Best The Selfbuild Podcast Podcasts (2025)

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Ep92 - Where does the money go when you're building? 34:58

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8d ago34:58

34:58

Quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher’s step by step guide to extending or building a new home in Ireland today including percentage share for each element of building your house with top tips, including: Site costs, pre-construction House survey for extensions/renovations Professionals you'll need to hire Costs relating to fees and taxes Curveball cost…

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HPH392: What's the difference between good and bad retrofit? – with Marion Baeli 53:44

2d ago53:44

53:44

Marion Baeli, author of "Residential Retrofit," offers hands-on experience of designing and retrofitting high performance homes. As well as drawing on her personal retrofit she shares the lessons learnt from revisiting properties that took part in the Retrofit for the Future competition over a decade ago. Check out the show notes for more informati…

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HPH391: Earth floors – with Jeffrey Hart 44:32

15d ago44:32

44:32

Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company gives us the lowdown on natural earth floors, explaining what the components are, how they are mixed and the process of installing them. He also outlines the benefits and limitations, and highlights what makes them a great choice for an eco home. Check out the show notes for more information.…

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HPH390: Practical considerations when looking for a plot of land – with Ben Adam-Smith 40:29

30d ago40:29

40:29

Ben Adam-Smith shares a few thoughts about what to look for in a plot of land for a low energy house build. Check out the show notes for more informationBy Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep91 - Wastewater and rainwater system costs 25:48

1M ago25:48

25:48

Cathal Keane of Graf and John Brennan of Molloy chat about on-site wastewater treatment system costs and rainwater harvesting tanks: · Retrofit of wastewater systems: upgrade cost examples · What determines the cost of the system · New build cost of systems, how much space you need · What is a percolation test and what’s involved · Wastewater tank …

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HPH389: Air-to-air mini split heat pumps – with Es Tresidder 51:59

1M ago51:59

51:59

Es Tresidder from Highland Passive explains what an air-to-air mini split heat pump is, why he believes it's a good choice for heating a high performance home and the various pros and cons of going down this route. He also reflects on one of the toughest stages of his retrofit when they took the roof off the existing dwelling and then faced torrent…

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HPH388: How are building regulations made? – with John Palmer 43:20

2M ago43:20

43:20

Having spent the last few years working within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, John Palmer explains how building regulations are made and what their role is within the construction industry. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep90 - Mass timber and ICF: How they compare to traditional builds 33:02

2M ago33:02

33:02

Modern methods of construction mass timber and ICF are two options for those looking for quick, good quality builds. Self-build expert John Corless chats to Danius Prakapavicius of iDomus Brian Duffy of Amvic about: · What is mass timber construction? Layers and how it’s finished internally and externally, pros and cons. · What is Insulating Concre…

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HPH387: How do you make a Victorian terrace home more comfortable? – with Will South 47:57

2M ago47:57

47:57

Will South from Etude takes us step-by-step through the retrofit of his Victorian terrace house in Brighton, which has improved the health, comfort and energy efficiency of the property. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH386: The potential of mycelium-based composites – with Joshua English 46:57

3M ago46:57

46:57

Joshua English, co-founder of Okom wrks labs shares his journey into the creation of a mycelium-based composite material, which has structural and load-bearing properties. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep89 - Floor Plans: Watchpoints 19:42

3M ago19:42

19:42

In a podcast recorded at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Leinster 2025, self-build expert John Corless shares what to look out for when assessing your floor plans, including: · How to interrogate your floor plans · Ensuring the different rooms and spaces work well together · House size: typical sizes and how to evaluate what you need · Corridors a…

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HPH385: A stunning contemporary home on a sloping site – with Kirsty Maguire 36:07

3M ago36:07

36:07

Architect Kirsty Maguire shares her experience of designing and building her own Passivhaus on a challenging sloping site in Newport-on-Tay, Scotland. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH384: De-risking a Passivhaus project – with Sally Godber 57:20

4M ago57:20

57:20

Sally Godber, a Director at WARM consultancy explains why reducing the risks on her own Passivhaus project was so important, what that entailed and how it enabled her to deliver a healthy, comfortable and energy-efficient home on budget. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH383: A beginner's guide to creating a comfortable home – with Andy Mitchell 46:17

4M ago46:17

46:17

Andy Mitchell, Managing Director of 21 Degrees, explains what factors influence human comfort and how we have tried to make our homes more comfortable through the years. Embracing building physics has been a turning point and while we have the knowledge and skills to create healthy and comfortable homes today, it's still not the default approach. S…

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Ep88 - Passive house tips 26:17

4M ago26:17

26:17

The passive house methodology has become the go-to standard for build a new home, a renovate one, to be energy efficient; Seán McKenna of the Passive House Association and South West College chats to construction expert John Corless about: · How much more passive houses cost than building regs compliant homes · The five passive house principles · W…

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HPH382: What is a Principal Designer? – with Ben Nother 51:01

5M ago51:01

51:01

Ben Nother, a Director at Hawkland Group, explains the two different roles of Principal Designer in meeting building regulations and addressing CDM health and safety. He also reflects on how this has been integrated into their processes. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH381: What is Passivhaus Premium? – with Phil Neve 54:26

5M ago54:26

54:26

Phil Neve explains what Passivhaus Premium is and why he chose to target the standard for his own self build in Somerset. He also talks through his biggest project challenge, which was obtaining planning permission to build in open countryside. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep87 - 2025 build costs in Ireland 33:26

5M ago33:26

33:26

Construction expert John Corless and builder/estimator DJ Rasdale chat about the current state of play in Ireland for build costs at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Leinster 2025, including: - How much it costs for self-builders to build a house in Ireland - Indicative cost per sqft for new build and for renovation - Material costs and labour cost…

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HPH380: What is Passivhaus Plus? – with Heather Johnson 34:43

6M ago34:43

34:43

Heather Johnson from AD Practice explains what Passivhaus Plus is, how it differs from Passivhaus Classic accreditation and what benefits achieving the standard will afford. She also reveals why most of her clients target 'Plus' and outlines the steps to achieve this on a project. Check out the show notes for more information.…

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HPH379: What is inclusive design? – with Stephanie Kyle 42:56

6M ago42:56

42:56

Stephanie Kyle from Floyd Slaski Architects explains how we can design for disability, gender, religion, and anything that's considered a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. She also highlights the biggest challenge of inclusive design which is people's differing needs, and suggests how we best go about designing spaces. Check out the …

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Ep86 - Is SIPS worth investing in? 20:30

6M ago20:30

20:30

Derek McIntyre of JML SIPS chats about the modern building methods that is Structural Insulated Panels: Are SIPS worth investing in? How much does it cost? What is it and what are the two main types? How are roofs built with SIPS - process and benefits. The DIY options of installing SIPS yourself Airtightness and insulation benefits Environmental c…

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HPH378: Accessibility for all – with Guy Harris 33:59

7M ago33:59

33:59

Guy Harris from AccessiblePRS explains why accessible housing is important, what the key considerations are and how to deliver it well. He also shares his experience of designing his own house as a wheelchair user. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH377: Retrofitting a 1950s semi-detached ex-council house – with Toby Cambray 39:44

7M ago39:44

39:44

Toby Cambray talks about the experience of working on his own retrofit project, and the lessons learnt in the process. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep85 - Hidden costs of a self-build 33:03

7M ago33:03

33:03

Chartered surveyor Keith Kelliher chats to Cathal Keane of Graf who’s just finished building his own home, and to quantity surveyor Jimmy Walsh of Modern Eco Projects, to uncover the hidden costs of a self-build, including: - Costs associated to being gifted land - Site suitability report, cost of the test and watchpoints, how long they are valid f…

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HPH376: What is WUFI? – with Toby Cambray 38:55

8M ago38:55

38:55

Toby Cambray talks about the risks associated with moisture in buildings, and the modelling techniques – like WUFI® – that can be used to assess those risks. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH375: A day in the life of a builder – with Mike Whitfield 36:13

8M ago36:13

36:13

Mike Whitfield shares his experience of running a local construction company that specialises in Passivhaus. He explains how the business is structured, and what tasks are tackled on a daily and weekly basis. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep84 - Budget pitfalls to avoid 1:22:54

8M ago1:22:54

1:22:54

In Part 4 of a four part series about build costs in Ireland, quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher explains how to budget for your build and what pitfalls to avoid, including: Why the most common budget buster is not having a budget in the first place How to deal with price increases for materials when self-building Rate of inflation on materials 4 per…

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HPH374: Building for People - with Mike Eliason 45:21

8M ago45:21

45:21

Mike Eliason talks about his book, Building for People, and the massive opportunity we have to create better places through being more intentional and thoughtful. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH373: Using a willow bed to treat sewage - with Laila Dudhill 31:05

9M ago31:05

31:05

Laila Dudhill explains some of the challenges she faced when planning her new build home at the bottom of a sloping field. Not only did she have to deal with drainage across the site, diverting the natural flow of water away from the house, but also come up with a foul drainage strategy that would off-set phosphate discharge into the local watercou…

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Ep83 - Bathroom costs: how much and how to save 24:36

9M ago24:36

24:36

In Part 3 of a four part series about build costs in Ireland, quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher sheds light on how much you can expect to pay for your new bathroom in Ireland today, including: Common things people forget to budget for Where people are spending unnecessarily Importing from abroad: Pros and cons and what savings can really be made Til…

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HPH372: Introducing the circular economy to housing 44:45

9M ago44:45

44:45

Katherine Adams and Connie Spoor talk about the circular economy and construction, and practical strategies for making reuse a priority on housing projects and self-builds. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH371: What is wood fibre insulation? – with Chris Brookman 35:42

10M ago35:42

35:42

Chris Brookman from Back to Earth explains what wood fibre insulation is, how it could be used on a project and why careful specification is required. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH370: Where your money goes on a home retrofit project 1:00:49

10M ago1:00:49

1:00:49

Florence Collier, founder of Humblebee, takes us step-by-step through the deep retrofit of her 1970s home. She explains the costs relating to each measure and the cumulative total as the project advances. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep82 - How much does a kitchen cost in Ireland today? 39:52

10M ago39:52

39:52

In Part 2 of a four part series about build costs in Ireland, quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher sheds light on how much you can expect to pay for your new kitchen in Ireland today, including: Cost components and how they can bust the budget Common things people forget to budget for Product options, weighing durability vs cost What you can expect to …

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HPH369: Converting a barn to meet the Living Building Challenge – with Toby Diggens 46:56

11M ago46:56

46:56

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH368: Creating biodiverse natural landscapes – with Toby Diggens 47:23

11M ago47:23

47:23

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep81 - Why do windows cost 15k on one house and 50k on another? 33:28

11M ago33:28

33:28

In Part 1 of a four part series about build costs in Ireland, quantity surveyor Keith Kelliher sheds light on how much you can expect to pay for your windows and doors including: · Why is one house 50k and another 15k for the windows and doors? · Types of windows and doors products available to self-builders in Ireland · How windows and doors are c…

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HPH367: A furniture maker builds a timber eco home – with Lucinda Leech 32:49

12M ago32:49

32:49

Furniture maker Lucinda Leech shares her story of building a modest, but beautiful eco home. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH366: Could a home energy transformation pay for itself? 45:12

1y ago45:12

45:12

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep80 - Solar panels that generate electricity: are they worth it? 20:08

1y ago20:08

20:08

At Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Belfast 2024, Michael O'Donnell of Solarfix NI and Suzie McKee of Start Solar joined us to chat about photovoltaic (PV) panels, including: What are PV panels How they work What are the components What can go wrong on them How much do they cost What's the payback How to best use them Should you get a battery? Host…

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HPH365: Becoming a housing activist – with Cypren Edmunds 37:58

1y ago37:58

37:58

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH364: The power of community led housing – with Kareem Dayes from RUSS 1:02:52

1y ago1:02:52

1:02:52

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep79 - Costed project in NI with update on costs per sqm in Ireland today 26:24

1y ago26:24

26:24

At Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Belfast 2024, DJ Rasdale of Build Cost Estimations runs through a real life example of costing a build from start to finish, and provides an update on how much it costs to build a house in Ireland today, including: · Labour and material costs as of September 2024 · Cost estimations: how they’re put together · Det…

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HPH363: Is it worth getting an asbestos survey for an existing home? 48:37

1y ago48:37

48:37

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH362: An easier way to build a certified Passivhaus – with Clare and Ross Booth 34:21

1y ago34:21

34:21

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep78 - Show Highlights: Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Belfast 2024 8:22

1y ago8:22

8:22

A snapshot of what to expect at Selfbuild Extend & Renovate Live Belfast 2024, including testimonials from self-builders who attended the event and special offers from a few of the 150+ companies exhibiting at the show; clips from: Kitchen Pod, Breedon Tiles, 3DNA, SolarFix, Viltra, NIE Networks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info…

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HPH361: What's the difference between a renovation and a retrofit? 44:22

1y ago44:22

44:22

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH360: Why MVHR maintenance and servicing is important – with Richard Hollas 35:50

1y ago35:50

35:50

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.By Ben Adam-Smith

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HPH359: External shading solutions – with Paul Morris 34:56

1+ y ago34:56

34:56

Paul Morris from Solar-Shield explains how external shading can help control solar gains and reduce internal temperatures, keeping your home cool as temperatures rise. Check out the show notes for more information.By Ben Adam-Smith

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Ep77 - Bathroom design trends for 2024 36:45

1+ y ago36:45

36:45

Bathroom consultant Gareth Holland chats about how to go about your renovation or new build project, including: · How much to budget for your bathroom for a good finish · Dangers of buying online · Where to start when renovating a bathroom · Where to start with a new build · What to bring on your initial consultation · Typical design constraints · …