
House Planning Help Podcast
If you want to build a house, where would you start?
Latest episodes

Jan 15, 2025 • 47min
HPH369: Converting a barn to meet the Living Building Challenge – with Toby Diggens
Toby Diggens explains what it takes to meet the requirements of the Living Building Challenge, and working to the standard when renovating an existing building. Check out the show notes for more information.

Jan 1, 2025 • 47min
HPH368: Creating biodiverse natural landscapes – with Toby Diggens
Toby Diggens, founder and co-director of Digg and Co outlines how we can all contribute to creating ecologically diverse and resilient landscapes to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. Check out the show notes for more information.

Dec 18, 2024 • 33min
HPH367: A furniture maker builds a timber eco home – with Lucinda Leech
Furniture maker Lucinda Leech shares her story of building a modest, but beautiful eco home. Check out the show notes for more information.

Dec 4, 2024 • 45min
HPH366: Could a home energy transformation pay for itself?
Howard Johns, founder of One Zero, outlines their home energy transformation service which includes topping up insulation and adding solar PV, battery storage and a heat pump. Check out the show notes for more information.

Nov 20, 2024 • 38min
HPH365: Becoming a housing activist – with Cypren Edmunds
Cypren Edmonds, a housing activist and advocate for bio-based building materials, describes the challenges he has faced living in social housing in London, and the health benefits and energy efficiency that can be achieved through building with straw. Check out the show notes for more information.

Nov 6, 2024 • 1h 3min
HPH364: The power of community led housing – with Kareem Dayes from RUSS
Kareem Dayes, co-founder of RUSS in Lewisham, explains why setting up a Community Land Trust was a route to deliver genuinely affordable housing and create a better neighbourhood. Check out the show notes for more information.

Oct 23, 2024 • 49min
HPH363: Is it worth getting an asbestos survey for an existing home?
Greg Byrne from RB Asbestos Consultants explains what asbestos is, why it was used so widely in construction, its potential impact on health, and how you go about identifying and removing asbestos products. Check out the show notes for more information.

Oct 9, 2024 • 34min
HPH362: An easier way to build a certified Passivhaus – with Clare and Ross Booth
Clare and Ross Booth from Coldwells Build share details of their prefabricated, turnkey Passivhaus designs that aim to simplify the delivery of high performance homes in Scotland. Check out the show notes for more information.

Sep 26, 2024 • 44min
HPH361: What's the difference between a renovation and a retrofit?
Paul Testa from HEM Architects explains the difference between renovation and retrofit, using his own home as an example of a deep retrofit. Check out the show notes for more information.

Sep 11, 2024 • 36min
HPH360: Why MVHR maintenance and servicing is important – with Richard Hollas
Richard Hollas from 21 Degrees explains why regular MVHR maintenance and servicing is essential, what it entails, and we accompany him step-by-step as he services a unit. Check out the show notes for more information.