Made To Build by HIA

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 

Good people are leaving worksites. Productivity cops it. Culture is usually why. In this episode, carpenter and Build Like a Girl founder Joanne “Jo” Farrell breaks down what actually keeps women—and good blokes—on the tools and in the industry. From lifting female participation at Kane Constructions ACT from 6 to 48 per cent, to fixing the behaviours that push apprentices out, Jo demolishes stereotypes and builds up the next gen of female builders. An eye-opening story on how site culture links directly to retention, safety and profit.

What can we learn from international cities to build more affordable, sustainable communities? Professor Philip Oldfield explains how 15-minute cities can influence the way we plan and build; and what the $10b Housing Australia Future Fund means for supply and affordability. He lays out the practical design choices, material decisions and planning moves that help builders improve their carbon footprint while still meeting rising housing demand.

Questions are welcome! Connect with Philip via

Email: p.oldfield@unsw.edu.au

Instagram: @sustainabletall

3D-printed homes are here thanks to Ballarat-based duo Paige Gercovich and Ash Quiddington from Dune Build, one of Australia’s first companies using 3D-printed concrete for housing. They break down the process from digital design to built form, explain what sets it apart from traditional builds. With any innovation, they share the wins (faster construction, less waste, more design freedom), plus the challenges of bringing new tech to market. Discover the future of Australian homes.

https://dunebuild.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/dunebuild/

https://au.linkedin.com/in/paige-gercovich-102406193

https://www.instagram.com/paigebuilds_/?hl=en

https://au.linkedin.com/in/ash-quiddington-9851b1335

Find out more about Made To Build: https://hia.com.au/hia-community/made-to-build-podcast

Go behind the scenes of the Surfside House in Avalon Beach, crowned 2024 HIA-CSR NSW Home of the Year. Builder Joel Jones shares the challenges and triumphs of crafting a coastal home built to stand the test of time. From hoisting 200kg sandstone blocks to designing floating breezeways and sourcing extra durable materials, discover what it takes to build a beach house that will still turn heads in the next 50+ years. Watch the full ep for a walkthrough of this luxury coastal masterpiece.

Find out more:

www.jjbuilding.net.au

@jjbuildingcompany

Architect and builder Sarah Waller shares how she built HIA's 2025 Australian Home of the Year in only 10 months. 'Blackwood' is a clean, monochromatic masterpiece set in lush Noosa. Refusing to be beat, she tackled months of rain, slopes, scale, detail, and pressure, crediting her trusted subbies along the way. This ep is a sharp look at full-project control, and how she finished a winner.

Branding that stands for something. A bible for your build quality. Leaders who lift the load. Ryan Goodwin from Mode Group lays out how to build a business that could run - or even sell - without you. It’s about honouring the craft, setting the bar, and backing your team. Tune in on how you can think beyond today’s job.

We pitched the mics on the expo floor at National Conference and squeezed three sharp chats into one hour: Merrick Watts – comic-turned-entrepreneur – on using pain as a growth gauge and turning your passions into business. Paige Gercovich spills on the move toward timber use in kitchens, playful tiles and calm, earthy palettes. Dean O’Rourke on new tech, cutting waste and making the trade shine for tomorrow’s workforce.

We rolled the mics to HIA National Conference and stitched three chats into a one-hour bonus ep. Featuring: Ian Hazan & Debbie Johnson (HIA Presidents) on backing members, cutting red tape, and the builder’s role in better housing. Dean Backman shows how he bumps a house from 7 to 10 stars with airtight testing, triple glazing, and smarter detailing. Oliver Burnell explains trading a desk job for site dust—and why the shift paid off.

Solar used to be a “nice‑to‑have.” Now tougher NCC energy‑efficiency targets are steering every new build toward full electrification. Anthony Igmen from Specialized Solar & Electrical lays out what that means on site - panels, batteries, EV chargers, subsidies, and the margins hiding in smart tech. We cover early‑stage design, ditching gas, and teaming up with the right sparkies. Tune in for tactics you can plug‑in to the next quote.

Visit specsolar.com.au or @specializedsolar on Instagram.

Luke Callery is a builder on a mission to make homes perform better — and help other builders do the same. In this ep, he shares how chasing the ‘one percenters’ changed the way he builds, runs his business, and connects with clients. From letting go of micromanaging, to tracking your numbers, to rethinking what makes a quality home - it’s full of small shifts that actually make a difference.@callerybuildingCallerybuilding.com.au