Epi 185: Stop "Guessing" Labor Hours: How To Fix Massive Profit Leaks (With Martin & Helen)

Marti sits down with Martin and Helen, a father-daughter team from NFL Construction in Auckland. Martin opens up about the brutal reality of a rapid growth phase where the business went from 3 to 20 staff, resulting in mistakes that cost "close to a million dollars." They discuss the specific pricing disaster where a fixed-price project estimated at 8,000 hours blew out to 13,000 hours. Martin and Helen reveal how they stripped the business back to a lean contractor model to slash overheads, implemented rigorous back-costing systems, and now use physical "Lookbooks" to win high-end work without competing on price. 🕒 Timestamped Key Points [01:31] From landscaping to commercial decking contracts [03:00] Family dynamics: "Whatever doesn't involve a hammer, I do" [11:11] The growth trap: Scaling to 20 staff and losing $1M [14:40] The blowout: Allowing 8,000 hours for a 13,000-hour job [16:29] Using WonderBuild for real-time back costing [27:00] Losing a job by $80k to a builder who "starts Monday" [27:40] Marketing pivot: Using "Lookbooks" to prove value [30:51] Winning high-end work without price resistance [33:28] Moving beyond "the accounts lady" label [39:16] The goal: Hitting $10M turnover by 2029 The Professional Builder has helped over 3,100+ building companies around the world get more Profit, more Time and Succeed in Selling their Business. https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilder Subscribe to our channel for weekly, actionable insights. Tailored to help you grow a profitable construction business. Want to Join our coaching program? Or just speak to one of our team to see if it's the right fit for you? Hit the link below. Everything you need is there! https://linktr.ee/theprofessionalbuilderhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/TPBmember: https://www.facebook.com/TheProfessionalBuilderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.