Get It Right with Undercover Architect

Hello! In this episode, I’m back with more from David Keane, Solve My Claim. Solve my Claim provides expert support and assistance to anyone struggling with their insurance claims.  David is an expert on all things home and content insurance, and he’s going to help us understand and decipher the differences between insurance policies, and what to check so we know we’re covered. This is essential listening for anyone choosing a home and contents insurance policy, or wanting to review their existing policy to ensure they’re covered properly. So, let’s dive in (and check resources for more helpful links and the transcript to this episode). SHOW NOTES: David is the Director of Solve My Claim, and he has been involved in the insurance industry for more than 24 years. During this time, he was constantly amazed at how many people came to him with insurance problems, complaints, disputes and claims problems. In every instance, he was able to resolve those claims. He realised that there was nowhere for these people to turn, and that realisation started a process that resulted in the creation of Solve My Claim in 2014. Many people feel disempowered when making an insurance claim, because the company has a team of experts acting for them, and you are all on your own. Well not any longer! Solve My Claim is levelling the playing field, and ensuring that you have the best possible opportunity to solve your claim. David Keane is an expert in how to choose insurance policies for your home and contents, and what to be aware of in assessing and deciphering those PDS documents!  It’s definitely worthwhile understanding the pitfalls and hazards of insurance policies BEFORE you have to make a claim. So, let’s hear more. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel (can you link that to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-the-right-home-insurance-solve-my-claim-part-1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m back with Part 2 of my conversation with Amy Beattie, Mortgage Broker and owner of Good Green Home Loans. We’re covering more info about financing your new build or renovation.  This will include talking about some of the many factors that banks and lenders consider to determine your viability, and the fact that banks can put black marks on postcodes or specific criteria that can be completely outside of your control.  All super helpful knowledge to have when you’re seeking finance for your new home or renovation, especially if your site is challenging or in a bushfire-prone area. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, pause this podcast, and head back do that now. We’ll be here when you get back.  Otherwise, let’s dive into Part 2 now. SHOW NOTES: Good Green Home Loans is here to help you find the right home loan at a great rate – using only environmentally responsible lenders who aren’t using their profit and power to support the fossil fuel industry. Good Green Home Loans helps you make sustainable choices with your home loan, which is fantastic for exercising your buying power. When we feel powerless to create change, it’s important to remember how powerful our personal spending decisions can be. We can send a great big message to the companies who seek to serve us, by demanding better from their businesses. Amy is a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping those buying, building and renovating, find suitable, competitive loans, from ethical lenders. So, let’s hear more from Amy now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-home-loans-101-lending-criteria-amy-beattie-part-2See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m looking forward to this episode and introducing Amy Beattie to you. Amy is a Mortgage Broker and owner of Good Green Home Loans, a mortgage broking business that puts sustainability at the forefront of its lending decisions. This is part 1 of my conversation with Amy, and in it, she shares loads of helpful information about borrowing for your renovation or new build. And especially what you need to know when your site is more challenging, or in a bushfire prone area. Let’s dive in now. SHOW NOTES: Good Green Home Loans is not your typical mortgage broking service. Good Green Home Loans is here to help you find the right home loan at a great rate – using only environmentally responsible lenders who aren’t using their profit and power to support the fossil fuel industry. Amy Beattie is a mortgage broker. However, she’s not like most mortgage brokers I know. And when I first heard about her business, Good Green Home Loans, I was so excited that it not only existed, but that it was being driven by someone with such purpose and commitment to their mission, they were willing to build a business on it. Amy believes that Australia’s largest corporations have a responsibility to be leaders when it comes to protecting the environment. With their continued investment in the fossil fuel industry they aren’t there yet. The greatest way we can encourage change is by moving our valuable business elsewhere. This is where Good Green Home Loans can help. When you’re about to set up a potentially decades-long relationship with a lender for one of the biggest investments in your life, Amy helps you not only achieve a great outcome for your mortgage, but vote with your dollar for a future that improves the environment, reduces your carbon footprint, and she also makes a donation on your behalf to a charity or not-for-profit organisation helping the environment as well. So, let’s hear more from Amy now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw] for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-financing-your-new-build-renovation-amy-beattie-part-1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This episode is Part 2 of my conversation with Andy Marlow and Dick Clarke from Envirotecture. In this episode, we’re talking about Passive House, and specifically discussing the opportunity it provides to protect your indoor air quality. The bushfires and smoke pollution that many areas in Australia suffered from really tested the air filtration capacity of the Passive House system.  We’ll also be talking about the active systems you can use to create better fire protection for your home. And we’ll be talking about Andy and Dick’s other business, Passive House Design and Construct, and what it offers for those wanting to manage budget and sustainability whilst creating a passive house certified home. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, pause this podcast, and head back do that now. We’ll be here when you get back.  Otherwise, let’s dive into Part 2 now. SHOW NOTES: Let me introduce you to Dick Clarke and Andy Marlow from Envirotecture. Dick Clarke is principal of Envirotecture, is an Accredited Building Designer with over 35 years experience, focusing exclusively on ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate buildings, as well as sustainable design in vehicles and vessels, and has received many Design Awards. Andy Marlow is a Director at Envirotecture, holds both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Architecture, is a certified Passive House Designer and has extensive experience in sustainable design at a variety of scales. Andy is currently a Board Member of the Australian Passive House Association.  And recently, they started a new business, Passivhaus Design and Construct. Frustrated by the big challenge many experience in their new home journey - that is, creating a sustainably designed home that can be delivered on budget, they decided to marry together the design and construction in a total delivery model. You’ll enjoy cost certainty, quality design, an excellent build and a certified passive house… because it’s their passion to make homes that are better for everyone. And remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus get all the links I mention by heading to the show notes. So, let’s hear more from Andy and Dick now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel >>>  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-passivhaus-design-construct-envirotecture-part-2See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This is the first of 2 episodes where I’ll be sharing my conversation with Andy Marlow and Dick Clarke from Envirotecture, a building design and architecture practice in Sydney specialising in sustainable and passivhaus homes. This conversation is packed full of fantastic advice and insights into how you design a home that is affordable and sustainable, and what to do if it also needs to be bushfire resistant as well. Both Andy and Dick have such great knowledge to share - I’m really looking forward to sharing their wisdom with you. So, let’s dive in. SHOW NOTES: Let me introduce you to Dick Clarke and Andy Marlow from Envirotecture. Dick Clarke is principal of Envirotecture, is an Accredited Building Designer with over 35 years experience, focusing exclusively on ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate buildings, as well as sustainable design in vehicles and vessels, and has received many Design Awards. Andy Marlow is a Director at Envirotecture, holds both Bachelors and Masters degrees in Architecture, is a certified Passive House Designer and has extensive experience in sustainable design at a variety of scales. Andy is currently a Board Member of the Australian Passive House Association.  And recently, they started a new business, Passivhaus Design and Construct. Frustrated by the big challenge many experience in their new home journey - that is, creating a sustainably designed home that can be delivered on budget, they decided to marry together the design and construction in a total delivery model. You’ll enjoy cost certainty, quality design, an excellent build and a certified passive house… because it’s their passion to make homes that are better for everyone. And remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus get all the links I mention by heading to the show notes. So, let’s hear more from Andy and Dick now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel >>>  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-affordable-sustainable-design-envirotecture-part-1  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello! This episode is Part 2 of my conversation with architect, Julie Firkin. In this episode, we’re talking about Bushfire Community Centres, working with architects in the recovery efforts, and what it means to help someone after such a traumatic event. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 of my conversation with Julie Firkin where we discussed the Bushfire Homes Scheme, pause this podcast, and head back do that now. We’ll be here when you get back.  Otherwise, let’s dive into Part 2 now. SHOW NOTES: For over 10 years, Julie Firkin Architects has been bringing creativity and problem-solving prowess to projects big and small in and around Melbourne. An award-winning firm, headed up by architect Julie Firkin, they pride themselves on a personal and people-focused approach to architecture. Julie has a hands-on approach to all projects and designs by visualising herself in the space which helps to create homes that are a joy to live in and spaces that are both practical and beautiful. In the article from MARK Magazine I mentioned in our previous episode, in Julie’s interview with Marg Hearn, Julie said this: “I’m always interested in innovation and in new solutions, as opposed to architects who find a groove and do what they do well all of the time. It was obvious from media reports that people in bushfire-affected areas had a lack of community refuges to go to. In speaking to the CSIRO, I discovered that providing official community refuges is a contentious undertaking, because authorities generally encourage people in high-risk areas to evacuate, and with a refuge to go to, they might decide to stay. Nevertheless, new codes and standards for community bushfire refuges are being developed.  Following the fires, some 52 locations were identified by the state premier and the chief officer of the CFA [Country Fire Authority] as being at the highest risk for bushfire. These locations became candidates for the development of New Township Protection Plans. In setting up the design studio, I selected Forrest, a beautiful hamlet in the Otway hinterlands, as the working site. Each student was asked to design a unique concept that would serve as a community refuge during fire season and a public amenity at other times. They explored the broadest possible variety of building types – town halls, schools, visitors centres – and, as part of the process, sat in on a town meeting and sought input from a local council. Should the opportunity arise for that township to gain a refuge, both council and community will have access to 15 design concepts as a source of inspiration for further discussion.”  I wanted to hear more about how Julie had worked with students in exploring what Bushfire Community Centres could offer as a strategy for building more resilient and defendable communities in the event of a bushfire.  And I was also super keen, given Julie’s experience in New York after 9/11 and in the 2009 Black Saturday fires recovery, to hear her views on how she saw architects could work with people recovering from such a traumatic event.  And remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus get all the links I mention by heading to the show notes. So, let’s hear more from Julie now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel >>>  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-bushfire-home-design-julie-firkin-part-2See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I’ll be talking about what’s been done in the past to help homeowners with the design of their homes when rebuilding after bushfire. I’ll also be sharing some specific resources you can access if you need design help with your rebuild. And I’ll be introducing architect Julie Firkin to you. She’ll be sharing some insights about bushfire home design, and her involvement in a scheme established by the Victorian Government after the Black Saturday fires in 2009. So, let’s dive in. SHOW NOTES: For over 10 years, Julie Firkin Architects has been bringing creativity and problem-solving prowess to projects big and small in and around Melbourne. An award-winning firm, headed up by architect Julie Firkin, they pride themselves on a personal and people-focused approach to architecture. Julie has a hands-on approach to all projects and designs by visualising herself in the space which helps to create homes that are a joy to live in and spaces that are both practical and beautiful. Julie studied and practiced internationally and worked for several years at renowned practices. She brings this breadth of experience to her private practice, weaving a local approach and an international perspective into everything she does. While Julie Firkin Architects has the skills and expertise to deliver a range of projects, from residential to commercial, small to large, Julie has a personal interest in both sustainable and bushfire-resistant design. Her design for a bushfire-resistant house was featured by the Bushfire Homes Service following the Black Saturday Bushfires in 2009 and Julie has also taught extensively on the subject. In this episode, I wanted to take a little time to talk about a scheme that was launched by the Victorian government after the Black Saturday fires of 2009. It was called the Bushfire Homes Service. I’ll be sharing some information on what it involved, and also introducing architect Julie Firkin to you, who will tell us about her involvement, and the house she designed for it. And I’ll also be talking about what’s been done in the design industry to provide support and help to those impacted by the 2019 / 2020 fires, and where you can go for help with your home design and build right now. And remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus get all the links I mention by heading to the show notes. So, let’s hear more from Julie now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel >>>  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-bushfire-home-design-julie-firkin-part-1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is Part 2 of my conversation with Jeff Dau, from Ember Bushfire Consulting.  In this episode, I’ll be talking more with Jeff about building and renovating in bushfire prone areas, or on land that has a bushfire overlay.  Specifically, we’ll be discussing how to manage a BAL 40 or BAL Flame Zone rating, understanding distances to vegetation, sprinkler systems, and some of the other strategies you can use in building well in these areas. Plus other info I know you’ll find helpful. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, pause this podcast, and head back do that now. We’ll be here when you get back.  Otherwise, let’s dive into Part 2 now. SHOW NOTES: Jeff Dau, is a Bushfire Consultant with Ember Bushfire Consulting. EMBER Bushfire Consultants are a team of qualified, accredited and experienced fire industry professionals. They are all accredited Bushfire Consultants under the Fire Protection Association of Australia accreditation scheme, and their accreditation is your assurance that their knowledge and advice is current and that our delivery of service is of the highest level. Co-Founder, Jeff Dau, has had 23 years of experience as a professional in the fire services industry. Jeff has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Environmental Science) and two Graduate Diplomas being Fire Safety Engineering and Bushfire Protection. Ember takes a “whole of life” approach, offering consulting services for all stages of development. This includes a range of consulting services focussed on assessing new development and construction on Bushfire Prone Land, and prescribing bushfire protection measures to minimise the potential impact of bushfires on life and property. Ember services local government areas across the Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, South West Slopes and South Coast in NSW.  So, let’s hear more from Jeff now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw] for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-bushfire-consultant-jeff-dau-part-2  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we meet Jeff Dau, who is a bushfire consultant.  If you have a bushfire overlay, or discover any type of bushfire requirements on your land’s zoning, a bushfire consultant will be an essential team member to help shape your design, and your approach to building well. This is part 1 of my conversation with Jeff Dau, and is packed full of helpful know-how and insights.  Let’s dive in now. SHOW NOTES: EMBER Bushfire Consulting are a team of qualified, accredited and experienced fire industry professionals. They take great pride in delivering professional consulting services in a personalised, cost effective and service oriented manner. Their work is provided at the highest industry standard and they are all accredited Bushfire Consultants under the Fire Protection Association of Australia accreditation scheme. Co-Founder, Jeff Dau, has had 23 years of experience as a professional in the fire services industry. Over recent years, this has been in a range of fire safety fields including fire safety engineering, bushfire protection, building certification and regulation and urban planning.  Ember takes a “whole of life” approach, offering consulting services for all stages of development. This includes doing bushfire assessments, as well as pre-purchase advice, and larger scale advice for developments and subdivisions. Ember services local government areas across the Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, South West Slopes and South Coast in NSW.  Many of these areas have been heavily impacted by the Black Summer fires in Australia, and so I’m really looking forward to talking with Jeff about how homeowners in bushfire prone areas can build homes that are more resistant and resilient to bushfire events, and what we’ve seen in these bushfires that can help us build better in the future. In this episode, Jeff will be sharing some really helpful info, including understanding more about Bushfire Attack Level, or BAL Ratings; what to know about Asset Protection Zones, and more details about AS3959, the Australian Standards for Construction in Bushfire Prone Areas … plus loads more.  So, let’s hear more from Jeff now. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw] for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-bushfire-consultant-jeff-dau-part-1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is Part 3 of my conversation with David Clarke from Solve My Claim. In it, David will be helping us understand some specific terminology in your insurance policy, and also how to protect yourself when making your claims. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 or Part 2, pause this podcast, and head back do that now. We’ll be here when you get back.  Otherwise, let’s dive into Part 3 now (and check resources for more helpful links and the transcript to this episode). SHOW NOTES: In November, 2008, we went through The Gap storms. A big Silky Oak fell on our roof and cracked it open. Rain poured in through the ceiling and window heads, over furniture and rugs, and through the timber floorboards into the garage below. A few days later, heavy rains came again, and flooded the home. Then ensued a 13 month battle with our insurer debating what was ‘flood damage’, what was ‘water damage’, what was damage made by a ‘storm-created opening’. We finally settled for 5X what they initially offered … it was the difference between $20,000 and $100,000.  The stress was beyond anything I’d experienced. We really felt each step was an attempt to wear us down and settle for what we were being offered. My hubby and I both seemed to alternate being stubborn and not wanting to back down, so we just kept going.  David Keane started Solve My Claim in 2014 after realising people in this situation often had nowhere to turn. For David, this is about levelling the playing field, and about providing social justice at times when people really need it.  Having worked inside the insurance industry for so many years, David got fed up with seeing it unfairly handle people’s claims, and then what that would mean for the long term livelihood and lifestyle of those impacted. In an industry full of jargon and specific processes, it can be unnerving for anyone tackling it for the first time, especially when they have lost their entire home and belongings. And so, Solve My Claim provides support and fairness for those struggling with their insurance claims. They use their knowledge of how insurance policies work to argue for those making claims. And they’ve achieved more than $35 million worth of increased claim settlements in the past 3 years alone. Solve My Claim provides expert support and assistance to anyone struggling with their insurance claims. Their main office is in Alice Springs, and they assist with claims across the whole nation of Australia. In Part 3 of our conversation, David will help us understand some specifics about your insurance policy so you know what you’re entitled to. And what to do about getting independent information to check what you’re being offered is fair.  And, we discuss the steps straight after you’re dealing with damage and loss, so you can notify your insurer as required PLUS get you ducks in a row as well. So, let’s hear more. Be sure to subscribe to this season, and also head to Undercover Architect’s YouTube Channel (can you link that to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yGH5xSdvyYipHiSvPfbxw for video interviews. All interview transcripts are available at www.undercoverarchitect.com/rebuild LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For resources mentioned, and a full transcript of this episode, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-rebuild-making-an-insurance-claim-solve-my-claim-part-3See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.