
In this episode of The Infrastructure Network, Chad sits down with Josh Burnett, founder of RDS, to talk real infrastructure issues — cost overruns, low-bid traps, broken procurement, and the toxic culture inside civil engineering firms. Josh breaks down how he saved over $1.3 million in just a few projects by rethinking land development and refusing to play by the outdated rules.If you're in civil engineering, land development, construction, or infrastructure procurement, this conversation is a must-listen.👷♂️ Topics:Why most civil engineers don’t get to fully design (and what that’s costing us)The low-bid mindset: how it creates long-term infrastructure failuresWhy politics and profit often override planning and community impactWhat a smarter, people-first infrastructure model looks like⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 - Intro to Josh Burnett & Background02:29 - Breaking into civil engineering during the recession07:47 - Toxic culture in engineering firms & what drove Josh to leave10:07 - What it's really like to manage land development projects15:47 - Saving $1.3M by thinking differently about engineering21:05 - Low-bid culture: why cheap planning costs big later24:03 - Politics, greed, and why good plans still get blocked27:05 - Engineering vs Planning: Why working together saves money29:33 - Why planning is the hardest and most critical part