Get It Right With Undercover Architect

Want to make your construction process simpler – and you more sane and confident?  Manage Your Build is my online program that will give you key knowledge, tools, cheatsheets and industry insider checklists and tips, plus strategies to save your sanity and budget as well.   This online program can support you, help you avoid expensive mistakes and drama, and put you in the driver's seat, feeling confident during the construction of your new home or renovation.  Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to see more about what's inside the program, and how it can save you stress and money as you navigate the construction of your reno or new home.  SHOW NOTES FOR THIS EPISODE:  In this episode, we talk about the next stage of construction. This is the Slab or Base Stage. This is where the platform or floor of your home gets built.  I see homeowners struggle with understanding that, at this point, many choices about the fin

Want to make your construction process simpler – and you more sane and confident?  Manage Your Build is my online program that will give you key knowledge, tools, cheatsheets and industry insider checklists and tips, plus strategies to save your sanity and budget as well.   This online program can support you, help you avoid expensive mistakes and drama, and put you in the driver's seat, feeling confident during the construction of your new home or renovation.  Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to see more about what's inside the program, and how it can save you stress and money as you navigate the construction of your reno or new home.  SHOW NOTES FOR THIS EPISODE:  What happens during demolition and site preparation?  “Demolition and Site Preparation” is an important stage in construction, and often the first real activity you see on your building site.   In this episode, we talk about th

Want to make your construction process simpler – and you more sane and confident?  Manage Your Build is my online program that will give you key knowledge, tools, cheatsheets and industry insider checklists and tips, plus strategies to save your sanity and budget as well.   This online program can support you, help you avoid expensive mistakes and drama, and put you in the driver's seat, feeling confident during the construction of your new home or renovation.  Head to https://undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild/ to see more about what's inside the program, and how it can save you stress and money as you navigate the construction of your reno or new home.  SHOW NOTES FOR THIS EPISODE:  In this episode, we talk about the first stage of any project - paying the deposit. This is where you'll be signing your contract, and making your first payment to lock in your builder, and get the construction process going.  There's lots to k

Want to make your construction process simpler – and you more sane and confident?  Manage Your Build is my online program that will give you key knowledge, tools, cheatsheets and industry insider checklists and tips, plus strategies to save your sanity and budget as well.   This online program can support you, help you avoid expensive mistakes and drama, and put you in the driver's seat, feeling confident during the construction of your new home or renovation.  Head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/manageyourbuild to see more about what's inside the program, and how it can save you stress and money as you navigate the construction of your reno or new home.  SHOW NOTES FOR THIS EPISODE:  This podcast is called "The Stages of Home Construction". We're diving into the process of home construction for both new builds and renovations, so you can feel informed as your project gets built. We'll be looking at the what, when, who and how of each stage and

This episode introduces a new Project Diary on the Undercover Architect website – the design and construction of a new home in New Zealand.  This is a project I designed for the owners late last year, and so, in this episode, I share how the design process went, and how I worked with these homeowners to create the design for their future forever family home.  So, what’s a Project Diary? Well, it’s where we follow the journey of someone who is building or renovating their home. There are already 2 Project Diaries on the Undercover Architect website.  One is the renovation of a Queenslander cottage, and the other is the construction of a new family home for the Andersons. These project diaries go step by step through their journey … from their design process, their quoting, their selection of a builder and then the construction and completion of the home. It’s really great if you’re planning a project yourself to see how

Got questions about your renovation or new home?  This episode answers 3 questions I receive frequently from the UA Community.  I receive a lot of questions from homeowners. Between comments on the blog, people getting in touch over email or social media, and from the members in my online programs, it’s always great to see what homeowners are curious about, and the help they need.   I’ve selected these 3 questions because I receive them really regularly. These 3 questions are:  What is the best stage to get a quantity surveyor in to do a cost report on your design?  Do I really need a Project Manager on my new build or renovation?  How do I find time to get my reno or building planning started?  Listen to the episode for more info now.   FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Know what to look for in an architect's or designer's quote so you can protect yourself and your project. Request your FREE Guide now … It includes a complete transcript of this podcast, my top 10 tips, plus 3 bonus tips not mentioned anywhere else >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/quotechecklist  This episode is to help you know what to look for in an architect’s or designer’s quote. If you’re receiving fee proposals from potential designers for your project – and infact any consultants you might need on your team, this episode will be great for you.   I’ve seen many architect and designer quotes in my time now, and to be frank, some of them are shocking. They expose both the homeowner and the designer to a huge amount of risk.   And it’s fine when everything goes well, but if there’s any discrepancy or frustration during the project, then it can be very difficult to understand n

Grab the free e-guide “How to Design a Home – 5 Simple Steps to Get Started and Get it Right”.  This guide will take you through how to create a home that works for you – now and always. It’s based on my work with hundreds of clients over more than 2 decades in this industry, and will simplify the design of your future family home. You can get it by heading to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/homedesign  This episode is all about the designer you choose for your project. If you’ve decided you’re going to work with one, it’s usually the first choice you’ll make.    And I say ‘if’, because I know that many homeowners don’t work directly with a designer. From what I’ve seen, especially in my time in Undercover Architect, many homeowners will draw up their own design on an app, or on paper, and then take it to a builder. The builder may have their own drafting team, and so that homeowner-prepared de

Request your free E-Guide “The View from Upper Block” which includes a transcript of this podcast >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/viewfromupper   Is your main view from the upper floor of your home? And are you needing help with how to design a home to best suit this?   I receive so many questions about how to design a home when your best view is from the upper level. Especially from homeowners who have young families, and are grappling with where to locate the major living areas of the home.  Do your living areas get located on the upper floor where you can make the most of the view, but then accept that they're a storey away from the garden? Or on the lower floor where your living spaces can then have a great indoor / out

Request your free E-Guide “The Dual Access Block” which includes a transcript of this podcast >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/dualaccessblock   What is a dual access block? Well, this is what we call a block that has two frontages – at opposite ends of the home.  This may be via two street frontages, because for some reason there’s been a subdivision that’s left a sliver of land only one block deep. Or it may be because the home faces a park where pedestrians can arrive at the home – but it has street access for car at the other side of it. Or perhaps, it ha

Request your free E-Guide “The Acreage Block” which includes a transcript of this podcast >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/acreageblock   Acreage homes can cover a lot of different types. It can be a single acre in a suburban area where large lots are the norm ... right through to a regional or remote area, where there’s thousands and thousands of acres of a working property, with a home situated on it.  Through Undercover Architect, I’ve had the benefit of working with many regional clients, both here and overseas. And I also live on acreage myself, in the Byron Hinterland.   Over the years, and especially fr

Request your free E-Guide “The Sloping Block” which includes a transcript of this podcast >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/slopingblock   Do you have a sloping block? And do you know how to design your new home or renovation to make the most of it?  So many homeowners get in touch with me because they have a sloping block and none of the inspiration they’re looking at applies for their scenario. They’re confused about how to get a connection with their outdoor areas, about how they’ll not spend a fortune in excavation and retaining, and how to best deal with the sloping terrain.  This can apply whether their block has a gentle slope to it, is like goat country, or is somewhere in between.   And it usually becomes a case of which of these three options you’ll choose ...   do you build or renovate so our home sits elevated above the slope, floating over it  do you excavate the site to create a

Request your free E-Guide “The Wide Block” which includes a transcript of this podcast >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/wideblock   Do you have a wide block? And do you know how to design your new home or renovation to make the most of it?  When it comes to wide blocks, these can occur in different configurations.   There’s of course the more generous blocks. Ones that have nice wide frontages – so generally 15m plus – and are overall quite large in area. They can present challenges in how you arrange the home on the block so that it’s not dwarfed by the overall block itself. So it doesn’t look like a little dot on a great big horizon, basically!   At the other extreme, there’s the configurations where the block is wide and shallow. There are a lot of areas where subdivision has created blocks with a wide frontage, and their overall dimensions mean that a home will be strung out with most of it exposed to the street.   I’m going to focus mainly on those that are shallow and wide – so almost the opposi

Request your free E-Guide “The Narrow Block” which includes a transcript of this podcast >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/narrowblock Do you have a narrow block? And do you know how to design your new home or renovation to make the most of it?  When I refer to ‘narrow’ blocks, I mean anything that is 10m or less wide.   For most areas, that constitutes a narrow block, and some can even get down as narrow as 4 or 5m depending on where you live. Actually, I saw a home recently for sale that was on a block that was under 3m wide!   There are specific challenges when you’re designing for a narrow block. These challenges may change as the block size and configuration changes as well.  So, I’m going to focus on big ideas that will help you think about your narrow block, and how to create a home for it. The things you can explore, and some of the strategies that designers use to solve the challenge that is the narrow b

Grab the bonus free download for this episode, which includes a transcript and worksheet for you to get it right on your corner block >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/cornerblock Do you have a corner block? And do you know how to design your new home or renovation to make the most of it?  There can be a range of attitudes and feelings about corner blocks.   Some people really dislike them because they feel less private, and less secure. Others think they’re great, because they feel more spacious and open to light and views – and feel bigger as a result.   Of course, specific challenges and advantages may vary based on how flat your corner block is (and I’

This upcoming podcast season will be all about designing for difficult sites. For the non-standard, non-normal, tricky sites. A cookie cutter approach doesn’t work when your land, block size and shape is different.  When you’re renovating or building, you have a unique opportunity to create a home that suits your block of land. That makes the most of its assets, minimizes the things you don’t like about it, or its immediate environment, and really celebrates the qualities of where you live, and the land you live on.  Homeowners often don’t understand the challenges that are specific to their type of block. And in doing so, they miss the opportunity to maximise the site’s characteristics, and minimise the things they don’t like about it.  Over the coming season, I’m going to be sharing specific design strategies you can use when designing a reno or new home for a trickier or difficult block.   A

There are 3 secrets I see homeowners keep when planning and carrying out their home renovation or building projects.  These things are almost unspoken. It’s only been in digging, asking questions, and listening loads, that I’ve seen these things aren’t a one-off – but happen really regularly for many, many homeowners.   These secrets are related to the hesitancy I see homeowners have around discussing money, and the details of their reno or build with others. Particularly with those who could help them stay sane, and feel far more confident and empowered in their project.   There are 2 reasons why these secrets we keep can be really damaging when renovating or building our homes – and can isolate us from the help we need for our success and sanity.  These reasons are:  #1These 3 secrets breed ‘shoulds’. External and internal pressures that can mean we blow our budgets, and c

MY FREE 7 DAY CHALLENGE IS STARTING NOW! HEAD TO  www.undercoverarchitect.com/7daychallenge  Want to feel and sound like you know what you’re talking about when you build or renovate your home?   And avoid being a newbie, feeling like you have a target on your forehead, waiting to be ripped off or taken advantage of?  A recent report by Ernst & Young estimates that by the year 2028 women will control about 80% of discretionary spending worldwide.   And I recall as far back as 2006, when I was Chair of an Industry Committee, we commissioned research to find the purchasing power of women in the property industry. We that found at that time, that when it comes to property, women either controlled, or heavily influenced 80% of the purchasing decisions.  And yet, and I’ve experienced this personally, when it comes to our own projects, we’ll often find designers, salespeople, builders and tradespeople still want to speak to

Do you know what the most underestimated mistake is when building or renovating your home?   Listen to the podcast to learn the renovating and building mistakes to avoid, and how to save your sanity and stress less when renovating or building.  There’s a thing I see happen for many homeowners when embarking on, and executing their reno or new build. And it’s this: They’re totally surprised at how stressful it is. And how stressed they get.  The stress a project can cause catches many homeowners by surprise – because its source is from an entirely different place to what they expected.   The online world is full of promises of ‘easy’ when it comes to building and renovating your home. There are loads of people out there offering to make it this way. Telling you it IS easy and that ANYONE, ANYWHERE can do it, and do it well, regardless of skill or experience. They’re offering their own brand of magic pill.  I have a firm

Do you know how to ask for what you want in your renovation or building project? And be sure you’re getting what you paid for?  One of the most frequently asked questions, or challenges that homeowners share with me is  “I have no idea where to start”.   Also, many homeowners tell me also that there are 3 big fears or areas of concern around renovating and building – and these may sound familiar to you. These fears are …  how much the project will cost, and whether the budget will blow out  how long the project will take, and how much of their own time it will take up  how much stress the project will cause them  Are these fears that you have about your project?  In all my experience of working with homeowners who are renovating or building their home, there’s one thing I see REALLY work for them. Both in dealing with those fears, and in helping them get started really effectively and efficiently.