SWR Institute's first affinity partner
Your SWR Institute membership just got you free trade skills training
14 courses, 36 toolbox talks, built by people who've actually run waterproofing crews. Pick your plan below — SWR Institute members get a free Basic tier, plus discounted rates on every paid plan.
Who we are
Meet the people behind U Build Academy.
Cindy Raffio
Co-Founder
Cindy is the President of MCW Companies, a waterproofing, caulking, and concrete restoration company with over 25 years serving South Florida. She's a former president and current member of SWR Institute, and every course reflects how work actually gets done in the field — not textbook theory.
Johnny Raffio
Co-Founder
Johnny leads product and platform development, focused on capturing the field knowledge experienced tradespeople carry and making it accessible to every crew member, at any stage of their career.
Who We Serve
Individuals
Learn practical trade skills you can apply on the jobsite. Build confidence, earn certificates, and strengthen your understanding of field execution.
Learn moreContractors
Standardize training across crews and jobsites. Onboard faster, reduce rework, and reinforce best practices in the field.
Learn moreManufacturers
Extend your product expertise beyond the spec sheet. Co-brand and white-label training that supports proper installation and long-term performance.
Learn moreIndustry Professionals
Gain clearer insight into how systems are installed in the field. Improve constructability, coordination, and real-world decision-making.
Learn moreWhat's in the platform
14 core courses
Full-length courses built around real waterproofing and restoration work — not generic safety videos. Introduction to Joint Sealants is the most popular course in the library. Traffic Coating, Air Barriers, Below-Grade Waterproofing, Cementitious Waterproofing, and Concrete Repair round out the core library.
Featured courses
Joint Sealants
Traffic Coating
Air Barriers
Below-Grade Waterproofing
Cementitious Waterproofing
Concrete Repair
SWR Institute member pricing
Per-seat rates for verified SWR Institute members. Billed monthly.
Basic
Sign up for Basic and your crew gets full access right away
- Introduction to Joint Sealants course
- 5 toolbox talks (English and Spanish)
Up to 5 seats
No credit card · No commitment
Core
For small crews that need field-ready training
Standard: $21/seat/mo
Billed monthly · 12-month commitment
Up to 15 seats · 5 seat minimum
$270/mo for 15 seats
- Full access to the Core Library (14+ courses, 35+ toolbox talks — English and Spanish)
- Basic reporting and progress tracking
- Course certificates
- Multi-crew admin accounts
- Custom company page
- Advanced reporting
Plus
For companies with multiple crews or locations
Standard: $24/seat/mo
Billed monthly · 12-month commitment
Up to 75 seats · 15 seat minimum
$300/mo for 15 seats
- Everything in Core
- Multi-crew admin accounts
- Custom company page ($249 value)
- Train-the-Trainer add-on $399 (discounted from $499)
- Advanced reporting
- Dedicated onboarding
Pro
Full platform, no seat cap, for larger operations
Standard: $32/seat/mo
Billed monthly · 12-month commitment
No seat cap · 30 seat minimum
$810/mo for 30 seats (minimum)
- Everything in Plus
- Log external training records
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- Dedicated onboarding and setup
- Train-the-Trainer included (1/yr, $499 value)
- Host your own training materials
SWR Institute members save ~15% vs standard pricing.
Common questions
Straight answers for SWR Institute members getting their crew set up.
When you sign up, we verify your SWR Institute membership in the background — no extra paperwork on your end. If something doesn't line up, we'll reach out directly. Once verified, you get access to the free Basic tier and SWR Institute member pricing on paid plans.
Basic gives you Introduction to Joint Sealants, 5 toolbox talks (English and Spanish), and up to 5 seats — $0, no credit card, no commitment. It's built for solo pros and micro-crews who want to see how the platform works before going bigger.
Yes. Start free on Basic, train your crew, and upgrade to Core, Plus, or Pro whenever you're ready. Your account carries over — you won't lose progress. Pick the plan that fits your crew size and checkout when it makes sense for your operation.
Paid plans (Core, Plus, Pro) are a 12-month commitment, billed monthly. Basic is free with no term. SWR Institute members save roughly 15% vs standard pricing on every paid plan.
Core covers the full course library and certificates for crews up to 15 seats. Plus adds multi-crew admin accounts and a custom company page for companies running multiple crews or locations (up to 75 seats). Pro is the full platform — no seat cap, advanced reporting, dedicated onboarding, and Train-the-Trainer included.
Yes. All core courses and toolbox talks are available in English and Spanish. Your crew can switch languages as needed — important when your field team speaks both.
Each seat is one learner on your account. Basic supports up to 5 seats; Core up to 15; Plus up to 75; Pro has no cap. You assign seats to crew members through your admin dashboard. Paid plans have minimum seat counts (5 for Core, 15 for Plus, 30 for Pro) — check the pricing grid for details.
Ready to train your crew?
Your crew will learn the why, not just the how — from experts with 100+ years of combined industry knowledge.
Paid plans are a 12-month commitment, billed monthly. Pricing and plans subject to change.
Basic is free — no commitment term.