Building Ideas - with Mark Millar
Mark Millar has joined Fix Radio to host our brand new property development show!Every week the show offers practical advice, shares real-life experiences and introduces ‘out of the box’ thinking, designed to help working tradespeople develop their property.Mark and his panel of guests take a look at all the big questions, including financing, project management, finding the right partners, planning permission and embracing new building techniques and technologies.
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Episodes
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Help Bristol's Homeless Charity
Sunday, 7 September 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Jasper Thompson, founder of Help Bristol's Homeless to talk about the ways he's helping homesless people in Bristol find temporary and long term options for housing.
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Constructing A Music Festival
Sunday, 31 August 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Alice Chapman to talk about her work building tens of thousands of tents at music festivals like Glastonbury, Boomtown and others. Mark also answers a listener question about self build as we head out of the summer.
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Social Housing In West Hull
Sunday, 24 August 2025
Mark Millar looks into an interesting partnership in Hull between Giroscope, who provide social housing and Plumbing firm, Kesselmann Plumbers Ltd. Guests include: Govind Manocha from Giroscope & Paul Tozer from Kessellmann Plumbers Ltd.
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Yellow Submarine
Sunday, 17 August 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Andy Barton to discuss his Glamping 'Yellow Submarine' on the coast in Cheddar. Andy tells the story of how he came into possession of the lifeboat and how he converted it into something you can stay in on your holidays!
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Taking On Another Project
Sunday, 10 August 2025
Mark Millar looks at going at it again and what you can learn from your first build. Guests include: Scott Baggaley AKA Scott DIY & Jools Cardozo
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Buying The Worst House On The Worst Street!
Sunday, 3 August 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Ian Cowie from Blyth in Northumberland to talk about what he's doing to regenerate the local area. Ian tells an incredible story from drug addiction and prison to helping the community he once terrorised.
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Electrics For Your Self Build Project
Sunday, 27 July 2025
Mark Millar looks into getting the electrical aspects of your self build sorted. Mark talks to Paul Collins, Technical Director from the NICEIC about the importance of doing your due dilligence with regards to who you get to do the work. Electrical Contractor, Mike Toulson about options and possibilities with regards to smart home technology and touches on timescales, money and availability.
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Richard Collins On Sustainability In Construction
Sunday, 20 July 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Richard Collins, founder of the CSR-A Accreditation and Sustainablity Advocate with a keen involvement in the construction industry. Richard talks about the accreditation and why he's created it, How you can build more sustainably and how to do it without it costing you more.
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What Happened With These Planning Nightmares!?
Sunday, 13 July 2025
Mark Millar invites Chartered Planning Consultant, Mark Doodes to join him and run through some high profile planning misshaps that made the national and local press. They talk through what went wrong or the challenges presented, what could have been done differently, how to avoid running into similar issues and Mark Doodes gives some solid advice at the end to recap.
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The Old Manor House Renovation
Sunday, 6 July 2025
Mark Millar talks to Charlotte Taylor about her Old Manor House Renovation project that she's taken on with her husband. Charlotte talks about the plans for the house, What she's found so far and what is next for the project.
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Different Insulation Options
Sunday, 29 June 2025
Mark Millar takes a look at two options for insulating a home that may seem unconventional, but actually have more history and prove more effective, than many of the more conventional options. Mark talks to Michael Leung from Balanced Earth Architects in Byron Bay about the use of hemp. Paul Lynch from Ecococon discusses using straw elements to insulate and build.
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Are Heat Pumps The Future?
Sunday, 22 June 2025
Mark Millar is joined by two notable names from the heating and low carbon heating tech industry to discuss heat pumps in the run up to The Installer Show at the NEC next week. Mark asks Gareth Roberts from Carbon Zero Renewables about his doubts around heat pumps and talks to John Hancock, COO of Wolseley Group, about their work trying to train and educate the installer and end user
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Major Changes Coming For Landlords & Tenants
Sunday, 15 June 2025
Mark Millar looks into the massive legislative changes coming for landlords and tenants in the rental market, here in the UK. Mark talks to Eleanor Bateman, Public Affairs Manager for the National Residential Landlords Association and gets some helpful information for those struggling to get their head around it all. Mark speaks with Property Developer, Stuart Wyeth about how he's keeping on top of the rule changes and Mark shares some final thoughts as well
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Passivhaus Architect - Gil Shalom
Sunday, 8 June 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Passivhaus Architect, Gil Shalom so that he can get a further insight into how Passivhaus works and approach to design. Gil talks about why he got involved with Passivhaus, the project with Sarah and Steve Barr (from last week's episode) and also other notable projects. Gil also gives some advice for those seriously considering this method of building/renovation
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An Ambitious Passivhaus Project & Starting A Self Build
Sunday, 1 June 2025
Mark Millar is joined by new guests so that he can begin to follow their renovation and self build projects. Mark talks to Sarah and Steve Barr about the 17th century Schoolhouse that they're aiming to turn into a Passivhaus domestic dwelling. Mark also talks with Ben Rayner about his 4-5 bedroom self build project with an 8-month build time
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A Look Into Brick Cladding
Sunday, 25 May 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Paul Richards from Aquarian Cladding to discuss options for brick cladding. Mark asks about the pros and cons, design and colour options, what it's like to work with and fire safety when compared to other cladding options
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Good Business Practice & Project Management
Sunday, 18 May 2025
Jon Ransome from Ransome Flooring joins Mark to discuss his experiences running a business in construction and shares his cautionary tale that can be applied to many getting into property development as a full time business plan. Jon shares some good practice for project management and discusses the importance of being able to delegate and bring others into your business
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The Incredible Story of Athelhampton House
Sunday, 11 May 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Giles Keating, the owner of Athelhampton House, A stunning Tudor manor house in Dorchester which is open to the public and full of history. Giles talks about the incredible work he's gone in slashing the energy costs to the house to practically zero, using modern low carbon heating technology
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Andrew Walker's Incredible Barn Conversion Is Almost Finished!
Sunday, 4 May 2025
Andrew Walker joins Mark Millar to give an update on his amazing 500 year old barn conversion that we've followed on the show since it's inception. Andrew talks about the handmade kitchen, changing your mind on a self build, drawing inspiration from the work he does for customers and what the final stages of the build have in store
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The Green Homes Plan & What It Means To Landlords
Sunday, 27 April 2025
Mark Millar is joined by guests to explain what the Green Homes Plan is, Why you only have a short amount of time to improve your EPC rating to C or above if you want to continue renting it out past 2030 and also why it's still quite vague what the requirements for EPC ratings will be from next year onwards. Mark asks why this is happening, how we can come up with game plan and also how you can get more help meeting these requirements. Guests include: James Wood, Head of Policy at the National Residential Landlords Association & Brian Horne, Technical Lead at The Energy Saving Trust
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Renovating To Get On The Property Ladder
Sunday, 20 April 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Abigail Martin and Jack Baldry - a couple in their 30s who got onto the property ladder with an ambitious and very successful renovation project. Abigail and Jack talk about the planning, the concept, taking on much of the work themselves, working together and give advice for anyone considering doing the same
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Your Future Home Standard Strategy
Sunday, 13 April 2025
Mark Millar talks to Journalist, Tim Pollard and finds out what the Future Home Standard is, why it matters to self builders and how you can put a plan in place to ensure you meet the requirements. Mark also talks to Daniel Smith from Internorm about how windows can play a key role in improving your property to meet the demands of the Future Home Standard
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Rural Areas & Cottages
Sunday, 6 April 2025
Mark Millar looks into the challenges and logistics involved with rural construction, renovation, taking on a cottage and the maintenance involved with features like thatched roofs. Guests include: Jacob Harrell, Paul Shelly & Tim Phillips
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Mortgaging, Borrowing & Financing Self Build Projects
Sunday, 30 March 2025
Robin Clevett steps in for Mark Millar one final time and looks into options for mortgages, borrowing and also financing your self build projects properly. Robin asks top quality builder, Jack Auletta to give an honest rundown of how financing your build and budgeting should work. Tom McSherry from Buildstore Mortgage Services explains how you can go about getting a mortgage or borrowing the money to finance a building project. Tom also touches on the current climate on the market and gives other financial insight
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Building Your House Without Trade Experience
Sunday, 23 March 2025
Robin Clevett returns to cover for Mark Millar for a second week and is joined by Callum Davies-Russell,who has taken on many aspects of his self build project without any previous trade experience. Robin asks Callum about the build, the wins and challenges so far and the limit of what he's been able to achieve without being professionally trained
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How To Become A Top Quality Builder
Sunday, 16 March 2025
Robin Clevett covers for Mark Millar and talks to top quality Builder, Jack Auletta. Jack talks about how he went from being an Electrician to getting into house building, How he approaches building and gives advice for those with no trade experience who are working with a Builder on their self build project
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Getting Your Paperwork In Order
Sunday, 9 March 2025
Mark Millar talks to Self Build Expert, Mark Stevenson about how you can go about getting your paperwork in order and keeping on top of one of the most stressful aspects of self build
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Building Sustainably In London
Sunday, 2 March 2025
Mark Millar talks to Rachel Owens from The National Retrofit Hub to discuss the options, challenges & virtues of modernising the capital’s properties. Mark is also joined by Architect, Nikolay Shahpazov about his renovation project in the capital that he's aiming to do as sustainably as possible
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Flat Conversions With Robin Callister
Sunday, 23 February 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Robin Callister from Urbanist Architecture to talk you through flat conversions for HMOs
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Keeping In Line & On Top of Building Regs
Sunday, 16 February 2025
Mark Millar talks about building regs, the latest changes, Approved documents, the order and which to do things and how to engage Building Control when self building. Guests include: Martin Conlon & Nicholas Lambert
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