fuzzybuilds's podcast

About fuzzybuilds's podcast

FuzzyBuilds is where the real story of building gets told. Hosted by Reza Fazel, an Owner's Representative and Construction & Real Estate Project Manager with over 30 years of experience in design, architecture, and development, this podcast breaks down the complex world of real estate and construction in Los Angeles, one of the most regulated and demanding building environments in the country. Building is not just drawings and permits. It is people. It is pressure. It is money. It is risk. It is coordination across dozens of players who are all experts in their lane, but not always aligned with each other. We talk about projects the way they actually unfold. From early vision and lease negotiations, to approvals, bidding strategy, consultant coordination, construction execution, and all the moving parts like furniture and technology that somehow get left for the end. But more importantly, we talk about the disconnect. Consultants work within defined scopes. Those scopes often stop right where responsibility starts to blur. Architects and designers are frequently squeezed by competitive fee structures that leave little room for deep coordination, yet they are expected to carry enormous responsibility. Clients, on the other hand, see construction numbers that feel unpredictable, and it can create the perception that something is wrong or that someone is taking advantage of them. Most of the time, it is not about bad intentions. It is about misalignment, unclear expectations, and a system that was never fully explained. FuzzyBuilds exists to bring clarity to that system. To explain how the pieces actually fit together. To expose the gray areas before they become expensive problems. To help clients, students, brokers, architects, contractors, and developers navigate projects with more intelligence and less intimidation. If you want to understand why projects succeed, why they struggle, and how to think strategically about design and construction, this is where you start.

Publisher

Reza Fazel

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Mar 2019

Latest episode

30 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

21 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Mar 2026

   E021- Lease 101

   This Episode covers the very basics of a Lease in the Commercial Real Estate Tenant Improvement world. What is it?  Why Lease?  Who is involved, and what are some of the challenges we see after a Lease is signed. This discussion is really for those who are either relatively new to the industry, or just never got into the details of a Lease Negotiation, and want to have some General Knowledge about the Topic.  If you are a Broker, you don't have to listen to this, but if you do, I appreciate feedback. The word "lease" gets thrown around a lot.  Because it is so commonly used, many people go along with it pretending they understand it. I was one of them. It was not until I moved into the Project Management side, and had to review leases in detail, that I really began to understand what was inside them. That said, my involvement is primarily focused on the Work Letter portion. There are brokers and attorneys who specialize in lease negotiations at a much deeper level. I am simply explaining it so average person can understand what it's all about, and why it's a big deal.

2. 

   23 Mar 2026

   E020- Questions and Answers

   Episode 020 – Questions and Answers – some of the most common questions I've been asked on a TI project. I have an Architect, why do we need other consultants and Engineers?  Aren't architects trained to do everything? Why do Landlords want or need to review and approve the Space Plans? Why do some landlords have a restriction on which Subs you can use? What is the difference between a Construction Document and an IFC? Why do I need a furniture dealer?  I can get the furniture myself. What is a Lease?  What's the difference between Leasing and Renting? Why do we need weekly meetings during construction? If I have an MEP engineer, why do I need a lighting consultant? Isn't lighting part of electrical? Why do I need an Owner's Rep or Project Manager?

3. 

   16 Mar 2026

   E019- The Decision Maker

   Episode 19 discusses one of the most important but often overlooked roles in a Tenant Improvement project: the decision maker. Projects require constant decisions on layout, budget, materials, and construction, and without someone who has the authority to approve direction, progress slows quickly. In this episode, I explain why identifying the decision maker early is critical, and how experienced teams manage projects by structuring the decision process so the project can continue moving forward even when approvals take time.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

47

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact fuzzybuilds's podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.