Get It Right with Undercover Architect

• Early Design Phase: Budget, Plans, and Feedback, with Louise and Zane

  Hello! This is Episode 355, and I’m back with Part 2 of the latest project update with HOME Method members, Louise and Zane, who are renovating their Melbourne Californian Bungalow. They’re early in their design phase, and whilst they have a floor plan design that’s starting to tick the boxes on their wishes and wants, it’s still sneaking up over their budget. This is a great insight into the early design stages of a project, how you juggle competing demands and priorities, as well as trying to ensure you’re capturing all the details so you manage your risk and avoid omitting something important down the track. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/355] If you haven’t caught Part 1 of this conversation, head back to Episode 354 so you can listen or read the transcript. You’ll find that at www.undercoverarchitect.com/354. In this episode, I talk with Louise and Zane about how they’re taking their existing home into consideration when renovating, and factoring the potential upgrades into their approach and overall budget. Louise and Zane also share how they’ve navigated receiving feedback and input from family and friends whilst they’re in this design phase. As is often the case, when you share floor plans with your loved ones, they can have an opinion about what they think is missing or not working in them. These well-meaning opinions and feedback can be based on the personal experience of your friends or family, or because of their own professional backgrounds. However, balancing that input with your own project goals and budget can definitely be tricky. We also talk about how their timeline is working in this early design phase, and I give them some tips on some specific things they can be doing sooner rather than later to help squeeze up timelines and pricing certainty as they move closer to their final documentation. This early part of the design process can be super exciting as you see your dreams start to take shape on the page of your designer’s drawings. And yet, it can also feel like nothing is very ‘real’ yet, which can mean you stay too open to flexibility, and scope and budget creep. It’s great to touch base with Louise and Zane at this point, and hear how they’re navigating this. And if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find all of that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/355. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be focussing on and when, or how to best invest your efforts, energy and money to get a great outcome in your future home, I’ve created something super helpful for you. Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan This free workshop will really help you understand the best steps to take wherever you’re at in your project, and how you can avoid some serious and expensive mistakes. Plus, I’ll share with you what to focus on and when, so you know you’re getting everything in order for a successful project and beautiful home. And you’ll get access to some great bonuses as well. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/355 Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  40:55
• Choosing the Right Team for Your Renovation, with Louise + Zane

  Hello! This is Episode 354, and in it, we’re getting an update from HOME Method members, Louise and Zane, about their renovation project. If you’re curious about what the early parts of a project experience are like as you choose your team and commence work with them, this is going to be super helpful information for you. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/354] As with Ben that we had on the podcast over the last couple of weeks, Louise and Zane are also renovating and extending a Californian Bungalow in Melbourne. And, when we chatted to them back in Episodes 317 and 318, we heard about the early preparation they were doing before choosing their team and commencing their project. (If you haven’t heard the first part of Zane and Louise’s project journey, head to Episodes 317 and 318 to learn more about where this project begins. The episodes and transcripts are at www.undercoverarchitect.com/317 and www.undercoverarchitect.com/318). In this update, Louise and Zane talk with me about how things have been going since they assembled their team together. They’re using the PAC Process, or Paid As Consultant Process, with their team. So the builder is involved during pre-construction, advising on cost and buildability, plus also assisting in pre-construction investigation work for the site and existing home. Their selected builder and architect haven’t worked together previously, and sometimes that can be a concern for clients, as they worry whether the collaboration will work well when those two professionals are getting to know each other and work together for the first time. We discuss this in more detail, and we also talk about the selection process itself (which took 2 to 3 months to do), and how the Brief Builder template they accessed inside HOME Method was super helpful in formulating a brief and communication document they could share during this process. Louise and Zane share some great insights about how they’ve set up their project communications, how they’re talking with their team to iron out assumptions and ensure their wishes and wants are understood, and what they’re doing to stay true to their design goals whilst managing their budget. And if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find it as well as the other resources I mention, by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/354. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be focussing on and when, or how to best invest your efforts, energy and money to get a great outcome in your future home, I’ve created something super helpful for you. Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan This free workshop will really help you understand the best steps to take wherever you’re at in your project, and how you can avoid some serious and expensive mistakes. Plus, I’ll share with you what to focus on and when, so you know you’re getting everything in order for a successful project and beautiful home. And you’ll get access to some great bonuses as well. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/354 Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  43:26
• Managing Your Renovation Budget When Designing, with Ben

  Hello! This is Episode 353, and it’s Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method member, Ben, about the renovation and extension of his and his partner’s 1920’s Californian Bungalow in Melbourne. As we jump into Part 2, I talk more with Ben about their budget, and how they’ve worked with it over these design changes and the timeline, as well as the way Ben and Mike are now viewing their investment and what they want to get from it. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/352] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, head to Episode 352 where you’ll hear Ben introduce us to the project. We discussed some of the early challenges as they worked with a designer for some time, but ended up with a design that was over their budget, and also not the ideal outcome they were seeking. With those initial quotes coming in too high, it gave them the chance to revisit and review their progress to that point, and led to a redesign that resulted in a far more aligned design outcome. You can hear Part 1 of my conversation, or grab the transcript, by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/352, where you can also grab the transcript too. In this episode (Part 2), as well as discussing budget, we also talk about working with your professionals, creating a collaborative team, and having those challenging conversations as your project develops and perhaps isn’t on track with your overall goals. Ben also has some great insights to share on the emotional side of navigating a project like this, and we hear how he’s built his confidence over the duration of the design process. Plus he touches on the value of community support and technical resources from HOME Method. Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find all of that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/353. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be focussing on and when, or how to best invest your efforts, energy and money to get a great outcome in your future home, I’ve created something super helpful for you. Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan This free workshop will really help you understand the best steps to take wherever you’re at in your project, and how you can avoid some serious and expensive mistakes. Plus, I’ll share with you what to focus on and when, so you know you’re getting everything in order for a successful project and beautiful home. And you’ll get access to some great bonuses as well. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/353 Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  39:11
• How to Design a Home Renovation and Extension, with Ben

  Hello! This is Episode 352, and in it, I’m talking with HOME Method member, Ben. He and his partner, Mike, are designing the renovation and extension of their Melbourne Californian Bungalow. In this episode, you’ll hear how Ben and Mike came up with their renovation and extension design, and some of the challenges they had along the way. They followed a more traditional route of tendering the design, only to discover that the cost to deliver exceeded their budget, which meant they had two choices. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/352] One: revisit and amend the existing design to see if they can pull it back financially, without compromising the functionality and livability of the home overall. Or two: take some steps back - or as we call it in HOME Method, get up to helicopter view, and assess whether there is a different design option altogether that can satisfy the brief, and meet the budget expectations more closely. Many reach this point in their project, and it is always a challenging decision to make. If you’ve already sunk money and time into a design outcome that isn’t exactly what you asked for or thought you’d have, should you just keep going? Or do you risk halting the project, and also contending with potential construction cost increases in the interim whilst you change the design, so you can scale back what you’re doing, and create a design outcome that’s more efficient, more in alignment with your brief, and also benefits from all the learnings you’ve had in the experience so far? Well: Spoiler Alert! You’ll hear in this episode that Ben and Mike chose to renew their design. And you’ll also hear how they started first with a feasibility study of two options, and then were able to proceed much more confidently on that basis. And interestingly, VERY speedily as well … so much so, that in the end, they’ve not really ‘lost’ much time at all. And as a result of their pivot, they’ve ended up with a design that: aligns far more significantly with their ideal lifestyle is able to be delivered within their means Isn’t as disruptive to the structure and layout of the existing home and they’ve developed a toolset, skillset and mindset that’s elevated their agency in their project as well. Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find all of that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/352. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be focussing on and when, or how to best invest your efforts, energy and money to get a great outcome in your future home, I’ve created something super helpful for you. Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan This free workshop will really help you understand the best steps to take wherever you’re at in your project, and how you can avoid some serious and expensive mistakes. Plus, I’ll share with you what to focus on and when, so you know you’re getting everything in order for a successful project and beautiful home. And you’ll get access to some great bonuses as well. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/352 Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  37:05
• Trusting a First Time Builder with your New Home Build, with Tatiana

  Hello! This is Episode 351, and it’s Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method member, Tatiana, about her new build in regional Queensland on a site with a specific Council Buffer Zone they’re having to contend with. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/351] If you missed Part 1 of our conversation, make sure you head back to Episode 350 to catch up before you dive into Part 2. You can listen or read the transcript at www.undercoverarchitect.com/350. In this episode, I talk more with Tatiana about how she’s setting up her pre-construction process with her preferred builder, especially given he hasn’t used the PAC Process before. We also talk about how to manage your risk when working with a builder who is new to their business, and your project is their first as a business. There’s some important steps to take so you ensure your project doesn’t suffer from them getting their business up and running. And we also talk through Tatiana’s design goals, and the budget checks she’s been doing as well. They’re working with a tight budget, and so you’ll hear how Tatiana is managing that, what she’s prioritising and considering to be cost efficient, especially based on what we discuss inside HOME Method. Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find all of that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/351. Now, let’s dive in! SHOW NOTES: If you’re struggling with understanding the overall steps for your project, what you should be focussing on and when, or how to best invest your efforts, energy and money to get a great outcome in your future home, I’ve created something super helpful for you. Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan This free workshop will really help you understand the best steps to take wherever you’re at in your project, and how you can avoid some serious and expensive mistakes. Plus, I’ll share with you what to focus on and when, so you know you’re getting everything in order for a successful project and beautiful home. And you’ll get access to some great bonuses as well. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST: For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/351 Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ Just a reminder: All content on this podcast is provided by Undercover Architect for reference purposes and as general guidance. It does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in any circumstances, including but not limited to circumstances where loss or damage may result. The views and opinions of any guests on the podcast are solely their own. They may not reflect the views of Undercover Architect. Undercover Architect endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or has become inaccurate over time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  38:59

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