I’ve been in the residential construction sector since 1993 and pretty much the whole time I’ve been frustrated by the inefficiencies in it. I’ve started the Beyond the Guesstimate podcast with the objective of finding interesting people with ideas on how we can improve as an industry and as businesses within it.

So far I've spoken with Brent Chatterton on high performance building, Phil Dunbar on understanding your market, Dan Bell on funding your builds and Mike Macfie on achieving successful design outcomes. 

Episode 1:

In this first episode I talk with Brent Chatterton from Chatterton Homes in Rangiora. Brent is also constantly looking at ways to improve his business and the houses that he builds. He is a leading advocate for high performing houses in New Zealand.

Key learnings:

• Brent's Journey — From farm management at Lincoln University to a career in building high-performance homes.
• Balancing Budget and Design — Tips for homeowners to align their budgets with energy-efficient goals, including reducing home size without sacrificing performance.
• SIPs Construction — The advantages of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for airtightness, insulation, and reducing build time.
• Why Airtightness Matters — How airtightness testing could revolutionise New Zealand's building standards, reduce energy costs, and improve home health.
• Trends in Energy-Efficient Homes — How government regulations have shaped the market and what more needs to be done.