Every budget, every early estimate, every "can you just take a quick look at this?" — it all costs someone something. But in most cases, that cost is invisible. Welcome to FreeCon.

In this episode, Troy and Trey sit down with Mike Navarro, CTO and Co-Founder of Ediphi, a 20-year construction veteran who went from lead estimator on complex high-rise projects to building the software he always wished he had. Together, they dig into one of the most quietly frustrating dynamics in the industry — pre-construction work that is deeply valuable, rarely compensated, and almost never talked about openly.

In this episode:

• What "FreeCon" actually is — and why it's not always a bad thing
• Why the pre-construction timeline stretches to 30 months when it shouldn't
• The PETA Factor: how endless pricing rounds inflate sub costs and erode trade partner relationships
• How scope clarity drives cost down — and scope mystery drives it up
• Why the estimator's voice needs to be in the room before the design is finished
• The shift from "flat line estimates" to true pricing models where everything is interdependent
• Strategic FreeCon vs. subsidizing an owner's decision-making — where's the line?
• Why Mike went from "pry Excel from my cold dead hands" to building cloud-first pre-con technology

Fast Five closes out the episode with rapid-fire takes on tools vs. behavior, owner mindset shifts, and finishing the sentence: "The estimate stops being just a number when..."

If you've ever priced the same project five times under a verbal commitment and a prayer — this one is for you.

🔗 Learn more about Ediphi at ediphi.com