The Contractor Blog
Practical talk on AI tools for contractors - no fluff, just what works.
The Reasonable Contractor Blog
Real talk on AI tools, running jobs, and winning more work.
Gabe Wagner of Aqua Blast: From $42 in the Bank to Turning Work Away
Gabe Wagner was a month from a business degree at Winona State with a job waiting at the family title company. He texted his brother from the bar instead. We get into the pressure washer from Menards, the house he failed on, buying his brother out in year four, and why he wants Aqua Blast to stay small and pack a punch.
Tony Hyser of Twin Cities Premier Plumbing: Zero Hours, a Subaru, and Protecting His Sleep at Night
Tony Hyser started Twin Cities Premier Plumbing out of a Subaru the week COVID shut the world down, with zero registered apprentice hours next to his name. We get into getting legal with a master plumber, the AI command center he runs the shop on, an Ask Tony channel for the crew, and his hot take on private equity in home services.
Morgan Molitor of construction2style: Your Client Avatar Should Be an Emotion
Morgan Molitor runs construction2style, a Twin Cities design-build company, plus four more companies grown through Instagram. We get into a client avatar built on emotion, giving a client every penny back to protect the holidays, and how she runs the shop on Claude, agents, a knowledge base, and job costing that tracks every penny.
Farm Kid to MSP Tile & Floor: Zack Hofer on the ABCD of Winning Jobs
Zack left a conservative Anabaptist community with a wife, four kids, and no money, credit, or trade. We get into the climb from door-knocking handyman to tile specialist booked out weeks on Google reviews alone, and the ABCD sales system he teaches every guy on his crew.
Transparent Pricing, Real Profit Numbers, and Design-Build: Denny Meints of Red Fox Remodeling
Denny Meints runs Red Fox Remodeling, a Twin Cities design-build firm that signs guaranteed maximum price contracts and bids with 100% transparency: every line item, overhead, and profit right on the page. We get into why he named the company after the contractor stereotype, how change orders should actually work, and where a luxury remodeler is really at with AI.
How a Window Cleaner Built 45 Employees and Got Hooked on AI: Andy Misiura of Kahuna Window Cleaning
Andy Misiura built Kahuna Window Cleaning from a high school side hustle into a 45-employee operation doing a few million a year out of one location. We get into growing the slow, steady way, keeping a crew through a Minnesota winter, and one of the best AI conversations we've had on the show, including the time he asked Claude for a spreadsheet and got a whole working website instead.
The Roofing Gold Rush Is Dead: Jon Weight on Insurance, Honesty, and Walking Away
Jon 'Wayne' Weight came into roofing from the music world and treats the trade like a people business first. We get into a job that went sideways over an insurance supplement and ended in a hug, why walking away from a bad-fit job is service and not ego, and why the 'insurance approves everything' gold rush is over.
Trust Over the Lowest Bid: How Pete Cicconi Built Twin Cities Electric
Pete Cicconi went from a 17-year-old vocational student in Pennsylvania to owning Twin Cities Electric in Shakopee. He opened right before COVID, rebranded around his golden retriever Bruno, and wins work by leading with trust instead of the lowest price. We get into custom estimates, using AI without the buzzwords, and why the sky's the limit in the trades.
One-Time Customers by Design: How Josh Stensgaard Built Sky Armor Roofing
Josh Stensgaard dropped out of college, ran a house painting company, and built Sky Armor Roofing Siding Windows in Woodbury around one idea: specialize and do the job right once. We get into the class-four shingle that saves homeowners on insurance, what door knocking actually costs you, finding a real why, and how he uses AI day to day without the buzzwords.
Six Options, Not One Bid: How Erik Ellefson Runs Estimates at Topline Electric
Erik Ellefson runs Topline Electric in Rosemount, five electricians and growing. He quotes six options on every estimate, presents them in person with both spouses home, and his Google reviews prove it works. We get into the buying-tier theory behind it, the death of the fridge-magnet referral, and the winter math every seasonal shop owner runs.
20 Years in Windows and Doors: Mike Bullock on a Trades Career With No Ceiling
Mike Bullock has installed doors and windows for almost 20 years. He specialized so hard he stopped bidding and selling jobs, and the work never stopped coming. We get into the craft, the grit, and why he thinks AI isn't coming for the trades.
AI Second Brains for Contractors: How a Gutter Company Owner Runs His Business on Claude and Obsidian
Gutter Galaxy's Michael Fafinski is back on the Reasonable Contractor podcast. Six months ago he was gutter-first. Now he runs his whole company through an AI second brain, and we get into exactly how he built it.
Best Contractor Websites in 2026: What Actually Works (And What Doesn't)
What makes a contractor website actually generate leads? We break down what the best contractor sites get right - with real examples - and what most get wrong.
Can You Really Get a Contractor Website for $500?
Yes. Here's exactly what you get, what you don't get, and why it works for most contractors.
How to Get More Leads as a Contractor (Without Paying for Ads)
Most contractors rely on word of mouth and hope for the best. Here are 7 proven ways to generate more leads - starting with the ones that cost nothing.
Website Builders vs. Custom Sites for Contractors: Which One Actually Works?
Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy - or a custom-built site? Here's an honest breakdown of what works for contractor businesses and what's a waste of money.
What Does a Contractor Website Cost in 2026?
Agencies charge $5,000+. DIY builders cost $30/month forever. Here's what contractor websites actually cost - and what you should expect at each price point.
How Private Is Your Obsidian Vault, Really?
I'm building an AI agent for my Obsidian vault. Before connecting it to a cloud LLM, I needed to understand exactly what data leaves my machine - and what doesn't.
How I Build AI Planning Commands That Actually Work
I turned a messy, manual AI workflow into reusable commands. Here's the process and the prompts.
Why Contractors Need a Website in 2026
Google Business helps, but it's not yours. Here's why owning your online presence matters - and what happens when you don't.
Tech Notes
Behind-the-scenes posts on development, AI tools, and how I build things.
Jordan Morell of MGC Remodeling: 24 Fewer Jobs and $500K More Revenue
Jordan Morell spent fifteen years in banking before he quit in December 2019, three months before COVID. MGC Remodeling is in year four. Last year they ran ninety four jobs, this year seventy, and revenue is up about five hundred thousand dollars. We get into Rendr, JobTread, the fifteen minute bid, and why he punched holes in his own walls to test subcontractors.
Gabe Wagner of Aqua Blast: From $42 in the Bank to Turning Work Away
Gabe Wagner was a month from a business degree at Winona State with a job waiting at the family title company. He texted his brother from the bar instead. We get into the pressure washer from Menards, the house he failed on, buying his brother out in year four, and why he wants Aqua Blast to stay small and pack a punch.
Tony Hyser of Twin Cities Premier Plumbing: Zero Hours, a Subaru, and Protecting His Sleep at Night
Tony Hyser started Twin Cities Premier Plumbing out of a Subaru the week COVID shut the world down, with zero registered apprentice hours next to his name. We get into getting legal with a master plumber, the AI command center he runs the shop on, an Ask Tony channel for the crew, and his hot take on private equity in home services.
Morgan Molitor of construction2style: Your Client Avatar Should Be an Emotion
Morgan Molitor runs construction2style, a Twin Cities design-build company, plus four more companies grown through Instagram. We get into a client avatar built on emotion, giving a client every penny back to protect the holidays, and how she runs the shop on Claude, agents, a knowledge base, and job costing that tracks every penny.
Farm Kid to MSP Tile & Floor: Zack Hofer on the ABCD of Winning Jobs
Zack left a conservative Anabaptist community with a wife, four kids, and no money, credit, or trade. We get into the climb from door-knocking handyman to tile specialist booked out weeks on Google reviews alone, and the ABCD sales system he teaches every guy on his crew.
Transparent Pricing, Real Profit Numbers, and Design-Build: Denny Meints of Red Fox Remodeling
Denny Meints runs Red Fox Remodeling, a Twin Cities design-build firm that signs guaranteed maximum price contracts and bids with 100% transparency: every line item, overhead, and profit right on the page. We get into why he named the company after the contractor stereotype, how change orders should actually work, and where a luxury remodeler is really at with AI.
How a Window Cleaner Built 45 Employees and Got Hooked on AI: Andy Misiura of Kahuna Window Cleaning
Andy Misiura built Kahuna Window Cleaning from a high school side hustle into a 45-employee operation doing a few million a year out of one location. We get into growing the slow, steady way, keeping a crew through a Minnesota winter, and one of the best AI conversations we've had on the show, including the time he asked Claude for a spreadsheet and got a whole working website instead.
The Roofing Gold Rush Is Dead: Jon Weight on Insurance, Honesty, and Walking Away
Jon 'Wayne' Weight came into roofing from the music world and treats the trade like a people business first. We get into a job that went sideways over an insurance supplement and ended in a hug, why walking away from a bad-fit job is service and not ego, and why the 'insurance approves everything' gold rush is over.
Trust Over the Lowest Bid: How Pete Cicconi Built Twin Cities Electric
Pete Cicconi went from a 17-year-old vocational student in Pennsylvania to owning Twin Cities Electric in Shakopee. He opened right before COVID, rebranded around his golden retriever Bruno, and wins work by leading with trust instead of the lowest price. We get into custom estimates, using AI without the buzzwords, and why the sky's the limit in the trades.
One-Time Customers by Design: How Josh Stensgaard Built Sky Armor Roofing
Josh Stensgaard dropped out of college, ran a house painting company, and built Sky Armor Roofing Siding Windows in Woodbury around one idea: specialize and do the job right once. We get into the class-four shingle that saves homeowners on insurance, what door knocking actually costs you, finding a real why, and how he uses AI day to day without the buzzwords.
Six Options, Not One Bid: How Erik Ellefson Runs Estimates at Topline Electric
Erik Ellefson runs Topline Electric in Rosemount, five electricians and growing. He quotes six options on every estimate, presents them in person with both spouses home, and his Google reviews prove it works. We get into the buying-tier theory behind it, the death of the fridge-magnet referral, and the winter math every seasonal shop owner runs.
20 Years in Windows and Doors: Mike Bullock on a Trades Career With No Ceiling
Mike Bullock has installed doors and windows for almost 20 years. He specialized so hard he stopped bidding and selling jobs, and the work never stopped coming. We get into the craft, the grit, and why he thinks AI isn't coming for the trades.
AI Second Brains for Contractors: How a Gutter Company Owner Runs His Business on Claude and Obsidian
Gutter Galaxy's Michael Fafinski is back on the Reasonable Contractor podcast. Six months ago he was gutter-first. Now he runs his whole company through an AI second brain, and we get into exactly how he built it.
How Private Is Your Obsidian Vault, Really?
I'm building an AI agent for my Obsidian vault. Before connecting it to a cloud LLM, I needed to understand exactly what data leaves my machine - and what doesn't.
How I Build AI Planning Commands That Actually Work
I turned a messy, manual AI workflow into reusable commands. Here's the process and the prompts.
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