Production & Design - We Can Work Together!

In this episode, Greg Woleck explores a recurring theme in residential remodeling: the tension—and the potential—for collaboration between design and production teams. Drawing from his nationwide experience working with remodelers and the latest insights from Remodelers Advantage Roundtables, Greg outlines the small but powerful habits that can transform conflict into cooperation. Whether it's scope creep, last-minute changes, or mismatched expectations, most issues trace back to missed opportunities for early alignment.

With references to Dan Heath’s Upstream, Greg urges remodelers to solve problems before they show up on-site. From shared walkthroughs to weekly design-production check-ins and field feedback loops, this episode is packed with practical steps you can take to unify your team and improve the client experience.

Episode Outline

• Intro to the Podcast
  • Purpose: Build a community for remodelers, designers, and production pros
  • Call for listener feedback, stories, and guest ideas
• Greg’s Industry Insights
  • On-the-road observations: same friction, different zip codes
  • Shared challenges between design and production
  • Both sides want a great project—just approach it differently
• Common Challenges
  • Scope creep, unclear expectations, late-stage changes
  • Communication gaps leading to frustration and finger-pointing
  • Friction born from assumptions, not intent
• Building Better Collaboration
  • Debunking the myth of “creatives vs. pragmatists”
  • Highlighting mutual creativity and problem-solving
  • Real-world strategies from high-performing firms
• Upstream Thinking
  • Inspired by Dan Heath’s Upstream: fix it before it’s a problem
  • Start collaboration in the pre-construction phase
  • Use early meetings to align expectations and ask the hard questions
• Habits That Make It Work
  • Shared pre-construction walkthroughs
  • Quick weekly check-ins between design and production
  • Buildability reviews during design development
• Feedback and Language Matter
  • Encourage field teams to share photos, videos, and solutions
  • Create feedback loops so designers understand what gets changed
  • Language shift: “we” over “they” to reinforce shared ownership
• Final Takeaway
  • Collaboration isn’t a department—it’s a habit
  • Ask your counterpart: “What’s one thing I can do to make your job easier?”
  • Trust is built in small steps

Action Items

• Start one new collaborative habit this week
• Reach out to your design/production counterpart
• Share your story or question with Greg for a future episode

Links & Resources

• Book Mentioned: Upstream by Dan Heath
• Learn more: www.whywebuild.com
• Connect with Greg: greg@remodelersadvantage.com

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