#040 - Could building materials be affecting your health and making you sick? Zara D’Cotta is a Building Biology New Build Consultant, Keynote Speaker & Founder of The Healthy Home. She discovered her passion for environmental health after going through cancer. Through her own experiences with environmental illness, including four years on the move from one ‘unhealthy’ home to the next, and extensive research, Zara realised unhealthy homes are making us sick. She decided to learn all she cou...
Oct 19, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 40
#039 - Rick Smith (and his wife Shani) is one of the Founders of tiny house builders, Havenwood Tiny Homes, who are based in Albion Park and Oak Flats on the South Coast of NSW. Havenwood wants to provide people the opportunity to live simply. They make it their mission to serve their clients well, to provide homes that bring life and joy to their owners. Taking all of their combined years of building experience, their love of interiors that spark authentic living, bringing in handmade and bespo...
Oct 12, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 39
#038 - Mieke and Tom Lashford are tiny housers based in the Noosa Hinterland in Queensland and have created their tiny life on a hobby homestead. Their journey to transitioning from living a life stuck in the rat race working 6 days a week and paying a big mortgage in a life not aligned, to moving to tiny house living and building a hobby farm in the Noosa hinterland and creating a space for connection and living simpler and more connected to nature. Mieke and Tom were previously living in a sec...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 38
#037 - Thiago Perrone is the Managing Director of tiny house builders, Aussie Tiny Houses, based on the Sunshine Coast of QLD. Aussie Tiny Houses are passionate about tiny living and providing alternatives to the current housing market. Their team of industry experts has been designing and building Tiny Houses in Australia since 2017. They specialize in optimizing small spaces and designing beautiful, practical and affordable living solutions to help you create your Tiny House vision. In this co...
Sep 28, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 37
#036 - Walk with me through my tiny house design process in this "solocast" episode. Here’s what I shared: Why I chose to go with Designer Eco Tiny Homes to build my tiny How I prepared for the custom design process, including resources I used and notes I made The layout of rooms in my tiny home Some features I had to have when it comes to creating a healthy home environment Other features in each area of my home Which composting toilet, natural mattress and bedframe I chose, and which natural p...
Sep 21, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 36
#035 - Have you felt uncertain about how to approach the custom design process of your tiny home? Danielle Dooley is the Custom Designer for the tiny building company, Designer Eco Tiny Homes, based on the South Coast of NSW. Danielle has a background in architecture and interior decorating. She has designed/built over 70 tiny homes with Designer Eco Tiny Homes and is passionate about working with their custom clients to create unique and bespoke spaces. Danielle and I worked together on the cus...
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 35
#034 - If you've ever thought you were too old to build a tiny house or buy land, this one's for you! Mel Sparkles is a tiny houser from the Sunshine Coast in QLD. With a lifelong passion dedicated to tiny spaces, traditionally a Graphic Designer, Mel went on to study Building Design, Interior Design and Construction. After helping with other tiny house builds, Mel started building her own tiny house in 2020 which she has recently moved into. Mel hosts the Facebook groups Tiny Houses Brisbane &a...
Sep 07, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 34
#033 - Grant Emans is the founder of Designer Eco Tiny Homes, tiny house builders based in Ulladulla on the South Coast of NSW. If you’ve been listening to the show for a while, you’ll know that Designer Eco is building my own tiny home! In this conversation we talk about: Grant’s story and background in the construction industry and how he came to specialise in tiny house builds The shifts Grant has seen in the tiny house world from when he started building tiny homes and what’s currently prese...
Aug 31, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 33
#032 - What are electromagnetic fields (EMFs), how can they affect your health and how can you reduce exposure in your tiny home? These are just some of the questions we answer in today’s episode with my returning guest Amie Skilton. Amie is a Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist, Certified Mould Technician and is currently completing her studies as an EMF Testing Technician. Just like we discussed with Amie in episode #28 all about mould and the importance of a healthy home environment, today’s ...
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 32
#031 - Sarah & Scott Rohdich are tiny housers living off-grid as well as the co-owners of the tiny house builders, Häuslein, based in Port Macquarie in NSW. Company Story: "Häuslein Tiny House Co. was founded in early 2018 by four friends with a shared passion to make a big impact in people's lives. We believe life is for living and enjoying. It’s about relationships and building a lifestyle that has time for the little things. We want to live and promote the less-stressed life where we can ...
Aug 17, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 31
#030 - Adam Hickman is a carpenter and natural building practitioner originally from the UK and now based in Victoria, who lived in a converted tiny house truck with his family several years ago. These days Adam and his family live in a strawbale house he constructed himself. Adam also runs a tiny building company called Evergreen Homes. In this conversation we talk about: What it’s like to live in a converted tiny house truck constructed with 85% recycled materials Adam’s experiences of living ...
Aug 10, 2022•56 min•Ep. 30
#029 - Jesse Anyan is the Managing Director of Kingdomes, who are Glamping Dome specialists that serve as eco-accommodation structures and more... Transforming your HOME life into a DOME life. In this conversation we talk about: All about what glamping domes are, what they’re made from, how long they last, how to care for them, etc The multi-purpose uses of these Kingdomes models What the deal is with domes and council regulations How you can connect with power, water, sewage and off-grid soluti...
Aug 03, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 29
#028 - Building a healthy home includes preventing moisture and mould growth. In a small space, it's especially important to mould-proof your tiny home. Amie Skilton is a Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist and qualified Mould Testing Technician. As a former Functional Medicine Practitioner of 18 years, Amie’s view of root-cause medicine was forever altered as a result of an environmentally acquired illness. In 2017, after developing Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), she discovered ...
Jul 27, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 28
#027 - Joe Arnesen is the co-founder of tiny house builders LJM Tiny Homes (Formerly LJM Carpentry & Construction) along with his business partner and expert builder, Luke McGurgen. LJM are based on the Sunshine Coast of QLD and build the most stunning tiny houses! I really got to feel the depth of care, authenticity, and genuine desire to help people build the home of their dreams through talking with Joe. In this conversation we talk about: The benefits of choosing a tiny building company ...
Jul 20, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 27
#026 - I asked 13 Tiny Housers the question, "What's one of the most valuable lessons you've learned from tiny house living?" In this special compilation episode, I'm sharing their answers with you, so you can take their insights into your own tiny house journey. You'll hear topics such as... Conscious consumption, use of resources and our impact on the Earth Intentional living, simplifying and slowing life down What we do and DON'T need to be happy Self-sufficiency and resilience Designing a sp...
Jul 13, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 26
#025 - Decisions, decisions, decisions… So many to make when designing and building or buying a tiny house and living the tiny lifestyle. Where do you start? Ethan Waldman is a tiny houser from Burlington, Vermont, USA. He is a tiny house author, speaker, and teacher. He built his own tiny house on wheels in 2012, and has been passionately helping future tiny house dwellers on their own journeys ever since. Ethan’s guide, Tiny House Decisions , has helped thousands of readers answer the big ques...
Jul 06, 2022•59 min•Season 1Ep. 25
#024 - In an industry that's largely male-dominant, I'm continually inspired when I meet women in carpentry and tiny house building. Marie Beringer is a tiny houser originally from France, and is living in Auckland, New Zealand. Marie DIY built her tiny home with the help of some friends and is currently doing an apprenticeship in carpentry. Marie’s DIY story is inspiring! In this conversation we talk about: Where to start when it comes to DIY building a tiny house Marie’s off-grid setup and the...
Jun 29, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 24
#023 - Can you see yourself living in a tiny house community? Jimmy Hirst is a tiny houser from the Sunshine Coast of QLD who runs the organisation, Polkadot, supporting sustainable and community-based living. Jimmy is a passionate, self-professed social entrepreneur and social engineer actively working in advocating for and helping transition the mainstream population to more sustainable & socially connective communities ("Eco Villages") to help improve quality of life for all people as wel...
Jun 22, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 23
#022 - Looking for an easier way to create your tiny house plans and design? Laurin Buch, Eujenne Claxton and Till Buch are the Co-Founders of Tiny Easy, a tiny house design company based in Auckland, New Zealand. The driving force behind Tiny Easy is to encourage and inspire other tiny house enthusiasts to take the leap and get into their tiny house faster. They believe that tiny homes can unlock a lifestyle of financial freedom, sustainability, and time freedom that we all crave! It's Tiny Eas...
Jun 15, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 22
#021 - What do the Tiny House Regulations say about long-term tiny house living? Elle Paton is a tiny houser living in St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria. Elle is also a Co-founder of Tiny Non-Profit, a Co-founder of the Australian Tiny House Association, and most recently, Co-founder of the new platform Littlefoot - a platform for small footprint housing in Australia. She works as a consultant within the industry and heads up the Australian Tiny Houses Facebook Community. Living in her St Kilda su...
Jun 08, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 21
#020 - Can you build a tiny house with no experience? Yes, you can! Cris Edwards and Bryh Joy are two middle-aged single mums, besties, interior designers, and now tiny home builders based in Tweed Heads in NSW. Cris & Bryh see and feel the housing affordability crisis and want to be part of the revolution. This first tiny home is being built on spec and they are filming and sharing the entire journey. As two renters who are terrified of having to move again and unable to afford to buy...the...
Jun 01, 2022•54 min•Season 1Ep. 20
#019 - In Australia, many areas around the country are bushfire-prone, and Tom Coupe is the perfect person to talk about bushfire resilience and tiny homes. Tom is a construction artist from Victoria. He has been working in the Tiny House industry for 7 years, and for 4 years he has been focusing on building bushfire-resilient Tinys. Tom has lived Tiny, lived off-grid, and spent most of his life living in and around bushfire zones and fire-affected communities. He has recently displayed some of ...
May 25, 2022•57 min•Season 1Ep. 19
#018 - What’s the deal with financing a tiny house? Today I’m speaking with Paul Pritchett, a finance broker from Victoria and the founder of Great Escape Finance , Australia’s #1 Tiny House Finance Company. Paul has a passion for sustainable living and aims to help those in any non-standard living arrangements, such as tiny homes, off-grid, community living, and shipping container homes. In this conversation we discuss: All about Great Escape Finance and the lending solutions available for tiny...
May 18, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 18
#017 - Should I build a Tiny House or a Shipping Container Home? What's the difference? Brenda Kelly is the founder of IQ Container Homes and lives in Taupo, New Zealand. She has plenty of experience living in shipping container homes and is passionate about design and space optimisation. Brenda has built a reputation for being an expert in container-based design and construction. In this conversation we talk about: Brenda’s journey living in different shipping container homes Benefits of contai...
May 11, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 17
#016 - What kind of composting toilet should I get for my tiny house? This is one of the most common questions I hear and I've decided to speak with different people on the show to share their real-life, practical experiences with different models and types of composting toilets. Kathy and Matt McMillan are tiny housers from the mid-North Coast of NSW and who were on the podcast back in episode #009 . I’ve asked Kathy and Matt to join us again to dive deeper into their own composting toilet expe...
May 04, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 16
#015 - How do you work out what type of composting toilet or greywater system is right for your tiny home? Today I’m speaking with Anthony Smith who is an Environmental Engineer and the Founder & Director of Water Wally , based in Western Australia. Water Wally are Australia’s leading environmentally conscious wastewater management specialists. You’ll hear lots of passion and valuable insights from Anthony as we dive into composting toilets, greywater systems and wastewater management. In th...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 15
#014 - So you want to go off the grid in your tiny house and you might be wondering, what kind of solar system set-up and equipment do I need? How much will it cost? And where do I start? Today I’m speaking with Matt Porter, who is a Standalone Power System Designer, Installer, Battery Tech and Wise Guy from SAE Group (Solar, Aircon, Electrical), who are based in Northern NSW and South-East Queensland. I was introduced to Matt by my past guests from episode #009 , Matt and Kathy McMillan, who ar...
Apr 20, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 14
#013 - Have you wondered what it's like to share a small space with others and navigate a relationship in a tiny home? Today I'm chatting with Anthony Hill and Kirra Springs, tiny housers living in the Northern Rivers of NSW. Kirra is a silversmith and Anthony is an environmental educator and they’ve been living off-grid in a tiny home for over three years. Kirra’s background is in spiritual awakening, environmental awareness, and wellbeing, as well as being a passionate advocate for handmade ar...
Apr 13, 2022•56 min•Season 1Ep. 13
#012 - So you want to "go tiny" but you've been wondering, "How can I find a parking space for my tiny house?" If buying land or knowing someone with a spare piece of land isn’t an option for you, where can you park your tiny house? How do you find landowners with space to rent or exchange? These are some of the most common questions when it comes to long-term tiny house parking... and today I’m speaking with Briony Jenkinson who is an experienced tiny houser from Central Victoria and the founde...
Apr 06, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 12
#011 - What’s the deal with tiny house insurance? Can you insure it as a tiny house? A caravan? Where do you start? This is one of those frequently asked about topics, especially for new and curious tiny housers. That’s why today I’m speaking with Paul Bentvelzen who is an insurance broker from Sydney and also has his own tiny house. I’ve asked Paul to join me on the show as there’s some uncertainty when it comes to tiny insurance and there are also some considerations and limitations in this sp...
Mar 30, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 11
