Building better isn’t luck. It’s process.

Twelve years in, PJ Antonik isn’t winging it. The founder of Oak Development & Design has built a high-end residential construction business on Boston’s South Shore and Nantucket, and he’ll be the first to tell you: it wasn’t easy. "We made a ton of mistakes," PJ shares. "We pissed a bunch of people off. But every time, we made the process better."

‍

In this episode of Builders, Budgets & Beers, PJ and Reece Barnes dive deep into the messy, valuable realities of growing a construction business. From red flags in client selection to why he’s ditched spec builds without pre-sales, PJ unpacks the lessons that turned his company into a local powerhouse.

Know your numbers, or risk losing control

If there’s one consistent theme from PJ, it’s this: knowing your numbers isn’t optional. "I know that my electric on a new construction is $11 a square foot," he says. That clarity lets him move fast, price confidently, and even set prices with subcontractors.

‍

"I determine the pricing now," PJ explains. "I call my plaster guy and say, 'I've got 42 grand. Does that work?' Done."

‍

Tools like Adaptive help PJ and his team sync job costs with QuickBooks, streamline bill processing, and reduce errors that lead to profit loss. He saves 2-3 hours weekly on approvals alone, and he's not guessing at job performance—he's tracking it in real time.

Gut instincts are built on good data

Too many builders price off emotion or a notepad. PJ warns against it.

‍

"Relying on your gut to price a job? You're asking to lose money."

Instead, PJ audits historical job data and builds clean benchmarks to check against new estimates. That confidence in cost data helps him stay profitable—like his current Nantucket project, where he’s running 15% under budget thanks to accurate estimating and visibility.

‍

"Garbage in, garbage out," he says. "Your budget's only as good as the data you're feeding it."

Process protects profit (and sanity)

Over time, PJ has crafted a process that works—and sticks to it. Clients don’t pick finishes. Oak Development sources and selects everything, staying on budget and ahead of delays.

‍

"If someone comes in and says, 'I need to pick everything myself,' that’s a red flag. It disrupts the system." The same applies to project criteria. No full builds under $500K. No living-in-the-home renovations. No jobs that pull the team too far from home base.

‍

"It’s about clarity. Clarity lets you say no. And saying no protects your time, your team, and your margin."

The Nantucket project: risk meets craft

One of PJ’s most ambitious projects yet is a $11M historic renovation in Nantucket—a passion project and financial risk he took with clear eyes and firm numbers. He manages costs obsessively, sometimes putting in the physical work himself (yes, he installed kitchens and dug foundations).

‍

Why? Because the numbers said it made sense.

‍

"I haven’t touched a hammer in 8 years, but I saved $25K installing those kitchens myself. And when you're stuck on an island managing a job, you might as well be productive."

Success is fluid. Stay adaptive.

From spec to custom, from local jobs to island builds, PJ's not afraid to evolve. "I used to say I’d never build custom again. Now I’m doing all custom. Why? I got burned on spec. You have to adapt."

‍

Whether it’s refining his project criteria or rethinking financial workflows with tools like Adaptive, PJ is a builder who stays flexible without losing focus.

‍

"If you're not learning and evolving, you're falling behind. There is no finish line."

Final takeaway: know your lane, then own it

"Find your niche and stay in your lane," PJ says. It’s the clearest advice in a conversation full of tactical insight and hard-won lessons.

‍

This episode is for the builder who’s juggling growth, quality, clients, and cash flow. The one who knows the stress of chasing payments and the payoff of finally getting it right.

‍

And if you want a little motivation while estimating your next job? Start with this podcast.

‍