Massive Mistakes and How We Fixed Them (4 Builder Panel)- Build LIVE from DC

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Join Matt and our panel of accomplished building and remodeling experts for this live audience webinar event. The team will share how building science has helped them overcome some of their biggest mistakes and trickiest situations and assisted with them becoming more adept in their respective fields. Hear how these Pros learned from their missteps and how you can avoid them in your career.
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[@renadennison9922]

So Awesome, I am MsFix It. I have been rehabilitating homes for over 30 yrs. I live in them then sell then 3 to 5 yrs later. In the last 2 years I can’t begin to tell you what I have learned from your videos. This video like many of your other I have taken a ton of notes. I now even have a file in my file cabinet to go back for references to my notes. This little girl will be 60 this summer and the house I just bought is my last. I want all new windows, siding, Attic, new doors and even the venting of my gas cook range to vent properly. Thank you again, MsFix It, from the upper peninsula of Michigan ( we call ourselves YOOPER’s cause we’re from the UP.

[@adamjosephbliss]

Loved having different opinions, but to the film/production team: always show the slide full screen, at least for a few seconds. We can't always tell what is on the screen

[@wildrebel2478]

Agree completely. The post production team needed to switch camera views much faster. When a slide is being referenced (picture, text, etc.) the camera view should match, not 10 seconds later.

[@AD-cy7wx]

😂 I was thinking same thing!!

[@funvideos2633]

Love love loved this. For builders to come together and share their lessons learned is amazing. Thank you.

[@compactc9]

Didn't see it live, but watched on your site. The wallpaper one really got me, I'd NEVER have guessed!

[@chrisboyd4433]

In the late 90s, I was working for a design-build company in Terre Haute, Indiana. We were building pre-engineered metal buildings for mostly industrial use, but they were also used for the attached office space. The buildings were insulated with fiberglass batts. We also had an interior designer on staff that LOVED vinyl wallcoverings. I moved to Maine, and started learning Building Science from Joe and others in the Northeast. Five years after I left, I spoke with a friend who was still a Project Manager with the company. They had spent many tens of thousands of dollars fixing the moisture issues in these buildings, but still didn't understand what was causing the problems.

[@ambilaevus7607]

I have found interior designers lack of thought to long term consequences & hygiene/water movement to be horrific.

[@wiebowesterhof]

I'm not a professional builder, but as I moved from The Netherlands, to the UK, then to Ecuador, I've seen a lot of different approaches to building. I like the content here a lot, as although I am an electronic engineer originally, I've done tons of electrical and basic construction. I look at this channel to ensure I get ventilation where it needs to be. An example, a badly constructed lift/stairs area in the 4-story building we have 2 floors in (bottom 2), has water ingress. That hits a tile floor, but if it gets a lot of rain water there, no drain exists. That water goes into the wall, and then, into the bedroom downstairs. In addition to drainage, we also effectively built a vented box behind the cupboard, so any moisture is vented out. The climate here is fairly dry, most of the year, but there is also (very) heavy rain sometimes. We also had moisture problems from the neighboring walls. Same concept, fiber cement wall with air flow behind it. Problems fully resolved. Other small tricks that are not too common here, are centralized gas, anti-return valves and shut-off valves, floor pan drains under some critical equipment areas like washer, dishwasher, plus some improvements to get the water out of the house. Houses here, even fairly upmarket ones, are not typically well insulated. But taking advantage of lessons shared on this channel is definitely good. There are other channels too that show some good stuff, but this one covers a lot of different things, products, mistakes and how to resolve them. It shows off sponsored content too of course. But it is honest about mistakes made, owning up and solving the issues, and it is very interesting to see what ideas I can use in a small way in my own property. Thanks all on the panel and thanks Matt!

[@masterbuiltdesigns6734]

These type of shows are educational. More please!!!

[@drgranger2]

Great conversation with some smart people! Thank you gentleman.

[@gold94chica]

Thanks for sharing these experiences with us! Even to those of us who are not builders, but are on the other side of the table as the buyers, it's good advertising for you because we get to learn about how things should be done. The more education you make accessible to the normal every day person, the less we'll settle for the status quo and opt for looking for you guys when the time comes. I've certainly learned a ton as a homeowner that gives me plenty to think about for any future house purchase, upgrade, or renovation, that ultimately leads your investment in these videos back into your business. Love it!

[@ambilaevus7607]

Matt's videos have saved me from tens of thousands of dollars of shoddy or ignorant contractor work.

[@stephanieray6587]

So helpful... kudos to the panel members for putting it out there. Thanks so much, Matt.

[@sethhughes2163]

Matt... ol' buddy... I wait for " ...ON THE BUILD SHOW " and every single time I am already giggling like a little school girl... and now my grandkids just SURPRISED me in concert with your exclamation " ... ON THE BUILD SHOW " LOL... We just enjoyed your segment above! You are LEGENDARY even here in Ochelata Oklahoma... ( still a TEXAN AT HEART as I was born in San Antonio, and raised in Beaumont ! ) You started the truthfulness in building etiquette and troubleshooting... and watching the impact you have had in the trades... is phenomenal my friend! Respectfully, Seth

[@devonthomas6298]

Honestly, really appreciated. What a beneficial video. Thank you!

[@MFJLabs]

Soo encouraging to see bespoke builders share their experiences (and mistakes). Thanks to each of you for the wisdom. Regarding, "I've made more money on jobs that I didn't do ..." --- it can be very difficult to turn down a project especially when the economy isn't good, but hindsight will always be 20/20 when it comes to jobs that just shouldn't be done the way the client asks. We see this in our industry as well (i.e., tech). Excellent advice.

[@michaelmcdaniel6533]

Loved all the great input. Lots of experience in this one. Love to see more of these. Btw, don't dog your extro as an excuse. Thats just insecurity creeping in. Own it. You know your fans love it. Jonny Carson never apologized for "heeeeeeeeres Jonny". Keep up the good work. You do building science and invaluable service. Thank you.

[@sustainf]

Thank you Matt for this content! This is very valuable. From Japan

[@Whistlewalk]

That was VERY interesting. I am planning to build a home sometime in the next 5 years and I'm in a cool, wet climate.

[@bethanyanderson1745]

Major complaint - too short! Wanted to hear more, learn more!

[@gigglepants1949]

For the future, it would be great to have the pictures the panelists are speaking to be larger in the frame and the speakers in a smaller box. This would make it easier to see what you all are talking about. We don't need to see the panelists as the focal point the majority of the time. Great info though!

[@bobbray9666]

I always spray stone siding with 511 H2O+ stone sealer, especially on limestone to prevent water from soaking into it. In zone 6, the freeze/thaw cycles causes limestone to flake off, sometimes in chunks over time. It may not be waterproof the wall assembly but the stone looks cleaner for many years by keeping water from soaking in and mold/mildew from growing on the stone face which discolors the stone vs, unsealed stone.

[@davidfleuchaus]

Quality vs quantity. Quality processes, quality products, quality practices and quality verification takes more time and more money. But when push comes to shove, most homeowners prefer quantity to quality - a larger home poorly built to a smaller home expertly built. One job of a builder who wants to build responsibly is to educate the homeowners on the upsides of quality and the downsides of sacrificing quality for quantity.

[@davidthelibrarian]

Just started watching and I am so stoked for this. Love the format, topic, promising candor.

[@rafaelarias9759]

Joe Lstiburek is a gift to humanity!

[@josephpadula2283]

Best thing to come out of Canada before Jordan!

[@bearfoot100]

Great video Matt. Thanks to the others, for sharing their insight. I will be building my a new home soon and I will be using the knowledge I gained here.

[@rickyjackson3950]

Hey Matt thanks for your dedication to this industry and as a younger builder @ 30 yr old this type of material is awesome for myself not only because it's helping me be a better intentional builder but helps me stand apart from most builders in my area who have given this industry a bad rep for lack of respect to the industry, themselves and most importantly the consumer! Thanks again and look forward to more

[@littlerhino2006]

Great presentation Matt, appreciate the explanations.

[@boedillard8807]

Matt, these shows are great. If you haven't already considered it can you possibly make and updated video that includes steico or glutex as a sound and thermal insulation. I"d love to find out how it compares to rockwool for sound insulation on interior walls. It might be great, it might be worthless. They now make it in the US. Sorry - now I'm wondering about insects.

[@robertrusso877]

Great information Matt. Thanks.

[@SeanPGribbons]

BOAA built my friends home. Exceptional quality

[@claytondrake8255]

What a great bunch of people

[@delikat83]

Great production awsome knowledge Matt. Great job. 👍

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

Water certainly is the enemy,excellent video.

[@gused82]

I love the acomplishments you hace done brother , great work

[@123mjolie]

Matt what an awesome show !!!!

[@Katana_00]

Excellent panel 👍

[@IKonMann]

Fantastic video share here. As I learn more about the importance of vapor permeability (thanks, Build show!) I’m starting to question the evangelization of OSB and their derivative products like Zip. Matt, how does promoting Zip benefit the building community at large across all climate zones? The technical nuances to make Zip “work” from a vapor permeability standpoint (especially at the roof) seems to be cost and knowledge prohibitive for the masses. Perhaps this generates another topic of conversation. Who stands to benefit most from the knowledge the Build Show shares? The high end custom home community (the few) or the average Joe builder (the majority)? Just curious and challenging questions I’ve been wrestling with. Y’all are awesome and I enjoy the hell out of your content. 💪🏼🤠

[@comptegoogle511]

2008-2009 I've worked as a composite material field engineer for a Windmill company called clipper Windpower based in California for a retrofit of 300+ rotors who had to be brought down by a 300 T crane for structural repair of the blades. In 18 months my longest vacation was four days to go back home for Christmas in Canada. Two of those days were spent in an airport because of a snowstorm. During that retrofit, we had to figure out how to make an epoxy post-cure at -20 f. in Iowa and not make the epoxy burn at 117 f. in Palm Spring. The directors in the airconditioned office in Carpinteria California were surprised that I had a short temper with their armchair quarterback decisions.

[@josephpadula2283]

Complete Goggle I live near Carpenteria. We do not even have air conditioning the weather is so perfect! So very easy to ignore the weather in the real world…

[@comptegoogle511]

@@josephpadula2283 Riding my motorcycle on the 150 and the 33 was what kept me from bailing out back home in Montreal.

[@mondavou9408]

Nice panel of guests. Lots of good information.

[@michaeldytrych]

Very nice talks, thank you from Sacramento

[@lilyromero9223]

Thank you, I really like the information.

[@jessemull3018]

Very humbling. Learning a lot from Matt . I’m 52 in construction 30 years that’s all I have to say about that. Lol

[@benjaminc.m.9873]

So grateful for Matt and this channel!! I enjoyed this presentation and learned some good stuff.

[@rickyjackson3950]

Also love the fact your a God fearing man who as you well know we do everything unto Him! It's the best business practice!

[@hj8607]

Had a situation where a brick exterior was sand blasted to to clean the brick which of coarse 'stripped ' the mortar surface. The next few rains resulted in the interior wall showing water marks . SIMPLY re-sealing the mortar completely fixed the problem . WHY is the mortar on all stone facings not simply sealed (waterproofed )? (if the rain can't soak in , further migration is not a problem. AND eventually natural aging will result in mortar developing it's own seal)

[@BigSam63]

This was excellent.

[@richardrumplik7023]

What a dynamic group you had today. Not the normal I know it all I’ve been there and done that person and jumping off the chair telling you how they have Payed There Dues. Thanks very interesting even though I’m not building much at my age, but wisdom is healthy for our Brain 🧠. lol

[@lanwickum]

School of Hard Knocks!! You thought college was expensive, haha. But what a great teacher.

[@littlerhino2006]

Lawsuits tend be much more stressful than a written exam

[@nationsnumber1chump]

Build show could be it's own engineering standard

[@richardrumplik7023]

You are exactly Right !!

[@GregariousAntithesis]

The liquid mastic cracks me up because i have used white aluminum roof coating on joints of osb after i sealed/bonded the sheet edges together with PL premium. Then the next day i applied the aluminum roof coating over the joints. Also with the peel and stick flashing or tapes you want to use a heat gun on medium on your substrate before you apply it and it will bond like skin. I am not a pro builder i am a retired aviation structural mechanic US Navy and so i applied my knowledge to any work I have done on my home exterior.

[@stevena3333]

I was an AM too. A lot of skills I’ve taken with me as well. Especially when it comes to working with metal flashing.

[@GregariousAntithesis]

@@stevena3333 I was an AME, basically the bastar* child of the AM community but i liked cross training with the mechs, trons , Hs and Ss. Then working my last 2 at the Lox farm i learned that after some point it all crosses over to everything else when you are thrown into a situation where you have no formal background and now your maintaining 3 phase nitrogen generators, for example. It truly distinguishes the parts changers from the real mechanics/troubleshooters.

[@GregariousAntithesis]

@@stevena3333 i was able to get a used nice 10’ trim brake local for 500 bucks.

[@Tom-pc7lb]

Matt, up in Lubbock you should sponsor Matt Risinger style homes.

[@charlesrichardson8635]

Watching Matt over the years and going to the sites he mentions has helped me think about mistakes I made and go back and rectify them before they get to failure. The thing that pisses of me off is finding out how much I don't know. Just hearing the guy closest to the audience talk about wanting something that his people can get right after a hangover, or the guy closest to the screen talk about written out-of-warranty statements. I keep watching, learning. Now I have to go look up the Perfect Wall references...

[@peterbeyer5755]

Can’t believe how expensive a simple mistake can be. I remember in Canada roof SIP’s all started rotting. I live in Australia and we don’t really build to any standard and out houses and roofs are so badly sealed that they never rot because the air blows through and keeps things dry.

[@ambilaevus7607]

I live in a poorly built 1960's neighborhood built on clay with crawlspaces for almost 20 years. Been interesting to see as ppl seal parts of the houses or add plastic materials (like pergo over the oak floors) how mold appears.

[@joelhansen7373]

I learned a ton from watching this!

[@haldorasgirson9463]

Cool round table.

[@charlesviner1565]

Michael Jordan and Ed McMahon also had problems with Exterior insulating finishing systems

[@l3p3]

Just barely in for a minute and I think I missed it but... is that a live studio audience right there?!

[@richardrumplik7023]

Yes it was

[@l3p3]

They should have made it clearer!

[@haldorasgirson9463]

OMG. Matt joined the Secret Service!

[@stevemullen8457]

Why wouldn't you reapply the liquid product between the tape and the existing liquid applied water proofing?

[@stevemullen8457]

That was my question, why have so many different products.

[@wantsomething3319]

Why bother having slides when the camera isn't zooming in on them? Couldn't see a lot of the slides, because cameras were focused on the speakers, with insets of the slides that are too small to see. Jayman...

[@bethanyanderson1745]

Frustrating for sure - esp when watching on small screen of a phone! However, let's keep in mind this is the first show, future shows will be improved upon.

[@michaelky4653]

Come to Michigan and critique a Lombardo home Matt.

[@ja1971chevelle]

I built timberframes with SIPS in the late 90,s to mid 2000'si felt like i was at the front of air tightness.

[@davidthelibrarian]

A+

[@ericbarritt304]

First guy: What about the window coming down to grade? That's a code issue. What is it? 2 or 3 inches off a hard grade? (Pavement) and 8 inches off a soft grade? (Dirt) . Even waterproof membranes have requirements for installation , ie a curb for the membrane to terminate to.

[@sabregunner1]

holy cow, that one instance where it was because of vinyl wallpaper. i wonder why the 3rd guy thinks the mold guy was a con artist. Genuine question and no judgement. I have seen it where you could get 5 engineers in a room and get 5 different answers that are very differnt from one another. I was a 3rd party to a job were something similar regarding mold was going on. This was on a stucco wall . basically, some flashing details werent done correctly or at all, poor drainage and what i called "the house being too tight". there was no way for vapor to escape where the water was staying. eventually it got fixed. this was also back in the mid 2000s

[@tonyfike4330]

Need to view damage and listen to builders commentary. Vs viewing the speaker or Matt once they have been introduced.

[@makapalatrace8385]

Not a builder but great vid.

[@Tom-pc7lb]

The Price is Right is calling.

[@dandingleberry846]

Should do a weekly 5 hour show on the failures of ryan home's 🤣

[@richardrumplik7023]

Yes I was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio and they were there as I grew up and still there when I moved to MC in 2000.

[@urieaaron]

We live down on the Texas gulf coast and our shower is on an outside wall, it seems like that would cause the same problem as a mirror, is that true??

[@stephanieray6587]

It's not the moisture itself, it is the blocking of the air currents by the mirror/vinyl wallpaper/large stone tiles. Put in a bathroom fan, you'll be fine.

[@urieaaron]

@@stephanieray6587 You don't understand. The mirror on the outside wall causes a problem the same way the vinyl wallpaper does. I am not concerned about the humidity from the bathroom, I am concerned about the humidity coming from the outside, exactly like those peoples bedroom. A fan will not help if the humidity from a rain storm is trapped by the wall of the shower in my walls.

[@stephanieray6587]

I think they had a failure in their moisture barrier, compounded by the vinyl wallpaper.

[@tscoffey1]

Never knew Pat Metheny was a home builder.

[@philipdamask2279]

All these discussions demonstrate that water is the enemy.

[@RedandAprilOff-Grid]

🙂👍

[@robertgeiger2268]

matt go down to rice u & get a Ph.D. in building science & structural engineering

[@ambilaevus7607]

I worked for an interior decorator hanging tons of vynil wall paper in the late 80's and early 90's. I wonder how those houses are doing now.

[@ambilaevus7607]

Getting closer to the end of the video and just realized that many the issues mentioned in this video are why I haven't resided my house yet. When I go to get quotes many of these failed methods are what's included or insisted upon. Since I am lower then multiple neighbors, near the top of a hill to the north and back, my back yard and north side run damp with algea on siding and ac unit by every august. But so far mold free living space. This is reminding me how I need to be so careful when I go to do the siding, almost wonder if I should try the siding myself despite bad leg just to make sure these things aren't done.

[@maicimyoshiki9715]

Like 681😉👍✨ very nice video！

[@20somthingrealestate]

If you can't put vinyl wallpaper on your wall you have bigger issues... Fix your vapor drive genius

[@bobtakealook6420]

Sounds like you guys are not cheap. But cheap builder ends up alot more expensive in a long run

[@ryanshaeffer103]

Never try to reinvent the wheel, something may sound better, but when things are done a certain way for centuries there is a reason, yea it would be nice to seal an air tight home, but moisture always finds a way and you need venting. Id rather have a well vented house and lose alittle energy then have an air tight home and rely on mechanical venting and have moisture build up and create mold!

[@joelarson3528]

A hundred houses a year!!!!???? Matt you’re def waaaaaay better than that.. quality was dismissed no matter what you say…when your that big the dollar took over..sorry🤷..learning from your mistakes is the best way to learn. You rock only respect ✊

[@delikat83]

We have a lot of gray hair. All gray hair cut to Matt none. 😆 🤣 😂. At least we can see on camera

[@GregariousAntithesis]

Unfortunately in the US the majority of the houses are not Even remotely built to these standards only the wealthy could ever afford homes built like this.

[@dosadoodle]

No. What people do is to maximum square footage at the cost of quality. The budget for a 3500sf McMansion can be converted to a quality 3000sf build that will be much more comfortable and enjoyable to live in even after the space "sacrifice". Or better yet, build an incredibly nice 2500sf home. Build better, not bigger.

[@ambilaevus7607]

I know two people that wanted to have that quality and both got refused by the builder. One (2003)came in when crewsx weren't working to do as much as he could. The other (2016) was not allowed to modify under any condition or circumstances.

[@paulgibson1032]

Doug Lea and Steven Wright - separated at birth.

[@scottzagger]

After over a decade in masonry it’s bizarre to me that their masons don’t hit the stud. We always did. But I always worked for a union company that did a lot of government work with the Army sticking a light up your bum so standards were high. A lot of the problems these guys have are labor related.

[@bethanyanderson1745]

Handsome builders BUT please linger on show slides rather than builders. Thanks

[@rustyworthington536]

Terrible job of where the video is focused. I don't give a crap about seeing the guy that is talking show me, fullscreen, the pictures he is talking about.

[@prestonthomas9406]

Interesting to see these elitist builders talk about and own up to failures in their construction methods causing irrefutable damages to their clients, but the astounding thing is their still around 15 or 20 years later to be called back to fix the issue. If only that level of integrity and business stability would exist today for the millions of spec homes built in this country affecting people ill equipped financially and with little or no voice in the industry to deal with these shoddy construction companies. It is IMHO epidemic.

[@jaygerke6746]

First?

[@ipeeinmysinkimafraidtocome7127]

I made a mistake to , I painted the wrong room

[@bfayer]

These guys need to stop being ashamed of knowledge and apologizing for saying "nerdy" things. It's so off-putting! Are we supposed to be in the closet about understanding building science terminology? It feels like they're trying to appeal to a non existent culture of macho man ignorance here, we like sports and meat, no nerds har har.. Get over it and grow up.

[@emilg1000]

Director should be fined for every PIP (picture-in-picture) effect he used. I love it when the presenters say, "It's kind of hard to see here," and we're not even looking at the image full screen. Viewers want to see the slides more than the talking heads. Always. Too bad, as there's lots of good info here. Talk about lessons learned. Don't waste money on over-produced video.

[@ROBERTPOKONSKI]

Video Production company you use sucks at 15.14 turn it off

[@uclaalum88]

These types of videos SUCK! As a lawyer, if these kinda videos catch on, I may have to get a real job. :) Builder’s, put in your contracts a provision that provides if there’s a problem, the clients (and any successors) must give you the 1st opportunity to repair / remedy the problem before they hire someone else or seek an atty to redress a construction issue. And be sure to have a clause requiring binding arbitration (and waiving a right to a jury trial).

[@augustreil]

Too long to watch, sorry. Still a thumbs up.

[@bethanyanderson1745]

august -too short!! Could have listened a couple more hours!

[@eticahumana]

Baffles me out that many poor countries builds better and cheaper houses, made of bricks for example, that never gets fire, never gets mold and lasts virtually forever. The USA is trapped in the wood building system and instead of rethinking the system, one spends so much money and time trying to make it less inefficient.

[@anthonyenosis1]

add to list of mistakes + covid super spreader event. how many people got covid right after this conference? how many died? I see no covid protocols. i assume everyone was confirmed vaccinated and boosted? greatly disappointed in judgement of all involved

[@josephpadula2283]

We are all suicidal murderers! Go hide under your bed.