Get It Right With Undercover Architect

Hello! This is Episode 224, and in it, I’m going to be doing an update to one of Year 3’s most popular episodes and continuing our celebration of 5 years of the “Get it Right” podcast. In the last episode, I shared a reboot of the most popular episode from Year 3 of the podcast. It was from Season 10, which was called “Industry Insiders”. And the episode was my conversation with Jenny Edwards and Sarah Lebner from Light House Architecture + Science. In it, we dived into some fantastic and actionable information on how to create a sustainable home in a really pragmatic and straight-forward way. If you haven’t listened to the reboot of that episode, it’s definitely worth checking it out. You can find it at www.undercoverarchitect.com/223 and there’s a free downloadable transcript available as well. Year 3 of the podcast was a varied one, where we covered a huge range of topics. It began with the tail end of Season 8 on the podcast, which is called “A S

Hello! This is Episode 223, and in it, I’m going to be sharing one of Year 3’s most popular episodes and continuing our celebration of 5 years of the “Get it Right” podcast. This episode was from Season 10 of the podcast, which was called “Industry Insiders”. Season 10 is a great season on the podcast, packed full of conversations I had with industry professionals from both Australia and the USA. If you haven’t listened to it, I’d encourage you to check it out. We had a fantastic range of guests with loads of expertise to share. This rebooted episode was Episode 4 of that Season, and it’s a conversation with Jenny Edwards and Sarah Lebner, from Light House Architecture + Science.  These incredible women are both passionate about great design, sustainable homes, and achieving both in an affordable and accessible way. And they’re both amazing in the advocacy and education work they do to assist homeowners and industry colleagues well beyond their

Hello! This is Episode 222, and in it, I’m going to be doing an update to one of Year 2’s most popular episodes and continuing our celebration of 5 years of the “Get it Right” podcast. In this episode, I’ll be giving you some seriously actionable info that will not only help you stay sane during your reno or new build project - but it will also help you be a good project manager as well.  Many homeowners, when embarking on their project journey, don’t think of themselves as a Project Manager. However, renovating and building involves so many moving parts, steps, people and processes that, as the person or people funding it all and wanting it to happen, this is what you usually are: your own Project Manager. Part of being a good project manager is having the ability to stay organised, and lay your hands on information you need in a timely manner to keep things running smoothly. And then also having enough know-how so you can confidently navigate the steps ahead, and coo

Hello! This is Episode 221, and in it, I’m going to be sharing one of Year 2’s most popular episodes and continuing our celebration of 5 years of the “Get it Right” podcast. This episode was from Season 5 of the podcast, which was called “The Mistakes Many Make”. Here at Undercover Architect - on this podcast, on the blog, on social media and definitely inside my online courses and programs, I’m often sharing the mistakes many make.  My hope is that by sharing them with you, it will enable you to avoid them altogether. Or at the very least, be much more aware when you might be heading in that direction so you can course-correct quickly. So, that’s what Season 5 was about, and this episode was clearly a favourite. It was called “The most underestimated mistake when building or renovating your home.” You can grab a full transcript of this episode as a free PDF download - which wasn’t available the first time I released it. Plus I’ve go

Hello! This is Episode 220, and in it, I’m going to be providing an update to our last episode and continuing our celebration of 5 years of the “Get it Right” podcast. Our last episode was a reboot of not only the most popular episode of Year 1 of the podcast - it’s also the most popular episode in the entire podcast’s 5 years.  If you haven’t listened to that episode, be sure you do so by heading back to Episode 219. You can find it, and its full downloadable PDF transcript by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/219. That episode was called “Still the most important thing to know when designing your home”. In this episode, I want to bring you some current information about the way we create homes, and how this can impact the things to know when designing your home, plus give you some ways to order your decisions.  This is the thing about designing, building and renovating.  It involves a BOATLOAD of decisions, which can be overwhelming for man

Hello! This is Episode 219, and I’m back!! Thank you for joining me again after the break we’ve had. I’m really excited to be here and spending this time with you, and looking forward to some awesome episodes that we have coming up. This episode marks the beginning of my 5th birthday celebration for the “Get it Right” podcast. Can you believe it? The podcast is 5 years old! That’s right: As of the 6th of December, 2021, the podcast has been going for 5 years. In that time, we’ve published 219 episodes (including this one), it’s been listened to in over 190 countries, and it’s been downloaded almost 1.2 Million times.  So, for the next series of episodes, we’re going to be celebrating 5 years of the podcast by rebooting some of the old favourites, and interspersing them with great updates and extra information for you.  I know it’s going to be great to revisit some of the most listened to episodes, and also do that alongside adding som

Hello! This is Episode 218, and in it, I’m going to take a slightly different direction. This is very different to the episode I had originally planned for Episode 218. I was going to share a list of checklists every renovation or new build project needs - and don’t worry - I’ll still mention them so you have the info, so stay tuned for that in this episode. However, there’s a few things that have come up the past week that I want to share with you. Largely because I think it may actually be more relevant and more helpful to your project journey than me telling you about checklists.  However, this info is just a bit harder for me to talk about, because I’m going to get personal. It always feels a bit indulgent to spend this time with you talking about my own learnings and experience. But let’s give it a try, shall we?  Because time and time again, when I do, I get feedback that it’s helpful. And having worked with homeowners for over 25 years, I know that yo

Hello! This is Episode #217, and it’s the last of four episodes where I’ve been discussing in more detail the four phases of building or renovating your family home. In this episode, I’m talking about the Build Phase.  If you haven’t listened to the previous three episodes, I’d really encourage you to do so. In them, you’ll learn about the other three phases of any project, which are: Pre-Design Design Pre-Build … and you’ll learn the most commonly made mistakes in each of those phases. Effort and time spent in those three phases will enable you to have a smoother Build Phase overall.  So, even if you’re only listening to this because you’re about to start your Build Phase, it’s worthwhile going through those previous three episodes to ensure you’ve covered all your bases before diving into construction. Now, when you’re planning on renovating or building your future home, it’s natural to be really heavily focusse

Hello! This is Episode #216, and it’s the third of four episodes where I’ll be discussing in more detail the four phases of building or renovating your family home. In this episode, I’m talking about the Pre-Build Phase.  This is the phase between Design and Build, and for many, it’s a frustrating time of impatiently waiting for construction to start. Yet, it is the point at which so many things need to be confirmed, finalised and agreed upon, it’s important to navigate through it thoroughly and carefully. So, I’ll be sharing more about that, and the common mistakes to avoid. You'll also hear from a HOME Method member about their project experience as well, and how they found it to work with me during their renos or new build project. And I’ll be reminding you about what is currently going on with HOME Method if it’s been on your radar to jump into for your project. Remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus info about other helpful

Hello! This is Episode #215, and it’s the second of four episodes where I’m discussing in more detail the four phases of building or renovating your family home. If you haven’t listened to the most recent episode (Ep 214) about the mistakes to avoid during your Pre-Design phase, be sure to head back and catch up on that episode.  Even if you’ve already moved through the Pre-Design phase and are in the Design phase right now, the information in that episode will help you ensure you’ve got your ducks in a row, and haven’t missed something important. In this episode, I’ll be diving into some key Design Phase mistakes I see made by homeowners. Whether you’re working with an architect or building designer, or you’ve gone straight to a building company, or you’re designing your home yourself, these Design Phase mistakes will be relevant to you. So stay tuned. Remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus info about other helpful l

Hello! This is Episode #214, and it’s the first of four episodes where I’ll be discussing in more detail the four phases of building or renovating your family home. In this episode, I’m talking about Pre-Design, which is an essential stage to set the framework for your overall project journey, and ensure you have all your ducks in a row before you dive into designing your future home - whoever you’re working with. I’ll also be sharing some exciting news about my flagship program, the HOME Method. And, you’re going to hear from some members about their project experience as well, and how they found it to work with me during their renos or new build projects. Remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus info about other helpful links and resources related to this topic, as a free PDF download by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/214. So be sure to do that so you can file that away and review this episode as needed. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOT

Hello! This is Episode #213, and in it, I’ll be helping you see how to review your construction drawings, and what to check as you look through them. Your construction drawings are a significant gateway to determine how you’re communicating the outcome you want on site in your renovation or new build, and the experience you want to have during that construction too.  Drawings with insufficient specifications and descriptions on them, will either mean you’ll get what the builder always does, they’ll assume a bunch of decisions on your behalf to keep construction going, or you’ll be receiving phonecalls every day. Inaccurate drawings, or poorly coordinated drawings, will mean confusion, mistakes and potentially extra spend on your behalf, as it becomes very difficult to establish what was in the contract and what wasn’t. So, to do a thorough review and know what to check prior to seeking your final price from your builder and getting the contract signed, will help you av

Hello! This is Episode #212, and in it, I’m going to help you understand how to check your drawings during your Design Phase. And I’ll also be sharing how you can know that you’re getting the right amount and quality of information from whoever you’re working with, before you sign off your design and commit to it being fully documented in the next stage of your project. The Design Phase is a really important part of your project. Far too often, homeowners race through it, for a combination of reasons. However, it’s worthwhile taking your time in at this point in your project, so you avoid some really common mistakes that happen during the Design Phase. Remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus info about other helpful links and resources related to this topic, as a free PDF download by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/212. So be sure to do that so you can file that away and review this episode as needed. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you&

Hello! This is Episode #211, and in it, I’m going to be talking about the design of your outdoor entertaining area or alfresco.  And specifically, I’ll be sharing what to consider when it comes to your roof design over this area, so it doesn’t diminish the feeling and functionality of the space, or the interior of the home. This is a question I get a lot from homeowners. Often it’s because they’ve lived in a home where their outdoor space, and how it was roofed, negatively impacted the way their home worked overall. And they don’t want to make the same mistake in their current renovation or new build project. For some locations, there can be a debate of whether you need or want to roof your outdoor entertaining or alfresco area, or if that roof needs to just be used at certain times of the year, and then disappear at others. So, we’re going to dive into all of this.  Plus, I’ll be also talking about the various things to consider if you have an existin

Hello! This is Episode #210, and in it, I’m continuing on from the last episode, where we’re answering the question: How do you know you don’t just need a draftsperson or building designer, but you should use an architect instead? And when should you definitely use an architect vs other industry professionals? Or when you can use a draftsperson, or even go straight to a builder? If you haven’t had the chance to listen to the previous episode, then stop now, and go back to listen to Part 1. You can then come back to this episode, and it’ll make more sense. It’ll be here waiting for you when you’re ready! Remember too, you can grab a full transcript of this episode, plus info about other helpful links and resources related to this topic, as a free PDF download by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/210. So be sure to do that so you can file that away and review this episode as needed. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding

Hello! This is Episode #209, and in it, I’ll be answering a common question I hear from homeowners. How do you know you don’t just need a draftsperson or building designer, but you should use an architect instead? And when should you definitely use an architect vs other industry professionals? Or when you can use a draftsperson, or even go straight to a builder? Many homeowners want to know if there’s a way of narrowing down who they should work with based on the kind of project they’re planning. Or if their project will be considered too small or too big for specific types of design professionals. So, I’m going to be taking you through how to determine who to work with for your project, whatever you’re planning to do. You can grab a full transcript of this episode, the first part of this conversation, as a free PDF download by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/209, so be sure to do that so you can review this episode as needed. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If

Hello! This is Episode 208. In this episode, we’re discussing the topic of roof colour, and more specifically, dark roof colours vs light roof colours, and whether your selection really matters to the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of your home. Roof colour is something I’m asked about a lot. Does it really matter, and how much does it matter?  For many of us who know what it’s like to get into a dark car after it’s been parked in the street in the sun, or wear a black t-shirt out in the sun during Summer, there’s a basic understanding that dark colours absorb more heat.  And so, I’m also often asked, “if you live in an area where your focus is keeping your home warm in Winter, then aren’t you better off having a dark roof?” This is why I’m really looking forward to you meeting my guest for this episode. He is architect Sid Thoo, and he is also an energy assessor. In all his work, he aims to help homeowners create eco-efficient, comf

Hello! This is Episode 207. In this episode, you’ll learn from architect, Antony Martin of MRTN Architects, how you can think about the Pre-Design Phase of your project. Often when homeowners start their project, their priority is to think about the floor plan design, how it will get created, and who will help them. And, if you’re planning on working with a design professional such as an architect or building designer, you may expect that your very first steps with them are going to be seeing pen put to paper (or mouse to CAD program!) as floor plans of your future new home or renovation get created based on your wishes and wants. However, and you’ve probably heard me talk about this before - and it’s definitely something I teach inside my online courses and program, the HOME Method - getting your design started is nowhere near as important as starting the RIGHT design. When you take the time at the beginning of your project to ensure you’re starting the RIGHT design for your fut

Hello! This is Episode 205. In this episode, we wrap up our little mini-series on the PAC Process, or Paid As Consultant Process, with a fantastic conversation I really think you’re going to enjoy. I’m speaking with Bec and Glenn, who recently completed a renovation of their Queenslander home in Brisbane, and used the PAC Process during their design phase. After working with me to create some initial design concept options, they worked with building designer, Aaron Wailes, who you met in Episode 203, and builder, Duayne Pearce, who was on our last episode. As a collaborative team, they developed their preferred design concept into costed construction drawings, kicked off the renovation on site, and then completed the home in early 2021. Bec and Glenn were also members of my online program, the HOME Method both before and during their project. I know it’s going to be great for you to hear their experience first-hand, and I’m super grateful for them jumping on the podcast, because it&rsq

Hello! This is Episode 204. In this episode, I am speaking with a builder who only uses the PAC Process in his residential construction business. He no longer does tenders and quotes, and will only work with clients right from the initiation of their project, so he can be Paid As a Consultant and get involved during the design phase. For him as the builder, the PAC Process is the best and only way to work with clients. Because he believes it improves the client experience, the project, and also the way he does business. I’m speaking about Duayne Pearce, and he was a guest in Season 4 of the podcast, and also my co-host for all of Season 7. He’s also a collaborator inside my online program, the HOME Method.  And now, he and I now have another business together, called Live Life Build, where we’re working with builders to improve the way they do business, so we can elevate the professionalism of the residential construction industry overall. This is the fourth episode I’m doing abou