103. Built to Last. Or Fail? with George Siegel
About this episode
Izumi Tanaka interviews George Siegal about the realities of home construction and the importance of building for resilience rather than just meeting minimum codes.
Are homes really built to last… or just built to sell? In this eye-opening episode, Izumi sits down with documentary filmmaker George Siegal, creator of Built to Last: Buyer Beware , to uncover the uncomfortable truth about how most homes are actually built—and why so many fail when disaster strikes. From hurricanes in Florida to wildfires in California, George shares heartbreaking stories of homeowners who lost everything—and the common patterns behind those losses. The biggest takeaway? Most homes are built to the minimum code , not for long-term resilience. If you’re a homeowner, buyer, investor, or real estate professional, this conversation may completely change how you look at homes. In this episode, we cover: Why “built to code” often means built to the bare minimum The biggest mistakes homebuyers make when evaluating a property How disasters reveal hidden weaknesses in our homes Why rebuilding after a disaster can take years—not months The surprising connection between resilience and sustainability What questions you must ask before buying or building a home How insurance, building practices, and human behavior all play a role George also shares practical tips—including…
Keywords
- minimum code
- homebuyer mistakes
- disaster recovery
- insurance savings
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