The Rise and Fall of Katerra | WeWork 2.0

Katerra and WeWork had ambitious goals to disrupt and redefine the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry. They preached the value of vertical integration where a company has direct ownership of various stages of its production process.
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:33 WeWork
1:10 Katerra
1:55 External views
2:31 Mergers & acquisitions
3:22 Construction vs tech
4:50 Conflict of interest
5:38 Roofing4US Sponsorship
6:22 Why should we care?
7:36 Grand Designs UK
SoftBank, a Japanese conglomerate, pumped around $18.5 billion into WeWork. They also pumped $2 billion into Katerra, an off-site construction company. Katerra was founded by Michael Marks and Fritz Wolff. The company manufactured large building components off-site, and advocated the use of mass timber like glued laminated and cross laminated members. In many of its projects, the company served as a manufacturer, architect, MEP engineer, supplier, general contractor and subcontractor. However, within 4 years, the company had burned through their funding and their overambitious plans started to crumble. By June of this year they laid off many of their employees and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
So, what happened to Katerra, and what can we learn from its failures? For starters, we have to be cautious of outsiders, particularly from the tech industry, who have grandiose ambitions to “fix” Architecture, Engineering and Construction or AEC. While an external view is helpful, it is also naive. Michael Marks, the founder of Katerra came from an electronics field. He wanted to bring the electronics industry’s end to end process to the construction business.
In order to become a full service firm, Katerra spent millions on acquisitions and mergers around the world. Construction isn’t the tech field. Katerra thought it could save time and money by controlling everything - from manufacturing windows to making its own light bulbs. They believed that any structure could be built with assembly line parts in its own factories and then shipped to job sites. Instead of mastering a single type of building, Katerra built offices, hotels, single family homes, and apartment buildings.
The programmatic and construction requirements of a hospital are vastly different to those of an apartment building. In theory, producing repeatable, prefab components would bring in profit margins of 25-30%, as Katerra promised. In reality, Katerra underbid projects, missed construction deadlines, and blew through budgets. The racked up $2.8 billion in losses over the past 3 years.
So, why should we care? Plenty of businesses declare bankruptcy and companies with the highest valuations aren’t even profitable. Before we jump into that, let’s talk about the sponsor of this portion of the video: Roofing4US, the biggest online roofing materials supplier in the US. Roofing4US ships all their products nationwide to contractors. Roofing4US is cheaper than big name brands and offers high quality products for less. Brands such as Fakro, Velux Skylights, Suntec, National Nail, Trufast Walls, Malta Dynamics, Lucas Waterproofing, and more are available online to purchase today and to be delivered directly to your job site. Use Promo Code Belinda5 to receive an additional 5% discount off your next order with Roofing4US.com.
The entire construction industry has thousands of highly specialized fields. It is very disappointing when outsiders dumb it down into the ever-elusive “kit of parts”. Instead of automating small parts of the process and understanding how trades work together, Katerra tried to master every element at once and failed. Their “hypergrowth” strategy is employed by social media and software companies but it doesn't work in complicated, slower-moving industries like real estate and construction. I think, professionals who respect and understand the complexities of Architecture, engineering and construction will be the ones to initiate change.
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SOURCES:
• WeWork Milan - Italy
• The Spectacular Rise a...
• Video
• KATERRA | Mass Timber ...
• The David Rubenstein S...
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#wework #katerra #bankruptcy #construction #prefab #automation

[@NomenNescio99]

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is."

[@mechanomics2649]

As someone who went to college for machining I completely reject this notion. In theory, there absolutely should be difference between theory and practice. That understanding is vital in the theory stage. You must plan on things not going perfectly, which is why concepts like tolerances exist.

[@NomenNescio99]

@@mechanomics2649 I just wrote a very long reply where I very politely explained a different view with lots of examples. And then youtube removed the comment for reasons I can't understand. And I really don't want to write it again. My main point was that for some complex problems our human minds aren't sophisticated enough to fully understand the problem and it will lead to theory and practical outcomes to diverge. For simpler problems this should preferably not happen.

[@jamesmcintyre3456]

Yogi Berra had the original word on the difference between theory and practice similar to your thought. I'd Google it but I'm late for the future.....

[@jamesmcintyre3456]

@@NomenNescio99 the great Robert Burns said it best; "the best laid plans of mice and men go off astray"

[@pedrocampos2965]

The theory in practice is another thing.

[@richd8537]

After turning 50, you will have even lower tolerance for "stuff" from a bull. Great episode!

[@muskreality]

No cap

[@mechanomics2649]

@@muskreality Hilarious given your pfp and name both being owed to a conman.

[@EvonneLindiwe]

🤣👍🏿 I can’t wait

[@ScutoidStudios]

@@mechanomics2649 No cap

[@Acidlib]

@@mechanomics2649 got eeeeeem

[@coyjin]

I've worked as a tradesman before and I really appreciate it when and engineer like your self recognizes the complexity and work it takes to get a project to come together. others I've interacted with think we are just monkeys with hammers.

[@tkmad7470]

As an engineer who spends a LOT of time coming to understand every aspect of a project before committing to a design, getting a tradesman to try something new or a new technique is practically impossible. On one job in a seismically active area the plan called for bonding the drywall as well as nails for increased shear strength and I was told "I've been drywalling for 30 years and this aint going to work you idiot." multiple times. It's difficult from both sides.

[@coyjin]

@@tkmad7470 it is a feud almost as old as time.

[@sparksmcgee6641]

@@tkmad7470 Yep. And you nailed it on the head with glue. I look at people like that and ask how much epoxy he used 30 years ago. Then I tell them about a house I worked on that had 200k in epoxy for the siding install alone, 4" thick 2' X 3' stone siding. Steel and epoxy of each piece

[@mechanomics2649]

Knowing of this discrepancy makes me all the more glad that I learned both programming, CAD, and general operations in my machining course. It gives perspectives on both sides of the aisle.

[@toomanyaccounts]

@@tkmad7470 well often those new techniques don't work or are more trouble then they are worth. so you have to understand why they are hesitant.

[@epicuritus9761]

As an IT professional I definitely concede that most approaches that work in tech do NOT scale out to other industries, no matter how much people want them to. Very informative video, as always. Keep up the great work!

[@mechanomics2649]

It honestly seems weird that people would think otherwise, provided they actually know what they're talking about.

[@nen848]

Most approaches in tech barely work in tech lol. I wish techbros would leave everyone alone and stop trying to change every industry

[@juzoli]

They didn’t want to scale it. They just wanted to LOOK LIKE a tech company which could… So they can collect billions of investor’s money with all the hype. WeWork was basically a scam from the very beginning.

[@juzoli]

@@nen848 It is not the tech people who try to change other industries. These people are outsiders to the tech world, don’t understand it, but they see how much money can be made there, so they try to repeat it elsewhere. But there is one crucial thing they don’t understand. You can build one software and sell it to 10 people or 10million people for the same production cost. But you can NOT build an office building once, and then sell it to everyone. WeWork had to pay for every single new office building they rented out. If they sales grow 10x, then their costs also grow 10x. Also IT is more of a “winner takes it all” industry. If Facebook wins, nobody cares about who has the second most popular social network. But if WeWork office is 10cent more expensive, I will not hesitate to rent that office from someone else.

[@toomanyaccounts]

@@juzoli we work also did a lot of stupid things such as having parties that cost a lot of money. plus looking at what they offered a lot of it could be done in a home office or at a coffeshop provided you paid for the table or a library provided you kept the area clean and gave a few bucks in donation.

[@GarbageDevon]

The "Why should we care?" section is so spot-on! You are a necessary voice of rationality and practicality. Thank you so much for these videos. It's fantastic to hear from someone with such a level-headed perspective.

[@skiptrace4034]

I applaud these guys for figuring out how to cut out all the middle men and skim all the money for themselves. Takes a real magician to outgraft the construction industry. Almost every large "public" commercial construction project I've worked on someone's gone to jail for skimming or fraud. Seen entire banks go belly up as well.

[@Kenionatus]

In the end they went bankrupt while the execs still pocketed billions. That's just as bad, imo.

[@JAN0L]

Look at the positives. At least in your country people actually go to jail for that stuff. That's not the case everywhere even when it's blatant and everyone knows about the fraud.

[@snpkat465]

the "bipartisan" / NON-reconciliation package, why does it have the votes (or did before Manchin/Sinema went backsies on their promise to pass the two bills together bc they are evil psychopaths worse than Republicans, leading to progressives and others following through on their end of the deal and then voting down the awful bipartisan deal)? It is just a giveaway of public money to private contractors that probably don't have any idea what they are doing, some of these bad-actor private contractors that these politicians blow public money on show up multiple times, flush money down the drain or just divert it into their own pockets and we have nothing to show for it... "public" these days means "public hiring unvetted private contractors". Screw the bipartisan bill. Without the reconciliation (ACTUAL infrastructure package with good things in it) there IS no infrastructure bill.

[@shaunenwright7872]

D Vill how many thousand pages of either bill did you read to take away any of that? The Democrats have their donor class and friends to cater too just the same as the Republicans, and id be absolutely shocked if either bill had more than 5-10% of its funding being put towards actual infrastructure (if that). You don’t need an omnibus to pass popular infrastructure construction, you need it to pass pork barrel bullshit

[@shaunenwright7872]

D Vill good rule of thumb is that if a bill is called something like “clean water for children act”, “the patriot act”, or “reconciliation”, but it’s 5 thousand pages and they’re pushing for a vote before anyone can read it that means we’re getting fucked.

[@owtkast023]

Hey, I worked at a Katerra site. Weird to see a video about it randomly. It's a Hyatt in Austin at Congress and 8th. Site shut down for a while due to bankruptcy. Worst site I've ever worked. And yeah, it was really weird to see giant pallets show up with all the prefab. Adding to our problems was also design. Plans were made by an architectural firm that mostly uses employees that are pretty much fresh out of school. Sure, you have to start somewhere, but a lot of experience is pretty much OJT. There is a LOT of dead space in that building that could have been easily avoided. I'm an electrician and we regularly had to disregard plans (if we had them) because they wouldn't work. Just a complete mess. It made me miss the military.

[@swilson5320]

This is very interesting- thanks for sharing

[@chadbushnell5868]

What you point out is exactly why I set up a scholarship for architectural students at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette to take a course where they both design and construct a project. Nothing replaces experience.

[@whateversup]

I know nothing about construction or architecture, but I especially appreciate your content for demystifying information for most laypeople who have no idea what goes into building anything

[@automateconstruction]

Considering how lumber dependent Katerra was I wonder how much of an impact the lumber costs had on Katerra shutting down. Great video as always!

[@teampalmerconst]

The problems that caused their downfall were already in place long before the price of lumber shot up.

[@grondhero]

Lumber wasn't the cause of the problem, but it likely exacerbated it.

[@sparksmcgee6641]

no real effect. companies that size are hedging with options or buying out 2-3 years with contracts of some sort.

[@juzoli]

It is more like the opposite. It is not the lumber price what slows the industry down. But the overheated industry which raises the lumber prices. There is high demand for constructions. Which means lots of people want to give money to companies like Katerra. This causes the high prices. So that alone should make such companies MORE successful, not less. However, this demand was mostly residential, not much new office construction was started…

[@privileguan9127]

1. Become CEO 2. Ruin company 3. ??? 4. Profit (1.7 Bio.) - sounds completely logical

[@danl.4743]

Those damn golden parachutes. But the "CEO" of WeWork was not a CEO coming from the outside. He is the founder and built a big company. Somewhere in the middle he over grown. To my best recollection. He built office spaces. He ran out of renters. I don't understand why Belinda puts these two companies in the same basket. They are not similar.

[@grondhero]

To my _limited_ understanding, big money CEO's have contracts that stipulate how much they get paid and the means of termination. Generally speaking, _I think_ is that they get a certain % of what they were due and the company compares that to the cost of keeping them. I'm _guessing_ that the step-down fee was purchasing 100% of the rights he owned as well, so it was _probably_ a combination of purchase + contract termination. I wish I could be terminated for $1.7 bil, though. They could even take my house and car. ;)

[@j3dwin]

5. Then write a best-seller on how to disrupt stuff.

[@paulkelly2882]

That’s a hell of a episode and the content is brilliant

[@davidjudge44]

As a former architect at Katerra (2018-2020) I agree with your analysis. They tried to revolutionize everything at the same time instead of perfecting one building type in one region of the country. Thanks for sharing!

[@XinaCCPFreeTibet]

That is what iPhone actually is. Handheld general purpose computer with limited interfaces and fixed form factor.

[@Paul-hn8en]

"After turning 30 I have a very low tolerance for bullshit" This is my life motto

[@deivclayton]

Again, Belinda, your well founded common sense approach to viewing the world is a breath of fresh air. Keep up the great work!

[@metrazol]

In Katerra's case, it was their investors who got zeroed... except for the benefits and safety net for the employees, that's on taxpayers. Then the follow on collapses, from suppliers and subcontractors who find themselves getting pennies on the dollar to developers who took a risk and are now looking at a project in crisis. While bankruptcy is better than some alternatives, it's still painful for a lot of people.

[@quintessenceSL]

They just weren't indebted enough (or friendly enough with any committee chairs) to get a little something something. After seeing this cycle play out too many times, I still think big game investment banker hunting should become the national sport. Pulling from Hayek's Big Book of Bedtime Stories, malinvestment is a bit more pernicious than some investors getting taken for a ride. That's several billion dollars worth of other projects that didn't get funded for lack of pert breasts and an hummable mission statement. We've gone to Mars for less. That scale of waste and graft is obscene.

[@marksoberay2318]

I have 26 years experience in construction and real estate and the way she articulates this is absolutely brilliant

[@lonely1951]

I hate when people treat builders like they’re factory workers. Construction needs good builders- people on site who know what they’re doing. Builders are skilled workers who join the clean, ideal drawings with the messiness of reality. “Verify in field” is an essential part of construction

[@GeorgeMonet]

having also worked in a factory I would say that a lot of factory workers are also skilled workers. But the people on top only see replaceable cogs when they look down.

[@mk1st]

Yes, the "disrupt everything" investor class is in a never ending quest for the Next Big Thing. So much waste in the service of efficiency and easy money.

[@AZJKUR10A]

I've watched three of your videos: 1. Aircrete video... Everything I wanted to ask about aircrete before I knew I had questions 2. Refinishing your bathtubs (I.e. How to spectacularly fail at taking the easy way out - We've all been there) - Subscribed 3. This one.... Another Grand Designs fan?!?! For the love of Pete, there are literally dozens of us! I really enjoy your videos, and your late-night DJ voice. 🙂 I look forward to more!

[@BelindaCarr]

Thank you!!

[@benwhittle7204]

Bonus points for low tolerance of bull**** after 30, wait until you're nearly 40 and then there's basically NO tolerance! Also bonus points for liking Grand Designs from my home country, it's an awesome show!

[@BelindaCarr]

x2 bonus points! :) Thanks, Ben.

[@dosgos]

Early on, the big computer companies like IBM & Digital were highly vertically integrated, making their own keyboards, monitors, disk drives, etc. As the computer industry matured, production of components moved to specialists. For the mature construction industry, Katerra's vertical integration logic was flawed.

[@watchm4ker]

The industry rocks back and forth on that point. Apple is going so far as to design their own chipsets again (They had a hand in PowerPC), while Intel is having to seriously consider farming out some chips to GlobalFoundries or TSMC, because their fab technology just isn't there. Hell, the doom of IBM came about because they decided to cheap out on a desktop computer, and just threw together an basic 8088 computer design with a customized, branded derivative of CP/M. Which everyone else realized they could ALSO do, and have a computer that was a drop in, but far cheaper, replacement for the IBM PC.

[@JAN0L]

Same thing with cars. With thousands of different specialized components it's unrealistic for every manufacturer to design everything on their own. They focus on the few things that differentiate them from the competition like the interior design or the engine while buying the other parts from their tier 1 suppliers like bosch or denso. Now Tesla is trying to vertically integrate more things which is possible because of how much simpler electric cars are, but they still have to rely on hundreds of different suppliers.

[@markwhite9148]

well put.

[@jamesrice6096]

Your videos are marvelous and unbiased, Belinda! I wish we had seen your channel before we built our house. You should have 1,000,000 subscribers! Cheers!

[@martinpook5707]

Curiously as I watched this Grand Designs was on the TV. That experience with timber expanding in the normal damp UK weather is typical of 'outsiders' trying to make things better, engineers I've little time for. Some years ago a friend of mine told me you had to be careful using epoxy adhesives in winter because the wood was dry. ?. Which part of the world was that, I asked. turned out it was Northern US. In UK it is wet. And cold, but not very cold. You can't just generalise. Plus, of course, there are incumbents in the industry - big contractors take it in turns to build hospitals for instance.

[@Hppyzmbie]

As an insulation subcontractor This video really resonated with me. I am new to the construction world and the inefficiency along with the resistance to change and growth in the AEC field is infuriating. Keep up the great content.

[@BelindaCarr]

Thanks, Eric!

[@crissd8283]

Give it a few years. Yes it is frustrating but every building is very different, codes are very different, owners have different desires, engineers have different techniques, and weather is complex. If you want the labor to be the most efficient then the building will take a long time so no trade is in anothers way. However, most owners want it done quick thus they must expect inefficiencies.

[@whom382]

@@crissd8283 Having been through multiple builds myself as a customer. The vast bulk of the delays are not due to keeping trades out of each others ways, it is that the GC always have these gaps where nothing at all happens for weeks at a time. It is very clear that the field is highly inefficient in numerous ways. The biggest is the lack of communication between GC and trades and trades that need to interact with each other but don't.

[@yaroslav920]

I personally worked at a Katerra job in Spokane Washington. It’s actually the building in your vid with the dark siding at 1:45. I still have pictures of all the pre fabbed panels warping and being way out of spec to where we couldn’t install the siding. That grey siding is actually concrete and each panel (about 16”x36”) weighs more then 50lbs. That project was a huge mess and i remember everyone talking about how this was Katerras last job. So interesting to see you talking about them I didn’t realize they were so big

[@michaellukaniuk5074]

This may be the best commentary yet on the difficulty of automating the complex construction industry. I have been in the game for 40 years and hope to see the day when it becomes a reality. People have to realize that every site and the use of that site will have unique conditions. I doubt there will ever be a universal solution. For example, my town in Canada with a population of just 35,000 has soil conditions varying from solid exposed granite to 35 meters of peat. Just getting out of the ground throws a lot of variables into the mix.

[@quintessenceSL]

Mobile Homes :)

[@WillowGardener]

This is such great info! Thank you for being so critical of these industries. I am a former carpenter transitioning to software development, with the intention of eventually creating industrial robots. I've been excited by the new ideas being brought out when it comes to automation in construction, but it is so important to see the other side. There are such interesting challenges in automating something as complex as building a house, and I think that the many challenges posed by environmental variables make it that much more of an exciting challenge. You can never truly standardize things when you're working with mother nature, so you've always got to remain flexible. And that's what keeps things interesting!

[@elliotcheung682]

I stumbled upon your channel and honestly I am so glad I did. The information you shared has been enlightening.

[@Zveebo]

Love that you're a Grand Design fan, Belinda. Such a relaxing and yet incredibly insightful show!

[@fredflickinger643]

I can always count on Belinda to deliver the "No bullzzzz" vantage point and so thoroughly connect the dots. Well done!

[@paulidevoss7249]

Your videos are always fascinating - so detailed and well-researched!

[@pugnate666]

Why do CEOs who shine talking about feelings and vibes on stage, instead of their actual process or product, automatically ring my alarm bells?

[@snpkat465]

*cough* *cough* Elon Musk *cough* *cough*

[@jsb4812]

scammers always appeal to emotions

[@BLASTIC0]

The part about people from the tech industry coming in to “fix” architecture, made me think about Thomas Sowell. He often talks about how elites/intellectuals think they know better, even when they are not an expert in the field… it’s happening all across the board now. President Eisenhower also warned us about the military industrial complex and a “scientific technological elite”.

[@dragons_red]

It's part that, also the unbridled hubris of the younger adult generations towards that which came before them.

[@brendenfullmer1052]

Love your channel! Your thoughts are ones I never considered before. Keep it up! One of the most educational channels on KZbin!

[@jusanothabigdik2198]

Really liking all your videos so far. Great material thoroughly researched. Keep them coming Belinda

[@malaikamahlatsi5373]

I am a young Geographer/Urban Planner in Johannesburg and I just came across your channel. I'm now binge watching your videos. You're eloquent, rational and highly informed about issues of spatiality. I've just subscribed and I look forward to more content from you, ma'am.

[@mrmobius]

Preach! love your videos, research, and perspectives.

[@ethanmagnuson2988]

I LOVE your videos in this sort of theme--taking a hard, honest look at a particular business/product and using your expertise to explain why it does/doesn't make sense. Keep up the good work.

[@brian80ish]

Oh my.. this is some of the greatest content I've watched! Where have u been!!??🤯

[@urbancolab]

So glad you did a video about this !

[@baconsledge]

Belinda, you have the most interesting content and I love the variety. Learning some things too!

[@icemax7]

I once had to deal with an HR Head who was in charge of the Facilities Management Team in an IT company while I was engaged building their quarter million square feet facility. He blatantly asked me why things aren’t moving at site as planned on paper when there isn’t much difference between an IT project and a construction project 🥸

[@teddysthaiadventure2534]

Glad to see a vid on this mess. I am in the process of setting up a modular housing company based in Cali (panalised) and could not agree more with all the BS companies coming from SillyCON valley all claiming to be the Tesla of housing. Called Katerra to go bust 2 years back as their processes were terrible We were going through our processes with someone from Texas who asked if we could sell there and it was obvious what would work in Clai would not be a good solution for Texas as there are different needs

[@elsa_g]

I know of a prefab school building company (actual buildings, not trailers) in California called PreFast that my dad used to work at, they've been around since 2005 so might be of interest if you want to check out other Cali prefab companies. I know one of their pluses is getting building designs pre-approved so permitting and planning saves time, but one of the drawbacks is the labor isn't used to having such detailed/specific installation plans, so you have to keep a keen eye on what's happening in the field or someone might optimize for efficiency of installation and inadvertantly screw up the way something was meant to fuction. (As someone who went into the trades, I can say from experience that a sizable part of the job is interpreting flawed prints, especially when there's a tight timeschedule, so I do sympathise with the people making modifications when installing without taking time to get approval from above.) Best luck with your company!

[@teddysthaiadventure2534]

@@elsa_g Thanks Elsa, they definately have an interesting approach and have found a market as opposed to the startup mentality of we know everything. Interesting that they also use prefab concrete in their designs. We are taking a different approach in that we are focusing on how to make the job easier for the contractors as opposed to a focus on automation. We have a GC as part of or founders and are working with all trades to refine our build processes. Hopefully we will have some info to share soon and I will certainly be in contact with Belinda to share info Cheers :)

[@PeterPellerzi]

Thanks for making this video, nicely summarized.

[@mack-uv6gn]

Absolutely impressive video, well done.

[@gigiatlas2364]

Belinda I can't convey how much I appreciate your presence here and contents 🙏

[@Boosty_Boost]

If there's ever been a smart person on youtube. Its this woman. Incredible work and presenting of these videos.

[@searlearnold2867]

Great analysis! I had a similar conversation about Katerra to a client a month ago. The next one to go this way is going to be Boxabl when they can't figure out how to build an automated factory to produce their hand built proof of concept ADU.

[@szurketaltos2693]

Meanwhile companies in China like broad "sustainable" building have prefab building down to a T.

[@searlearnold2867]

@@szurketaltos2693 exactly, there are companies all over the world who build prefab unfolding buildings. Not really new technology or concept.

[@djboivin]

I have talked to these folks and warned them of the same issues. It is hard to convince a tech genius to get some great construction talent on board to validate assumptions.

[@searlearnold2867]

@@djboivin I've listened to a bunch of their KZbin videos, they really don't know anything about MGO and why it's such a challenge to work with. Also, apparently missed the failure analysis on the Grenfell Tower as they are using similar metal skins on the outside. 47,000 orders and they don't really know their product or how to manufacture it. Typical Silicon Valley VC start-up.

[@adammacer]

Then renamed Box o' bull..

[@alexhearne2588]

I endorse the no BS mindset! Your videos are great! Not negative, not overly optimistic. They are right where they should be! I love watching!

[@careykriz2429]

Amazing video -- thanks for the analysis.

[@beaulisa147]

As a previous PM for Katerra, I 100% agree with your summary of what happened. They hired people that were not needed in a construction environment, tried to do it all and sold a story, not an actual ability. They hired construction PM's with no construction experience and expected a positive outcome. They has purchasers buying construction material that didn't understand what they were buying and those of us in the field were left with 100's of thousands of dollars of materials we could not use or return. I learned a lot of what not to do, made some great friends and contacts.

[@norahabdulsathaar4243]

The channel I never thought I needed! 💕

[@RaeInTime]

Loving all your videos!! 👍👍

[@dlfzstuff4343]

Outstanding information and explanation !!

[@vikkipollock5402]

Thank you for another interesting video Belinda.

[@ottodidakt3069]

As a master electrician in construction, also as an experienced constructor, remodeler and project manager I totally agree with your take on humility ... I'm still learning and I regularly consult or debate solutions with peers before making final decisions !

[@Radykall1]

This breakdown was fantastic. Subscribed.

[@brunodesrosiers266]

Efficient co-ordination of everything with everything else is (and has always been) a huge challenge of the construction industry. Thanks for making a video on this topic.

[@akshaybajaj9567]

I don’t know the first thing about construction and wouldn’t say I’ve been particularly interested in the topic. But your videos are so *real* I end up watching them often. When you said turning over 30 made your tolerance for bs really low, I swear I FELT THAT. As a person who’s mostly been in tech or around tech people, I completely agree these fantastical and often mythical tech solutions to just about anything need to be called out for the fluff they usually are. Tech does a great job within its own domain, but it is hardly a replacement for other fields of expertise.

[@overbanked]

One of the best channels that I stumbled upon in a while

[@jeremyrealtor]

Really enjoyed your video! Spot on and succinct.

[@lyteyearz5810]

I’m literally addicted to this channel now lol. Great work as usual!

[@DugOrion]

Belinda - great video. I think the AEC industry is going to have to change from the inside. It will only change if a new process can be shown to increase margins and/or reduce risk (including the schedule). There is so much risk involved with construction and especially with new processes/procedures. AEC professionals have to be willing to define the schedule, the costs, and the risks involved before making a commitment to substantial change.

[@kjaubrey4816]

Very informative as always.

[@matthiastroitzsch7666]

I had office space at WeWork for 3 years in San Francisco. Moved out early enough, fortunately. One day, according to the building manager, WeWork just shut down and left all the furniture there. Just abandoned the space. Think of the distressed people and the waste that this reckless business strategy caused! And the founder walks away with $1.7 billion. Great American Entrepreneurism. Grab what you can on the way up and dump the shards on others on your way out.

[@ImranKhan-ty6mx]

Salam! Wonderfully insightful! Loved it!

[@bigdawg4943]

Wow i just found your channel an i love your content , what a woman ! Keep up the great work , its much appreaciated !

[@killdano]

I worked at wework, cause that's where spotify had some offices. It was ridiculous. Big silicon valley vibs. Beer on tap. Bunch of kids on staff with too much time on their hands. All kinds of events going on. I was just going to work and going home, so I feel like all this extra shit was a bit of a waste of money. It was a fun environment but it rly screamed to me "we have more money than we know what to do with"

[@jcfh5059]

New subscriber here. Great assessment Belinda!

[@basespeaker1]

Frank Loyd Wright would so agree with you! Great video thanks

[@Daorf]

Your point about blending acquiring companies clashing cultures really needs to be heard by people in the entertainment industry. Disney expects to buy up Marvel, National Geographic, and Star Wars and them each keep the same quality and feel they did before.

[@TheTewjr]

As a commercial property manager I interact with all the trades on a regular basis. Your content is excellent and your statements in this video are absolutely correct! People have no idea how complex buildings really are, and they vastly underestimate what it takes to building them and keep them functional.

[@rabuanmantine5137]

Excellent video

[@StrixyN]

That was great. Thank you.

[@wendyb9923]

you are one smart cookie! I am very impressed with your thinking!!

[@julianfoot8748]

Great episode Belinda. There is not enough media serving construction.

[@makapalatrace8385]

Great vid. Thanks.

[@Mees_]

Just fpund your channel because of the container home video, now i love it

[@radiofreealbemuth8540]

Excellent video.

[@MegaFatPaws]

I have no interest in architecture, but then I found your channel. I still don't like architecture, but I'll watch your video any day. Keep it up! Love your channel.

[@jonnyleeg4058]

You are the BEST!! We aren't selling a phone that sits on a shelf and we never will. Construction doesn't have a clear end to end business path. Maybe someday it will, but there are so many disciplines involved that I question if it ever should?

[@aaronmillon3620]

Great show

[@leovalenzuela8368]

You are an amazing human being and I adore your channel!

[@misssusansrockacademy7872]

Thank you, voice of sanity.

[@jisharagu]

I work as a project manager for a mass Timber company and we were going to close a deal with katerra for a 5 million project. Luckily they went under the same month the contract was being signed. Your video was very informative and interesting. Thanks for the great content.

[@eudehenriquez7716]

Very profesional, thank you

[@ex-engineer6657]

Thanks!

[@sammagic1115]

Belinda, you're a breath of fresh air and a real icon. Thank you and your low tolerance of bs.

[@oaklejant]

Great as always. I have not been able to find a link to Grand Design's video shown in your video. Could you share it?

[@braticuss]

Keep doing what you're doing, it's great, sub'd.

[@michellecelesteNW]

Now I understand why the ceiling is cracking and the pipes wreak. The windows are weird and the floor is warping. Thank you for this informative look. I have a background in interior design/architecture so this makes perfect sense.

[@grimki11er]

I helped my dad a few times on new constructions. He was (now retired) electrician. My brother followed in his footsteps for construction (also electrician). For my part I followed his industrial maintanence ''phase'' and now work as an industrial electronics tech. I deal with automation and robots. I think I'm uniquely qualified for tbis statement: construction cannot and will not be automated. Robots are super effeciant and cost effective. They can work through harsh enviroments. They also can usually only do 1 task very precisly. They dont adapt well. Construction needs adaptibility. Every 2x4 is different. They bow in unique ways, have nots etc. Electrical boxes often have production defects. Plumbing can have connectors that malfunction during testing phase. The tech industry truly believes humans are replacable for everything and its sad.

[@michelleobrien9791]

I love your videos. I also love Grand Designs UK.

[@Jaredson]

Love the videos

[@a.r.hollowayauthor7210]

I would love to hear your thoughts on modular homes, from at least seemingly legitimate builders like Brette Haus, or Boxable. Factory made, assembled homes, built in a small factory in their local region so built in the climate with local materials etc. I've been considering building a few "cottage communities" for small home buyers, or first time home buyers, and I've been looking into them but I would love a skeptical look. Still very much in the info gathering stage.

[@kranzonguam]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 The UK project really hit home. Was involved in a boatbuilding project that had similar issues. Pre-fab is great, until Mother Nature gets involved! Thanks for the video!! Stay safe!

[@AHMEDGAIUSROME]

It's about value, it's about resale value when it comes to stocks. It's totally like hot potatoes

[@McRyach]

My Favorite phrase is "After 30 I got very low tolerance for bullshit" Totally subscribe to it. As AEC professional myself I see tech entrepreneurs who invent "A Hammer and tell that every problem in the industry is a nail".

[@joshcommet137]

great video

[@beretaniastreet6384]

Belinda has the best analysis