AI is changing construction. I'm talking to the people doing it.
I'm Talha Shakeel. I run projects for a general contractor, and on TalksWithTalha I sit down with the founders, builders and industry leaders behind construction AI to find out what actually works on a real job. In between, I build things myself.
Episode 1
Will AI replace estimators? I asked a construction AI CEO
Lisa is the co-founder and CEO of BidBlox. We get into what AI estimating can really do today, where an estimator still has to check the work, and what that means for the people doing the job.
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Things I've built
Hands-on experiments with AI tools, 3D printing and making. Each one has the video and, where I can share them, the files.
Ski Lodge
A 1:100 modular architectural model: 56 printed parts on 15 trays. The film, an illustrated assembly guide and the project files.
Open project →
Takeoff AI
My own takeoff app: quantities, a 3D model and a 4D schedule from a drawing set. Free, open source, bring your own AI.
Open project →
PDF to 4D BIM
I turned a set of construction PDFs into a 3D model, then sequenced it into a 4D build. Every element links back to its drawing.
Open project →Quick takes
AI did my takeoff in under 3 minutes
I'm not firing my estimators because of AI
Why ChatGPT can't read your construction drawings
Is AI leaking your bid prices?
Why hasn't Procore solved this yet?
The drawings disagree: 100 mm or 150 mm slab?
Every element in this BIM model traces back to its drawing
Before you dig: day one on a construction site
A contractor's view, not a sales pitch.
Most AI talk in construction comes from people selling software. I'm the person who has to make it work on a project, with a schedule, a budget and a crew. So I ask the practical questions.
- Estimating and preconstructionTakeoffs, bid review, scope gaps and what still needs an estimator.
- Project deliveryReporting, RFIs, inspections and the paperwork that eats a PM's week.
- Design, BIM and roboticsFrom drawings to models to machines on site.
Building something real in construction tech?
I talk with founders, builders and industry leaders about what works on real projects and what still needs a person. If you have a story worth telling, send me a note.