Get It Right With Undercover Architect

Hello! This is Episode 277, and in it, I’m talking with Steve Marskell from Rescom Building Products about Magnesium Oxide Board.  [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/277] Up front … and as you’ll hear across my conversation with Steve, you’ll learn that not all Magnesium Oxide Boards are the same. And so, knowing more about them, and understanding how to select and specify them, becomes super important. If you listened to my conversation with Joost Bakker in Episodes 266 and 267, you’ll have heard us discuss Magnesium Oxide Board.  You’ll have also heard us talk about Joost’s experience with Magnesium Oxide board, his extensive testing of it, especially through his fire testing and, as a result, he spoke about the Rescom product, and the fact it’s the only manufacturer he’ll source Magnesium Oxide board from. I’ve been getting LOADS of questions about Magnesium Oxide board, and how it compares to other board products homeow

Hello! This is Episode 276. In it, I’m going to discuss your project team, and how to ensure you bring the right people on board. When renovating or building your home, your team really does make all the difference. They can make your project a total joy, or a total disaster.  [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/276] Just because someone gives themselves a job title, or has qualifications or a licence, unfortunately does not make them excellent at their job. And yet, there are so many awesome professionals in this industry, waiting to work closely with you, and ensure you have an enjoyable experience creating a home you’ll love living in. You may be surprised at what I share with you as the keys to finding good team members, so stay tuned as I take you through some questions to ask that I believe really make the difference in finding the right people. And, if you’re an industry professional, be it an architect, building desi

Hello! This is Episode 275, and in it, I’m going to be talking about Barndominiums. A barndominium is a type of residential structure that design-wise, combines the features of a barn and a condominium.  [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/275] This is a type of building that’s been around for a while, and is more popular as a name in the US than other locations. However lately, it’s been cropping up on my radar a lot more frequently, and in Australia too, so I thought I’d spend a little bit of time on the podcast sharing more about them, and what to be aware of. What is a Barndominium?  What it looks like is generally an open plan building with residential spaces in it, and also incorporating work spaces such as sheds, workrooms and the like. The aesthetic style will be barn-like in appearance, and have features such as exposed beams, metal roofs, and industrial-style finishes that are typically found in a barn.  There’s mo

Hello! This is Episode 274, and in it, I want to follow on from my last episode about the 3 challenges when working with a volume builder, and in this episode, share some key tips about how to get it right in a volume builder process. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/274] if you haven’t listened to my last episode, it’ll also be great info for you if you’re considering a volume builder for your project. It’s Episode 273. Now, working with a volume builder is very different to a custom design approach. But it doesn’t mean you have to endure a particular type of project experience, build a substandard home, or get locked out of being involved in seeing your home dreams become reality. Understanding the best way to work with a volume builder is great for improving your project experience, and helping you create a great home as well.  We have HOME Method members that have taken a volume builder approach in their project for a

Hello! This is Episode 273, and in it, I’m going to talk about a part of the industry that dominates new building in Australia, and in many other parts of the world, and that’s Volume Builders. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/273] Known by a few names, Volume Builders are the part of the industry that offer you a start-to-finish process to deliver a new home, from visiting their displays, choosing one of their pre-designed versions off the plan, and selecting your finishes from their range of pre-selected options, to then seeing your home through its construction process. Also known as Spec builders, Project Home Builders, Off-the-Plan builders, they can vary in how they offer their product and services. They are usually seen as the least expensive way to build a new home, and the fall-back for many who feel it’s the only option they can afford, or when a custom home feels out of reach or too uncertain a process to navig

Hello! This is Episode 272. In it, I’m going to answer a question I commonly receive from homeowners.  And this question is: I want to do my project as an Owner Builder. What do I need to be aware of with this? [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/272] Homeowners will have different reasons for thinking about being an Owner Builder for their reno or new build. However, there are some REALLY big risks to be aware of when becoming an Owner Builder, that many aren’t aware of at all, and can be quite naive about. And so, in this episode, I’m going to take you through ten specific risks I see happen for Owner Builders, so if you do choose this option, you can choose it with your eyes wide open, and fully informed of what you’re taking on.  Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, plus information on the resources we discuss, you can do that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/272. Now, let’s dive in

Hello! This is Episode 271, and in it, I’m talking with Anthea Maynard, who is the Dilapidation Manager and Senior Building Consultant at Melbourne-based consulting business, BSS Group. And we’re discussing Dilapidation Reports. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/271] Now, for many, the first time you hear of a Dilapidation Report can be when you see it as a condition of your Development Approval to commission one for the neighbouring properties around your home before you renovate or build. Or, you may be super concerned about a neighbour complaining that your project will potentially damage theirs.  Or, you may also suddenly see that YOUR neighbour is commencing a project, and they’ve done nothing to consult you, and you’re concerned about the potential damage it might cause to your property. This is where Dilapidation Reports come in.  So, I’m really looking forward to sharing this episode with you, and getting Anthea’s

Hello! This is Episode 270. In it, I’m going to share 5 key points to know about your roof design.  If you’re getting ready for your renovation or new build, or you’re currently working on your floor plan design with an architect, building designer, draftsperson, directly with a builder, or you’re even designing your own home, this episode will be super helpful for you. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/270] And remember, whilst your home is lines on a page, it’s actually not too late to make changes that will fix it, improve it, and ensure it’s a great quality home that improves your lifestyle and makes the aspirations, effort, time and money you’re investing in it all worthwhile. I’ll be taking you through 5 key points to consider when it comes to your roof design and construction, and to be discussing with your team. And the earlier you can discuss this, the better, because as you’ll hear, your roof design is best consi

Hello! This is Episode 269. In it, I’m going to discuss a post I recently saw on Facebook that really had me shaking my head about what people are enduring when building and renovating their homes … and I want to help you NOT go through the same thing, so we’re going to talk about it. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/269] The post began: “I’m honestly so done with building. This is my first home and first building experience and I HATE it. I’ll never build again.” And then, at my last check, within 2 days of the original post there were over 100 comments of people in varying levels of agreement with this. Stories of delays in site starts, price rises even though builders promised there wouldn’t be, projects taking two years or more to complete. It went on and on and on. The author of this original post shared their own story, and I could understand why they never wanted to build again. They’d had promises made and broken,

Hello! This is Episode 268, and in it, I’m going to dive into 5 problems I commonly hear from those who are starting their renovation or new build project. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/268] If you’re listening to this podcast episode, and you’re dreaming about your future home but not sure when you’ll make your project formally happen … Or perhaps you’ve decided this year is going to be the year to get serious about bringing those future home dreams to life … Or maybe you’re already on the way, and either choosing your team, or already working with them … Then this episode will be helpful for you. I want to take you through the 5 problems I regularly hear about from homeowners when starting their renovation or new build.  However, before I jump in, I want to mention this: it’s worth understanding how differently the word ‘start’ can be defined for people in their project journey, and what ‘start’ actually represents. 

Hello! This is Episode 267, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Joost Bakker, and learning more about his Future Food System, and approach to building and living without waste. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/267] If you haven’t listened to Episode 266 and Part 1 of this conversation, I recommend you head back and catch that episode first, as this episode will then make a LOT more sense! You can head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/266 to do that now. In this episode, we talk about the nuts and bolts of some of the materials and construction of Future Food System, particularly reviewing the floor and wall systems, and the choice of products and materials to meet Joost’s criteria of recyclability and biodegradability at end of life. And at the end of the conversation, Joost actually gives us a walk around of his own home to explain some of the design decisions he makes and suggests for your project (I’ve include

Hello! This is Episode 266, and in it, I’m so SO so looking forward to bringing you my amazing guest, Joost Bakker. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/266] In this and the next episode, Joost generously shares with us his zero waste approach to his projects and work, and in particular, his latest project: Future Food System.  Future Food System was built as a temporary home in Melbourne’s Federation Square, with the goal of “reimagining the home as an ecosystem that provides shelter, energy and nourishment for its inhabitants.”  And as with well-functioning ecosystems, Future Food System was fully self-sufficient: producing its own energy, water and food, and managing, recycling and utilising its own waste, all within an urban environment on a very compact and well-designed, 2 bedroom, 89m2 footprint. Joost shared the journey of construction openly, and once the building was completed, Chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett lived

Hello! This is Episode 265, and in it, I’m talking with architect, Emilio Fuscaldo of Nest Architects, about Green Roofs and all electric homes. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/265] If you haven’t listened to Episode 264, that was Part 1 of my conversation with Emilio, where we discussed the green roof he did on his own home.  Emilio shared a lot of information about the design, materials, construction and detailing of that green roof, so it’s worth listening to if you haven’t.  Just head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/264 for more information. In this episode, Emilio continues to share some learnings from that very first green roof he did on his own home. And, we also get to talk about a more recent project he’s completed for clients in Melbourne, Victoria.  They also included a green roof in their renovation and extension.  Plus, they decided to do an all electric home, focussing on air tightness, various methods of he

Hello! This is Episode 264, and in it, I’m talking with architect, Emilio Fuscaldo of Nest Architects, about Green Roofs. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/264] Over the years, I’ve had lots of members of the UA Community ask me about green roofs, and so, when I went hunting for someone I could bring to the podcast to discuss this topic, one specific architect’s name kept coming up: Emilio Fuscaldo. Emilio is a Melbourne based architect with his own practice that’s been running now for around 17 years. And in 2011, he designed a new 80m2 home for his partner and himself that included a fantastic green roof.  Being his own home, Emilio was able to establish a great understanding of the building and maintaining the green roof, and also collect a lot of information on what it was like to live with the benefits of a green roof and its impact on the thermal performance and lifestyle in the home. Traditionally green roofs are so

Hello! This is Episode 263, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with Melanie Lupis from Sustainability Certified about how to design and build an energy efficient, zero carbon home. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/263] This is Part 2 of my conversation. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, you can find it in Episode 262. Just head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/262 to listen now or download the free PDF transcript. As we continue the conversation in this episode, Melanie shares with me her thoughts on NatHERS and Passive House. Being certified to assess with both modelling tools, she has great perspective to share on them both. We also talk about the True Zero Carbon Challenge that Design Matters National ran in 2022, and Melanie entered with building designer, Lachy McEwan, from Harmonic Design.  The aim of the True Zero Carbon Challenge was to design a home that not only produces more power than it uses over th

Hello! This is Episode 262, and in it, I’m speaking with Melanie Lupis, from Sustainability Certified about the Residential Efficiency Scorecard for existing homes. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/262] Melanie is a NatHERS Accredited Assessor, Passive House Certified Consultant and Residential Scorecard Accredited Assessor.  She owns her own business, Sustainability Certified, and is passionate about helping homeowners and designers achieve more sustainable, energy efficient and thermally comfortable outcomes in their designs and finished homes. In this episode, Melanie talks with us about the Residential Efficiency Scorecard Assessment process - or Scorecard, and her work as an Residential Scorecard accredited assessor. What is Scorecard? Scorecard is a national energy efficiency rating program for existing homes, the first of its kind in Australia. Scorecard rates your home's energy efficiency and comfort.  Getting a S

Hello! This is Episode 261, and in it, I’m speaking with a dear friend of Undercover Architect, Sarah Lebner. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/261] In this conversation, Sarah shares some fantastic information about sustainable retrofitting and renovating, and how you can dramatically improve the performance and comfort of your existing home without a huge expense.  Plus, she also shares some specific tips to consider when renovating or building. This is part 2 of my conversation with Sarah. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 already, then head back to Episode 260, or www.undercoverarchitect.com/260 where you can check that out.  And if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, plus information on the resources we discuss, you can do that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/261 Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be f

Hello! This is Episode 260, and in it, I’m speaking with a dear friend of Undercover Architect, Sarah Lebner (formally of Light House Architecture and Science, and now Cooee Architecture). [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/260] If you’re a long time listener of the podcast, you may remember Sarah Lebner from my conversation with her, and Jenny Edwards, from Light House Architecture + Science. It was one of our most downloaded episodes that year, and I’ll pop a link in the resources if you haven’t listened to it yet. Sarah has recently moved home with her family, and moved on from Light House Architecture and Science, and has new adventures to share with us. And, in true Sarah-style, she’s also got loads of clever wisdom and experience to share that will benefit your project.  This is a great conversation over this episode and the next, and especially for those of you who are wanting to create a sustainable home, or are bui

Hello! This is Episode 259, and in it, I’ll be continuing my conversation with Kate Cotter, CEO and Founder of the Bushfire Building Council of Australia - which has recently been rebranded as the Resilient Building Council. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/259] With floods, fires, cyclones and general weather events subjecting our homes to more and more extreme conditions, many homeowners are talking with me about their desire to create a climate resilient renovation or new build. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of my conversation with Kate, head back to Episode 258 to listen to that now. You can grab the transcript, or listen to our conversation by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/258.  In that episode, Kate introduces us to Fortis, a range of homes that were created with extensive community consultation, and experienced and expert collaboration, to help homeowners who are building or rebuilding after bushfire o

Hello! This is Episode 258, and in it, I’ll be talking with Kate Cotter, CEO and Founder of the Bushfire Building Council of Australia - which has recently been rebranded to the Resilient Building Council. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/258] If you’re building or renovating in an area where bushfire, flooding, cyclones or any other extreme climate event can occur, or you simply want to renovate or build in a more climate resilient way, this episode is going to be super helpful. I’m really excited about sharing this episode and the next with you, as it will not only give you a framework of principles to consider in creating a more resilient home. You’ll also learn about Fortis homes, which can give you a great headstart in your project too.  And if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, plus information on the resources we discuss, you can do that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/258 Now, let’s di