Mindful Builder

You might remember today’s guest from all the way back in episode eight! Brad McEwan is a passionate builder, and a good friend who joins us now as a regular guest on the show. We began our conversation by touching on a pervasive issue in the construction sector: project delays. Brad shares his experience of waiting eight months for a project start, illustrating the unpredictable nature of buildin...

What is a Ventilated Cavity? In simple terms, a ventilated cavity is an air space between the cladding of a building and its structure. This space allows the building to "breathe," circulating air and carrying moisture away. This is crucial to avoid issues like mould, rot, and other moisture-related problems.  It’s a technical topic which is why we’re once again joined by Dr Cameron Munroe, w...

Can you believe it’s almost the end of the year? It feels like January was just yesterday, but also like it was years ago.  So much has happened in the world this year, both the good and the bad. This whirlwind was especially strong in the construction industry, so we want to recap 2024 in this episode as well as look forward to what 2025 will hold.  So, the construction landscape has be...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! We hope you’re having a wonderful break from work, but if you’re not, you’re not alone. Financial stress, family tensions, grief, and countless other factors can make it a difficult time for some. That’s why we’ve invited our friend and mental health expert Julie back on the podcast. Isolation might not be the cause of people’s holiday blues, but it w...

One of our biggest goals for this podcast is to push the boundaries of conventional industry practices and challenge people (including us) to look outside their bubble. That’s why we were so excited to sit down with Jasmine and Logan from the Go Company this week.  The Go Company started with a simple but brilliant idea: providing portable hygiene packs for women in trade. These packs ensure...

LINKS: Connect with us on Instagram:   @themindfulbuilderpod Connect with Hamish: Instagram:  @sanctumhomes Website:    www.yoursanctum.com.au/ Connect with Matt:  Instagram: @carlandconstructions Website:  www.carlandconstructions.com/

Is the Building Industry Broken?  Well, it's not entirely shattered, but there are definitely some big considerable cracks that need to be repaired.  Today’s guest, Scott Burchell from Comb Construction, breaks down the big issues (like rising project costs, evolving regulations, and a labour shortage) that are making it difficult to remain profitable. He shared stories from both residen...

 Safety. It’s a word that brings to mind tedious rules or intrusive safety officers, and to many in the building industry it’s seen as a chore not a choice. But safety can be the thin line between life and death, so maybe it’s time we get more engaged. In this episode, we’re joined by Tom Huber, a safety advocate and operational excellence expert, who’s on a mission to redefine how safety is perc...

Last week we shared the first half of our conversation with Sven Maxa about how we can build for a better future. It means getting the industry to prioritise healthy responsibly built homes that stand the test of both time and climate. This week’s episode is the second half of that conversation and we’re discussing how passive house standards and strong community bonds can help us achieve those go...

The world is changing, and the way we build our homes should change too. People are increasingly passionate about their health, comfort and the environment – which is where Passive Houses come in. In this episode we sit down with Sven Maxa, a building designer and Passive House advocate, to discuss how we can build for a better future. Sven shared so much good stuff in our conversation that we had...

Have you ever wondered why you feel perpetually drained, despite clocking out on time? The cause (and solution) might be the boundaries we’re too scared to set. Psychologist Julie Mounter joins us for today’s episode to talk about the different types of boundaries and how mastering them can lead to a more fulfilling life. One of the most straightforward forms of boundary is the physical kind. It’s...

It’s been a big week in the building industry and sometimes we’re not quite sure how to feel, which is why we want to break down some of the big changes we’ve noticed and what they could mean down the line! To kick things off, there's been widespread concern about the Coalition's proposal to freeze updates to the National Construction Code (NCC) for the next decade. This plan, with apparent backin...

As builders it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of building a house our clients will cherish, that the space around it becomes an afterthought. Today we’re joined by Nadia Cole from Platylobium Landscape Design to talk about landscaping and the difference it can make when building an enjoyable, and sustainable, home. So how can landscaping be sustainable, isn’t planting any plant sustaina...

Is your home still running on outdated gas energy?  Maybe the effort of switching to electric doesn’t seem worthwhile, but it definitely is. Going electric isn't just about cutting carbon emissions – it improves the comfort of your home and saves you money! What’s not to love?  This week, we took the opportunity to chat with Ben and Marcella from Goodbye Gas, getting into the gritty deta...

It's a common fate — a newly built home settling into its first winter, and already the heating bills climb sky-high. Why is it that modern construction sometimes misses the mark? Today we’re joined again by our good friend and building-science expert Cameron Munroe to break down this issue.  So, picture this: a wall that's not just a barrier but a well-crafted system designed to maximise eff...

Think your old home can’t achieve today’s high-performance standards? Think again. We're here to challenge conventions by retrofitting a typical Burbank home from the '90s into a certified Passive House. No extra frills, no new builds—just clever planning and innovative techniques. Join us as we take you on a journey that proves you don’t need to start from scratch to achieve groundbreaking energy...

Did you know Australia boasts the larges average home size anywhere in the world?  The market is full of oversized, inefficient homes that aren’t sustainable or necessary and we’re sick of it.  That’s why we sat down with Imogen from IP Architecture, who’s challenging the ‘bigger is better’ mindset and setting new standards for sustainable living. Imogen’s journey in architecture began w...

Have you ever felt like you're burning the candle at both ends and you aren’t sure how long you can keep it up? Trust us, you're not alone. It’s easy to push ourselves too far with work and neglect our mental health. It might not seem like a huge deal in the moment but it’s a quick path to burnout.  We recently sat down with, we sat down with Kyle Zanetto, a Tasmanian building business owner,...

We’ve got a bonus episode for you today because it’s R U OK? Day. If you aren’t familiar with R U OK? Day, it’s a day dedicated to checking in on your mates and yourself. The construction industry is incredibly demanding and it’s easy for mental health to take a back seat, but days like this remind us how important it is to be there for each other – not just once a year but as an everyday priority...

Ever been frustrated by how ridiculously expensive it is to access Australian building standards? Yeah, us too. Imagine being hit with a $330 bill just to access ONE building standard—it's maddening! We recently sat down with Laura Tanova, a building surveyor with nearly two decades of experience, to dig into what’s going on here and how it impacts everyone in the industry. Spoiler alert: things c...

Today we’re joined by good friend and psychologist, Julie Mounter to discuss a topic that’s often misunderstood but incredibly powerful: mindfulness. If you’ve ever dismissed mindfulness as "woo woo" nonsense, stick around—this conversation will change your mind. Julie kicked things off by explaining that mindfulness is essentially cultivating a practice of awareness—becoming aware of your thought...

What if I told you that a home could be energy-efficient, comfortable year-round, and environmentally sound—all without breaking the bank? Well if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you already know the answer is passive houses. We’re both really passionate about passive house building, but we know there is a lot of misinformation out there, so we sat down with building physics expe...

Homes in Australia aren’t being built to a high enough standard. The building industry prioritises quantity over quality so there’s no time for care or craftsmanship. That’s why we sat down with Brian and Simon from the Sustainable Builders Alliance, an organisation dedicated to promoting high-performing, sustainable construction practices. We discuss the challenges of building a sustainable futur...

Ever walked into a home and instantly felt as if everything just clicked into place? Chances are you have an interior designer to thank! This week we sat down with Erin Fairmaid, to talk about the real magic behind well-designed spaces and why interior designers are invaluable. Because the industry isn’t regulated, the term “interior designer” can be thrown around by people without knowledge and e...

Welcome back to another episode of the Mindful Builder podcast! Today we’re joined again by our friend and expert psychologist, Julie Mounter, for a conversation about mental health and depression. Whether you’re struggling right now, or worried about someone else, we want to give you the tools you need to face it head-on. Julie starts the episode by outlining what exactly depression is. While eve...