Get It Right With Undercover Architect

I want to take a moment to deep dive into one key area that can be the cause of loads of challenges in your renovation or new build.  I’m not overstating it, when I tell you that this one thing can be at the heart of most building disputes, errors and costly mistakes. In fact, a lot of serious litigation cases can be credited to this one thing failing or missing.  So what is it? This one crucial tool?  It’s  … COMMUNICATION.  When it’s done well, it helps projects run smoothly, achieve great outcomes and create homes that are a joy to live in.  And when it’s not. Well, it’s how projects unravel, money and time is wasted, loads of stress is caused as well, and the whole experience of renovating or building made awful.  When you build or renovate your home, there are so many moving parts to pull together. Different team members, different ideas, decisions, processes … boxes to tick, rules to satisfy, budgets to meet &hellip

As you begin to design and plan your new home or renovation, chances are you’ll be:  looking at the spaces you want to create  how you want to wrap them up (their size, shape, etc )  and what you want to put in them (finishes, fixtures, furnishings, etc)  When you start to allocate your budget to these dreamed and imagined spaces, finishes and fixtures, it can be a surprise to see how quickly it gets consumed.   And often, in my experience, the reaction can often be “But where is all the money going?”  There are many things required to create a working, finished new or renovated home, and they can chew up a significant chunk of your budget – and yet be almost invisible in the finished product.   So in this episode, we go through the main areas where money can disappear in any project, so you can manage them in yours. I share the main hazards to be aware of, and how you can protect your budg

One of the things I often see occurs is that homeowners will be so diligent during their early phases of their projects. Total ninjas when juggling competing demands, sorting their priorities, hunting down bargains, making strong decisions so they meet their budget.  And then construction will start.    They’ll head to site and start seeing progress. And then they’ll start changing things. Or they’ll see a material or fixture somewhere, fall in love with it, and have to have it – even though it’s more than what they’d originally budgeted for, or already selected.  This might be because construction feels like the last point at which you can be sure you’ve got it right. Your last opportunity to ensure you’ve made the best choices, because once it’s in, it’s permanent and you’ll be living with it.  And perhaps too, it’s because it can be hard to visualise things when they’re

When homeowners find out – often with total shock – that their expectations for their renovation or new home project don’t match the reality of its cost, a readjustment has to occur for them to keep going on their journey.  The challenge is that many homeowners often wait far too long to get to this point of readjustment.   They hop on a train towards their destination (that is, their new or renovated home), without checking that they’re on the right train. It’s only several stops along their trip that they check, and discover they’re on an express train to somewhere they didn’t mean to go.   So, how do you avoid this? How do you avoid the hurt of derailing a train (ie your project) and it ending in disaster?  Simple. Get your expectations meeting reality as early as possible. If you can readjust early, then you can hop on the best train for you.  Part of this is w

There’s a saying that goes something like this …  “A new home or renovation will always cost twice as much, and take twice as long, as you expect it to”  It’s usually given as a warning to those embarking on their project. And often it’s handed out at school gates or BBQs or in the workplace … where well-meaning friends and colleagues who’ve been through a project of their own, share learnings from their own experience.  However, in Amelia's opinion, there’s a big issue with this piece of advice. What she actually finds is this:  Homeowners in fact start  their project expecting that it will take half as long, and cost half as much as it actually will.  Amelia dooesn't know how expectations and reality got so far apart. Perhaps it’s a diet of reality TV programs and big shed hardware stores.  So, let’s look at what can happen when you realise your budget is unrealistic, and how to ge

When you’re first starting out on your project, you’re generally looking for a designer or a builder (or both). And ultimately you’re trying to find someone you can trust, and who is a good fit for your project.  It can be tricky to know how much to say, and whether to admit you don’t know what you’re doing. This episode is all about how to have that first conversation with your potential designer or builder.   Amelia shares what goes wrong when you don’t choose well, and what can go right. And she also gives key tips for how to speak with them when first on the hunt for yours.  Amelia thinks that when you understand what can go wrong, and what it looks like when you get it right, it helps you be more alert and aware in your search for your team at the outset.  When you find the right designer and builder for you, these two professionals can be the ones to facilitate a great outcome for your project, and help you create a home you love to live in.&n

Amelia wants to take you through some of the early mistakes she sees homeowners make. Ones that can cause budget blowouts down the track – before you’ve even begun your renovation or new build. These are the components that homeowners can overlook completely. And in doing so, they miss the opportunity it gives them to be strategic in their project. And, they potentially set themselves up for extra costs or cancelled projects. Amelia recommends that you wrap your head, and your budget, around these things as early in your project as you can. Because doing it early can impact the choices you make about how you renovate or build your home. And about how you create your home design. So what are these early components that get missed by many? Well, if you’re renovating, it how you deal with what needs to occur to your home as part of its maintenance and upkeep anyway. And if you’re building, it's how you deal with what needs to happen to prepare your land for a new home. In this episode, Am

There are 5 top money saving ideas Amelia hears homeowners use to explain how they’ll save big money in their reno or new build. In this episode, Amelia share why these can be in fact MYTHS. Huge mistakes that can actually cost you far more in the long run. So what are these money saving ideas? They are … Money Saving Idea #1:“I can get cheap tiles … or paint … or timber … via a friend / family member etc, so I’m going to save loads of money” Money Saving Idea #2:“My friend / family member is a builder / electrician / plumber and will be doing the job for us at cost, or for free”. Money Saving Idea #3:“I’ll save money because I’m going to buy all my fixtures and finishes separate to the builder's contract. I’ll be able to find bargains, and avoid the builder’s margin on these items.” Money Saving Idea #4:“I’m going to project manage my renovation or new build.” Money Saving Idea #5:“I&rs

Often when you’re starting to think about your project, and trying to determine the budget you need to set aside for it, you don’t to have to many public conversations about it. This is for a few reasons. One might be that you just feel clueless. You don’t know who to start speaking to, or the questions to ask. And in feeling like that, you may be worried that you’ll look foolish. Say something you’re not supposed to, or give professionals and builders information that gives away too much. It may be too that you don’t want to give too much away too soon. Show your hand and then be at the mercy of trusting everyone to not be taking advantage of you. Amelia knows that one thing that many homeowners she speaks to fear, is all the unknowns. And whenever you’re in that kind of territory, feeling out of your comfort zone, it’s can be a hard place to be. And to admit that you don’t really know what you’re doing whilst you’re there. Amelia would like t

Finding out what your renovation or new home will cost you is not a one-step exercise. In fact, in Amelia's experience, the best results come from approaching this question from various angles.   When you work out what your project will cost you in a more holistic way, using several inputs and types of information, you ultimately come up with a much more reliable answer. And can be more confident your project will stay on budget, PLUS create a great outcome for you as a finished home.  So, what does Amelia mean by this?   Over the course of this season, Amelia will be taking you through various strategies you can use to determine what your renovation or new home will cost. And what to do when it’s looking like it will cost more than you want to spend. What information to trust, and what not to. And how to stay informed and involved throughout. Because staying on top of your budget is one key factor to staying in control of your project overall.    So let’s s

Over the years Amelia has been working with homeowners, she has often them asked this question …    “What are you most afraid of when renovating or building your home? What makes you most nervous, causes the most stress and brings about that feeling of overwhelm?”   The answer to this gets delivered in different ways. Sometimes with tears, and sometimes with hearty chuckles. Sometimes with quiet whispers like it’s something they don’t want to admit. But it always (and Amelia means ALWAYS) the response is similar.   There are a few main fears, and this one generally jumps out first. This is what you tell Amelia:  You’re nervous about what it will cost you to renovate or build or home  Can you afford to do what you want to do, this dream you have in your head (and heart) about your future home  How can you know you can start and won’t blow your budget along the way, and   How do you avoid being taken advantag

Our homes’ front entries and front gardens are how our homes present themselves to the world.   This episode brings us to the front of your home – which is usually the most public face of it. It’s actually the side of your home that most people see. It presents your chosen aesthetic, personality or style to the street.   And it’s usually the first thing you see as you drive up each day and think “I’m home!”   Amelia has seen homeowners work very hard to decide how they want this side of their home to look and feel. The style to do it in. Design, materials and colour scheme.   In this episode, she specifically talks about the front entry of your home, and the design of your front garden. And she talks about some big design concepts to help you determine how to create the best front entry design for your place. So it’s a chunky episode, but packed full of lots of useful ideas for your place.   Amelia takes you thro

This episode is about your outdoor living spaces … so your alfresco, or deck, or patio, or terrace, or outdoor room. Amelia will also be talking about swimming pools.    In so many parts of the world – and especially here in Australia – we’re blessed with a great climate. This helps us really expand the interior of our homes into the garden around them. So let Amelia share some great tips with you to get it right in planning your outdoor living spaces.  Whether you live in a large home on a big block of land, a compact home on an urban block, or in an apartment, this much is true. Having a great outdoor living space can do wonders for how your home feels.  Adding a deck on, or improving your outdoor area to create a space to live outdoors and entertain, is one of the more common renovations that people do to their home. And getting it right when you’re building new is one of the keys to helping your home flow, and to making the most of your home and your

Stairs and garages. Whilst it may seem odd to put these two items together, there’s a few things they have in common.   Firstly of course, they don’t need to go into every home. If you’re renovating or building a single-storey house on perfectly flat land, there’s going to be part of this podcast not relevant to you! And not everyone wants to or needs to build a garage.  Secondly, stairs and garages need to be a certain size to actually work – to even be worthwhile including.   And thirdly, and this is probably the most surprising – how they are designed and where they’re located, can be the starting point for the rest of your home design.  So, in this podcast episode, Amelia tackles stairs and garages separately. As Amelia normally does, she takes you through the four F’s. And she also provides you with some mistakes to avoid and design tips to help you get it right.   Amelia's big mistake to avoid with stairs is thi

Listen to this episode to learn how to get it right in your study nooks, studies and home offices. Our lives are busy. And whilst we do what we can to bring intention and quiet into them where possible, and focus on one thing at a time … sometimes we are juggling. Often we are juggling. And this seems to be most true in how we balance work and family life in our homes. We find the edges can be a little blurred. So that means that we’re bringing work home. Or we’re building businesses from home. And with kids growing through school and university, they’re also studying at home and needing space to do it. As parents, and often working parents, trying to combine all these activities with everyday family life can be challenging. And it can be critical to give everyone the space and quiet to focus on their work when needed, in order for our homes to work well. So creating spaces and rooms where this work can occur in a semi-uninterrupted way, can help with family sanity overall. Amelia kno

This episode is all about secondary bedrooms. “Secondary bedrooms” is the terminology Amelia uses to refer to any bedrooms that aren’t the main bedroom. These can include: Nurseries for infant babies and toddlers Kids’ bedrooms, for kids as they grow into their teenage years and beyond Guest accommodation for friends and relatives that may come to stay Bedrooms for elderly family members who may move in at some point – either temporarily or permanently Bedrooms for any other people you may have live in your home – such as a nanny or au pair Of course, Amelia will be sharing the four F’s and how to use them to get it right in these bedrooms. And, she'll also be identifying key mistakes and big design tips to help you design great bedroom spaces. You’ll probably find too that this podcast episode will pose a lot of questions to you. When it comes to family homes, some choices are really personal, and about how you need to live in your home. These choices will be

In this episode, Amelia will be talking about wardrobes, linens, laundries and mudrooms.   She'll also cover walk-in robes and other storage. These spaces can be important to get right for a home to work well, so let’s learn more.   In this episode, Amelia talks about the four Fs upfront and gets through them quite quickly.   Then, she tackles each of these spaces individually, and shares some key mistakes and design tips for each. And in each she talks about where to locate it in your home, and how to connect it to other spaces and rooms so it works as conveniently as possible.  Because convenience is what these spaces are ALL about. When you get it right in these rooms and spaces … when you nail how they work functionally … then it not only assists you in your home. It makes life simpler for everyone, and is a serious sanity saver in family homes.   This is the list of rooms and spaces Amelia talks about in this episode.  Firstly, wardrob

This episode is about the wet areas in our home, namely bathrooms, ensuites and powder rooms.   These are cost-intensive areas in our home. They, as well as our kitchens, will have the highest cost rate in $ / m2 compared with the rest of the home (when looking at your project overall). This is of course because of the electrical, the plumbing, the finishes, and the fixtures in these rooms, all crammed into quite a small area.   These rooms also need to function. In some pretty core and fundamental ways! When these areas aren't arranged well, when elements in them aren't sized appropriately, and when these rooms sit in difficult positions within our homes, they can seriously impact the convenience of daily routines.   In this episode, Amelia gets clear on the terminology used for these rooms, and what generally goes in each of them.    Then, of course, we'll explore the four F's and how they relate to your bathroom, ensuite and powder room.  And Amelia will sh

The main bedroom of the house … Bedroom Number 1. This can be simply a bedroom, or it can be arranged in combination with extra or attached spaces such as a walk-in-robe, ensuite and even a parents’ retreat. Other names for it are the master bedroom, or master suite.   Ensuites and walk-in robes will come in Episode 6 and Episode 7, so Amelia can give you more detail about them separately.  Something to know first about this episode ...  A lot of what Amelia will be sharing is options that are available to you. She'll actually be asking a lot of questions. You can then ask these of yourself, or discuss with your partner, to work out the best design choices for you.  Unlike some other parts of the home, the way a master bedroom is designed isn't too prescriptive in order for it to work. There are of course some fundamental things that work and don't, and she'll be taking you through those.   However, so much of the design aspect of the main bedroom involves super

There’s a huge amount to consider when it comes to designing your kitchen. And it, more than any other area of your home, you can feel a lot of pressure that you’ll stuff it up.  This episode is about kitchens … all thing kitchens, which means Amelia will also talk about butler’s pantries, walk-in pantries and appliance cupboards.   Your renovation or new build can the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to finally get a kitchen that works. One with decent bench space, great storage, and a layout that enables you to enjoy being in it, using it, and getting the most from it.  So, in this episode, Amelia will cover the 4 “F’s” and how they relate to your kitchen. She’ll also share 3 mistakes to avoid, and 3 design tips to aim for so you nail this space in your home.   When a kitchen works, it ends up being amazing for improving your time and life in your home overall.   The thing is, for most homeowners she works with