How to Retrofit Your Home for Comfort, Efficiency & Health on Any Budget

A Practical 2026 Guide

If you’re thinking about improving the comfort and performance of your home in 2026, you’re not alone. More and more Australians are looking for practical, affordable ways to make their existing homes warmer, healthier and more energy efficient — without diving into a full renovation.

This guide brings together the same principles I use when I walk through homes with clients, and the same approach my family used to retrofit our own home.

Why retrofit at all?

Most Australian homes weren’t designed for the climates in which they are located. They leak heat in winter, trap heat in summer, and can create moisture and condensation problems that affect health. A good retrofit doesn’t need to be dramatic. It’s simply a thoughtful set of improvements that work together to make your home more comfortable, more efficient, and easier to live in day-to-day. And importantly — you can start wherever your budget allows.

Start with the basics: sealing drafts

Draft proofing is the number one place I tell every household to begin. It’s inexpensive, quick, and you’ll feel the difference almost immediately.

Look for:

• gaps around doors and windows

• unsealed exhaust fans

• cracks in floorboards, skirting, or architraves over windows

• old or loose vents

Even a few tubes of sealant and some decent door seals can transform cold, windy rooms into spaces you actually want to be in. Just be sure that you’re bathroom exhaust fan and kitchen rangehood are functional before getting started on draftproofing.

Next, look at insulation

Good insulation is the backbone of a comfortable home. If your ceiling insulation is thin, patchy, or non-existent, that’s your next priority. Just 5% gaps in insulation can reduce it’s effectiveness by half. If you have a suitable house type, consider wall insulation and underfloor insulation too. These steps improve comfort year-round and reduce the load on heating and cooling systems. This isn’t glamorous work, but it’s incredibly effective.

Window treatments and shading

Many households underestimate how much heat moves through glass. Before you think about replacing windows entirely, start with:

• thick, well-fitted curtains

• pelmets (to stop convection draft behind the curtains)

• external shading for summer

• cellular blinds or double rollers

These options are far more affordable and can have a significant impact

Your mechanical systems matter, too

If your hot water system is nearing the end of its life, or if your heating and cooling are older and inefficient, switching to modern heat pump technology can give you a big efficiency boost. The key is sequencing. You don’t need to replace everything at once, just plan ahead so each decision supports the next.

A real example: our own home retrofit

When we retrofitted our home in Canberra a decade ago, we spent around $9,000 on a series of small, common-sense upgrades: draft proofing, insulation top-ups, window treatments, and a few targeted fixes. (I estimate today this would be more like $18,000.) These changes lifted our home from around 2.9 stars to about 5.7 stars, and reduced our heating and cooling demand by roughly 60%. More importantly, it simply became a nicer place to live — quieter, more stable in temperature, and far easier to manage through Canberra’s extremes. Read more about this case study here.

This is the part I want most homeowners to know: you don’t need a huge budget, and you don’t need to renovate. You just need the right sequence.

Where to start if you feel overwhelmed

Retrofits can feel like a maze. Every article online tells you something different, and every house is unique. That’s exactly why I developed the Cooee Retrofit Method — to give households a clear, steady path without the overwhelm.

If you want support to map out your own retrofit journey, the Method includes:

• a detailed how-to booklet

• two home walkthrough videos with me

• access to our online retrofit community

I want as many households as possible to start strong in 2026, so we’re opening with a launch discount of 20% for a limited time. Use the code 2026GO to access it.

I hope it brings you more clarity and confidence to gently chip away at your home goals this year.

Final thoughts

A well-planned retrofit is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your home. You don’t need to do everything, and you don’t need to do it all at once. Start small, choose the steps that suit your budget, and build from there. The first step is making a plan of action, and the Cooee Retrofit Method is designed to help you do that. If any questions pop up along the way, you’re welcome to put them in our Facebook group.

Ready to preview the method?

To see the contents and reviews, click here.