The Holistic Homes Podcast

If you think buying a brand new home guarantees you'll be free from defects, Brittney's story will completely shatter that assumption, and potentially save you from a nightmare that nearly destroyed her family's health and finances.Today I'm sharing a deeply personal and eye-opening conversation with Brittney, who purchased what she thought was her dream home from a well-known Texas builder in December 2023. Within just 1 month of moving in, she began experiencing terrifying symptoms: gasping for air in her sleep, neurological issues that left her nearly bedridden, and a persistent musty smell that no one else seemed...

Signing a contract with your contractor is like signing a marriage certificate. If you don't know what you're actually getting, you're setting yourself up for a very expensive divorce.Today, I'm diving into the financial side of contractor selection that can make or break your project. I've seen too many homeowners get blindsided by inadequate contracts, surprise costs, and change orders that nobody saw coming. You're literally handing over your vision and your budget to someone else, so you better make sure you understand exactly what you're paying for.In previous episodes...

Everyone thinks selecting healthy paint is just about finding something that says "zero VOC" on the label. I'm here to tell you that's barely scratching the surface, and it might actually be hurting your home's performance.In today's episode, I'm answering the most common question I get about paint selection, and it goes way beyond just avoiding volatile organic compounds. As a licensed GC and holistic construction consultant, I've seen too many projects where paint gets treated as just a design afterthought when it's actually a critical component of your exterior wall assembly.<...

Last week I was working with a client going through her second mold remediation when I caught a massive flooring issue that everyone else involved in the project had completely overlooked.As a licensed general contractor and holistic construction consultant and I see this same costly mistake over and over again. Everyone gets so focused on selecting the lowest VOC, non-toxic flooring materials (which I love!), but they completely ignore proper installation. I've seen flooring failures in multimillion-dollar homes with engineered and solid wood floors, so price point won't save you from this.In this...

Most homeowners think a "leak detection system" covers everything in their house, but the truth is your whole-home device only monitors plumbing lines. They leave out the drain lines that cause some of the most expensive water damage!In this second part of my leak management series, I'm breaking down the critical difference between plumbing lines (hot and cold water coming into your home) and drain lines (water going out through showers, toilets, and sinks). Understanding this distinction is key to creating a comprehensive monitoring system that actually protects your investment.You'll discover why I...

One in every 60 homes will experience a devastating plumbing leak this year, with the average insurance claim reaching $14,000 in damages—but most homeowners have no idea it's happening until it's too late.As a licensed GC and holistic home consultant, I've seen too many families devastated by water damage that could have been prevented. In today's episode, I'm sharing my three favorite "no-brainer" leak management strategies that I implement in every project, whether you're building new, renovating, or have been living in your current home for years.I'll walk you through exactly how to install ac...

One in 60 homes will experience a plumbing leak this year, resulting in over 1,400 insurance claims daily with an average payout of $14,000, but most of these disasters are completely preventable.In today's episode, I'm breaking down the leak management strategies that should be standard in every home but rarely are. Whether you're building new, renovating, or have been living in your home for years, these safeguards can save you from catastrophic water damage and give you the peace of mind to sleep soundly without wondering what's happening behind your walls.Plumbing leaks aren't always due to...

Your contractor is probably recommending spray foam insulation without telling you about the class action lawsuits, permanent installation risks, and potential for years of toxic off-gassing.In today's episode, I'm breaking down everything you need to know about spray foam insulation before making this permanent decision for your home. While spray foam offers excellent performance as an air barrier, vapor retarder, and insulation all in one, there are serious downsides that most contractors don't discuss: it's permanent (requiring expensive remediation to remove), it can off-gas for years if improperly mixed, and it requires perfect application to avoid...

Your builder might be skipping a required building code test that could save your home from mold, humidity problems, and toxic indoor air, and you probably don't even know it exists.In this episode, I'm breaking down the dangerous myth that homes need to "breathe" through their walls and why this outdated thinking is creating serious health problems in modern construction. The truth is, your home should breathe like your body does, through a controlled system (your nose), not through random leaks in your skin. Yet builders are still constructing homes that pull in unfiltered outdoor air...

Many of us get into this industry because we have personal horror stories with mold. For me, I bought a home that had floor to ceiling mold in the kitchen. It was completely invisible to the naked eye, until we started the renovation process and took walls down to the studs.For today’s guest, Megan Carson, she was reaching a sever level of mold toxicity and couldn’t identify the source until having an ERMI test and an inspection. Luckily, she was able to get out of her lease and high tail it out of there! But...

Less than 2% of homes survived the devastating LA fires, and they all share one critical feature that most builders ignore.Four months after the LA fires destroyed over 16,000 homes across 50,000 acres, a clear pattern has emerged among the few structures left standing. I've been analyzing what separates the homes that survived from the thousands that burned to the ground. So let's chat about it, because the answer may not by what you expect. The common denominator isn't expensive fire-resistant materials or elaborate sprinkler systems. It's the attic design. While most homes burned from the inside...

Most people spend more time planning their wedding than the home they'll live in for decades, and that's a costly mistake.Join me while I break down the critical six-month design development phase that should happen before breaking ground on your new construction or major renovation. As the founder of Holistic Homes, I've seen countless projects go sideways because homeowners rushed through this crucial planning period and I don’t want that to happen to you.The six-month timeline includes specific milestones and I’m taking out all the guess work by going through the spec...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Holistic Homes Podcast! Season 2 is all about in depth solo content from Christine!In episode 5, Christine takes us on a deep dive into all things contractors! In this episode, Christine goes over why it's important to start with the right architect and architectural plans before selecting your contractor.In this episode, Christine chatted about:Getting clear architectural plans firstWhy it's important to have clear architectural plans, even if you love and trust your contractorMaterials selection, paint selection, flooring, waterproofing materials expectations<...

Being forced out of your home because the walls are filled with Black Mold is a nightmare. Finding no legal recourse for the damages inflicted on your health and your finances is even worse. So today, we’re digging into the legal side of holistic home building.Kristina is a national trial lawyer who represents sick people against the companies that made them sick. She founded Just Well Law to help clients recover financially so that they can rebuild their health and their lives. Kristina’s experience with water damage in her home was absolutely devastating for her...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Holistic Homes Podcast! Season 2 is all about in depth solo content from Christine!In episode 4, Christine takes us on a deep dive into three strategies for building a water tight basements! In this episode, Christine goes over the pros and cons of various materials and construction strategies for basement build outs.Listen to this episode to find out the nitty gritty on water tight basement materials, what to look out for and avoid, and specific calculations and tests you should be doing for your basement build out.In...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Holistic Homes Podcast! Season 2 is all about in depth solo content from Christine!In episode 3, Christine takes us on a deep dive about all things healthy flooring! Concrete, tile, wood, laminate oh my! In this episode, Christine goes over the pros and cons for each floor option, as well as specific tests you should do for different flooring options.Listen to this episode to find out the nitty gritty on each flooring option, what to look out for and avoid, and specific tests you should be doing for your flooring...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Holistic Homes Podcast! Season 2 is all about in depth solo content from Christine!In episode 2, Christine takes us on a deep dive about all things attics! Ventilated vs conditioned attics! In this episode, Christine goes over the pros and cons of ventilated attics vs conditioned attics.Listen to this episode to find out the nitty gritty on ventilated attics and conditioned attics, what to look out for and avoid, and specific calculations and tests you should be doing for your attic choice.In this episode, Christine chatted about:<...

Welcome to Season 2 of the Holistic Homes Podcast! Season 2 is all about in depth solo content from Christine!In our first episode of Season 2, Christine takes us on a deep dive about all things architects! From advocating for yourself when meeting a new architect, to why it's important to have as much details in your architectural plans, to examples of possible details you may want in your architectural plans.Listen to this episode to find out why it's important to vet your architect, and to get an idea on some of the details your architect...

A healthy home doesn't start and end with construction. Every single product, from cookware to perfume, can have a huge impact on your overall health. So today, I'm joined by Wendy Kathryn , a clean living coach and environmental toxins attorney. She's also the host of Toxin Free-ish Podcast where you can find all things toxin-free living, for real life. When it comes to household products, greenwashing is rampant. So we're really getting into the knitty gritty with this conversation so you can feel more empowered the next time you head to Target. At the end of the...

Houses don’t need to breathe. People need to breathe. Houses on the other hand, need to dry. These are the wise words of today’s guest, Emily Mottram. Emily is an architect and principal of Mottram Architecture. She is a building science educator, co-host on “The BS & Beer Show” and hosts a monthly podcast “E3 - Energy and Efficiency with Emily,” focusing on building science, architecture and female entrepreneurship.Emily is a wealth of knowledge! She shares her journey from growing up in a farming community to becoming a leading expert in sustainable architecture and building science. We...