Most people never think about how a hallway, a doorway or a light fitting can influence someone's wellbeing. But for people with higher care needs, those design decisions can make the difference between simply living in a house and truly feeling at home.

Ron Choi and Andrew Mantoufeh from Clover Homes discuss how they're delivering award-winning specialised housing that balances complex compliance requirements with thoughtful, human-centred design. Their Thornleigh Group Home for dementia patients won 2025 Specialised Home of the Year; and was carefully designed to feel warm, familiar and residential while meeting the accessibility, fire safety and operational requirements of Class 3 buildings.

They also share what every residential builder can learn from specialised housing, from designing for ageing in place and multigenerational living to creating homes that better support independence, dignity and quality of life as Australia's population continues to age.

Connect

 cloverhomes.com.au

 Instagram: @cloverhomes

 Facebook: Clover Homes

Australians have long dreamed of a house on a quarter-acre block, but housing challenges are shifting the traditional Australian Dream. Ben and Marie Doyle from Fiducia join the podcast to discuss why apartments and medium-density housing are becoming an increasingly important part of our country’s housing future.

They unpack the realities of delivering successful apartment projects, from feasibility and financial viability to planning approvals, zoning challenges, and balancing buyer expectations with construction costs. 

What does that look like? Good density isn't simply about building more homes — it's about creating communities, improving liveability, and designing places where people genuinely want to live.

We also talk about how the industry can rebuild trust in apartment construction, what developers and builders often underestimate when entering the apartment market, and why more builders may need to understand development opportunities as housing demand continues to grow.

Connect 

 fiducia.com.au 

 LinkedIn: Ben Doyle 

 LinkedIn: Marie Doyle 

Luke De Vries and Lara Maeseele take us behind the build of Nebraska House, the 2025 HIA Tasmania Home of the Year. Set on a remote beachfront site on Bruny Island, Tasmania, the project required careful planning to balance architecture, construction, environmental conditions and complex logistics. 

They discuss how the project responded to the site's harsh coastal conditions, the challenges of building remotely with ferry access and limited resources. 

Luke and Lara also explore the role of materiality throughout the home, from the extensive use of Tasmanian Oak to the decisions that helped create a warm, durable retreat designed to stand the test of time. 

Along the way, they share lessons for builders tackling architecturally ambitious projects, why simplicity is often harder to execute than complexity, and what it really takes to create a home that feels completely connected to its environment. 

Connect 

 cwdconstruction.com.au 

 laramaeseele.com 

 Instagram: @cwdconstruction 

 Instagram: @laramaeseele_architect

Keeping good apprentices is one of the biggest challenges for any building business.

Peter Wright, 2025 HIA NSW Apprentice Host of the Year, shares the practical strategies he uses to build a team that sticks around. From structured onboarding and clear expectations, to genuine relationships on and off site, he explains how creating the right culture improves retention, accountability and performance.

He also shares the leadership lessons from his own apprenticeship and why something as simple as a weekly gym session helps keep apprentices engaged, accountable and on site.

If you're looking to reduce turnover and build a stronger, more committed team, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can put into action.

Facebook: Wright Building & Carpentry

Running a family business sounds good – until big decisions, pressure, and different opinions hit. Geoff Harrison and Mitch Harrison get into the reality of working father and son – how they handle decision-making, where they coordinate and clash, and how they’ve managed the business handover as Geoff steps back, and Mitch steps up. It’s a straight look at keeping the business moving without blowing up the relationship.

They also unpack the shift from old-school craftsmanship to modern systems, what’s worth changing and what isn’t. Plus, how business standards, habits, and expectations get passed down to the next crew. This is more than a family business handover – it's legacy.

Father-son dynamic

Tradition vs innovation

Stepping up

Mentorship and legacy

Connect

👉 Harrisonsjoinery.com.au

👉 Instagram: harrisons_joinery

👉 FB: harrisonsjoinerywagga

How does Tempo Living get clients to site in 10 weeks? Jeremy Whiting breaks down how they hit a 10-day tender, 10-week site start, and how they offer a guaranteed delivery time. He chats on how efficiency actually shows up day to day and where the real cost savings are. Jeremy also gets into how those same decisions drive better sustainability on-site - less waste, smarter layouts, and practical material choices that don’t blow the budget. Tune into this conversation goldmine: - Why standardisation creates efficiency - The hidden cost of delays for homeowners - Sustainable building without compromising affordability - The power of saying “no” to protect systems and quality - AI’s future role in the building industry - Why apprenticeships and trades still offer incredible opportunities Connect 👉 Insta: @tempo.living 👉 FB: @tempoliving 👉 LinkedIn: Jeremy Whiting Tempoliving.com.au

Most custom builders are still reinventing the wheel on every job - and it’s costing time, margin, and headspace. Lee Selkrig and Sam Piasente from Enso Homes, break down the practical habits they’ve pulled from volume builders to tighten things up and deliver architectural homes at scale. From clearer scopes, an Entrepreneurial Operating System, and using suppliers that they love, they have built a business that delivers homes with a custom edge. They talk through the lessons learned from scaling too quickly during the HomeBuilder boom, why they intentionally pulled back from doing 50 homes a year, and how team structure carry the load when things get busy. Lee and Sam also unpack the broader challenges facing the construction industry — from affordability pressures and workforce shortages to maintaining resilience in an increasingly demanding market. The conversation is packed with practical insights for builders trying to grow sustainably. Connect 👉 Insta: @ensohomes 👉 FB: @ensohomes YouTube: @ensohomesgeelong 👉 LinkedIn: Lee Selkrig, Sam Piasente https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-selkrig-6664b0119 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-piasente-2216b9117/ https://ensohomes.com.au/

Can builders use AI like an apprentice? This is AI for builders explained. In this episode, business strategist Therese Tarlinton breaks down what’s actually worth applying from the AI hype. 

From quoting and variations to client communication and paperwork, discover how AI can help builders save hours each week, reduce admin, and improve speed and consistency across jobs. 

AI isn’t here to replace builders - it’s here to scale them. Therese name-drops the tools to use, and how to train AI on your processes and standards so your business becomes less dependent on you. You’ll also learn how AI can analyse your jobs and identify which ones actually make you money today. 

Connect  

👉 LinkedIn: @theresetarlinton

The client wanted a wine cellar. It turned into a full-scale Home of the Year build. 

Mark Supple from Mazzei breaks down delivering a complex home on a windswept Red Hill (Victoria) site, with winery views one side and ocean the other. He covers planning, trade coordination, cantilevered concrete, and 50,000 bricks over a 23-month build - while keeping the client’s vision intact. 

There’s straight advice for builders taking on bigger, more complex jobs - watch and take something back to site.

Discover more at:

Mazzei.com.au

@mazzeihomes

Housing policy, planning constraints and industry ego are stalling the homes we actually need.  

Architect AJ Bala, Director of DNA Architects, unpacks why the “missing middle” — duplexes, townhouses and low-rise apartments — remains critically undersupplied, and what needs to change to fix it.  

With over 20 years across residential and commercial projects, AJ brings a grounded, real-world perspective to medium-density done properly — beyond glossy renders and into what actually gets built. He also chats on how builders can drive real industry change through committees. 

In this episode, we cover: 

• Designing smarter to reduce build costs  

• The ‘Missing Middle’ explained  

• Multi-generational living and medium density done properly  

• Why approvals drag out for months  

• Getting community on board with gentrification  

• How policy affects what actually gets built  

• How builders can drive real change through committees  

• AI in architectural practice  

Connect with AJ: 

👉 Insta: @dna_architects 

👉 FB: @DNAArchitectsCanberra 

👉 LinkedIn: Ajanthan Bala