The Fine Homebuilding Podcast

Hosted by Fine Homebuilding Magazine

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Episodes

788

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

The Fine Homebuilding Podcast is all about answering YOUR construction, design, and building science questions. From foundation waterproofing to roof flashing, we take on your building, remodeling and design challenges with the know-how of North America's most-trusted home building brand. -- Every Friday, we discuss listener questions and offer advice following best-practice building techniques and principles. We love hearing from you, so if you have a question or project you want us to dig into, please send an email to FHBpodcast@finehomebuilding.com or ask your question on social media. -- Want more from Fine Homebuilding? Check out our website, finehomebuilding.com. -- Instagram: @FineHomebuilding Facebook: @FineHomebuildingMagazine YouTube: @FineHomebuildingMagazine TikTok: @FineHomebuilding Pinterest: @FineHomebuilding -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 16, 202643 min

#759: Bath Floor Framing, Conditioned Crawlspace, and Little Roofs over Garage Doors

Ian and Mike help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. Jonathan provides an update on his stained siding. Austins suggests cleaning a stinky sink's overflow drain. Gray asks how to best condition a crawlspace in Climate Zone 7. Conor asks about building little roofs over his garage doors to shed water. Tune in to Episode 759 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: Rebuilding a floor system compromised by previous remodeling Conditioning a crawlspace so it's safe for plumbing in climate zone 7 Adding architectural elements that shed water from doors and windows Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 759 ➡️ Sign up for Myron Ferguson's eLearning course, Drywall: Start to Finish ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

October 9, 202647 min

#758: HVAC Complexity, Affordable and Well-Built, and Flashing with Vertical Siding

Ian and Mike help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. Richard shares some insider knowledge of modern HVAC compressors. Listeners write in with theories about Mike's stinky sink. Sebastian asks how to build good-looking and affordable multi-family housing. Zak wonders about the right way to flash windows under vertical shiplap siding. Tune in to Episode 758 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: Making sense of modern HVAC systems Why a drain, waste, vent system might smell like sewer How to build high-performance affordable housing Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 758 ➡️ Get all the perks of an FHB All-Access Membership today ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

October 2, 202642 min

#757: Window Condensation, Dark Matter on Siding, and What is Affordable?

Ian and Mike help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. Vic thinks we could have brought additional value to a porch roof redo. Erik from Sweden solved his wintertime foggy windows. Jonathan wonders what is oozing from his siding. Richard shares what kind of house you get in Central Texas for $368k. Tune in to Episode 757 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: Lowering indoor humidity in cold climates What's causing a dark stain on lap siding What are the factors that decide new home quality Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 757 ➡️ Sign up for Myron Ferguson's eLearning course, Drywall: Start to Finish ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

September 25, 202653 min

#756: Builders Encouraging Best-Practice, Unconditioned Crawlspaces, and the FHB Summit

In episode Episode 756 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast, Mike and Randy help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. Mario says a good developer helped him become better at installing windows. Marv likes a big right-angle drill for rough-ins. Brit wonders how to treat a storage area that's neither inside nor outside. Mike, Randy, and Patrick talk about the Fine Homebuilding Summit. Tune in to Episode 756 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: How good developers can advance building science and best-practice The best way to insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces Takeaways from the FHB Summit according to attendees and presenters Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 756 ➡️ Get all the perks of an FHB All-Access Membership today ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

September 18, 20261 hr 11 min

#755: A Talk with Tedd Benson at the FHB Summit

High-performance builder Ben Bogie interviews Tedd Benson about a life spent building houses. Tedd shared how moving from substandard housing to a well-built house changed his family's life and how it steered his path to becoming a home builder. He also discussed the evolution of his businesses and the importance of innovation in the construction industry. Tune in to Episode 755 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: Creating high-quality homes and finding tradespeople who care about their craft Being innovative in a business where change comes slowly Effectively delegating while staying involved in the business Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 755 ➡️ Get all the perks of an FHB All-Access Membership today ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

September 11, 202651 min

#754: Making Humidity, Adding Exterior Insulation, and Extreme DIY

Ian and Randy help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. Tom says the podcast got it wrong when discussing the energy use of evaporative versus steam humidifiers. Tim likes IKEA cabinets and asks about exterior insulation for a rehabbed house in New Hampshire. Cari asks if the trend of DIYers taking on extremely ambitious projects is new or is it something that's always existed. Tune in to Episode 754 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: The energy needed to humidify dry air in cold places during winter Choosing the right wall assembly for a historic rehab What is driving DIYers to take on huge projects Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 754 ➡️ Get all the perks of an FHB All-Access Membership today ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

September 4, 202649 min

#753: Self-Leveling Compound, Housing Affordability, and Stinky Water

Ian and Randy help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. David asks if there's a secret to effectively using self-leveling compound. Another David wonders if it's better to be a specialist or generalist carpenter. Patrick asks what's been driving the rapid increase in home prices over the last two decades. Mike and Teresa say their bathroom sink stinks and they are hoping for a solution. Tune in to Episode 753 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: How to use self-leveling compound so it actually levels floors What is driving housing unaffordability and scarcity What is that rotten-egg smell that sometimes comes from tap water Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 753 ➡️ Get all the perks of an FHB All-Access Membership today ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

August 28, 202643 min

#752: Grass-Fed OSB, Alabama Fixer-Upper, and Adding a Porch Roof

Ian and Grant help Patrick address listener feedback and answer their questions. Scott is sharing some old Taunton books with his kids. Jim alerts us to panel sheathing made from grass. Daniel is contemplating buying a fixer-upper in Alabama. An FHB Forum participant needs help designing a porch roof that won't be a problem later. Tune in to Episode 752 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: The development of structural sheathing made from grass instead of wood How much work is too much when it comes to buying a fixer-upper What is a dead valley and how to avoid them when adding on ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 752 ➡️ Get all the perks of an FHB All-Access Membership today ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

August 21, 202646 min

#751: Disaster Mansion, Drippy Ceilings, and Insulating Existing Walls

Producer Cari asks for advice on how to tactfully educate your contractor about best practice. Robert shares a story about an ambitious couple saving a dilapidated Civil-War Era house they bought in an auction. Jim shows us how early 20th Century builders bragged about insulation. John wonders why his bathroom ceiling is wet in the summer. Travis asks about insulating walls and adding a thermal break to studs. Tune in to Episode 751 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: Over-the-top DIY home renovation What is going on with a wet bathroom ceiling in summer The right sequence for making home repair and energy improvements ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 751 ➡️ Buy tickets for the 2026 Fine Homebuilding Summit — use code "Podcast15" for 15% off ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.

August 14, 202650 min

#750: Flashing and Effective Water Management Techniques

In this special edition of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast, the crew discusses effective roof, wall and deck flashing techniques to celebrate Flashing Awareness Day. Special guest Aron Jones of Big Dog Construction joins the Podcast to talk about good and bad flashing techniques and why it's so important to keep bulk water out of buildings. Aron builds houses on Grand Manan Island in Canada's Bay of Fundy. Tune in to Episode 750 of the Fine Homebuilding Podcast to learn more about: The reasons behind celebrating Flashing Awareness Day A checklist for exterior details that require flashing What happens when you forget or ignore basic water management Have a question or topic you want us to talk about on the show? Email us at fhbpodcast@taunton.com . ➡️ Check Out the Full Show Notes: FHB Podcast 750 ➡️ Buy tickets for the 2026 Fine Homebuilding Summit — use code "Podcast15" for 15% off ➡️ Follow Fine Homebuilding on Social Media: Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Pinterest • YouTube ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you prefer to listen.