Q&A: Basement vs Slab on Grade - Which One's Better?

This Q&A question is asking whether it's better to do basements or slab on grade.  Of course, it depends on where you live, so make sure you get local structural and soils (geotechnical) advice before making any decisions on your home's foundation :)  

I'm bringing back the Healthy Home Design podcast with The Q&A Sessions.  These are questions that the audience is asking about anything design and build related.  It was orginally intended for Instagram, but my answers were getting a bit too long.  So I decided to do a shortened version of the answer on Instagram, then post the more thorough answer here on the podcast.   FREE 4 day challenge sign up. If you have a question you'd like me to answer, send it to [email protected] or comment on a post in Instagram, or send a DM to me in Instagram.   My Instagram page

Today we’re talking about who to have on your project team as you design and build your new home, renovation or addition. When you’re ready to build a custom new home or renovate your existing home, you have options on who you want to help you complete the project.   If you’ve never gone through the renovation or new build process before, you might be feeling a bit clueless on who will be involved.  Do you need an architect, engineers, surveyors?  I’m sure all these questions are swirling around in your head as you begin to plan out the steps to how your house is going to get designed and built. So let’s break down all the potential professionals that may need to get involved in your project, and when they typically need to get involved. Helpful Links: Balanced Architecture (my website) Designed For Wellness Course Waitlist What is a Healthy Home Consultant  

The living building challenge is a program created by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).  It is about creating buildings that improve the planet and people by being built.  It's very aspirational and pretty hard to achieve.  That’s why ILFA created a second certification program called the Core Green Building Certification that makes achieving a super healthy and sustainable home within reach.   I love the concept of building certifications because it provides goals and metrics to keep everyone accountable for creating better buildings.  And I’ve found that the Core Green Building Certification is one of the best programs that encompasses all aspects of health, well-being and planetary health in a realistic, achievable way.   So if the idea of having goals and metrics to ensure you really are creating a home that supports your health and well-being, along with the planet, then this certification program is a great one to consider. I’m going to discuss the 10 imperatives that combine to create the Core Green Building Certification requirements, and why I love this certification so much that I  plan to follow this framework when I build my home.

What makes building a house so expensive?   Rising construction costs have put a lot of projects on hold or have sent the design team back to the drawing board.   How can you renovate or build a new home in these expensive times without compromising your sustainable and wellness-focused design values? In this eposide, I talk about the main factors in controlling building costs so that you don't get to the end of your design journey only to find out that you can't afford to build it.  

Link to Blog Post that has ALL the links I mention in the eposide!! Are you ready to start designing your dream home, but have no idea how to get all the thoughts and ideas you have floating in your head down on paper?   If you’ve been thinking about your house design for a while, and have been saving Pinterest images and making inspiration boards, you have any idea of what you want, but you may be feeling lost on how you turn those ideas into a floor plan. If so, I’m going to walk you through 5 steps to get all the ideas out of your head and into a floor plan. It is soooo important to spend a lot of time working on the plans for your home renovation or a new build.   Even if you plan to hire an architect, I recommend spending time up front on your own working through your ideas and trying out some floor plan layout options.  This will allow you to have more meaningful and detailed conversations with your architect.   What you’ll discover: 5 key steps to get your home design right The most important thing to figure out for your new home or renovation How to create a program of spaces What a bubble diagram is and why this needs to be done before creating a floor plan The best tools for sketching floor plans   Link to Blog Post that has ALL the links I mention in the eposide!!

In Part 2 of the How to design a durable house episode, we’re covering all things interior.  There are some great ways to make sure the inside of your home is easy to maintain, will keep you safe and healthy, and will last a long time.  We’ll get into materials, ventilation, lighting, and even storage! What you’ll discover: Why ventilation is key for a durable home and what kind you need Low-maintenance and durable flooring options Ways to make sure your floors and flooring systems last a long time How to make your home easy to clean  

Creating a durable home is a big part of creating a sustainable and healthy home.  A durable home means that the house will last a long time and be relatively low-maintenance.  This will help save you money in the long run, so it’s well worth it.  It also helps maintain a healthy indoor environment and makes you more comfortable.   In this episode we’ll break down some of the big picture design strategies that you can incorporate into your renovation or new home design to make it a durable, sustainable, long-lasting, healthy, low-maintenance home.  

Looking to create a kitchen that brings the beauty and tranquility of nature into your home? Tune into this week’s episode all about biophilic kitchen design! We’ll explore the benefits of incorporating natural elements into your kitchen, and learn how to design a space that's not only functional, but also calming and rejuvenating. This is  an insightful conversation about the intersection of nature and design in the heart of your home.   What you’ll discover: What biophilic design is and why we need it How to avoid fleeting trends and design something that you’ll love forever Wellness kitchens and biophilic design Simple ways to connect to nature with kitchen design   Links: View post with images. More on Wellness Kitchens Intro to Biophilic Design

Hempcrete is an amazing alternative building technique that fits into the category of natural building methods.   In this episode, I interview Mattie Mead, the founder and CEO of Hempitecture, a public benefit corporation that supplies hempcrete building materials and makes hempwool insulation. “Hempitecture was founded with the idea that healthy, sustainable materials can help build a better world. These materials can help build a better world by contributing to our health, saving energy, and storing carbon dioxide. They’re achieving their mission by focusing on biobased, natural building materials that are designed to replace conventional, toxic materials.” I am super intrigued by hempcrete construction, and I’d love to build out of hempcrete someday. I have a feeling by the end of this episode, you’ll love the material too! Mattie provides an in-depth understanding of what hempcrete is, how it works, and why it’s so good for you and the planet!   Here’s what we cover: How hempcrete is made What the sustainability and health benefits are of hempcrete What the difference is between cast-in-place hempcrete and hempcrete blocks How the cost of hempcrete construction compares to a more standard high-performance wall assembly The benefits of hempwool insulation and where to install it   Links: Hempitecture.com buy.hempitecture.com