We built a Passive House on a Budget. TOP TIPS

[@TimFrench]

00:19 - Tip 1: Pick an experience passive house designer/architect 00:45 - Tip 2: Get a builder involved early 01:13 - Tip 3: The size of the house is going to have the biggest impact on budget 02:21 - Tip 4: Try and come up with a fairly simple floor plan 03:06 - Tip 5: Work to standard material sizes 05:07 - Tip 6: Save money on the roof structure 06:02 - Tip 7: Save money on cabinetry 07:06 - Tip 8: Work with a limited material palette 07:45 - Tip 9: Think about the external additions to the home

[@theleanarchitect]

That's a great summary! I'll copy this into the description!

[@nathancreeper9859]

Great to hear an architect talking about this. Where the great design smarts go towards efficientcy and cost effectiveness. Demonstrating that high performance and quality construction is within reach of those with a budget.

[@theleanarchitect]

Thankyou. It takes discipline on the part of the client and designer to focus on value.

[@Krunch2020]

We need to improve efficiency over all of humanity. Perfection is the enemy of good. Do what you can with what you have.

[@drjimbarnes]

Great vid, as usual, Ben. I like your explanation to non-builders like me of the simple principles of affordable design. More strength to your channel!

[@theleanarchitect]

Glad you liked it!

[@andrewgiles4982]

Very good video and presentation. Exactly what you said is....exactly!!!...what i recommend. Currently building a 300sq.meter home in Magill , Adelaide where i had first view of the plans at $30k into the design process. Practical amendments were advised by us to the client, all of which are being implemented, with a substantial cost saving. I ballparked about $50 k plus!!! And they will end up with a better house. And that is with using VERY!!! EXPENSIVE tripple glazed UPVC windows and sliding doors

[@theleanarchitect]

That's great feedback thankyou. Its actually quite rare to see Architects come up with practical value driven designs.

[@cindyhollings2079]

Excellent advice! Thankyou. Great work!

[@theleanarchitect]

Thankyou!

[@soniawoolley366]

Great video - Congratulations ! Some very simple ideas to achieve the passive house standards ...

[@theleanarchitect]

Thanks!

[@willbass2869]

Watching from Texas Gulf Coast. Newly subscribed. Just keep repeating those same tried & true techniques while adapting them to the site specifics. Carry on.

[@theleanarchitect]

Thanks for subscribing!

[@courageous-schools]

I really liked your description and your style. I would liked to have seen more about the actual design of the house. More on the floor plans. You could perhaps have had shots of the house as you were talking. Only minor points. Overall a very informative video.❤

[@theleanarchitect]

Thank you! Will do!

[@un_ben]

Hey Ben, just want to say that I really appreciate all of the video content you've been putting out. I'm an unqualified building designer in regional NSW and 'as affordable as possible passive house' is exactly what I've been trying to get my head around for a while now. Would you perhaps be able to share the wall and roof system you've used on this project? Have you used the external wood fibre panels on this project as well just with battens and cladding on the walls instead of a lime render, or is there a more cost effective option (assuming the actual design etc is all optimised)? Thanks heaps! Ben H

[@theleanarchitect]

Hey Ben! Thanks for reaching out. We used 120 studs with R3.0 insulation and FC cladding on battens externally. Wood fibre doesn't qualify as a budget product...yet. Colorbond used to be the cheapest cladding but with flashings and trims, additional battens and roofer delays it all adds up.

[@sparkyoc6766]

Glad i stumbled upon your channel, Ben. Very useful information. I'll look through your other vids but are you doing any Enerphit work?

[@theleanarchitect]

Thanks! We haven't had to do an Enerphit project. Honestly, most housing stock where we are located is entirely unsuitable for retrofit (being brick). Also its rare to find an existing home with good basic design that is worth the investment over starting new. Read our blog post on the topic here: www.leanhaus.com.au/leanarchitect/2021/11/4/renovation-or-new-build

[@sparkyoc6766]

@theleanarchitect Thanks for the reply. Yes, when I look at the costs and choice of products in Aus, compared with US/Europe, I wonder if we are a few years away from widespread Enerphit. I see some people have done it in Aus but the costs are not clear. Hopefully, products will come into our market (better external wall insulation, thermal barrier material) and make it more feasible for those who don't want/cannot knock down and start again from scratch

[@DATApush3r]

Hey Ben, would you be able to recommend anyone doing similar things to you here in Adelaide? The only company I know is Enduro Builders.

[@theleanarchitect]

Check the Passive House Association for certified tradesmen / builders in your area. Have a good look at their completed projects but most importantly choose a designer who know how to build cost effectively!

[@maxelliott4034]

Hey mate, thanks for sharing this video. Some great points on the buggest expenses in home buidling. Im curious what the costs would be to engage an experienced designer/architect for a smaller build ~150m2 Ive always been under the impression id be looking around 20-30k for a custom built home

[@theleanarchitect]

It really depends. When you engage a professional you are paying for their time. If you want something fully bespoke, that takes longer to design and document so you could expect to pay 10-12% of the build cost. For a smaller low budget home it makes more sense to work from something pre-designed. Work with someone who already has a suitable design fully resolved that they can modify to your requirements. We have done this for clients for around 4-5% of build cost.

[@pxlaidan]

Hi Ben, I’m loving your mix of ‘Lean’ and Passive house designs, thanks for sharing on YT. My wife and I recently sold and are looking to build. We’re getting prices between $2.5-3k/sqm (Dec 2023, NthQLD). I’m guessing the passive house technology drastically increases the square meter cost, can you share a rough ballpark of the square meter cost to go passive or even ‘Lean’?

[@theleanarchitect]

We ball park $3500/sqm for a simple low cost passive house and $4500/sqm for a more involved custom design. However, we achieve good cost efficiencies through design and procurement. Inexperienced designers and builders may cost more as they have to learn everything from scratch.

[@memak3022]

Love your work!! Any chance you'd want to help on a new build on the Olympic Peninsula?

[@theleanarchitect]

It is a possibility. We are looking at opening an office in SF to service the west coast. Please send an enquiry via Leanhaus.com.au

[@asjeot]

Great tips! Thanks

[@theleanarchitect]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cindyhollings2079]

How do you screen the French doors? Or are there no flies and bugs left in Perth these days? 🤣😜

[@theleanarchitect]

All the windows have flyscreens. Screens on the French doors are optional. Given its usually much more comfortable inside than out, we find that doors usual stay closed.

[@icykool21]

Hi Ben, Do you have a price tag on this budgeted build?

[@theleanarchitect]

This home cost less than $3500/sqm AUD

[@icykool21]

@@theleanarchitect thank you. How does the HVAC system work with smoke? I notice Perth gets smoking days from the bushfires in the region. Does the HVAC get rid of the smoke and smell?

[@G0F15H]

​@icykool21 If it's a passive house, it will be very air-tight, which means there's an ERV. Some models have the ability to add a carbon filter, so you can filter out things like environmental pollution / smoke

[@TheCrimzor]

Hi, Can you share how much this house cost comparatively and does your firm do drafting work for houses outside WA?

[@theleanarchitect]

Hello, We don't do just drafting. We need to be involved early in the design process for best results. This home cost less than $3500/sqm

[@s-c..]

@@theleanarchitect $800k’s a budget build these days?! Holy moly!

[@markthomasson5077]

Of your tips only tip 1 applies only to Passivhus. All others apply to any house. I was hoping to hear more of the construction types that are least expensive.

[@theleanarchitect]

I cover construction methodologies in my other videos. Part of our trade secret is the most efficient application of structural frame sizes, membranes, cladding and insulation in order to achieve the desired performance.

[@joecox9958]

thx but other than you ignore island to save, I don't see any other ways to save for passive house (they are all valid for any house). If you can be specific on items it would be better. Most people use standard size cabinet. that's not a point.

[@theleanarchitect]

Simply reducing the scope, specification and complexity of cabinetry is one of the easiest ways to save. Cabinetry is a subject in itself. I am trying to highlight to clients that it is ok to rationalise the scope of cabinets if it helps you to afford a Passive House!

[@babybutterjesus]

To save money, I’m thinking about hiring someone from a service like Upwork to do the initial design of a house then bring it to a passive house architect to refine. The Upwork architect would design layout and exterior. Do you think this could work? What should I look for ? What format should they give me the design in so that someone else could easily use? Thanks would you design a house in the states?

[@theleanarchitect]

I would definitely advise against this approach. Like the 80-20 Pareto Principle; 80% of the cost and performance outcomes are made in the first 20% of decisions. So find the best qualified designer and see if they can offer a reduced scope of services to get the best value from their intellect.

[@markthomasson5077]

In EU, UK, all windows are made to order, so no standard sizes.

[@theleanarchitect]

True, same in Australia. However costs increase dramatically if your window and doors sizes require an upgraded glazing specification which results in more weight and potentially an increase in frame specification. Then there is the opportunity for cost saving in install time for more manageable sizes that can be lifted by hand, repetition of production efficiency, and also module sizes for reduced frame and glass wastage.

[@anthonydavorenDAVSnDOGS]

thanks for your efforts - my dream is to have a very small passive home, when I return to live in Australia - in six to ten years, in regional country NSW. Anthony (Northland, New Zealand - SAT 31 AUG 2024)

[@theleanarchitect]

Sounds great. Keep an eye on our website as you will soon be able to purchase plans for small passive house designs to build.

[@anthonydavorenDAVSnDOGS]

@@theleanarchitect Hi, What are your thoughts on SIPS - I've been researching this recently and it looks a good option, for my eventual design, that I'd only like to be about 37sq m, for a one bedroom, on a polished concrete floor home, passive design. There is a company in Daylesford, VIC manufacturing SIPS but there are many companies I think manufacturing SIPS across Australia. Anthony (Kaikohe, Northland, NZ - SAT 07 SEP 2024, 11.15 a.m.)

[@theleanarchitect]

We have an in depth article about SIPS on our website. leanhaus.com.au

[@lindsaywebb1904]

A circular plan has the most floor area for the smallest facade area...that's one of the first things you learn at architecture school

[@theleanarchitect]

Very true! Although for practical reasons we don't see too many round houses

[@bobwhite9670]

I will say that I would just build a regular home and all the money I saved not paying for the passive bs I will pay normal bills for many many years.....

[@gregcarroll9723]

Great video, full of very useful, practical info - thank you for posting. Well worth incorporating these features as part of a standard build in hot climates. We used a very similar approach for our house, from design through to construction. Ours isn't a passive house, but is both aesthetic and practical for a tropical climate. Using the right materials and a functional design made a considerable difference to the overall cost and comfort during mid-summer. Total cost AUD$220.0K for a 220m2 home. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp6WaH9jbtZ6gtU

[@theleanarchitect]

Amazing to build so much for so little. Well done!

[@martiruda]

I didn't like the way this video was done, as a prospect of a home owner building their house. To call a house passive, you gotta get it certified, so that's northwards of 30k to start with, better to call it Energy efficient home. To make a home owner save money the best you can do is thinking about chopping the middle man off the equation as much as you can. We did it and it was great. best advice? don't make electricians and plumbers to work as if they were passive certified. Spend time on your own, with a check list of things you collect from internet,etc. and insulate the stuff yourself. Buy an expansion foam and silicon for the plumbing work that needs airtightness. And fire rated expansion foam for the electrical part. The roof needs intello membrane kinda product. Best savings. buy a spraygun and paint the house yourself one colour then in the future think about how light flows and decide on feature painting walls. Cabinetry? Create an account in customs and import ready to assemble cabinetry (at the end of the day, lots of middle men do exactly the same).

[@theleanarchitect]

This video is not intended for owner builders. I would not recommend a Passive House type solution as an owner builder project unless you come with significant experience and expertise. It will take longer, cost more and may not have the desired outcome.

[@ReT-o3g]

Hi @martiruda, we’re looking to be owner builder for our build. Would you mind sharing more about your owner builder experience?

[@maxelliott4034]

Could you please link the custom cabinetry for me?