The Home Project Podcast

How Home Projects Waste Money Before Work Starts

Are you spending money before your project has even begun?
The assumption is that the sooner works start on site, the sooner the project is finished. In reality, a premature start is one of the fastest ways to waste significant money.
We cover where the real pre-construction money traps are, from missing permissions and party wall awards to CIL charges, overcomplicated building management systems, and the VAT savings most homeowners never know to ask about.
We also look at why cutting corners on fees and structural elements almost always costs far more than it saves.
The right advice before a spade goes in the ground is not a cost. Getting it wrong almost certainly is.
"You need checks and balances on bigger, more complex projects." - Sam Wiseman
 
You’ll hear about:
Why rushing to start costs more
Getting the right team early
The true price of cutting fees
Hidden permissions people routinely miss
Party wall awards explained clearly
Risks of overcomplicated smart home systems
Spatial planning: building for how you live
Community Infrastructure Levy explained
VAT reductions most homeowners overlook
Why contracts protect everyone equally
What actually goes wrong on site
When a QS can save a stalled project
Connect with Sam Wiseman:
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-wiseman-634ba313a/
Stockdale Project Management & Quantity Surveying - https://stockdaleuk.com/
 
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

An Architect's Guide to Getting Your Brief, Budget and Plan Right First

Is your renovation idea as viable as you think it is?
The figure in a homeowner's head and the layout they've settled on are rarely either accurate or final.
We explore how to properly stress-test a project before it costs you serious money. We cover how the brief-writing process uncovers what you need, why hand-drawn sketches outperform any online room planner, and how to approach budget conversations honestly from day one.
We also get into planning risk, building regulations, and the unexpected costs that regularly blindside homeowners who haven't done the groundwork. Fire consultants, redundant sewers, and trees in the garden are just some of the hidden factors that can reshape a budget before a spade goes in the ground.
A great design doesn’t just look special it feels special; this episode will help you design the home you’re dreaming off.
"You can tell a great space when you walk into it." — Andrew Dobson
 
You’ll hear about:
Why the brief rarely starts clearly
Using sketches to stress-test ideas
Hand-drawn sketches versus online tools
Budget as control, not just aspiration
Why clients hide their real budget
Sizing extensions realistically from the outset
Assessing planning risk early
Building regulations and fire consultants
Hidden site constraints adding cost
When to bring in a QS or cost plan
Treating the existing house as an asset
The step-by-step design development process
Connect with Andrew Dobson:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-dobson-architect/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andrewdobsonarchitects/
Website - https://www.andrewdobsonarchitects.co.uk/
 
Connect with us:
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

How to Navigate the Planning System Without Fear

Is the planning system really as unpredictable as everyone says?
Plenty of homeowners treat a refusal as a catastrophe and an approval as a green light to break ground. Neither assumption holds up.
We walk through the entire planning process from first principles. That means understanding whether your project needs full planning or permitted development, how to structure an application that makes it easy for a planning officer to say yes, and what a robust set of supporting documents looks like.
We then get into what happens when things do not go to plan. Refusals come with reasons and those reasons are a roadmap. We weigh up resubmission against appeal, look at the real cost of each, and explain why front-loading surveys and preparation at planning stage almost always produces a faster, smoother project than rushing in underprepared.
Only one in three planning appeals succeeds. Prepare properly at the start and you are unlikely to need one.
 
"Starting early doesn't make you finish early." - Bart Kolosowski
 
You’ll hear about:
Full planning vs permitted development explained
How to choose the right planning route
Pre-application advice: is it worth it?
Preparing a robust planning application
What happens when planning is refused
Resubmission vs appeal: cost and risk
Planning conditions that delay your start
Outbuildings and the 30m² controversy
Using permitted development as a fallback
Front-loading surveys and due diligence
Needs vs solutions: getting design right first
Why preparation is the only risk management
 
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Mentioned Episodes:
 
Planning Permission for Homes: Delays, Risks and How to Beat Them with Geoff Megarity - https://shorturl.at/WqqXw 
Is Permitted Development a Shortcut or a Risk for Homeowners? with Geoff Megarity - https://shorturl.at/6h05I 
Planning Permission Demystified: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know with Aaron Zimmerman - https://shorturl.at/ehERW 
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Planning Permission for Homes: Delays, Risks and How to Beat Them

What if you could see every planning delay coming?
The delays most homeowners fear are more predictable than they think.
We sit down with Geoff Megarity, planning consultant at Bell Cornwell, to map out exactly where delays hide and what you can do to get ahead of them. From the validation checklist to ecology survey seasons, Geoff explains the preparation that separates a smooth five-month process from one that drags on for eighteen.
We cover how to build a validation checklist that gets your application through the door, when pre-application meetings are worth the time, how to challenge planning conditions before they slow your build, and how a simple red, amber, green framework can help you assess risk at every stage.
The right preparation means you go into construction with the right permission, the right conditions, and no costly surprises on the other side.
 
“Death by survey is something that comes up quite often.”  - Geoff Megarity
 
You’ll hear about:
How the planning system creates delay
Why validation is the first real hurdle
Reports that are mandatory versus optional
Ecology surveys and seasonal timing risks
Biodiversity net gain and who it affects
How planning conditions add post-permission delay
Pre-commencement vs pre-occupation conditions
When pre-application meetings are worth it
How planning committees work and when to use them
Managing refusal risk and appeal strategy
Red, amber, green risk framework for homeowners
Banking a permission and amending later
Connect with Geoff Megarity:
 
Geoff Megarity at Bell Cornwell - https://www.bell-cornwell.co.uk/team/geoff-megarity/
Bell Corwnell - https://www.bell-cornwell.co.uk/
 
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-megarity-a075676a/
 
 
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Is Permitted Development a Shortcut or a Risk for Homeowners?

Do you really know what your permitted development rights allow?
The rules are nationally set, locally interpreted, and full of conditions that can catch even experienced owners out.
We cover what permitted development allows: extensions, loft conversions, outbuildings, and barn conversions. We explain where the rules get complicated, why the same street can have completely different rights, and how conservation areas, Article 4 directions, and historic planning conditions can strip those rights without you ever knowing. 
We also explore the fallback position strategy, how to use an established permitted development certificate as leverage in a full planning application, and why the certificate of lawfulness is worth getting even when it is not legally required. 
 
Get this wrong and you are building unlawfully. Get it right and you may have more options than you realised. 
 
“The onus is on the applicant to prove it’s lawful.”  - Geoff Megarity
 
You’ll hear about:
What permitted development rights actually cover
Rear extension limits: three, four, six and eight metres
Loft conversions: cubic volume limits explained
Outbuildings: the 50% garden rule
Why flats have no PD rights
Conservation areas and Article 4 directions
Finding the original building line
What a certificate of lawfulness does
The fallback position strategy in planning
What happens when enforcement comes knocking
Barn conversions under permitted development
Why early professional advice saves money
 
Connect with Geoff Megarity:
Geoff Megarity at Bell Cornwell - https://www.bell-cornwell.co.uk/team/geoff-megarity/
Bell Corwnell - https://www.bell-cornwell.co.uk/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-megarity-a075676a/
 
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Planning Permission Demystified: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

Is planning permission as frightening as everyone says?
Planning is a black box where decisions are made arbitrarily, and outcomes are impossible to predict.
We cut through the confusion with chartered town planner Aaron Zimmerman of Centro Planning Consultancy. We cover what constitutes development, the difference between permitted development and full planning permission, how the eight-week determination process works, and what your options are when a refusal lands.
We also explore how to put together a strong application, when to bring in a planning consultant, how pre-application consultation works, and why a refusal is not the disaster most homeowners fear.
Get the process wrong at the start and you risk wasted time, wasted money, and a project that never gets off the ground. Get it right and planning becomes the most manageable part of your build.
“Go for gold. Get the planning permission."  - Aaron Zimmerman
 
You’ll hear about:
What legally counts as development
When listed building consent is required
How permitted development rights work
Full planning permission: the process
The eight-week determination timeline
What to do after a refusal
How to build a strong application
When to use a planning consultant
Pre-application consultation: pros and cons
How to choose the right architect
Why a refusal is not a disaster
Planning reform and the system's limits
Connect with Aaron Zimmerman:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-zimmerman-ma-msc-mrtpi-83322b27/
Listen to Aaron’s podcast - Make Planning Make Sense - https://makeplanningmakesense.captivate.fm/
Centro Planning Consultancy - https://centroplan.co.uk/
 
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

How Home Projects Succeed or Fail

What decisions shape the success of a home build?
A residential project can take three to four years, yet many of the most important decisions happen long before construction begins.
In this episode we walk through the entire project journey, from setting the brief and budget through to selecting the design team, securing planning approval, tendering contractors, and managing the construction phase. At each stage we highlight where projects typically start to drift and what good practice looks like when the process is followed properly.
We also discuss contractor procurement, the risks of poor documentation, how delays and redesigns occur during construction, and why rushing completion often causes unnecessary problems.
Follow the process properly and the project is set up for success. Ignore it and the consequences can be expensive.
 
“Starting a project without a brief is like a road trip without a destination."  - Bart Kolosowski
 
You’ll hear about:
Why projects start without clear briefs
The risk of vague project budgets
Choosing consultants based only on price
Why early design exploration matters
Planning approvals and hidden delays
Conversations that shape construction costs
Tendering mistakes that derail projects
Vetting contractors before comparing price
Why documentation quality is critical
Construction delays caused by late decisions
The risks of rushing project completion
Why proper handover and training matters
 
Connect with us:
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/
 

Getting the Keys Isn't the End: What Handover Really Means

Do you know what actually changes the moment you get the keys?
Handover feels like the finish line, but for most homeowners it marks the start of a process they have never been prepared for.
We cover everything that happens at the point of practical completion: what the term legally means, why the contract administrator holds the only authority to issue it, and what changes hands the moment that certificate is signed.
We walk through the O&M manual, client training, snagging timelines, and the rectification period, including the critical distinction most homeowners get wrong between a defect the contractor must fix and maintenance you own.
We also cover final account settlement, when retention is released, and why rushing a contractor to finish before Christmas consistently produces worse outcomes, higher costs, and damaged relationships.
 
Get this stage wrong and you risk insurance gaps, contractor claims, and years of unresolved defects. Get it right and the contract closes cleanly on your terms.
 
“It's a legal change, not just getting the keys."  — Bart Kolosowski
 
You’ll hear about:
What practical completion legally means
Why clients can't issue it themselves
Insurance and liability at handover
O&M manuals: what's actually useful
Training clients to use their building
Snagging: who does it and when
The Christmas deadline trap
Rectification period vs. long-term defect liability
Why you can't refuse the contractor to fix defects
Traffic light system for defect response times
Final account settlement and retention release
Moving in early: the real financial risk
 
Connect with us:
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Construction Phase Management: Contracts, Cash Flow & Control

Is your build being managed, or just happening?
The build phase feels like the moment everything finally comes to life. But without the right management structure in place, it's also where home builds quietly unravel.
We cover who is responsible for what once work starts on site, why 80% of disputes trace back to decisions made at tender, and why the Contract Administrator works for the contract, not the client.
We also look at the client's own responsibilities during the build, including why slow decisions and late payments are more damaging than most homeowners realise.
Get this right and your project runs to time and budget. Get it wrong and the fallout is expensive and very hard to undo.
"Design is an evolution, even when you get to site." – Tina Patel
 
You’ll hear about:
 
Why management starts before site begins
The layered construction management structure
Who the Contract Administrator works for
Why only the CA can instruct changes
The real cost of late design decisions
Design resource gaps during the build phase
When to appoint a project or design manager
The client’s responsibilities during construction
Why paying contractors on time matters
How retention works on JCT contracts
Key JCT terms defined plainly
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

How to Choose the Right Contractor for your Home Project

Is your contractor selection process setting your project up to fail?
The assumption is that once you've found a builder and agreed a price, the hard part is over.
Between us, we've spent 40 years on high-value residential projects, and contractor selection is consistently the decision clients underestimate most. In this episode, we break down why choosing on price and gut feeling is a costly mistake, and how a structured process, started months before tender, changes the outcome.
We cover procurement strategy, proper vetting (including financials and older completed projects), why a professional reference outweighs a client one, and what a bulletproof tender package looks like.
Get this right and you'll appoint a contractor suited to your project who's priced it properly. Get it wrong and you risk an unfinished site and a bill far larger than the one you started with.
"Contractors are custodians of your house for a period of time." – Tina Patel
 
You’ll hear about:
Why contractor selection is often rushed
Starting procurement before planning permission
Defining your procurement strategy early
What contractor's design portions mean
Building the right tender strategy document
Scoring tenders beyond price alone
How to vet contractors properly
Checking contractor financial health
Visiting older completed projects
Why professional references outweigh client ones
How long pricing takes
Keeping momentum after appointment
 
Connect with us:
 
Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/
Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/
 
Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/