The Build Insite Podcast

Every builder has a different DNA. The way you trench plates, wrap a cavity, run your crews. It all changes the price, the program, and the product. So why are most builders still being handed a one-size-fits-all quote?

In Part 2, Dean and Luke continue the conversation with Tom Lawson from Vision 2 Estimating, going deeper into how V2E tailors every model to the way your business actually builds. From pre-model meetings and onboarding through to integrating directly with Buildxact and price book setup, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what makes their process tick.

Tom also opens up about where V2E is heading next, including some serious investment in AI tools, a new model viewer release, and plans for an AI chatbot built into the model itself. It wraps with rapid fire questions, plenty of laughs, and a reminder that the builders winning in 2026 are the ones treating estimating like the engine room of the business.

What You'll Learn:

- Why your "Builder's DNA" should drive every estimate, not generic plan notes
- How pre-model meetings catch the costly stuff missing from drawings
- The smart way to integrate estimating data into Buildxact and your price book
- Why a "measuring stick" beats gut feel when reviewing subbie quotes
- Where AI is heading in construction and how V2E is leading the charge

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
00:20 – What is "Builder's DNA" and why it matters
02:38 – Onboarding and pre-model meetings
04:25 – Inside the V2E team: building the right mix of skills
08:05 – Integrating with Buildxact the smart way
12:00 – Building your price book for instant pricing
14:30 – Why empathy with builders is the V2E difference
16:00 – Using data as a measuring stick against subbie quotes
19:08 – When to bring V2E in and what you need
22:30 – What's next: AI tools, model viewer, and chatbot integration
24:33 – How Michael first reached out to Luke
25:24 – Rapid fire questions
26:35 – Final advice and where to find V2E

Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery
Guests: Tom Lawson from Vision 2 Estimating (V2E)

🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/
📸Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

"A builder who doesn't estimate properly in 2026 is going under." Tom Lawson didn't sugarcoat it, and what follows is a masterclass in why the old way of pricing jobs is leaving builders exposed.

This week, Dean and Luke sit down with Tom Lawson from Vision 2 Estimating (V2E), fresh off the Build Insite Hub Launch and Live event at Circa and Bowens in Port Melbourne. Tom flew in from Adelaide to unpack how 3D construction modelling is reshaping the way builders price, plan, and deliver projects.

From his early days bouncing between structural engineering and architecture, to seven years detailing roof trusses at K&B Timber, Tom walks through the path that led him to co-founding V2E with Michael. What started as a "why can't we do this for the whole project?" idea has grown into a 17-modeller team helping builders nationwide resolve plans before they hit site.

If you've ever been buried under conflicting documents, frustrated by square metre rate guesswork, or burned by design issues that only surface mid-build, this one's going to hit home.

**What You'll Learn:**

- Why traditional estimating is setting builders up to redo work twice
- How 3D modelling catches engineering and design clashes before site
- The key differences between SA and VIC frame and truss design responsibilities
- Why square metre rates don't reflect what your build actually costs
- How visual estimating brings clients into the conversation and unlocks smarter decisions

**Chapters:**
00:00 – Introduction
00:27 – Welcome Tom Lawson to the studio
01:15 – Tom's journey: From engineering to architecture to detailing
04:00 – Inside K&B Timber and the world of frame and truss design
05:23 – The idea that sparked Vision 2 Estimating
07:11 – SA vs VIC: How frame design responsibilities differ
10:00 – What is Vision 2 Estimating?
11:04 – Why the traditional estimating process is broken
13:36 – The problem with square metre rates
15:07 – Managing 10+ sets of documents on every project
16:18 – Catching design issues before site (real examples)
19:55 – Helping clients visualise the final build
21:55 – Educating clients through 3D visuals
22:57 – Wrapping up Part 1

Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery
Guests: Tom Lawson from Vision 2 Estimating (V2E)

🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/
📸Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

What if you could find out your dream home was a million dollars over budget before you spent a cent on design fees? That's exactly the problem Saxon Hall set out to solve.

In Part 2 of our conversation with Saxon Hall from Align Architecture, we dig into the part of the build process where most projects quietly start to fall apart: the gap between what a client thinks their project will cost, and what it actually costs to deliver.

Saxon walks us through his fixed-fee Sketch Design Service, a transparent early-stage process that pairs the architect and builder together from day one, presents two schematic options (one budget-focused, one brief-focused), and ends with a pre-build feasibility document that gives clients real numbers before they're locked into months of design fees.

We also get into the bigger picture: why builders and architects still struggle to trust each other, how the industry's old-school teaching shapes that dynamic, and what genuine early contractor involvement actually looks like on a real project.

Saxon also opens up about how Align is rethinking contract administration, getting creative with materials to fight rising costs, and why he believes more transparency in the early stages is the single biggest fix the industry needs right now.

What You'll Learn

How a fixed-fee sketch design process protects clients from spending tens of thousands before knowing if their project is even viable

Why presenting two designs (budget vs brief) is the fastest way to find out what a client actually values

How a pre-build feasibility document breaks down site costs, construction costs and consultant fees into one clear total project investment

Why early builder involvement saves more than money; it saves buildability headaches on site

A smarter alternative to traditional contract administration that cuts admin hours without losing oversight

Practical examples of using materials creatively to reduce waste and keep budgets in check

Chapters

00:00 - Recap and Welcome Back

00:17 - Managing Design Costs from the First Conversation

01:00 - Inside the Sketch Design Service

02:00 - Two Designs: Needs vs Wants vs Reality

03:22 - The Pre-Build Feasibility Document Explained

05:30 - Why Walking Away Early Is a Win, Not a Loss

06:42 - How Builders Can Plug Into the Process

08:00 - Why Clients Still Get Burned (The $1M Story)

11:21 - Trust, Ego and How Architects Are Taught

12:29 - The Real Value of Builder Input in Design

14:55 - Relationships as the Foundation of Every Project

16:07 - Reinventing Contract Administration

19:11 - Getting Creative with Materials and Budget

22:38 - Mentoring the Next Generation of Architects

24:28 - Rapid Fire

26:30 - Wrap Up and Where to Find Saxon

Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: Saxon Hall from Align Architecture

📸 Saxon on Instagram: @saxonhallarchitecture 📸 Align Architecture on Instagram: @align.architecture.au

Listen, Watch & Follow

🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
🌐 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

Architects get blamed for blowouts. Builders get blamed for misreading plans. But what if the old way of doing things is the actual problem?

In this episode, Dean and Luke sit down with Saxon Hall, Lead Architect at Align Architecture, who made the trek over from Tassie to share how his team is flipping the traditional architect-builder dynamic on its head. From growing up on construction sites in regional Tasmania to leading a six-person team across Hobart and Victoria, Saxon brings a unique perspective shaped by both high-end traditional architecture and hands-on building experience.

We dig into the rise of AI in the design industry, why architecture is more than just a floor plan, and how Align is pushing Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) as a smarter, more transparent way to build. Saxon also shares a behind-the-scenes look at what could be Tasmania's first architecturally designed Passive House Plus project, and why having the right people around the table changes everything.

If you've ever wondered why some projects run smoothly while others spiral into variation hell, this one's for you.

What You'll Learn:
- Why Early Contractor Involvement beats traditional tendering for residential builds
- How AI is reshaping the architectural workflow (and what it still can't replace)
- The real value of transparency and open-book pricing between builder, architect, and client
- Why the builder-architect-client triangle is the foundation of every successful project
- How Align Architecture blends traditional rigour with a modern, collaborative approach

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
00:33 – Meet Saxon Hall from Align Architecture
01:46 – Growing up on the tools in Tassie
03:04 – Joining Align and shaping the vision
05:46 – Inside the Align team
08:58 – AI in architecture: hype vs reality
11:46 – Why architecture isn't just a floor plan
12:36 – Inside a Passive House Plus design meeting
14:31 – Breaking the architect vs builder mentality
15:46 – Early Contractor Involvement explained
17:52 – Relationships before budgets
18:57 – The hidden cost of tendering and variations
21:48 – Wrap up Part 1

🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
🌐 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

In this second instalment of the live panel recording, hosts Dean Backman and Luke Callery continue the conversation with Jesse Raeburn (FRP Group), Dale Cheeseman (The Melbourne Builder), and Matt Minichelli (Elevate Building). This time, the focus shifts to the long game: building the right team, navigating growth speed humps, and learning when to say yes (and when to set boundaries).

The panel opens up about what it really takes to find team members who align with your vision, not just your skill requirements. Dale shares his philosophy on looking for loyalty and longevity in hires, while Jesse reflects on the biggest lesson from his first two years in business: communication is everything. Matt gets honest about being mid-transition right now, pulling back from 60-90 hour weeks and trusting his team to step into bigger roles without losing the company's DNA.

Then come the audience questions, and that's where the gold drops. The builders share their proudest business moments, the strategic value of taking jobs at cost for the right opportunity, and the hard-earned wisdom around client boundaries. It wraps with a personal look at what success means to each of them in five years (spoiler: it has very little to do with revenue figures).

What You'll Learn
- How to identify team members who'll grow with your business, not just work for it
- Why having uncomfortable conversations early removes the weight off your shoulders
- The compounding effect of strategically taking jobs at cost for the right opportunities
- How to set client communication boundaries without losing the relationship
- Why pulling back from the business can be the hardest (and most important) move you make
- The mindset shift from chasing margin to chasing the right opportunities

Chapters
00:00 - Welcome Back to Part 2
00:22 - How to Build a Team You Can Trust
01:38 - Jesse's Biggest Lesson: The Power of Communication
03:34 - Audience Q&A: Biggest Business Challenges
05:32 - Sustaining Growth Without Burning Out
06:30 - Matt's Mid-Transition: Pulling Back While Maintaining Quality
08:55 - Keeping Your Company DNA Through Growth
10:03 - What Are You Most Proud of in Your Business?
12:39 - The Strategic Value of Jobs at Cost
14:42 - The Block Reunion: Matt & Jesse's Backstory
15:34 - Setting Client Communication Boundaries
17:54 - What Does Success Look Like in 5 Years?
19:22 - Wrap-Up & Networking

🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
🌐 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite