Jackson Digney
I Believe a Fixed Price Contract Should Actually Mean Fixed Price
In most industries, when someone gives you a fixed price, you expect that to mean what it says. Fixed. And when you sign a fixed price building contract, you should expect exactly the same thing. But for some reason, building seems to operate differently. A fixed price contract often ends up meaning “fixed until […]
I Believe Airtightness Is the Most Underrated Principle in Homebuilding
When we talk to people about building performance, airtightness usually isn’t the first thing they bring up. But in my view, it should be. Because airtightness is one of the biggest factors in how comfortable, quiet, and efficient a home is — and most people don’t realise that. Without airtightness, all that expensive insulation […]
I Believe Most “Energy-Efficient” Homes in Adelaide Are Marketing Spin
It’s not a fun thing to say, but here it is: most houses being marketed as “energy-efficient” homes in Adelaide aren’t that efficient. Not really. This is part of the broader energy-efficient homes marketing spin that often misleads potential buyers. They might tick a couple of boxes — throw in some double glazing or a […]
What Does It Really Mean to “Work with Councils”?
You’ll sometimes hear a builder say they’ve “work with councils” before — as if that automatically means they’ll get your approval through faster. But here’s the truth: it’s not about the postcode. It’s about how you approach the process. Approvals depend on how complete, compliant, and thought-out your application is — and how well it’s […]
How Do You Know if a “Passivhaus” Is Actually Registered?
There’s been a big rise in talk around Passivhaus homes lately – which is great, in theory. But did you know that there’s actually passivhaus registration? The problem? The term gets thrown around a bit too loosely. And a lot of people don’t realise that not every house called a Passivhaus has actually gone […]
When Do You Want the “Oh My God It Costs WHAT?!” Moment?
There’s a point in every building journey where the real cost becomes obvious. The question is – would you rather have that “it costs what?” moment early, when you can still adjust and plan properly, or halfway through the build when things are locked in? Most people are conditioned to expect the “it costs what?!” […]
Transparency Isn’t About Line Items — It’s About Leadership
“Transparency” gets thrown around a lot in building. It sounds good, and every builder says they offer it. Most clients believe that transparency is a line-by-line breakdown – a massive spreadsheet that lists every nail, tile, and downlight. In our experience, that doesn’t bring clarity. It brings overwhelm. And for the kind of clients we […]
The Saddest Truth About “Energy-Efficient” Homes in Adelaide
Here it is: most energy-efficient homes marketed in Adelaide… aren’t. They’ve got a nice word or two on the brochure, and maybe some upgraded insulation or better windows — but they don’t actually perform that much better than your standard build. And homeowners don’t usually realise that until they’ve moved in. That’s when they start […]
Why Starting Cheap Ends Up Costing More
We’ve seen it more times than we can count when starting cheap: a client gets drawn in by a low headline price, signs on, and then… the variations start rolling in. And strangely, they almost expect it. There’s this odd comfort in starting low and getting gradually worn down by add-ons, surprises, and compromises. Somewhere […]