Most builders fall in love with the craft first—the smell of fresh-cut lumber, the satisfaction of a straight reveal. Victor Rybak did too. But six years in, he’s crystal clear on something most of us learn the hard way: if you want to grow, you have to build the business with the same obsession you bring to the build.

This episode of Builders, Budgets & Beers is a field-to-office story about confidence: how real-time job numbers change decisions, how fixed-price can work when you actually know your costs, and why simple SOPs (yes, screen recordings count) are the unlock for hiring and scale.

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Says Victor, “You don’t need 10 years to run a confident business. You need your numbers—and a process your team can actually follow.”

From Bags-On to “Control Tower”

Victor grew up around building. He launched his own company in 2019, started bags-on, and—like many—swore he’d never be “stuck in an office.” Then reality hit: clients, cash flow, subs, selection changes, and a growing pipeline.

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The turning point wasn’t a crisis; it was a mindset shift.

• He stopped treating admin as a necessary evil and made it a core discipline.
• He moved off binders and “drive back to the office” workflows.
• He committed to seeing the job’s vitals daily, not at drywall.

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The result? Better pricing decisions, fewer freebies, and the ability to plan growth (think: $8M → $12M → $18M) with a straight face.

Real-Time Numbers = Better Behavior (and Fewer Giveaways)

Victor used to “do the client a solid” mid-build—throwing in extras or soft-pricing changes to keep momentum and goodwill. The problem? Those “solids” stack up, go unnoticed, and crush margins.

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Now, with live job cost visibility, he sees variances today—not weeks later:

• Small asks (“just add stairs?”) stop being casual favors and start being clear change orders.
• He can say “Yes—and here’s the price” without flinching, because the numbers back him up.
• Pricing confidence reduces the reflex to negotiate against himself.

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“A few years ago, I’d catch we were upside down around drywall. Today I can see that daily.”

Fixed-Price the Right Way

Victor prefers fixed-price—not to hide costs, but to reduce decision fatigue and create a clean client experience. The key is front-loading the thinking:

1. Select first, price second. He captures selections up front so the budget reflects reality.
2. Bid the big trades, take off the rest. He re-checks lumber, MEPs, and uses takeoff software for the rest.
3. Use allowances strategically. Transparent buckets for high-variance categories keep the contract firm—and the client flexible.

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Fixed-price and confidence go hand-in-hand when you can see costs in real time. If the job starts drifting, he knows early, adjusts scope or price, and stops “charity work” that clients never see (or appreciate).

SOPs That People Actually Use

Hiring stalls when everything lives in your head. Victor’s fix is refreshingly simple:

• Screen-record the task while you do it (estimating, AP review, selection entry—whatever).
• Keep it high-level. Bullet steps and a short video beat a 12-page essay no one opens.
• Link SOPs to the work. When a task gets assigned, it includes the “how to” video.

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He’s doing the same in the field: GoPro clips of water-proofing sequences, punch-list standards, and the “right way” to set a detail. Less back-and-forth. Faster onboarding. Fewer “call the PM” moments.

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“Record what you do today so future hires don’t need a month of your time tomorrow.”

Don’t Wait for a Brick Wall

Victor didn’t overhaul his process because the wheels fell off. He did it to be recession-proof and to deliver a cleaner client experience.

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That growth mindset shows up everywhere: International Build Show every year since 2015, deliberate tech adoption, and a bias for learning over ego.

• Document now—even if it’s rough.
• Know your numbers daily—not post-mortem.
• Price with confidence—and stop gifting margin.

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This isn’t about perfection. It’s about building habits that scale.

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