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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Former Bristol Mayor On The Future of The City
Sunday, 23 November 2025
Lord Marvin Rees joins Mark Millar to talk about the vision for Bristol as a major European city and some of the major ongoing developments like Brabazon and the YTL Arena.
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Live Green or Have Your Home Demolished!
Sunday, 16 November 2025
Mark Millar talks to Marcus Beck about the sustainability pledge that he’s taken with his wife, Abigail, to live green in Wales under the unique One Planet Development policy.
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Avoiding Renovation Disasters With Charlotte Dawson
Sunday, 9 November 2025
Mark Millar is joined by Interior Designer - Charlotte Dawson. Charlotte is ready to save your renovation job and help you avoid disaster, Charlotte talks about the biggest mistakes to avoid, How to manage and plan a timeline and also the importance of having a second opinion on renovation projects.
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A Deeper Dive Into Passivhaus With Gil Shalom
Sunday, 2 November 2025
Passivhaus Architect, GIl Shalom joins Mark Millar at the Fix Radio studios to have a longer conversation and get into more depth with regards to the Passivhaus standard and building method. Gil talks about retrofitting and renovating to reach Passivhaus certification, compared to building groun up. Gil talks about materials, the role heat pumps and EPC ratings play, the history of Passivhaus and goals for the future with regards to new build.
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Exciting Developments & The Future of Bristol
Sunday, 26 October 2025
Mark Millar looks into some of the ongoing and planned developments in Bristol and the surrounding areas. Mark talks to Jason Collard from Hive about their sustainable focus and approach and then chats with Seb Loyn & John Thompson from YTL Group about the ongoing creation of Brabazon, a new town that promises an exciting future for the city and it's residents.
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Looking To Improve? Or Looking To Move?
Sunday, 19 October 2025
Mark Millar looks into how we can improve our home and make better use of space, design, rooms and features. For those of you fed up and wanting to sell, Mark looks into how to improve the home to add value and increase demand. Guests include: Natallia Tanko & Kevin Porter
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Renovating In France & Greece
Sunday, 12 October 2025
Mark Millar looks into two projects in France and Greece taken on by Brits and invites them to share their experiences and an insight into what it's like taking on a renovation project abroad. Guests include: Ash Waters (France) as well as Chris Bishop & Jo Thompson (Greece)
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LACK of Building Ideas!
Sunday, 5 October 2025
Mark Millar invites guests to join him and talk about where they feel there's a lack of ingenuity and good application of ideas in the domestic building process. Mark talks about whether some things are a matter of taste or just bad design as well as what the ideas more worthy of exploration might be. Guests include: Tim Philips, Julian Owen & Robin Clevett.
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A Planning Nightmare In Marsworth!
Sunday, 28 September 2025
Mark Millar is joined by a developer (Nick Webb - Prism Construction) about his struggle to get planning to build houses on the site of a pub that has been derelict for a considerable period of time. Nick has sunk £1 million into the prokect so far and feels he's out of options as red tape holds him back from getting the vital planning permission he requires. Marsworth Parish Council Chairman, Bob Kennedy joins the discussion to explain why Nick's planned development is in the best interest of the village and gives a bit of context into why this is all happening.
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Tackling Subsidence
Sunday, 21 September 2025
Mark Millar looks into how we deal with subsidence issues with experts from the industry and ponders whether buying properties with existing issues, solving them and selling for profit could be a good business model.
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Chatting With First Time Developers
Sunday, 14 September 2025
Mark Millar introduces a new guest on the show, Dale Wherton, who is an incredible skilled Bricklayer beginning his journey in property development. Mark also catches us with Ben Rayner who first joined the programme in May to talk about his plans for his now completed build!
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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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