The Build Insite Podcast

Build Insite
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Welcome to the Build Insite Podcast – back with Season 2 and a renewed mission to bring you raw, practical building insights from across Australia and beyond. Led by a passionate team of builders and industry professionals, we explore the latest in construction techniques, design innovation, and the tools shaping modern building. But this isn’t just a trade chat — it’s a space for real stories, sharp lessons, and conversations that go beyond the build. Beginning Season 2, we’re doubling down on what matters: Smarter, healthier homes Business strategies that support better living Technology and systems that future-proof your work The balance between building, business, and well-being From high-performance homes to behind-the-scenes of iconic builds, we’re spotlighting the people, ideas, and challenges driving the industry forward. Whether you’re just starting out or leading your crew, you’ll find something valuable here — every week. Let’s build better, together.

  1. 21h ago

    #68 Paddock to Wool Insulation: High Peak Station with Hamish and Gemma

    This one goes back to where the insulation starts: on the sheep's back. After a morning touring the Terra Lana wool insulation factory, Luke and Dean head out to High Peak Station, just outside Christchurch at the foot of the Southern Alps, made possible by McCormacks Australia. Hamish and Gemma farm about 10,000 acres there, running 4,200 Perendale ewes alongside deer and beef cattle. Hamish explains why they breed Perendales, a small, hardy, dual-purpose New Zealand sheep with a bright white, hard-wearing wool, and how every fleece gets graded on micron, brightness, whiteness and length. The top grade goes into rugs that can be dyed any colour. The next step down is just as good in quality but not as pretty, and that's the grade Hamish reckons ends up in insulation. Gemma talks about building their home 15 years ago with young kids and asthma in the family, and why wool insulation and wool carpet were never in question. Dean shares his own story of living in a badly built, uninsulated house. Then it's on to where farming is heading: Halter collars on the cattle, phone cameras that weigh a sheep, and why young people who understand the technology now see farming as a cool industry to be in. Luke draws the same line to the trades. Dean finishes on the hard question: why should builders move away from fibreglass? Hamish's answer is that wool closes the loop. In his view it clears the air, it's flame retardant, and it breaks down in landfill within three years. His advice to anyone choosing products: don't get sold on the story, look at where they come from and where they end up. What you'll learn: - Where wool insulation starts, from the paddock to the factory - Why a hard-wearing Perendale fleece suits building products - How a fleece is graded, and which grade ends up in insulation - Why a family with asthma chose wool insulation and wool carpet - How AI and wearable technology are changing livestock farming - Hamish's case for wool over fibreglass Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:27 - Welcome to High Peak Station 01:00 - 10,000 acres of sheep, deer and cattle 01:46 - Breeding Perendales for meat and wool 02:55 - How a fleece is graded, and what goes into insulation 04:36 - Building a healthy home with wool 05:51 - Asthma and a badly built house 06:25 - Mould, and fibreglass in the roof 06:58 - Running the station: staff and working dogs 07:59 - AI and Halter collars on the farm 08:55 - Weighing sheep with a phone camera 10:21 - Genetics and EID tags 10:42 - Getting young people into farming 11:38 - The same problem in the trades 12:30 - Why wool over fibreglass 13:44 - Make a conscious choice 14:13 - Wrap up Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: Hamish and Gemma from High Peak Station Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  2. Sep 27

    #67 Inside a Finished Foreverbreathe Home: Whio Homes at Springfield with James and Leesa - Part 2

    Part two, and this time the house is finished, sited and lived in. An hour out of Christchurch at Springfield, Luke and Dean walk through a 70 square metre Whio Homes build with James and Leesa Anderson. It's an adaptation of their Piwakawaka design, delivered on the back of a truck just before Christmas and livable within four days of landing. Full Foreverbreathe spec: Terra Lana wool insulation, Magnum Board inside and out, LVL framing, a Knightons plantation eucalypt floor and thermally modified radiata cladding and decking. James explains why every fixing in the build is stainless, how a proprietary bracing panel keeps an engineer off the job, and why they stopped trying to make Magnum Board look like plasterboard and made a feature of the joins instead. Then the numbers. Energy modelling put a Foreverbreathe three bedroom at 25 per cent less power to heat than a standard build, and overheating at 0.1 per cent of the year against 8 per cent. One small split system does the whole house. James makes the case for why this isn't Passive House: no mechanical ventilation, no chasing airtightness, natural materials doing the work instead. What you'll learn: - Why every nail, screw and fixing in the build is stainless - How a finished house gets routed and trucked across the South Island at night - What 70 square metres actually gets you, and why it isn't a tiny home - Why they stopped fighting Magnum Board and made the joins a feature - The energy modelling numbers behind a Foreverbreathe home - Why Foreverbreathe doesn't chase airtightness the way Passive House does Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:20 - Springfield, an hour out of Christchurch 00:34 - A 70 square metre Piwakawaka adaptation 00:54 - Foreverbreathe spec and a Knightons eucalypt floor 01:24 - The attic space 01:38 - Terra Lana, Magnum Board and LVL 01:57 - Thermally modified decking02:20 - Delivered before Christmas on the back of a truck 02:41 - Moving houses at night and planning the route 03:46 - Getting a house to the West Coast 04:30 - Walking the house 04:51 - Gable vents and a roof space humidity vent 05:31 - Warm roof against cold roof 06:11 - The deck, the view and the client 06:45 - Ten to twelve weeks, and livable in four days 07:15 - Designing to the top of the snow load 08:26 - Why every fixing is stainless 09:47 - This is not a tiny home 10:56 - Thermally broken aluminium windows 11:09 - Bracing a big opening without an engineer 12:11 - Oil finishes against polyurethane 13:46 - Magnum Board floors, tiles and adhesives 15:00 - The V groove, and not fighting the product 17:32 - Attic storage in a small house 17:50 - What you get in 70 square metres 18:56 - A log burner for the power cuts 19:37 - Solar fitted at the yard 21:00 - When off grid beats a power connection 21:49 - One small split system for the whole house 22:06 - Full height doors 23:20 - Front doors and uPVC 24:55 - Foreverbreathe against Passive House 26:04 - The energy modelling numbers 27:14 - Why they don't chase airtightness 28:50 - Carbon, off cuts and end of life 30:46 - Wool insulation and the people installing it 31:58 - The bedrooms and the bathroom 32:40 - Hot water cylinders, inside or out 33:44 - Underfloor heating on a timber floor 38:05 - Scissor trusses and playing with volume 38:48 - Where to find Whio Homes 39:40 - What a whio actually is Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: James and Leesa Anderson from Whio Homes Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  3. Sep 20

    #67 Modular, Transportable and Foreverbreathe: Inside Whio Homes with James and Leesa - Part 1

    Day two of our New Zealand road trip, and this time the build site is under a canopy. Luke and Dean head out to Whio Homes in Christchurch, made possible by McCormacks Australia. James and Leesa Anderson build high performance modular and transportable homes out of a 100 foot container barn, and every one of them goes to the Foreverbreathe specification. They walk us through why they detail their own frames, how a finished house gets jacked up and trucked out over the fence, and how a team of five staff turns out 12 to 15 homes a year with room to more than double that on a second shift. James makes the case against building to code minimum, and explains why sealing homes up airtight has trapped the off-gassing from petrochemical products inside with the people living there. Then it's into the detail: LVL framing, Magnum Board as the rigid air barrier, Terra Lana wool insulation, clay-based paint, wool carpets, thermally modified cladding, and the jump in cost from aluminium to uPVC to timber windows. Leesa finishes on one of their biggest challenges: convincing clients that bigger isn't better. What you'll learn: - Why a canopy and shipping containers can do the job of a multi-million dollar factory - How a house leaves the yard fully finished and ready to connect on site - What goes into a Foreverbreathe wall, floor and ceiling - Why code minimum is the bare minimum, not the cost-effective option - Why the window frame matters as much as the double glazing - Why a smaller, better-performing home can be the better investment Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:42 - Day two in New Zealand: Whio Homes 01:00 - Inside the 100 foot container barn 01:24 - Detailing frames for a vertical sheet install 02:16 - Build height, transport and getting the house out 03:18 - Turnaround time and locking in selections early 04:21 - Why code minimum is the bare minimum 05:00 - Airtight homes and trapped off-gassing 05:39 - The Foreverbreathe materials list 07:19 - The dry bathroom from day one 07:53 - A small team and managing growth 08:41 - 12 to 15 homes a year, and scaling up 09:25 - Why a barn beats a multi-million dollar factory 11:02 - Piles, transport and setting the house on site 12:43 - Fully finished before it leaves the yard 13:23 - Delivered Tuesday, moved in by the weekend 14:04 - Second dwellings and granny flat enquiries 15:13 - Log burners and heating in the South Island 16:27 - Magnum Board, silica and finishes 18:04 - Cladding options 21:01 - Windows: aluminium, uPVC and timber 23:34 - Why bigger isn't better 25:03 - Floor plans and designing with the client 26:42 - Wrap up Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: James and Leesa Anderson from Whio Homes Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  4. Sep 13

    #66 Getting Trades on Board with a System That Won't Take Shortcuts with Kelly and Andrew from Premium Homes - Part 2

    A running shower, no fan, and a mirror that won't fog up. That's when the ForeverBreathe system stops being theory. We're still in Christchurch with Kelly and Andrew from Premium Homes for part two of our New Zealand road trip, made possible by McCormacks Australia. If you missed part one, go back and listen to that first. This time the conversation moves from the wall build-up to what it's actually like to live and work with the system. Kelly and Andrew unpack where the ForeverBreathe specification came from, why HealthBased Building owning it takes risk off the designer, and what the air quality monitors in their homes are picking up. A box of door handles, a courier bag, a bench being wiped down: all of it sends TVOC readings spiking, which raises the question of why we keep building with those materials in the first place. There's also an honest look at the hard part: getting plasterers and painters to follow a process that's slower and less forgiving than gypsum and acrylic, and why they now certify trades before letting them near the product. Plus the bathroom demo, the carbon numbers, and the answer to the question everyone asks: what does it cost? What you'll learn: - Why a tested specification shifts risk away from the designer and builder - What everyday items are doing to the air inside your home, and why Green Star and Homestar don't measure it - How to get trades on board with a product that won't tolerate shortcuts - Why a ForeverBreathe bathroom stays warm and dry without the fan running - How Magnum board and wool insulation keep pulling carbon for years after handover - The real cost premium over minimum code, and where the payback comes from Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:21 - Where the ForeverBreathe specification came from 01:44 - Performing homes vs healthy homes 02:33 - Live air quality readings inside the home 03:45 - Off-gassing paint and the four-week sore eyes 04:42 - Door handles, courier bags and TVOC spikes 06:05 - Why Green Star and Homestar don't test for this 07:25 - Getting plasterers and painters to follow the process 09:20 - Why trades need certification to work with the system 11:50 - Keeping installation in-house 12:28 - The bathroom test: no humidity, no fogged mirror 16:05 - Why the bathroom is never the cold room 17:13 - Free heat from moisture: 1.4 watts per square metre 18:38 - Homes that keep sequestering carbon after handover 20:40 - What does a ForeverBreathe home cost? 21:53 - Life away from the tools 22:45 - Advice for young builders and apprentices 24:35 - What's next for Premium Homes 25:46 - Wrap up Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: Kelly and Andrew from Premium Homes NZ 🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.  Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  5. Sep 6

    #66 Build Insite Goes to New Zealand: The ForeverBreathe System with Kelly and Andrew from Premium Homes - Part 1

    First time the Build Insite Podcast has left Australian soil. And we've landed in Christchurch for a good reason. This one's a special episode. Luke and Dean have packed the mics and headed across the ditch for a New Zealand road trip, made possible by McCormacks Australia. Huge shout out to Glenn and the McCormacks team for getting us over here. We're recording inside the Premium Homes display home in Christchurch, and a lot of the products you'll hear about are already available in Australia through McCormacks. Our guests are Kelly and Andrew, school mates turned business partners who started Premium Homes nearly 20 years ago after Kelly, a sparky by trade, got sick of wiring houses that weren't plumb or square. They walk us through what the Christchurch earthquakes did to the local industry, how New Zealand's leaky home crisis unfolded, and why the push for airtight homes is setting up the next round of problems: sweaty walls, hidden mould and what the Americans have called sick building syndrome for two decades. Then it's into the ForeverBreathe system itself. Magnum board inside and out, wool insulation in the middle, breathable paint, and no vapour barrier at all. It goes against everything most builders were taught, but the numbers on moisture handling, R value stability and energy performance are hard to argue with. What you'll learn: - Why individually approved products can still fail as a system - How wool insulation holds moisture without losing its R value, and why fibreglass doesn't - What Magnum board does that plasterboard and building wrap can't - Why a breathable wall keeps timber drier than a sealed one - Who carries the risk when a designer specifies a wall build-up, and how a tested specification changes that Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 00:33 - Build Insite lands in Christchurch 01:26 - Meet Kelly and Andrew from Premium Homes 02:42 - How the Christchurch earthquakes changed construction 03:56 - Approved products, untested systems 05:37 - What caused New Zealand's leaky home crisis 07:38 - Sweaty homes, mould and sick building syndrome 09:36 - Inside the ForeverBreathe wall system 11:07 - Wool insulation vs fibreglass: moisture and R value 14:05 - Letting moisture move through the wall 16:16 - Why there's no building wrap 17:28 - Putting Magnum board to the test 18:50 - Where's the education on moisture and mould? 20:26 - Getting designers and builders to change 21:58 - Who owns the risk in a wall specification 23:08 - Wrap up Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: Kelly and Andrew from Premium Homes NZ 🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.  Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  6. Aug 30

    #65 AI, Systems and Never Stop Asking Questions with Matt and Jake from MS Constructions - Part 2

    Two years out of his time and Jake's already running boys on site. Matt reckons the trick isn't finding good tradies, it's giving them a reason to stay. Part 2 with Matt and Jake from MS Constructions picks up on what happens after the apprenticeship ends. Jake talks about stepping into project management, learning the construction manager's side of the job, and copping the odd older tradie who walks straight past him to talk to someone who looks the part. Matt gets into the systems side of the business. He's brought WonderBuild and AI into MS Constructions with help from Adam at WonderOps, and his crew are now running site diaries, photos and timesheets from their phones. His reasoning is simple: automate the background so the office team can spend more actual time with clients. There's also a solid stretch on why builders need to stop hiding. Matt's built a network of builders around Australia he can ring about anything, and both he and the hosts make the case that asking the same question to a different person is often what finally makes it click. What You'll Learn - What the first few years after qualifying actually look like on site - How incentive structures can keep good carpenters in your business - Why upskilling your trades matters as much as upskilling your own team - How site diaries, photos and AI are changing rural building operations - Why Matt says business coaching changed his business tenfold - What both blokes would tell someone thinking about picking up the tools Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 00:18 – Life After the Apprenticeship 01:33 – Earning Respect as a Young Leader on Site 02:22 – Incentives and Keeping Good People 02:53 – Building Team Culture Outside of Work 03:51 – The Four Hour Drive and What It Says About Education 05:13 – Upskilling Your Trades, Not Just Your Carpenters 05:51 – AI, WonderBuild and Site Systems 08:28 – How WonderOps Helped Matt Get Started 09:35 – Knowing Your Strengths and Asking for Help 10:46 – Why You Should Ask the Same Question Twice 12:24 – Life Outside the Business 13:52 – The Changes Exciting Them Most Right Now 14:31 – Advice for Anyone Starting Out 15:38 – Where to Find MS Constructions Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: Matt & Jake  from MS Constructions 🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. 🌐 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  7. Aug 23

    #65 Culture, Code Changes and Building Better with Matt and Jake from MS Constructions - Part 1

    Five carpenters. Four hours in the car. One day off the tools. That's what education looks like when a builder actually means it. Matt from MS Constructions has driven his team down from the Vic and New South Wales border to the Bowens Rethink Building Hub, and he's brought his qualified chippies and construction manager with him. Joining him is Jake, who did his apprenticeship under Matt and has since watched two major NCC changes land inside his first few years on the tools. In Part 1, Matt talks openly about scaling the business back, why turnover stopped being the scoreboard, and how hiring for attitude instead of skill changed the way his crew shows up every day. Jake shares what it was like coming through an apprenticeship with no clue what he wanted to do, and what he's learning now about condensation, wraps and passive principles that simply weren't taught a few years ago. There's also an honest conversation about mistakes. Matt reckons he doesn't trust a builder who says they've never had a problem, and he explains why pulling failed work apart with his team has become one of the most valuable training exercises in the business. What You'll Learn: - Why hiring for attitude beats hiring for skill, and how culture holds a small team together - What scaling back actually did for build quality, client selection and stress levels - How working across two state licences forces a higher building standard - Why involving your whole team in code changes takes the pressure off the builder - How social media has become a client filter and a training tool at the same time - What condensation, mould and the NCC changes mean for builders who haven't updated their practices Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 00:42 – Meet Matt and Jake from MS Constructions 01:26 – Building Across Two State Borders 03:28 – Why Matt Brought His Whole Team Four Hours 05:06 – Jake's Apprenticeship Journey 06:53 – How the Business Has Changed 08:44 – Hiring for Attitude and Team Culture 09:54 – Scaling Back and Choosing Quality Over Turnover 11:17 – Using Social Media to Attract the Right Clients 13:00 – Learning From Mistakes and Failed Work 14:28 – NCC Changes, Wraps and Condensation 16:25 – Why Builder Education Isn't Optional Hosts: Dean Backman & Luke Callery Guests: Matt & Jake  from MS Constructions 🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. 🌐 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

  8. Aug 16

    #64 The Client's Perspective: Communication, Handover and What They'd Do Differently with Zoe and Andrew – Part 2

    Day one on site, and there's asbestos. What happens in the next ten minutes tells a homeowner more about their builder than anything in the tender. In this second half of the conversation at Callery Creek House, Zoe and Andrew get into the part of a build that most people only understand in hindsight: how communication actually works between a homeowner and a builder, and what happens when it doesn't. We recorded this on handover day, with the keys about to change hands, so everything is still fresh. They share the advice they'd give anyone about to sign a building contract, from working out your own values before you start researching, to visiting an open home and talking to a builder's current client. There's also a warning about builders juggling too many sites at once, and a strong case for getting every site meeting decision confirmed in writing. It's not all process. Zoe wrote a blessing and had it embedded in the concrete pour, which landed at the threshold by pure chance, and a gum leaf left a perfect stencil in the burnished slab that they chose to keep. We also talk about the night Zoe found herself at the Master Builders National Awards as a current client, watching her own builder go up on stage. What you'll learn: - Why the first problem on site tells you more about your builder than the sales pitch - How to set a communication rhythm before you sign, and why it should be in the contract conversation - Why documenting site meeting outcomes in writing protects both sides, not just one - What to ask about a builder's workload and site supervision before you commit - Why locking in selections before construction takes stress off the critical path Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Advice for homeowners choosing a builder 00:53 Do your research and visit a site 02:42 Why communication makes or breaks a build 03:21 Day one and the asbestos discovery 04:18 Agreeing a meeting rhythm before signing 05:53 Why everything needs to be documented 08:32 A blessing in the concrete pour 12:14 The gum leaf in the slab 13:53 The Master Builders Awards night 16:14 Tips for homeowners starting a build 18:49 Why your builder's workload matters 21:23 What they wish they'd known 22:13 The two week look ahead and the whiteboard 25:13 What they'd do differently 25:50 Getting selections done early 26:49 What this home means to them 28:14 Wrap up 🎧 Listen to the Build Insite Podcast on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. 🌐 Explore more at: https://buildinsite.com.au/ 📸 Follow us on Instagram: @build.insite

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About

Welcome to the Build Insite Podcast – back with Season 2 and a renewed mission to bring you raw, practical building insights from across Australia and beyond. Led by a passionate team of builders and industry professionals, we explore the latest in construction techniques, design innovation, and the tools shaping modern building. But this isn’t just a trade chat — it’s a space for real stories, sharp lessons, and conversations that go beyond the build. Beginning Season 2, we’re doubling down on what matters: Smarter, healthier homes Business strategies that support better living Technology and systems that future-proof your work The balance between building, business, and well-being From high-performance homes to behind-the-scenes of iconic builds, we’re spotlighting the people, ideas, and challenges driving the industry forward. Whether you’re just starting out or leading your crew, you’ll find something valuable here — every week. Let’s build better, together.

Information

  • Creator
    Build Insite
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Build Insite Podcast

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