At BUILD 26, Walls & Ceilings Editor John Wyatt interviewed Jason and Yamila Bertoniere of Jason Bertoniere Inc. about their ongoing restoration of a historic New Orleans residence featured in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". The project involves extensive plaster restoration, careful phased construction, and modern techniques designed to preserve the home's original character. The discussion also highlights growing restoration opportunities across New Orleans and the importance of protecting the city's architectural heritage for future generations.

In this episode, Doug Kramer reflects on PolyCon’s rise from a startup to an emerging industry leader in spray foam roofing and insulation. He explains how innovation, customer-focused culture, and long-standing industry relationships are helping the company expand during a challenging supply chain environment. Kramer also shares insights into the growing awareness of spray foam technology and why he believes the market is poised for continued growth.

Construction attorney Trent Cotney explained how petroleum-driven material inflation and accelerated data center construction schedules are increasing risk exposure for contractors. The conversation also explored termination clauses, procurement challenges and how future technology shifts could reshape demand for large-scale data center projects.

At BUILD 26, Horizon Interiors’ Rudy Kadiric discussed Chicago’s strong construction market, ongoing labor shortages and the growing role of technology in helping wall and ceiling contractors improve productivity and stay competitive.

Advances showcased around the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance convention point to tighter ratio control, jobsite verification and new formulations with cost and environmental implications. For contractors, the shift links directly to installation quality, documentation, risk reduction and bid strategy.

The proposed TopBuild acquisition by QXO highlights growing concerns among contractors about how consolidation and vertical integration could affect competition, pricing, and access to sensitive estimating and procurement data. Trent Cotney emphasized that contractors can protect themselves by strengthening contract language, carefully managing documentation, and clearly defining responsibilities when disputes arise over scope, coordination, or installation issues.