House Planning Help Podcast

Interior designer Emily Bizley explains how she and her husband, an architect, co-designed their RIBA shortlisted self-build home. Check out the show notes for more information.

Jon Martin explains how he beat the odds with his extraordinary self-build tree house. Check out the show notes for more information.

Lucy Pedler, architect and founder of The Green Register, talks about the importance of good communication throughout a self-build project. Check out the show notes for more information.

Gordon Lewis explains what cellulose insulation is, how it's applied and why self-builders can benefit from choosing it. Check out the show notes for more information.

Paul Testa from Paul Testa Architecture talks about how to predict the costs of a house build and shares his tips on limiting a self-build budget. Check out the show notes for more information.

Simon Corbey from ASBP shares some of his research into the costs and life cycle of plastic windows and suggests some considerations for self-builders. Check out the show notes for more information.

Michael Holmes from NaCSBA explains the Right to Build initiative and how it will impact on the future of custom and self-builds. Check out the show notes for more information.

Lloyd Alter from TreeHugger shares his advice on what we should be prioritising as 21st century self-builders. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben Adam-Smith explains how he and his wife have been specifying their new home (which will be built to Passivhaus standard). Check out the show notes for more information.

Actor and TV presenter Robert Llewellyn shares his insights about the future of electric cars and energy production. Check out the show notes for more information.

Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture tells us about the exceptional circumstances in which planning for rural new builds may be granted. Check out the show notes for more information.

Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant shares the key results of a survey the company ran to find out what self-builders worry about most. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben and Kay Adam-Smith have a difference in opinion over which windows to specify for their new build Passivhaus home. While Ben is keen to minimise mullions, transoms and window frames, Kay believes this takes away from the aesthetics. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben Adam-Smith reviews what it took to be granted planning permission for his new Passivhaus home. Check out the show notes for more information.

Donal O'Leary tells us about his self-build in Ireland and shares advice for a successful project. Check out the show notes for more information.

Buckinghamshire Passivhaus has become one of the most airtight buildings in the UK. As such, we consider what factors contributed towards their exceptional result of 0.08 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals. Check out the show notes for more information.

Justin Broadbent from ISO Energy explains the options available for extracting energy from water on your plot of land. Check out the show notes for more information.

Jack Harvie-Clark from Apex Acoustics provides an overview of acoustics in the home. He also explains how we might go about controlling noises and soundproofing. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben Adam-Smith runs through the main options of where to live while your new home is under construction. While there's potential to save a lot of money it should not impact significantly on your comfort, state of mind or key relationships. Check out the show notes for more information.

Cath Hassell from ech2o consultants explains why connecting to mains drainage is generally the best option for a new build home. She also runs through some alternatives if this is not possible. Check out the show notes for more information.

Clare Whitney from Clayworks explains how clay plasters are made, their applications and why we might choose them over other wall finishes. Check out the show notes for more information.

Architect Ruth Butler shares the story of building a contemporary Passivhaus on an overlooked, brownfield site. Check out the show notes for more information.

Dennis and Nicola Merrigan talk about the highs and lows of their Passivhaus self-build project, sharing lessons learned. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben reviews the journey from briefing to planning stage for his own self-build project, with their architect Chris Parsons from Parsons + Whittley. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben and Kay Adam-Smith visit their architects Parsons + Whittley to discuss how to move their project forward. There are decisions to be made over which designs to pursue, what materials to embrace and how to address the various constraints (including bringing down the height of the building). Check out the show notes for more information.

Dr Michaela Benson from Goldsmiths explains how our housing needs change through life and why the concept of a forever home is often not realistic. Check out the show notes for more information.

John Palmer from Enhabit explains what happens if you choose not to go all the way to Passivhaus standard, including how this impacts on cost, energy efficiency and comfort. He also outlines a best practice approach if you are going to build with Passivhaus principles. Check out the show notes for more information.

Elina Grigoriou from Grigoriou Interiors talks about design, wellbeing and sustainability, and the role of interior designers. Check out the show notes for more information.

Michael Campbell from Spratt Endicott Solicitors explains the key stages that need to take place in order to buy a piece of land for a self build project. Ben also chats through some of the challenges he faced during his plot search and subsequent land purchase. Check out the show notes for more information.

Clare Nash from Clare Nash Architecture shares various responses by small developers in the UK and abroad to the challenges of creating modern communities through better design. Check out the show notes for more information.

Allan Corfield from Allan Corfield Architects (ACA) explains how his approach to services and fees differs from traditional architecture practices in the UK. He describes the staged services his practice offers, giving indicative costs. Check out the show notes for more information.

Simon Corbey from the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) shares some thoughts of what makes a healthy building product. Check out the show notes for more information.

7 self-builders reflect on the key things they wish they'd known before starting their projects. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben and Kay Adam-Smith receive initial sketches of their new home from their architects Parsons + Whittley. They then feedback to John over the phone. Chris also outlines how this stage works and explains why it is so important. Check out the show notes for more information.

Belinda and Paul Wilson share what they've learned from their Passivhaus build. Paul also explains the responsibilities of the Principal Designer and why he decided to take on this role himself. Check out the show notes for more information.

Andrew McInulty from Ready Made Basements explains the main reasons people install basements. He also shares the challenges of building below ground and how they are best addressed. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben and Kay Adam-Smith sit down with Chris Parsons from Parsons + Whittley to run through the brief for their self build project. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben Adam-Smith shares what he's learnt during the process of hiring an architect for his self build project. Check out the show notes for more information.

Master thatcher, Stephen Letch, tells us about the history of thatching, the materials and techniques involved, and how it can be used today. Check out the show notes for more information.

Ben Adam-Smith comes clean with his project progress! After two and a half years of looking, he has finally managed to buy a plot of land upon which to build his eco home. However, the process of buying the land was perhaps not the joyous occasion he would have liked. In this solo episode he shares what he's learnt. Check out the show notes for more information.

Architect and author Pat Borer shares insights from his teaching career at the Centre for Alternative Technology as well as what he's learned from his own practice (which has helped hundreds of self-builders). Check out the show notes for more information.

Architect James Galpin from HazleMcCormackYoung shares insights into how Mayfield Passivhaus was designed and built. Check out the show notes for more information.

Lisa Kerslake from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management explains how self-builders can encourage wildlife to flourish on their plots. Check out the show notes for more information.

Jeremy Harris explains why he chose not to use an architect or designer for his self build, and how he managed to do the job himself. He also shares some of the challenges that he came up against. Check out the show notes for more information.

Jeremy Harris, a scientist by background, wanted a low energy house for his retirement. He talks about the initial stages of his self-build project: finding a plot of land and obtaining planning approval. Check out the show notes for more information.

Phill Skill explains what building regulations are and how we comply with them. Check out the show notes for more information.

We re-run an interview from 2014 with Stephen Gurney, who explains what causes poor airtightness test results and how they could have been avoided. Check out the show notes for more information.

We re-run an interview from 2013 with Sarah Susanka, author of the Not So Big House. Check out the show notes for this podcast.

We re-run an interview from 2012 with the co-founder of the Passivhaus standard, Dr Wolfgang Feist.

Mike Coe and his partner Lizzie created one of the UK's most energy efficient homes. Now they're looking to sell and start a new project elsewhere, they're finding that they will have made a loss. Mike discusses why that might be, and whether it will change the way he thinks about his next self build. Check out the show notes for more information.