Babe lets build a house - The podcast

Episode 07 — The Process That I Use | Chapter 7, Babe Let's Build a House"How much to draw plans?" Plans aren't just a product you buy off the shelf. They're a set of instructions that enable banks to lend, contracts to be drawn up, builders to build and consents to be granted.Episode 07 follows Chapter 7 of Babe, Let's Build a House: The Process That I Use. In Episode 06 I covered the traditional NZIA process. My process is based on those same stages, but as a sole practitioner, a Certified Passive House Designer and a Homestar Designer and Assessor, I'm the person in the meetings and the person doing the work, so I'm able to streamline things.In this episode:My design consultation: site feasibility, budget and aspirations combined into one paid planning sessionProject budget versus build budget, and why I like having a builder in the design consultationWhy I'm not a fan of tenderingConcept design delivered in 3D, with a model you can walk throughDeveloped design: bringing in consultants, a QS price check, and resource consentPreliminary Passive House and Homestar assessmentsBuilding consent documentation: about 50% of the work, and why consent is a show of legality, not a mark of qualityDesign certification, on site observation, and completionComing up in the series:Episode 08: What Is Passive HouseRead more about my process: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/design-processDownload the Smart Living Spaces brochure: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/downloadFind the book here: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/bookPodcast page: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/podcastHosted by Sharon Robinson, architectural designer, Certified Passive House Designer, Homestar Professional and Assessor, and founder of Smart Living Spaces.#BabeLetsBuildAHouse #NewHomeBuild #BuildingInNZ #ArchitecturalDesign #ArchitecturalProcess #SmartLivingSpaces

Episode 06 — From Consultation to Completion | Chapter 6, Babe Let's Build a House"How much to draw plans?" It's the question I get asked most, but plans aren't a product. Architecture is a process.Episode 06 follows Chapter 6 of Babe, Let's Build a House: From Consultation to Completion. I walk through the traditional process a registered architect with the NZIA, or a designer with ADNZ, will probably follow, from your first brief meeting right through to completion. Our homes are our largest financial asset, the largest bill we'll ever pay and the longest to pay off, so this process deserves careful consideration.In this episode:Why plans are instructions, and why they become a legal document once they're part of your building contractPredesign and brief: why budgets shouldn't be assumed, and build budget versus project budgetPreliminary design: site feasibility, planning rules, site opportunities and challengesSketch design and concept design: forming the vision, from hand sketches to 3DDeveloped design: the link between the vision and the instructions, a QS cost check, and resource consentDetailed design and working drawings: the nuts and bolts stage, roughly 50% of an architectural feeProcurement and tendering, and why I'm not a fan of tenderingContract administration versus contract observationCompletion: defects inspections, retentions, building consent and CCC, and Passive House and Homestar built certificationComing up in the series:Episode 07: The Process That I UseFind the book here: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/bookPodcast page: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/podcastHosted by Sharon Robinson, architectural designer, Certified Passive House Designer, Homestar Professional and Assessor, and founder of Smart Living Spaces.#BabeLetsBuildAHouse #NewHomeBuild #BuildingInNZ #ArchitecturalDesign #ArchitecturalProcess #SmartLivingSpaces

Episode 05 — How to Prepare for the First Meeting | Chapter 5, Babe Let's Build a HouseHow do you get the most value out of your first meeting with an architect, architectural designer or builder?Episode 05 follows Chapter 5 of Babe, Let's Build a House: How to Prepare for Your First Meeting. I cover what to bring, what homework to do beforehand, and what to make sure is covered, so your first meeting becomes either a valuable first step or a robust feasibility check on your project.In this episode:Aspirations and budget, and why being honest about your project budget helps your design teamDefining your aspirations by how you live, not by a list of roomsPinterest boards: why you should write down what you like in each imageBuilding performance: power bills, overheating, air quality and acoustics, and why the Building Code won't take care of it for youInformation to supply beforehand: covenants, geotech reports and property filesFive key topics to cover in the meeting: project budget versus build budget, fees, time frames, process, and other consultantsGST, contingency, and why budgets are never just the builder's costComing up in the series:Episode 06: From Consultation to CompletionEpisode 07: The Process That I UseEpisode 08: What Is Passive HouseDownload the first meeting checklist and find the book here: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/bookPodcast page: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/podcastHosted by Sharon Robinson, architectural designer, Certified Passive House Designer, Homestar Professional and Assessor, and founder of Smart Living Spaces.#BabeLetsBuildAHouse #NewHomeBuild #BuildingInNZ #ArchitecturalDesign #HomeBuildBudget #SmartLivingSpaces

Episode 04 — Choosing the Right Team | Chapter 4, Babe Let's Build a HouseDo you choose your builder first, or your architect? And what is the difference between an architect, an architectural designer and a draftsperson?Episode 04 follows Chapter 4 of Babe, Let's Build a House: Choosing the Right Team. I cover who to start talking to at the very beginning of your new home build, before the design process starts.In this episode:How group home builders work: land banking, design and build packages, baseline specifications and square metre ratesWhy the salesperson is not your designer, and the house that fell off the back boundaryContract labour, the LBP scheme, and a good question to ask: do you employ your own builders?Small builder teams: close knit, flexible, keen to learn, and why I love working with themWhy I don't recommend tendering, and the value of bringing your builder into the first design meetingArchitects, architectural designers and draftspeople: training, registration, design LBPs, and how each worksWhy a 15 minute chat helps you find the right fit for the way you make decisionsComing up in the series:Episode 05: How to Prepare for the First MeetingEpisode 06: From Consultation to CompletionEpisode 07: The Process That I UseThe book has quick reference summaries for each option, plus a full written explanation: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/bookPodcast page: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/podcastHosted by Sharon Robinson, architectural designer, Certified Passive House Designer, Homestar Professional and Assessor, and founder of Smart Living Spaces.#BabeLetsBuildAHouse #NewHomeBuild #BuildingInNZ #ArchitecturalDesign #ChoosingABuilder #SmartLivingSpaces

Riverside description for Episode 03, plain text, 1,796 characters (limit 4,000):Before you buy a building site, there is a lot more to check than where north is.In my career I've watched a client pour their $30,000 contingency into the ground as concrete, money they believed would help them choose their bathroom tiles, because the foundations didn't suit the ground conditions. I've also worked with clients whose dream double storey gabled home didn't suit the steep site they had already bought. When something on a site isn't easy, it tends to get expensive. In this episode of Babe, Let's Build a House, I cover chapter three of the book and the five things to be aware of before you purchase a site.In this episode:• Site physicality: topography, size, a buildable platform, slope stability, access, and why north isn't always the deal breaker• What's in the ground: soil tests, geotechnical reports, council property files, and the surprises that turn up once you excavate• Surroundings: wind, hills, planting, traffic noise, how the neighbourhood feels at different times of day, and what the zoning allows next door• Planning requirements: district plan rules, site coverage, boundary setbacks, height control planes, the difference between resource consent and building consent, and subdivision caveats• Infrastructure: what an unserviced site means for your lender and your budget, from septic and water tanks to getting electricity onto the siteIf it all feels overwhelming, there is a site checklist in the book, also available to purchase on my website. A design consultation with a professional can also help you make an informed decision before you buy.Next week in Episode 04, I cover choosing your team, who to speak to first and what questions to ask them.Book: www.smartlivingspaces.nz/bookPodcast: https://www.smartlivingspaces.nz/podcastTitle per the episode list: Episode 03: Understanding Your Site