UnBuild It Podcast

Jack-of-all trades Mark Willie is one of the most interesting folks in our industry. He loves buildings, loves people, and loves to connect the two (check out Mark's Build Small Casitas podcast). Steve and Pete delve deep and sometimes pretty wayward to tease out the real Mark Willie.

This week Jake & Peter are joined by Bob Kelly of Wickright. A long career in the construction industry has taken Bob from high-end woodworking to roofing artist. As the owner of general contracting business in Chicago focussing on low-slope roofs in split face block buildings Bob has developed system solutions for repeat problems. He now owns a materials company that can be found at wickright...

UBIP LOVES Q&A! This episode is nothing short of far-ranging: passive cooling techniques for hot climates, the need for roofing underlayment underneath ZIP roof sheathing, several details for interior basement insulation, and finding high performance building professionals for different markets. And the best is saved for last: Pete tells a story connecting moisture, modeling, and pornography!

Steve and Jake take the lead describing how they communicate as builder and architect, BOTH of them sounding out the importance of EVERYONE spending quality time at the job site. Pete finally pipes up with a Scopes of Work program he and Steve worked on in the Building America program. All three wrap up with the idea of Balanced Building: run your job sites and your business as high performance op...

No, Steve, the most challenging is not the one-armed paper hanger. Both HVAC & Insulation contractors need to up their game because their equipment and materials have become so much more advanced and complex. This session covers common HVAC and insulation problems and solutions.

Steve Baczek drives this discussion and he is fit to be tied regarding labels like high performance, sustainable, green--you name it. And he goes after "slackers" in our profession who need to up their game when it comes to building performance. Here is Steve's premise, see what you think: Prioritizing for high performance means put on your big boy pants and meet the needs of your c...

What happens when a couple of UnBuild It contributors get invited to Switzerland by Siga to learn about how it’s done across the pond? You’ll have to listen all the way through this one to find out.

From the sun to wood to heat pumps, the UnBuildIt guys get all fired up about heat sources. The discussion ranges over thermal comfort, the importance of building enclosure performance, adding domestic hot water, and even teepees. You had no idea just how informative and entertaining heat sources can be with these guys...

In everyone's career, there is a turning point, a point in time that was "before" and "after." And for many of us, that point involves Building Science Corporation. Come hear some backstory on one of the most powerful and influential building performance companies in North America.

This is the first interview in our new Builder Interview series. Join Jake and Steve as they talk with Chad Gessin of First Dunes about the challenges he faces as a builder on Long Island.

What is affordable housing? The answer is more nuanced than you would think. Tune in this week to hear Steve, Peter, and Jake talk about their idea of affordable housing.

Going Against the Grain - Permanent Wood Foundations Seriously? Aren't the terms "permanent" and "wood" used together below-grade a contradiction in terms? Turns out that if you honor the four continuous control layers below-grade on a foundation framed with pressure-treated wood, both the science and the construction actually work. Is the margin for error probably tighter...

Does that home need a floor? Of course. Does it need the assembly you were planning for? Maybe not. In this week’s podcast the crew discusses alternative means of construction that Jake and Steve have executed with great success.

Is it inside or outside? That is the crawl space question to ask. How do we know? How to decide? Tune in for this week’s UnBuild It Podcast to find out everything about crawl spaces.

The boys answer listener submitted questions this week.

It may sound like a vanity move for Jake to talk about all the homes in which he has lived (and it is) but it tells a story about the evolution of residential construction in the USA since 1960. From wood foundations to leaky basements to high performance homes, listen to Pete and Jake walk you through the choices.

You asked, we answered. The boys answer listener submitted questions this week. Don't like the answers? Ask the right questions. Don't forget you can send your questions to questions@unbuilditpodcast.com

Will Toyota and Honda actually change the building industry? We've been promised pre-fab will change the face of the building industry for 30 years...is it really the future?

A roof assembly can be one of the simplest and most complex parts of a building assembly. In this week’s podcast Steve, Jake, and Peter give an intro to roofs.

Above grade walls are among the most exposed assemblies of a building. They have to act as all four of your control layers and therefore they must be considered. Check out walls 101. Please excuse the audio issues, we are still learning and growing. Also, please excuse Steve Baczek for thinking Top Gun is the best movie in history. The Five Ages of Wood, by Michael O'Brien https://mjobrien.co...

Every home starts with a foundation. Every decision making process about the home should start in the same place. In this episode of the UnBuild It Podcast hosts Steve Baczek, Peter Yost, and Jake Bruton give a fantastic overview of their decision making process and philosophy behind the below grade assemblies of the homes we build.

Guest Travis Brungardt of Catalyst Construction talks building science, his passion for the trades, BS and Beer, and has a special announcement about the Midwest Building Science Symposium.

Guest Clayton DeKorne chats with Jake and Steve about our industry, publishing, and how the internet can get it wrong.

Peter, Jake, & Steve talk window install.

The National Fenestration Rating Council provides a window sticker that informs the buyer, installer, and code official as to what is happening with each window, door, or skylight. What does all of the information on that sticker mean?