to get the design aspect in before closing. You can't know a budget if you dont' have the design. Realistically I know (and you know) that design is massive to the functionality and salability of any property....but without a decent budget its hard to make meaningful changes. 
  • Michigan, USA · Member since 2026 · 20 posts · 12 votes
    6mo

    That makes a lot of sense, especially on smaller deals where speed and budget tend to drive everything.

    I’ve noticed something similar, though it’s interesting how even small layout decisions, like circulation or how spaces connect, can sometimes have an outsized impact without increasing cost. It’s not always about “more design,” but where it’s applied.

    In your experience, have you seen specific types of layout or planning decisions that consistently add value (or avoid costly mistakes) on those smaller SFH projects?

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