The Fine Homebuilding Podcast - Fine Homebuilding Magazine

Latest Episodes:

#699: Electrify Everything, Big Interior Doors, and Straw Bale Construction Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

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.

Tune in to Episode 699 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

Heat detectors and how to wire them for greater safety
Using large sliding doors to separate large interior spaces.
The pros, cons and cos of strawbale buildings

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 699

➡️ Learn about the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit

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#698: Price Volatility, Carbon Accounting, and Building Off-Grid Aug 15, 2025

Show notes

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 the energy demands on an off-grid house.

Tune in to Episode 698 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

Estimating the costs of construction when prices change near daily
Is it time to consider carbon accounting for every build
How do you find a good roofer or GC in a sea of mediocrity

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 698

➡️ Learn about the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

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#697: Sound Control, Insulating Shed Roofs, and Low-Yield Wells Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

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 control challenges and solutions
How to insulate and ventilate shed roofs and
What's a low-yield well and strategies for increasing available water

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 697

➡️ Learn about the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

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#696: Fire Prevention, Heat Pumps and Extreme Temperatures, and Rain in Gable Vents Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

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:

Preventing house fires through smart design
Is there a drop in heat pump performance in very hot conditions
Is there a way to prevent rain from coming in gable vents

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 696

➡️ Learn about the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

#695: Saving Bricks, Cut and Cobble Insulation, and Waterproofing Foundations Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

Ian, Brian, and producer Cari Delahanty join Patrick in talking about

Tune in to Episode 695 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

What to do with the bricks from a demolished chimney
Is it okay to cut and cobble rigid insulation in roof assemblies
Foundation waterproofing and its effect on concrete

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 695

➡️ Learn about the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

#694: Bath Fans, Too Many Minisplits, and Second-Story Additions Jul 18, 2025

Show notes

Ian and Randy join Patrick in talking about how a lack of makeup air limits ventilation effectiveness and why a builder might install seven minisplits in a typically-sized home. They talk about the challenges of add-a-level additions and how to keep the water out during construction.

Tune in to Episode 694 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

Effective ventilation using bath fans
The pros and cons of using minisplits for heating and cooling
Off-site panels and modules for add-a-level additions

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 694

➡️ Learn about the 2025 Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

#693: Hazards in Houses, Larsen Trusses, AI in Construction Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Jerry says to look for hazardous materials when considering fixer-uppers. Ryan asks about building Larsen trusses. Daniel asks if there's a place for AI in construction. Ian, Brian and Patrick help listeners with their building questions and talk about what's new in the world of residential construction and Fine Homebuilding.

Tune in to Episode 693 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

What are Larsen trusses and how to build them
Hazardous materials that might be found in a fixer-upper
Figuring out how AI can help build better buildings

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 693

➡️ Learn about the Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

#692: Introduction to Trade Work, Embodied Carbon, and Envelope Improvements Jul 04, 2025

Show notes

Brian, Grant and Patrick hear about a renewed interest in trade education and consider carbon accounting in the Canadian Building Code before discussing envelope improvements for an old houses.

Tune in to Episode 692 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

Does green accounting belong in building codes
What are the risks of insulating a roof with rigid insulation
The right way to approach envelope improvements in an old house

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 692

➡️ Learn about the Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

#691: Replacing Vinyl Siding, Sloping Concrete, and Flat vs. Pitched Roofs Jun 27, 2025

Show notes

Ryan describes living with a ground-source heat pump. Zack says there are better options than bronze for weatherstripping. David asks about replacing his vinyl siding and fixing a slab that slopes the wrong way. Jeff wonders why house have pitched roof and commercial building have flat roofs.

Ian, Brian and Patrick discuss what's new in Fine Homebuilding and Podcast feedback before answering listener questions.

Tune in to Episode 691 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about:

Ground source heat pumps and their operation
What's a good-looking and durable siding to replace tired vinyl
Why don't more houses have flat roofs

Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com.

➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 691

➡️ Learn about the Fine Homebuilding Summit

➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media:

Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

#690: Sharpening Chisels, Running Wires Behind Baseboard, and Fixing Shingle Panels Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Dack says build a fireplace and enjoy it. Chip asks about the best ways to sharpen chisels. Kit wonders if there's a way to easily change and upgrade wiring using existing baseboard. The crew talks about the pluses and drawbacks of cedar shingle panels

Mike and Grant help Patrick answer listener questions and talk about the challenges to building and remodeling houses.

Tune in to Episode 690 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: