Get It Right with Undercover Architect

If you’re just wanting to get your renovation or new home built, the real life process may be disappointing for you. Why? Reality TV and online renovating / building are ALL about the build … and this is a huge departure from the time, investment and team required to make your project happen. The real life process involves a lot more than just the construction phase. SHOW NOTES: There are actually 4 phases to any project. Whether you’re building or renovating, wherever you’re located, and whatever your budget. These 4 phases are: #1 Before you begin #2 Getting your design right #3 Before you build #4 Getting your project built Reality TV and online renovating and building are all about phase #4. Because this is the exciting part. It makes good content. It creates engaging, dramatic footage. And it’s fun to see a dream take shape in floors, rooms and buildings on a site. So many homeowners focus their attention and effort on racing to the construction phase. It’s all about the build. Fast-tracking the design. Going directly to a builder with their own floor plan. A huge sense of urgency to make.it.happen. Because that’s what we see on TV and online … dramatic countdowns to insane deadlines, and exhausted but elated renovators and home builders loving what they’ve created (insert high-fiving here). In reality TV and online, it makes great content. In real life … it’s a recipe for a stressful, expensive and not-so-great build. For not getting the choices you want in your home. For blowing your budget. For blowing your timeline. And for missing opportunities to create the right home for you in a managed, strategic and on-budget way. So what will really get your project built? In this episode, I share key things you need to know about every phase of your renovation or building project. I also give tips to help you get it right so that construction is low-stress, runs smoothly, and you get what you actually want for your home. This episode is brought to you by my online course “Manage Your Build”. Are you planning to build your new home or renovation? Do you fear it will be a stress-filled ride of budget blowouts, compromises and dramas? MANAGE YOUR BUILD provides you with industry-insider knowledge, checklists and strategies to save you time, money and your own sanity when building your new home or renovation. A collaboration between Amelia Lee, Undercover Architect, and Duayne Pearce, of D Pearce Constructions, Manage Your Build shares know-how, expertise and experience from over 45 years in residential design, building and renovation. This online course will prepare you for your construction phase so you can know you're actually getting what you're paying for, and avoid the heartache and drama of a horror build. It gives you the clarity, confidence and information you need to start your project on the right foot - and navigate throughout each stage of construction. Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to learn more and join us.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The most significant differences between real life renovating and building and reality TV and online versions is COST and TIME. Why does it seem so much cheaper and faster to renovate or build in the television or online world? SHOW NOTES: I’ve been working with homeowners for almost 25 years now, and one thing has been constant. Their expectations of what it will cost, and how long it will take, are vastly different to real life renovating and building. You’ll be told by well-meaning friends when you announce you’re planning to renovate or build … “You know what they say? It’ll cost you twice as much and take twice as long as you plan it to.” However, in my experience … homeowners commence the process with a budget that’s 50% - 75% of where it needs to match their brief (their needs, wants, wishes and desires for their home). And they don’t understand how long the whole process will take, and that it can sometimes be 2 to 3 years from start to finish. Why this big mismatch between expectations and reality? Well, I believe this is the most significant difference between real life renovating and building, and what is presented on reality TV and online versions. Listen to the episode now, as I help you be more aware of these differences. And how you can manage your expectations more realistically to save cost, time AND stress on your project. This episode is brought to you by my online course “Manage Your Build”. Are you planning to build your new home or renovation? Do you fear it will be a stress-filled ride of budget blowouts, compromises and dramas? MANAGE YOUR BUILD provides you with industry-insider knowledge, checklists and strategies to save you time, money and your own sanity when building your new home or renovation. A collaboration between Amelia Lee, Undercover Architect, and Duayne Pearce, of D Pearce Constructions, Manage Your Build shares know-how, expertise and experience from over 45 years in residential design, building and renovation. This online course will prepare you for your construction phase so you can know you're actually getting what you're paying for, and avoid the heartache and drama of a horror build. It gives you the clarity, confidence and information you need to start your project on the right foot - and navigate throughout each stage of construction. Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to learn more and join us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What style is my house? And my preferred taste? Do you find yourself asking this question when renovating or building? Everyone wants to know “What style is my house?” But naming your style can be dangerous and limiting. SHOW NOTES: One of the things I see that’s really prevalent in the world of reality TV and online building and renovating is this desire to name the style you’re seeking for your project (and future home). It’s a common question others will ask you too. “What style are you doing? … Hamptons is SO popular right now!” With names like Scandi, Plantation, Industrial, French Provincial, Coastal, there’s a huge range of descriptions for an apparent choice of style, look, finishes, colours and fabrics. And you’ll see many online renovators and builders teach you to ‘pull together your vision’ … or create your vision board or scrapbook to show others the look you want for your home. They recommend it as a great way to get clear on what you want, and also explain it to others. Whilst I do believe that images are a brilliant way to explain your preferences to those on your team, I have this warning … The names of these styles all have origins in specific times, cultures and locations. And they were created for specific reasons. Sometimes it was related to climate, material availability, building technology and trade skills. Sometimes it was the next-stage development of an existing style. Sometimes it was a complete rejection of the status quo or traditional way of doing things. Sometimes it was socio-economic. When you look back through architectural, design and art history, the style names we’re grabbing and applying to how we want our home to ‘look’, are usually based in meaningful history and motivations at the time. When you seek to name the style of your future home, without truly understanding the historical origins of that style or its specific characteristics, this can be confusing for your project and design team. And you can seriously limit your project as others interpret what you want and don’t want. And if you’re basing your choice of style on a series of images you’ve grabbed from a range of houses that actually aren’t that style at all … well, the confusion continues. Styles aren’t simply names of detailing, fabric and colour choices. I know homeowners feel it works for them to name their style, but what worries me is that it can (because I’ve seen it happen) create inauthentic designs that are a veneer over terrible planning and functionality. It’s also worth understanding that a style name and a vision board is not a brief. A brief is the main communication tool you need for your project - whoever you’re working with, and wherever you’re building or renovating. And some of the best briefs I’ve received don’t ever mention a style. They describe a feeling. Appropriating cultures and styles from elsewhere that don’t have suitability for your local area can cause issues with the performance of your home, and also making it difficult to get planning approval from your local council. More importantly, it means you can miss an incredible opportunity to express YOUR style. A style that is specific to its time, location and climate … and suits you and your family authentically. In this episode, I talk about what are the problems with naming your style, and how to instead think about your wishes for your home so they can actually be delivered by your team. If you want a home that is functional, and feels complete, authentic and whole, then listen to the episode now. This episode is brought to you by my online course “Manage Your Build”. Are you planning to build your new home or renovation? Do you fear it will be a stress-filled ride of budget blowouts, compromises and dramas? MANAGE YOUR BUILD provides you with industry-insider knowledge, checklists and strategies to save you time, money and your own sanity when building your new home or renovation. A collaboration between Amelia Lee, Undercover Architect, and Duayne Pearce, of D Pearce Constructions, Manage Your Build shares know-how, expertise and experience from over 45 years in residential design, building and renovation. This online course will prepare you for your construction phase so you can know you're actually getting what you're paying for, and avoid the heartache and drama of a horror build. It gives you the clarity, confidence and information you need to start your project on the right foot - and navigate throughout each stage of construction. Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to learn more and join us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SEASON 9 - KEEPING IT REAL EPISODE 03 - Anyone can renovate or build their home (apparently) They say anyone can build or renovate their home - can’t they? Then why does it go SO wrong for so many. Well-meaning reality TV renovating and building mentors and online experts will tell you “Anyone can do this”. “We didn’t know what we were doing either when we started. Look at us now! You don’t need to be a professional. We’re just mums / people like you. And we figured it out.” And this can be really misleading for homeowners taking on the design, renovation or new build of their own family home. SHOW NOTES: Scratch below the surface of these reality TV and online experts and you’ll find a tribe of professionals and consultants who support and guide them on their projects. Who help ensure they meet council requirements, pass building inspections, that their design actually works, and that their project will be durable, legal and livable. You’ll also find financial safety nets, and the ability to dedicate time, focus and energy into their projects that the average homeowner simply doesn’t have available. There’s a big difference between industry experts and industry professionals. Liability, learning, support networks and access to knowledge. Expectations as well. As a homeowner, you’ll be renovating or building your family home and wanting to get it right the first time. You don’t have the luxury, room or time to ‘learn on the job’. Or another job, another project, someone else’s house, to get it right on. When you don’t know what you don’t know, you can find you waste time and money on the gaps in your knowledge. And when industry experts online and on TV don’t know what they don’t know (because they’ve learnt on their own projects, trial by error and done a handful only), big mistakes can get made as well. Now - please understand - I’m very aware that being an industry professional does not make you immune to human error and unexpected challenges. However, being an industry professional does mean you have a network and context to draw on in order to manage and mitigate risk - rather than the newbie approach of winging it. Renovating and building isn’t easy. Anyone can do it, but only with the right support. It definitely can be simplified. And when you get it right - it is SO WORTH THE EFFORT. Learn how to really protect yourself in your project, and support yourself so you get it right the first time. Listen to the episode now. This episode is brought to you by my online course “Manage Your Build”. Are you planning to build your new home or renovation? Do you fear it will be a stress-filled ride of budget blowouts, compromises and dramas? MANAGE YOUR BUILD provides you with industry-insider knowledge, checklists and strategies to save you time, money and your own sanity when building your new home or renovation. A collaboration between Amelia Lee, Undercover Architect, and Duayne Pearce, of D Pearce Constructions, Manage Your Build shares know-how, expertise and experience from over 45 years in residential design, building and renovation. This online course will prepare you for your construction phase so you can know you're actually getting what you're paying for, and avoid the heartache and drama of a horror build. It gives you the clarity, confidence and information you need to start your project on the right foot - and navigate throughout each stage of construction. Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to learn more and join us. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST, CLICK HERE.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nervous about building or renovating? Want to manage your project well? You may be surprised to hear many say it’s like having children. This is why. A mum posted this in a Renovating Facebook group … Today I realised how much doing a renovation is like having children. It takes way more time and commitment than you ever thought it would. You receive constant conflicting advice and everyone thinks they know best. You’re woken in the night with the sudden thought that you’ve chosen completely the wrong tile and your bathroom will be disaster. You leave for work with knots of anxiety wondering if you’ve left your home in the care of the right builders. Now I realise why I’m feeling so bloody stressed! … I knew she’d nailed it. SHOW NOTES: In this episode, I talk about the unexpected blindside in renovating and building: the emotional piece. Many expect that it’ll be a stressful process due to it being outside the normal comfort zone. However, very few anticipate what it’s like to: Be so emotionally invested in the outcome Manage decision overwhelm Deal with difficult conversations, conflict and confrontations Require long-term stamina Stay true to what is important and valuable to you With over 20 years of doing working in this industry, I see homeowners deal with stress and the unknowns. Your home (and the new build or renovation of it) is not only one of your biggest assets and investments … but most underestimate the emotional piece. There’s an unexpected attachment we have to “home”, the identity and status, future hopes and dreams for our life and family. And the sense of accomplishment and achievement our homes represent. It’s a HUGE amount of pressure to get it right ... with little or no prior experience and a huge leap of faith. And loads of well-meaning but often totally misguided advice about what you “must” have or do to make your home (and you) complete. My recommendation? Take care of yourself, and keep asking questions. I find when women ask lots of questions, they start to feel more informed and empowered as a result. And they let their team know they’re invested and keen to be involved and get a great result. In this episode, I dive into these issues in more detail, and provide tips and strategies for you to manage yourself, and your project, well. Join me, as I share with you the way to keep it real, and create a you-worthy home. Listen to the episode now. This episode is brought to you by my online course “Manage Your Build”. Are you planning to build your new home or renovation? Do you fear it will be a stress-filled ride of budget blow-outs, compromises and dramas? MANAGE YOUR BUILD provides you with industry-insider knowledge, checklists and strategies to save you time, money and your own sanity when building your new home or renovation. A collaboration between Amelia Lee, Undercover Architect, and Duayne Pearce, of D Pearce Constructions, Manage Your Build shares know-how, expertise and experience from over 45 years in residential design, building and renovation. This online course will prepare you for your construction phase so you can know you're actually getting what you're paying for, and avoid the heartache and drama of a horror build. It gives you the clarity, confidence and information you need to start your project on the right foot - and navigate throughout each stage of construction. Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to learn more and join us. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Planning a renovation or new home and inspired by reality TV, YouTube and social media? You may already be aware that real life renovating and building is not the same as reality TV. But how different is it? And are you REALLY aware of how damaging and misleading it can be to your journey? I’m nervous about this season of episodes … but I feel this conversation is important and timely. And I feel that there’s an alternative way to creating a great home that feels great, when we choose to KEEP IT REAL. SHOW NOTES: In this season of the podcast, I share openly and frankly what I’m seeing happen to homeowners who embark on their renovation and new home projects. And why reality TV, Youtube and social media ‘inspiration’ can be damaging and misleading in so many ways. In this episode, I talk about ... Why I’m nervous about being so frank and open with you about reality TV and real life renovating and building Why I feel this conversation is so important at this time What I’m seeing happen for homeowners who are misled and miseducated by industry experts What blindsides homeowners time and time again - and causes huge stress and anguish What is actually tied up in creating our home (and that we don’t anticipate) Why a magazine-worthy home can be a damaging goal for many Some personal stories of what home can really mean as a place of connection and memory-making How great design isn’t about glamour or stylishness And what I know endures beyond the success metrics we create for our homes and ourselves In the 20 plus years I’ve been helping homeowners design, build and renovate their family homes, (and the projects of my own I’ve also done), I’ve had a front-row seat to what real life renovating and building is like. And I’ve also seen how keeping it real is the best way you can prepare yourself for your project … and stay true and authentic to what will ultimately best suit you and your family, and serve you over the long term. Join me, as I share with you the way to keep it real, and create a you-worthy home. Listen to the episode now. This episode is brought to you by my online course “Manage Your Build”. Are you planning to build your new home or renovation? Do you fear it will be a stress-filled ride of budget blow-outs, compromises and dramas? MANAGE YOUR BUILD provides you with industry-insider knowledge, checklists and strategies to save you time, money and your own sanity when building your new home or renovation. A collaboration between Amelia Lee, Undercover Architect, and Duayne Pearce, of D Pearce Constructions, Manage Your Build shares know-how, expertise and experience from over 45 years in residential design, building and renovation. This online course will prepare you for your construction phase so you can know you're actually getting what you're paying for, and avoid the heartache and drama of a horror build. It gives you the clarity, confidence and information you need to start your project on the right foot - and navigate throughout each stage of construction. Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to learn more and join us. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Want to build a sustainable forever home? Frances Cosway of White Pebble Interiors tells us about her family home. The White Pebble Home is a stunning example of a family home that is designed to be sustainable, flexible and adaptable. And it has a natural pool to die for! SHOW NOTES: Meet Frances Cosway from White Pebble Interiors Frances is an interior designer, published author and speaker with a passion for creating beautiful homes people love to live in. With over 15 years’ experience in renovating and building, her true passion lies with helping clients design and build their ‘Forever Homes’. Having lived in Europe for 12 years, she draws on her own unique influences whilst seamlessly incorporating the individual styles of her clients when developing projects. Her philosophy on design is that your home is a story of you; how you live, your lifestyle and your life journey. She’s committed to ensuring every home she works on is a true reflection of its owners, based on these principles. Frances established White Pebble Interiors in 2010, after leaving the corporate world. White Pebble Interiors is an interior design studio that specialises in creating bespoke Forever Homes. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, they pride ourselves on recommending sustainable principles and using sustainable materials wherever they can. They are open and honest and break with convention to ensure designs are not just ‘good enough’ but reflect what their clients really want them to be, based on how they live their life. Frances wrote the book ‘Your Forever Home’ in 2017 as a practical guide for people about to embark on building or renovating. She has completed many of her own new build and subdivision projects including the build of her family’s own ‘Forever Home’ in 2014. The house has featured in several publications including House & Garden and The Herald Sun and has been profiled internationally on Houzz. It won Winner of Bayside’s Best Ecological & Sustainable Build Award in 2015. And in this episode, we’ll be talking about this very home. In this episode, I ask Frances … So, tell us a bit about who is in your family and who the home is built for? And the home’s size and location? When you guys decided to build a new home, how did that make you feel as an Interior Designer? Did you have specific goals around designing and building sustainably? Or did it all happen more organically than that? Did you feel you were going to have to budget extra for a sustainable home? Or make any compromises? How did you go about designing for sustainability? What specific sustainability measures did you incorporate? You did a blog about opening it up for Sustainable House Open Day, and how interested people were in the timber tiles. Can you tell us more about them, and the other finishes you chose for the home? The pool … tell us all about the pool … your own billabong! Is there anything you’d do differently, or wish you had included? I’m really excited to share this home, and Frances, with you. I think you’re going to really enjoy hearing their journey to a sustainable home, and take away some great ideas and tips for your own project. Listen to the episode now. This episode is brought to you by my online course “How to Get it Right in Your Reno or New Home”. This is a superfast course that will help you get ready for your renovation or building project in the best way possible. In it, I share my step-by-step system to help you save time, money and stress in your project, so you can know what you need to know and create the perfect home for you - simply and with confidence … avoiding the dramas and heartaches. You can join now, get access to a fantastic Facebook community, Live Q & A sessions with me, and all the tools and resources you need to achieve success in your project. Head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/howtogetitright to learn more and join us. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you renovate a home as a Passive House (or Passivehaus)? Especially when that home is an early 1900s weatherboard cottage? In this episode, I’m going to be sharing the experience of a homeowner who renovated their early 1900s weatherboard home into a Passive House. They’ve lived in it now for 3 years, and it’s located in inner Melbourne, about 10km from the CBD. This project is a great opportunity to see how an old weatherboard home can be renovated into a Passive Home that is comfortable and saves thousands in running costs each year. Cameron’s family home is known as Armadale Passivhaus. They open this home for Sustainable House Open Day each year, and Cameron also has a great website on all the nitty gritty details of the home and project (see the resources below for more information). Circa 1910, this weatherboard home faces north-to-street. So, if you’ve listened to this podcast for a while, and heard the episodes I did back in Season 1 about orientation, you’ll know that north-to-street is a challenging orientation in the southern hemisphere. This is because we like to put all our main living areas at the rear of the home, with indoor / outdoor connection to perhaps a deck or alfresco area … and lots of glazing to connect the two. And if the home is north-to-street, it means that the sun is moving around the front of the home, and not the rear. This means, especially in a location like Melbourne, that the rear of your home can be cold, in shadow, and not getting the natural light you want into your main living areas. The home also has a heritage overlay, which meant that extensive alteration to the facade wasn’t allowed, and there were two brick chimneys that had to be kept. Lots of homeowners would say at this point - “Forget Passivhaus … we’re putting this entire renovation in the too-hard basket!” The Armadale House sits on a 430m2 block in inner Melbourne, Australia, and is located about 10 km from the CBD. Cameron and his family had lived in two weatherboards home prior, and so their experience was always that leaky sieve experience you may be familiar with if you’ve ever lived in a weatherboard house. You can feel every breeze move through them. They’re hot in summer, cold in winter, and terrible performers thermally. When they moved into the Armadale house, it was the same experience. They could see the sky, sunlight coming in below the door, and the windows would rattle with the slightest breeze. The chimneys meant they could see the sky, and rain would come down them whenever it rained. It’s inspiring to see how this home was renovated 3 years ago, and how this family stayed committed to their desire to create a comfortable, sustainable home. There’s a huge amount of knowledge to gain from this project, and seeing how you can renovate your own Passive House. As I explain in the podcast, the audio recording of my interview with Cameron did not go to plan! So, listen to the episode as I share the highlights from my conversation with Cameron. And then keep scrolling to read the full transcript of our interview. Both will share key tips, strategies and knowledge to help you with your own project. LISTEN TO THE EPISODE NOW In this episode, I ask Cameron ... Can you please tell us about your home, the Armadale Passive House ... who lives there, rough area of it, the block of land it’s situated on, how long have you lived there? It's a weatherboard house and those are notoriously challenging in terms of keeping internal air temperatures stable and being energy efficient homes. What prompted you to create a Passive House in your renovation? What makes it a Passive House? How does it work, what is special about it, what differentiates it from a more traditional house Do you remember at the time if you were worried it would limit you in anyway or any compromises you’d have to make? Where do you see the big differences in living in a home like this (feelings, and tangible cost savings etc)? Your extension is in rammed earth - can you tell us about choosing this material and why you did because it's such a contrast to the weatherboard Can you talk about your window selection, because in Australia, I know we LOVE our windows for all that indoor / outdoor connection! What specific advice would you give to those who are renovating and want to create a Passive House? This episode is brought to you by my online course “How to Get it Right in Your Reno or New Home”. This is a superfast course that will help you get ready for your renovation or building project in the best way possible. In it, I share my step-by-step system to help you save time, money and stress in your project, so you can know what you need to know and create the perfect home for you - simply and with confidence … avoiding the dramas and heartaches. You can join now, get access to a fantastic Facebook community, Live Q & A sessions with me, and all the tools and resources you need to achieve success in your project. Head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/howtogetitright to learn more and join us. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Passive House necessary in Australia? This is a question many ask, because they believe our climate is too mild to necessitate the Passive House approach. Yet, Clare Parry disagrees. She is a Director and Principal at Grun Consulting, and is a Certified Passive House Certifier and Trainer. Clare was also one of the founding members of the Australian Passive House Association. Its vision is to lead change by educating, promoting, and supporting the delivery of Certified Passive House buildings in Australia. Clare is the Certifier for the Owl Woods Passive House project - so it’ll be her job to provide the tick of approval that everyone else has done their jobs, and the home can actually be certified as a Passive House. Clare however, fulfills many roles when it comes to sustainable design in Australia, and whenever I researched or talked about Passive House - it was Clare Parry’s name that came up. I’m really excited you’re going to meet her through this episode, and hear about her experience with Passive House, and really helping it get traction in Australia. SHOW NOTES: Meet Clare Parry from Grun Consulting. Clare has had a lifelong interest in best practice building design, involving a holistic approach to achieve sustainable measures and provide a better option in the longer term, both for the client & the environment. Her focus is on building performance, and she works extensively with the Passivhaus standard. Her work as a sustainability consultant and mechanical engineer has involved experience as a Certified Passivhaus Designer, Trainer and Building Certifier, LEED AP, Green Star AP, WELL AP, NABERS and CBD Assessor. In 2011 Clare founded the Australian Passive House Association and has been involved as a Director until late 2017. She is one of the first Certified Passivhaus Designers in Australia, and one of only two Passivhaus Certifiers. She is a certified Passivhaus trainer as well and you can often see her speak at national and international conferences. Clare is a Director and Principal at Grün Consulting. Grün specialises in delivering high performance buildings. They deliver all aspects of Environmentally Sustainable Design consulting, specialising in Passive House (Passivhaus) from design through to certification. They are advocates for Passivhaus, for Net Zero, and experts in town planning, multiple rating tools including LEED, Green Star and the Living Building Challenge, and energy ratings including Carbon Neutral, NABERS & CBD. In this episode, I ask Clare ... What made you become interested in Passive House? You've worked for some time  (and continue to work) as a sustainability consultant in a range of accreditation systems like LEED, Greenstar, WELL, etc. How does Passive House sit in relation to this? You founded the Australian Passive House Association (APHA) in 2011. What compelled you to do that? What's the APHA's role? You are performing the role of Building Certifier on the Owl Woods Passive House project. Can you describe what's involved in that? I read an article of yours on Linkedin ... where you spoke about industry talking about the difficulty of getting the consumer engaged in the idea of sustainability. You said "The issue is not actually about engagement. That implies that people are choosing alternatives when the options are on the table, but the truth is they really have no idea what’s possible." And then you spoke about our responsibility to educate - which is what Undercover Architect is all about. How would you like to see homeowners going about really moving the needle on Passive House and its adoption in Australia? What would you tell them to do to feel more confident to pursue this for their projects when opposition might be budget, or it being too hard, etc? As Clare mentioned, the Australian Passive House Association is an incredibly useful resource for you if you’re wanting to embark on the Passive House journey, so check out the show notes for a link to find them. A word of warning though … I’m finding that the more people I speak to about Passive House, I find they started their journey with an interest, and go so passionate about it, they’ve gone onto be certified! Not only professionals but homeowners as well!\ Who knows what learning and opportunity the Passive House journey might open for you hey? Listen to the episode now. This episode is brought to you by my online course “How to Get it Right in Your Reno or New Home”. This is a superfast course that will help you get ready for your renovation or building project in the best way possible. In it, I share my step-by-step system to help you save time, money and stress in your project, so you can know what you need to know and create the perfect home for you - simply and with confidence … avoiding the dramas and heartaches. You can join now, get access to a fantastic Facebook community, Live Q & A sessions with me, and all the tools and resources you need to achieve success in your project. Head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/howtogetitright to learn more and join us. FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this conversation, Stuart Lee, a builder and certified PassivHaus Tradesman with over 15 years of experience, shares his insights on constructing energy-efficient homes. He discusses the Owl Woods Passive House project and the collaborative spirit that drives successful builds. Listeners will learn about the importance of mechanical ventilation, cost trade-offs in design, and the emotional benefits of teamwork in construction. Stuart emphasizes the need for quality and informed decision-making when choosing a builder, promoting sustainable practices in the industry.