Planning a home renovation or extension? The decisions you make before building starts can have the biggest impact on your budget, your timeline and how well your home works for you.

In Episode 7 of The Healthy House Podcast, Aaron sits down with architect Alexandra to explore what makes a successful building project, from understanding your family’s lifestyle to making informed decisions about design and construction.

Alexandra explains why a good architect asks questions, challenges assumptions and helps you explore the potential of your existing home before adding more space.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Creating a clear brief and designing around how you actually live.
• Getting costs, surveys and specialist advice at the right stage.
• Using 3D models to understand your space before work begins.
• Choosing the right builder and the importance of contracts, communication and agreed payment schedules.
• Managing changes during construction and understanding their knock-on effects.
• Renovating older properties with a fabric-first approach to insulation, ventilation and energy efficiency.
• Futureproofing your home for changing family needs.

To finish, Alexandra shares her Healthy House Checklist: assess the space you already have, think about your future needs and take the time to get the brief right.

Whether you’re planning a small extension, a full renovation or a new home, this conversation offers practical insight into making informed decisions throughout your project.

The Healthy House Podcast, brought to you by Weatherwise.
Produced by Crawford & Beattie.