The Fine Homebuilding Podcast

In this special water and humidity control episode,  Evan and Austin describes their whole house dehumidification strategies. Jake asks about insulating his bath fan ductwork to prevent water from dripping through the grill. Stephen wonders why the walls in his Upstate NY cabin are wet.     Tune in to Episode 720 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   How to integrate a whole hous...

Ian, Randy and Patrick discuss home projects and address listener emails about attracting young trade workers, the best cordless oscillating multitools and improving the comfort and energy efficiency of an old house in a mixed climate.       Tune in to Episode 719 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   The future role of robots and AI in house building and renovation   The utility...

Ian and Randy help Patrick respond to listener feedback about the best way to help clients and home electrification before taking questions about window construction and improving the comfort of a badly-built bonus room above a garage. Tune in to Episode 718 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:  Improving envelopes before new heating and cooling systems  The right window for a pre...

In this best-of show the crew talks about cantilever decks, peel bond primers, the model Existing Building Code, post-frame buildings and effective collaboration between designers and builders. Tune in to Episode 717 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:  Rebuilding cantilevered decks with rotten joists  Evectively controlling peeling paint without full removal  The model Existing...

Ian, Randy, and Patrick discuss home projects before addressing listener feedback about embodied carbon in new builds and Saddam Hussein's palaces before they taking questions about building steam showers and the right way to seal and insulate a brick crawlspace.   Tune in to Episode 716 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   Reducing the use of concrete in new builds for lower em...

An anonymous listener outlines their company's strategy for attracting and retaining new hires. Josh reminds fellow FHB Podcast listeners about tool-lending libraries. Dan asks about the need for smart vapor retarders. Tim shares his experience dehumidifying his house with a simple system.   Randy and Ian describe home projects and help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions....

Dan Kolbert raises a lead paint red flag. Jeff wonders if a Bonfig wall is better for inexperienced crews. Andrew wonders if an insulated band joist behind a flashed ledger can dry. Grant and Mike Guertin help Patrick talk about editorial and home projects before addressing listener feedback and questions .       Tune in to Episode 714 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   Lead p...

Ian, Grant and Patrick address reader comments and inquires. They first hear about extensive problems with foam insulation in the UK. Then they ponder why septic systems haven't kept up with the times. Finally they talk about the newest and previous versions of studs meant to reduce thermal bridging        Tune in to Episode 713 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   Poor workmans...

Doug says homeowners and home buyers worrying about the wrong things isn't new. Chris asks if reducing carbon in houses makes sense with AI's voracious energy consumption . Spenser wonders about ways to temporarily heat his job sites. Zach describes his comprehensive plan to redo his house's building envelope.     Tune in to Episode 712 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   Why c...

Grant learns about military veterans joining the local construction workforce with help from the Department of Defense.  Josh Salinger and Grant help Brian address listener feedback and questions. They also talk about Josh's new Fine Homebuilding course called A Homeowner's Guide to a Durable, Efficient, Comfortable Home .     Tune in to Episode 711 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more a...

Responding to an attendee who wants to share his experience at the Summit, Brian asks Ian and Randy what they liked about the event, and what they didn't. The crew shares their preferred details for installing windows in walls with continuous exterior insulation and opinions on insulating double-stud walls. We try to help a listener who is refinishing a basement that's been refinished before. Tune...

Accountant Austin shares thoughts on trade work. Ian's smoke detectors are waking him up at night. Will wonders if his windows are detailed correctly. Brian and Grant help Patrick share listener feedback, answer their questions and talk about housing affordability. Grant discusses an editorial assignment that looks at affordable windows. Brian describes his trip to Austin to learn about 3D printed...

Patrick, Ian and Randy talk about humidity control and whole house ventilation in this HVAC-themed episode. Guy, Doug, and Josh share experiences with maintaining comfortable and house-friendly humidity levels. Matt asks about his tenting hardwood floor. Home moisture consultant Guy share insights on humidity control in low-load houses. Doug's Colorado house is too dry. Matt's floor is hitting his...

Steve provides an update on his planned Arizona home. David shares his tale of basement flooding. Kit asks what's good to get at architectural salvage yards and what isn't. Rob asks about water management and window placement in a lime-plaster wall. Ian, Grant and Patrick help Patrick address listener comments and questions.   Tune in to Episode 707  of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more...

The FHB crew is coming at you LIVE from the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit with a special episode of the podcast! Summit attendees emailed us their questions, and they didn't dissappoint. One asks how to explain the importance of the building envelope to clients while another wonders if we need to do away with one-off design choices in new builds.    Tune in to Episode 706  of the Fine Homebuilding...

Pia and Stephen have thoughts on flexible floor plans. Mae asks about mainstream housing. Kevin asks about controlling humidity in an attached greenhouse. Austin asks if a sheathing with an integral WRB is worth the extra cost. Ian and Randy discuss home projects and help Patrick answer listener questions about flexible floor plans, building a home greenhouse and the pros and cons of sheathing wit...

Doug says that ground water is regional. Hunter asks about the effectiveness of two radiant barriers. Michael inquires about insulating a 200 -year old stone farmhouse. Chris is considering a ceiling update in his family's' A-frame.   Grant and Mike help Patrick help listeners address updating old houses dating from the 1700's to the 1980's. Insulation, water management and maintaining the histori...

Will says a heat pump water heater was a no-brainer investment. David shares a story about attracting workers to the skilled trades. Evan has been thinking about the challenges of running wires behind baseboard. Jim wonders why the Podcast is suggesting propane for off-grid second homes.     Ian and Randy help Patrick respond to listener feedback and answer their questions about home building, des...

Doug describes the science behind soundproofing in theater spaces. Will gives Ian a timely "told-you-so". Kevin wonders what's causing his basement stairway to be wet. Dan asks about the future of forest products.   Grant, Brian, and producer Cari address reader feedback on sound-control in buildings and the importance of dedicated dehumidification in low-load houses. They answer listener question...

Patrick, Ian and Grant talk about 700 FHB Podcast episodes, before diving into discussions on the importance of basement waterproofing, how water gets in basements, solving problems with indoor humidity, and figuring out why Chris' cotton baseball caps feel damp.     Tune in to Episode 701 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   Keeping basements dry in wet places How water gets th...

In this best-of show the crew talks about bulkhead doors, metal roofing over SIPS, rebuilding Notre Dame, sealing mudsills, and insulating sloped ceilings. Tune in to Episode 700 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:  Improving the efficiency of basement bulkheads  Details to get right when building with SIP panels  Effectivly insulating a new drywall ceiling with sloped and flat s...

Patrick, Randy and Ian have a heated discussion about fire safety, including how to wire heat detectors. Scott wonders if an all-electric home is less resilient than one heated with fossil fuels or wood. Pia asks about using big doors to separate living spaces in a new build. Scott might be timber-framing a strawbale house and he wonders what the Podcast thinks about strawbale construction.     Tu...

Marc says it's tough to bid electrical work when copper wire prices change daily. Dan thinks we need to consider the carbon costs of every build. Andy asks for advice on building an energy efficient off-grid cabin .  Jenna asks about finding conscientious contractors.   Grant, Mike and Patrick discuss listener feedback and questions about price volatility, finding a good roofer, and how to lower t...

Ian and Randy help Patrick answer listener questions about building a quiet house and sound-control strategies for new and existing homes and then the Podcast revisits its roots discussing roof venting of low-slope shed roofs. Finally they talk about how to get more water from a low-yield well.   Tune in to  Episode 697 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:   Residential sound cont...

Will ICF foundations burn? Do modern materials destroy old houses? Do heat pumps peter out in hot temperatures? Can you prevent rain from coming in gable vents? Grant and Mike help Patrick address FHB Podcast feedback and answer listener questions. Tune in to The FHB Podcast 696 to learn about these and other topics.    Tune in to Episode 696 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:  ...