Lara Kennedy

Build Her Home | Home Building & Renovation Support for Women

Leisure EN ↓ 6 episodes

Building a house is one thing. Building your home is another. Welcome to Build Her Home — the podcast where we pull back the curtain on the custom home building process, from the first sketch of your dream home to the final walkthrough. Hosted by Lara Kennedy, founder of Black Castle Homes, this show was created for women who are stepping into the role of homeowner, decision-maker, and visionary — even if it’s your first time working with a custom home builder or managing a new construction home. Each episode breaks down the real-life journey of building a home: how to choose the right build

Author

Lara Kennedy

Episodes

Ep. 6 | The Build Her Home Society Is Here 03.07.2026 10:01

In this episode Lara introduces the upcoming Build Her Home Society, a new membership community designed for women who are building, renovating, or simply making a house feel like home. She explains how the idea grew from wanting a more organized, supportive space than a Slack channel, and shares that the platform will include courses, construction videos, onboarding documents, expert connections,...

Ep. 5 | Don't Choose Your Builder Based on a Free Estimate! What You Should Do To Avoid Being Surprised by Your Budget 25.06.2026 20:31

In this episode, Lara shares why so many homeowners end up thousands of dollars over budget—and how you can avoid it. We’ll talk about why builder estimates can vary so much, what a realistic construction budget should include, why pre-construction is one of the smartest investments you can make, and the red flags to watch for before signing a contract. If you're planning to build a custom home, t...

Ep. 4 | If We Had $50K Extra in the Build Budget — Here's Exactly Where We'd Spend It 02.06.2026 46:38

Thinking about where you'd spend an extra $50,000 in your home build? In this episode, Lara and Steven Kennedy play a builder-versus-homeowner game and break down exactly where they'd invest additional budget—and where they wouldn't spend a dime. From kitchens and prep pantries to windows, lighting, storage, and primary bathrooms, they share the upgrades that improve daily life, increa...

Ep. 3 | Building With A Spouse (And Not Losing Your Minds) 19.05.2026 18:43

Building a home with your partner can bring you closer together… or reveal that you have very different opinions about grout color, budgets, and who was supposed to email the builder back. In this episode, Lara shares three practical ways couples can stay connected, communicate better, and reduce stress during the building process. From dividing responsibilities to creating systems that keep every...

Ep. 2 | Are You the Red Flag? 6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Get Upset With Your Builder 19.05.2026 24:21

Before you fire off that frustrated text or assume your builder dropped the ball — pause. In this episode, Lara walks you through six quick questions to ask yourself before blaming your builder. This isn’t about taking the blame; it’s about becoming the kind of homeowner who leads with clarity, calm, and confidence. Learn how to communicate better, set realistic expectations, and strengthen your b...

Ep. 1 | So You Want to GC Your Own Home? What I'd Do as a Custom Builder 19.05.2026 13:59

Ever wondered if you could manage your own home build and skip the builder fee? In this episode, Lara, a custom home builder and founder of Build Her Home , breaks down what it really takes to general contract your own build. From reviewing plans to wrangling trades, this is the honest, unfiltered talk you need before you dive into the deep end of DIY homebuilding. Lara shares what she’d do step-b...