“At some point, someone’s paying for that tender.”

Tendering sounds fair on paper. Same drawings, three builders, pick the best price, move on.

But once you understand what it actually costs to price a job properly, and how tendering rewards omissions, risk loading, and variations, it starts to look less like a “market test” and more like a costly way to kick off a relationship.

In this episode, Hamish and Matt break down what a tender really is, why the classic draw, bid, build model creates isolation and blame, and why negotiated tendering (paid pre-construction with clear costing stop points) changes the incentives for everyone.

They also get into the uncomfortable bits architects and clients don’t always see: the real cost of tendering, why prices can come back wildly different, how gaps in documentation become legitimate variations, and why trust matters more than pretending you can compare builders like-for-like.

If you’ve ever wondered why a project can look “fully resolved” and still blow out, or why builders hate competitive tendering, this one will probably ruffle a few feathers.

00:00 Introduction

01:05 The Classic Tender Process And Why It Starts Badly

02:10 What “Resolved Documents” Really Means

04:19 What Gets Left Out Becomes Variations

05:12 Why Projects Go Over Budget And Who Gets Blamed

09:06 Tender Vs Negotiated Tender Depends On The Builder

11:17 Risk Loading And Why Tendering Increases Markups

13:01 Variations In Tender Jobs Vs Negotiated Jobs

16:00 Wild Price Gaps And Why Tender Numbers Can Be Useless

23:00 What A Negotiated Tender Actually Is

35:26 Trade Quotes, RFIs, And Reducing Risk Before Site

41:22 Tendering Feels Like Isolation

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

Biz Tech Guru: https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

Good design isn’t something you look at. It’s something you live in.

We sit down with James Goodlet from Altereco Design to talk about what “good design” actually means in the real world, and what a proper pre-construction process looks like when it’s done properly.

We get into why comfort is more than temperature, how designers extract the details that shape the lived experience, and why due diligence and risk management need to happen before anyone starts drawing. We also break down why James brings builders in early, how he thinks about budgeting versus estimating versus contract, and why clients need clarity on exclusions and allowances instead of getting buried in noise.

We talk contingency versus inflation, the feedback loop between builders and design teams that improves outcomes over time, and a simple practical fix for smoother pre-con. Whiteboard the whole timeline, agree on milestones, and make sure everyone knows who owns what.

00:00 Introduction

01:27 Meet James Goodlet

02:16 Good Design Is Seen Or Felt?

03:00 Comfort Beyond Temperature (Hempcrete House)

04:12 What Comfort Actually Includes (Sound, Air, Light)

07:08 James’ Path Into Design

11:25 Why “Alter Eco” And Sustainability

12:52 Pro Clima Detail Library

14:00 Alignment First: The Real Start Of Design

17:21 The Client Questionnaire (Sleep, Routines, Storage)

21:46 Due Diligence Before Sketching

28:10 Choosing Builders Based On Fit

37:00 Budgeting vs Estimating vs Contract

42:45 Contingency And Inflation

48:22 How Designers Read Trade Breakdowns

49:00 The Feedback Loop With Interiors

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

Biz Tech Guru: https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

A proper site visit isn’t a stroll around the block. It’s where you catch the stuff that turns into $30k surprises later.

We’re back with Brad from Sanford Buildco to have a conversation about what a site visit should actually involve, and why doing it properly is one of the simplest ways to protect your time, your margin, and your sanity.

We break down how our checklists differ across inner-city and rural sites, but still cover the same core categories: access, services, water management, demolition risk, and the existing building. We talk through real examples like tram and train line constraints, construction zones and parking permits, combined drains, earthenware stormwater, boundary trap upgrades, three-phase power, septic fields, and when a sump and pump becomes the only option.

We also get into the stuff that catches builders out if you don’t look early: neighbour water issues you can’t control once you’re hard on the boundary, asbestos you can’t spot from photos, and demolition rule changes that can turn normal waste into hazardous waste overnight. The theme is simple: gather better information now, and you’ll have fewer ugly conversations later.

00:00 Introduction

02:00 Site Visit Checklist

02:49 Access Constraints

03:40 Rural Access Costs

06:00 Plumbing Red Flags

07:10 Sewer Plans and Cameras

10:47 Power Upgrades Reality

11:45 Septic and Stormwater Pumps

14:38 Service Locators and Photos

16:58 Electrical Planning

20:09 Neighbour Water Risks

21:27 Retrofit Foundation Checks

22:43 Asbestos Budgeting

27:13 Digital Site Reporting

30:14 Parking Constraints

33:57 Demolition Rules and EPA

35:58 NBN and Service Scope

Brad - Sanford Buildco Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanfordbuildco/?hl=en

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

Biz Tech Guru: https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Wunderbuild: https://www.wunderbuild.com/

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

“There’s no such thing as a quick estimate.”

Estimating is one of the biggest parts of pre-construction, and it is also where builders lose time, money, and trust when the process is loose. We sit down with Rick Hughes from Estimating Online to take a look at why the idea of a “quick estimate” is often the start of bigger problems later.

Rick breaks estimating into a four-step process, from the gut-feel feasibility estimate through to rapid software-based estimating, a detailed bill of quantities, and then true costing where the client is committed and trades are quoting a real job. They talk about why context matters, why inputs matter, and why different builders need different estimating strategies depending on the type of work they do.

They also cover trade quote fatigue, fixed price versus cost plus, and why construction still does things backwards by designing first and costing last. If you are trying to tighten your pre-construction workflow, this episode gives you a clear way to think about estimating without getting distracted by shiny tools.

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Meet Rick Hughes

01:38 Why Estimating Matters

03:28 Do You Need Site Experience

10:14 Tiers of Estimating

11:25 Tech Tools and Templates

13:43 Four Step Estimating Framework

14:25 Sponsor Break ProClima Details

15:31 Who Should Estimate and Check

18:46 Stop Wasting Trade Quotes

25:23 Builder vs Trade Expertise

31:01 Common Sense Pricing Examples

33:30 Getting Paid for Precon

35:15 Sponsor Break Systems Webinar

37:19 Tenders And Budget Reality

40:30 Fixed Price Vs Cost Plus

48:56 In House Trades Debate

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

Biz Tech Guru: https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Wunderbuild: https://www.wunderbuild.com/

LINKS

Estimating Online: https://estimatingonline.com.au/

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

“Budget does not mean your build cost.” Matt drops that early, and it should be printed on every set of concept plans. In this episode of The Mindful Builder Podcast, Matt and Hamish sit down with Brad McEwan from Sanford Buildco for a blunt chat about project feasibility and why so many custom home builds in Australia blow out financially. If you’re a homeowner, builder, or designer trying to avoid budget shock, this one will save you a lot of pain.

We talk about the gap between a client’s budget and the reality of what the design actually costs, plus the hidden “other costs” that show up before you even start building. Think site works, services, reports, permits, access, and all the stuff that never makes it into the Instagram floor plan tour. Brad also breaks down how “small” choices like garages, alfrescos, tiles, and finishes can swing the price wildly depending on what you pick and how it’s installed.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pressure test a budget early, what a feasibility estimate is actually for, or what to ask a builder before you spend big on documentation, we cover it in plain language. Keywords: project feasibility, construction budget, build cost vs budget, custom home build Australia, building costs 2026, cost overruns, variations, architect budget, builder advice, pre construction process.

00:00 Intro

00:00:32 Budget vs build cost

00:01:00 The “other costs” that hit before site

00:02:00 Matching budget to design reality

00:04:00 Square metre rates and early stress testing

00:05:08 Garages, alfrescos, and scope creep

00:16:29 What’s excluded (and why it matters)

00:29:25 Feasibility is a viability check, not a contract price

00:35:39 The hard conversation now vs the variation later

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

SBA - https://www.thesba.com.au/

Biz Tech Guru: https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

“If you keep ending up with bad clients, that’s a you problem.”

Matt doesn’t sugar coat it, and honestly, he’s right.

In this episode we kick off our pre-construction series by talking about the building clients we refuse to work with, and why picking your client is one of the biggest risk controls in a construction business.

This is a practical chat for builders, tradies, architects, and homeowners who want a smoother build. We talk about why most client conflict comes from a lack of structure, unclear expectations, and messy communication. Matt shares his early filters like enquiry forms, a quick phone call, and a “first date” coffee, plus the red flags that tell him to walk away before the project turns into stress, scope creep, and constant tension.

If you’re a homeowner, this episode answers the real questions you’re thinking but not saying out loud. How do I choose the right builder?

What should pre-construction look like?

How do I know if we actually trust each other?

If you’re a builder, it’s a reminder that saying no is a skill, and that the relationship you build early is what protects you when variations, defects, and money conversations show up later.

00:00 Intro and the new pre construction series

00:04:00 Picking your client and why “bad clients” are a process problem

00:05:19 The first filters: forms, phone call, and setting expectations

00:08:08 New builders, people pleasing, and losing control

00:09:13 The budget reality check example

00:10:13 Saying no and the no dickhead policy

00:12:00 Defects, legislation changes, and why relationships matter

00:14:28 What Matt looks for in clients (gut feel, tone, trust)

00:24:06 What clients need to do

00:27:24 Walking away works for clients too

00:33:18 Mindful moment for young tradies

00:35:10 Have the money conversation early

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

Biz Tech Guru: https://www.biztechguru.com.au/

Wunderbuild: https://www.wunderbuild.com/

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/

In this episode, Joel (Heidi Build) hijacks the mic for an unfiltered conversation about the realities of building in Australia.

We break down why builders can feel “owned” by a client for years after a contract is signed, how viral “circus build” videos damage trust in the whole industry, and the difference between educating and selling when builders share their work on social media.

We also get practical: if you live in a typical 1990s brick veneer home (single glazing, gaps, limited insulation), we cover the first upgrades that improve comfort and indoor air quality, including draught proofing, ceiling insulation, and ducted bathroom and kitchen ventilation.

Start with draught proofing. Seal the gaps. Stop the house bleeding comfort.

You don’t have to be a tree-hugging hippie to want comfort and health. You can still love your V8s.

We finish on a solid reminder for builders. It’s okay to step back. It’s okay to realise you don’t like being the builder. It’s okay to run a smaller business. It’s okay to define success by profit, lifestyle, and sanity, not just turnover.

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Rapid Fire Nerd Check

05:21 Money Tightness and Numbers

07:59 WIP and Builder Finance

14:30 Trades Pride and Tool Skills

16:09 How Hamish and Matt Met

21:35 Apprenticeships and Passive House Path

23:14 Cost Talk and Comparisons

24:38 Why Building Feels Expensive

27:19 Wood Fires vs Airtight Homes

37:54 Bad Builds and The Gap

41:43 Licensing Upskilling Debate

45:49 Social Media and Industry Lift

49:20 Restoration vs New Builds

51:20 First Fixes for Homes

01:02:27 Sustainability Money Traps

01:07:04 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up

01:10:00 Mindful Moment Closing

Our Sponsors:

Pro Clima - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/proclima

MEGT - https://mindful-builder.captivate.fm/megt

Connect with us on Instagram: @themindfulbuilderpod

Connect with Hamish:

Instagram: @sanctumhomes

Website: www.yoursanctum.com.au/

Connect with Matt:

Instagram: @carlandconstructions

Website: www.carlandconstructions.com/