Dean Ipaviz is a qualified carpenter, and registered builder and project manager with a love of the environment and a willingness to show people better ways to sustainable building practises.

Born and raised on Melbourne’s picturesque Mornington Peninsula by hardworking blue collar Italian migrants, over the years, Dean has become extremely passionate about the environment and is committed to sustainability and creating awareness around sustainable building practices.

By educating clients, fellow tradesmen and viewers alike by introducing the three R’s (reduce, re-use, recycle), Dean is on a mission to make green building principles and practices more accessible and the go-to choice for the average renovation or new build.

Dean’s strong project management experience combined with his vast building knowledge has come in handy in his roles as co-host of the ABC’s Escape from The City, Best Houses Australia on 7two and Dream Home Ideas on The Lifestyle Channel.

Inspired by his experience as host of Escape from the City, in 2018, Dean made his own ‘escape from the city’ relocating to Byron Bay with his partner.

He has a love of second-hand furniture and spends much of his spare time upcycling old pieces, turning them into functional works of art.

It is this genuine love of upcycling and restoring old pieces of furniture that led Dean to his most recent role as host of Foxtel’s ‘The Repair Shop’. A huge hit with TV audiences all over the world, The Repair Shop features craftspeople rescuing treasured possessions and returning them to their forming glory.

In addition to his media work, Dean also runs his own building business. Verdecon, servicing the entire East Coast of Australia and dedicated to educating people around sustainable building principles and helping them understand that by taking active steps to reduce their carbon footprint, they can have a significant and positive impact on the environment.

Dean loves all things outdoors so if he’s not out surfing in his free time, you’ll more than likely find him on the golf course or travelling the world.