Home Building Podcast

The government has changed the rules on negative gearing and capital gains tax, and a lot of Perth homeowners and investors are unsure what it means for them. Financial adviser Robert Tawil of Vantage Wealth returns to re-record our earlier chat and breaks the changes down in plain English. We cover selling, subdividing and building, and when it's worth getting an expert in your corner.  What...

Reading your plans and understanding your build 101    How many of these did you know? Comment them below    We break down the "boring" details builders assume you already know - coursing heights, FFL, slab thickness, door and window codes - the stuff that quietly makes or breaks your build. Miss these and you can end up with a garage that won't fit your 4WD, a kitchen benchtop that...

Brad D'Lima, WA State Manager at Stone Ambassador, joins the podcast to unpack everything homeowners need to know about stone benchtops. From the engineered stone ban and how Stone Ambassador got ahead of it, to the real differences between Zenith, Vasari and Kaya surfaces, this episode covers pricing, slab sizing, maintenance and the mistakes that quietly add thousands to your build.  What yo...

Behan breaks down why so many people make bad building decisions after asking the wrong people for advice. From well meaning family members to anonymous forums and salespeople with a vested interest, he explains exactly who to trust, who to ignore, and how to protect your build from other people's opinions.     What you'll learn:  - Why advice from family and friends can quietly derail your build ...

BONUS CHARITY EPISODE: ST BARTS Homelessness in Perth is more common - and far more hidden - than most people realise. Vanessa Baxter from St Bart's joins the podcast to explain what homelessness actually looks like, how Perth's services work together to help people off the street and into stable housing, and why she believes most of us are only 2-3 steps away from finding ourselves in the...

The kitchen is the heart of the home and one of the most expensive things to get wrong. In this episode Behan breaks down his do's and don'ts for kitchen location, layout, sculleries, storage and lighting. Practical, opinionated and straight from 25 years of designing Perth homes.    DOWNLOAD IBA’S KITCHEN CHECKLIST 👇🏽  https://info.independentbuildingadvice.com.au/kitchen-design-checkli...

Most Australians are told to buy a home, pay it off over 30 years and call it financial freedom. But is that actually the best strategy? Tim Guest from Infinite Wealth has spent 15 years helping everyday Australians build genuine passive income through property and his perspective on the traditional path might surprise you.   What you’ll learn:   Why owning your own home might not be the best firs...

DOWNLOAD IBA BUILDING WHILE BUSY CHECKLIST 👇🏽  https://info.independentbuildingadvice.com.au/building-when-youre-busy-checklist-page?utm-hbp   Building a home is stressful. Building a home when life is already full makes it even harder. But there are ways to move the process along quicker than most people think. In this episode Behan breaks down exactly how to approach a build, renovation or ext...

In May 2026, the Federal Government announced changes to the rules around rental losses and capital gains tax for investment properties. This podcast was recorded prior to the changes; however, the general information discussed still applies. Scott is well across the new rules. Reach out to MKG Partners or similar professionals for advice on how these changes may affect your situation.  Why flippi...

Subdividing is one of the most popular property strategies in Perth and one of the most misunderstood. Behan walks through everything from R Codes and zoning to battle axe vs. side by side, build strata, feasibility and why more blocks doesn't always mean more money.  Chapters:  00:23 - What is subdividing and where do you start  01:18 - R Codes explained  02:39 - How to find your zoning onlin...

Energy efficiency is now mandatory for every new home in Australia but most people have no idea how the assessment actually works or what it costs. Nina Kelly from ESD Studio joins Behan to break it all down, from NatHERS ratings and climate zones to solar orientation, insulation, glazing and the whole-of-home assessment most people have never heard of.  What you’ll learn:   What a 7 star NatHERS ...

25 years of building experience distilled into one episode. Behan runs through his personal do's and don'ts across bathrooms, kitchens, doors, windows, outdoor living, lighting and energy efficiency. Some of it is controversial. All of it is honest.  What you’ll learn:   Why the bath in your ensuite is probably a waste of money and space  The vanity vs. bench space debate and why bench spa...

Concrete is one of the most asked-about topics in home building and one of the most misunderstood. Tyron Scott from Firm Concrete joins Behan to cover everything from slabs and hardstands through to polished floors, exposed aggregate and in-situ benchtops.  What you'll learn:  The difference between a concrete slab and a hardstand and why 100mm is the bare minimum  Exposed aggregate types, fin...

Building, renovating or extending a home takes a lot of research and trial and error, and when you're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, you can't afford to get it wrong.   In this episode, IBA's director, Behan Flaherty, walks through the common ways people go about building a home and where each one can catch you out: going straight to a builder, using an architect or designe...

Most homeowners have no idea what R Codes are, what triggers a planning approval, or why energy efficiency requirements are quietly adding tens of thousands to the cost of their build. In this episode Behan sits down with Aaron Sice - Assistant Director at the Housing Industry Association - for one of the most information-dense conversations the podcast has had. From planning vs. building approval...

Lighting is one of the most overlooked parts of building a new home and one of the most expensive to fix after the fact. In this episode Behan walks through everything you need to think about before your lighting appointment, from switch placement and sensor lights to doorbells, feature lighting and where to save money on fittings.  FREE ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING PLAN REVIEW - Until 30 August 2026...

Most people get one shot at designing their home. Get it wrong and you'll feel it every single day. In this episode Behan sits down with Luke Tufilli from Aria Home Designs - one of Perth's leading custom home designers - to talk about what separates a great home from a good one. From facade trends and street appeal to floor plan logic, wow factor features and how to get the absolute best...

LOOKING TO CUSTOM DESIGN & BUILD YOUR NEXT HOME? VISIT US ON INDEPENDENTBUILDINGADVICE.COM.AU 🏡 Most people get stung by hidden costs when building not because builders are dishonest, but because nobody told them what to look for upfront. Behan walks through every major hidden cost category you need to know before you sign anything.  What you'll learn:  How builder quotes are structured -...

Most people don't think about home automation until it's too late when the walls are already closed and the wiring is done. In this episode, Behan sits down with Andy Moore lighting & home automations expert to break down what home automation actually is, how to use it to genuinely improve your everyday life, and the one critical decision you need to make during your build that will sa...

One of the most common and costly mistakes people make is going too far down one path before realising it was the wrong one. In this solo episode, Behan breaks down the four main options available to Perth homeowners: buying established, renovating, extending, and knockdown rebuild. He cuts through the noise with real costs, honest advice, and a simple rule of thumb that could save you tens of tho...

Most people have no idea what modular construction actually is or how good it's gotten. In this episode, Behan sits down with Natalie Lawrence and Dan Thake from MIRA Residential to bust the myths around modular building, explain how the whole process works from factory to front door, and help you figure out whether it could be the smartest way to build your next home especially if you're building...

Building costs are rising fast, and most people don't realise where the money is actually going or how much they could save with a bit of upfront planning. In this episode, Behan walks through the key strategies IBA uses with clients every day to keep builds on budget without cutting corners on the things that matter. From setting a two-number budget before you do anything else, to the hidden desi...

In life there a particular stage in life that you’ll be ready or need to build or buy a home. It’s important that you know when you might need to so you can best prepare yourself for what comes next.       Some people buy. Some people build. It’s up truly to your situation. Our job is to best educate you, so you know how to have a better home building experience.      We catch up with Domenic, one...

In life there a particular stages in life that you’ll be ready or need to build or buy a home. It’s important that you know when you might need to so you can best prepare yourself for what comes next.     Some people buy. Some people build. It’s really up to yours situation. Our job is to best educate you, so you know how to have a better home building experience.    We catch up with Domenic, one...

In this episode, Behan from Independent Building Advice tackles one of the most common questions in the current Perth building market: should you build now, or wait? With global uncertainty rising interest rates, inflation, supply chain pressures, and an upcoming election many people are sitting on the fence. Behan cuts through the noise, sharing how to stress-test your budget, understand hidden b...