How to Plan a Great Renovation from the Start, with Tanya

Hello! This is Episode 394, and in it, I’m talking with HOME Method member, Tanya. Tanya lives with her husband and daughter in Melbourne. They worked within the existing footprint of the home of the 100-year-old double brick home, undertaking a renovation that dramatically improves how it feels, f…

Why “Small Renovations” Often Go Wrong (And How to Avoid the Most Common Traps)

Hello! This is Episode 393, and in this episode, I want to talk about one of the most common and most misleading phrases I hear homeowners use when they’re planning work on their home. And it’s this: “We’re just doing a small renovation.” [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, d…

Lessons from a New Build: Budget, Solar Shading and Teamwork, with Michael

Hello, this is Episode 392, and this is Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method member, Michael, about his recently completed new build in regional Western Australia. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/392] …

New Build Update: From Lock Up to Handover and Moving In, with Michael

Hello, this is Episode 391, and in this episode, I’m welcoming back HOME Method member, Michael, to share an update on his new build journey. Now the home is complete, and they’ve been enjoying it for a few months, he has lots to share about the build experience, completion and landscaping, and enj…

The Real Reason You Feel Overwhelmed Building or Renovating: The Four Stages of Competence

Hello! This is Episode 390, and I want to give you a framework that will help you understand why you can feel so unsure as you navigate the world of renovating and building. And frankly, it applies any time you tackle something new. If you’ve got 47 browser tabs open, a Notes app full of screensho…

Start Here: Before You Spend Your Money [Part 5]

Hello! And welcome to Episode 389. Once a project starts to feel real, money often becomes the loudest voice in the room. This episode is about pausing before you spend, and understanding how early financial decisions shape not just what you can build, but how stressful, efficient and satisfying …

Start Here: Before You Dive Down a Research Rabbit-Hole [Part 4]

Hello! And welcome to Episode 388. Once you’ve decided that you really are going to renovate or build, something shifts. The dreaming phase starts to give way to planning, and the stakes begin to feel real. It’s often at this moment that research ramps up. Podcasts, articles, social media, saved …

Start Here: Before You Talk to Builders or Designers [Part 3]

Hello! This is Episode 387. At some point early in a project, many homeowners often reach the same conclusion: “If I can just find the right designer or the right builder, everything will fall into place.” This episode is about gently unpacking that belief, and understanding why choosing the rig…

Start Here: Before You Design Anything [Part 2]

Hello! And welcome to Episode 386.  So often I see homeowners, excited about their project, instinctively moving straight into design.  This episode is about slowing that moment down, and understanding why the work you do before you design has such a big influence on what is created - whoever you…

Start Here: How Every Project Really Unfolds [Part 1]

Hello! And welcome to Episode 385. Most people think projects start with design or budgeting. They don’t. This episode introduces the four real phases of every project, and explains why confusion, rework, and cost blowouts usually come from skipping or rushing the early ones. So if you’re startin…