Get It Right with Undercover Architect
Amelia Lee, an architect, hosts this podcast to guide homeowners through designing, building, and renovating their homes. She shares industry knowledge and insights to help listeners avoid expensive mistakes. The show aims to demystify the renovation and building process so homeowners can take an active role. It complements her online business and courses, including the HOME Method program. The focus is on asking the right questions and creating a home that works well.
Episodes
44 Ways #36: Include a Thermal Imaging Inspection
Hello! This is Episode 436. This is Way #36 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Eight: Sustainability During Construction. Last episode, we talked about the blower door test: a way to measure how airtight your home is. This episode is about a closely related tool that shows where the thermal weaknesses in your building env
44 Ways #35: Get a Blower Door Test
Hello! This is Episode 435. This is Way #35 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. In this episode, we’re kicking off Section Eight: Sustainability During Construction. And so, we’re going to start this section of the ‘44 Ways’ series by discussing something I wish would become standard for every single new build and potentially every renovatio
44 Ways #34: Soft Cover vs Hard Cover
Hello! This is Episode 434. This is Way #34 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Seven: A Sustainable Site: Landscape Design. Way #34 is: Soft Cover vs Hard Cover. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/434] As we build with greater density in our suburbs
44 Ways #33: Learn About Biophilic Design
Hello! This is Episode 433. This is Way #33 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Seven: A Sustainable Site: Landscape Design. Last episode, Way #32, we looked at the outdoor room as a sustainability asset. This episode talks about a bigger concept that you may or may not be familiar with, but can dramatically impact how you feel in your
44 Ways #32: Design Your Outdoor Room
Hello! This is Episode 432. This is Way #32 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re beginning a new section: Section Seven, A Sustainable Site: Landscape Design. This section shifts focus to your site and your landscape, and how the design of the spaces around your home can be designed with sustainability as your priority. Way #32 is: Design Your Outdoor Room. [For a
44 Ways #31: Choose Based on Efficiency of Manufacture
Hello! This is Episode 431. This is Way #31 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re wrapping up Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section of the ‘44 Ways’ series, I’ve been covering one specific criteria for choosing materials and products per episode. And so far, we’ve covered choosing for longevity and durabilit
44 Ways #30: Choose from Companies with Sustainability Missions
Hello! This is Episode 430. This is Way #30 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section, I’m covering one specific criteria for choosing materials and products per episode, providing you with six different criteria overall. This episode covers the fifth criteria you can use t
44 Ways #29: Choose for Recyclability and Low Waste
Hello! This is Episode 429. This is Way #29 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section of the ‘44 Ways’ series, I’m covering one specific criteria for choosing materials and products per episode. We’ve talked about choosing for longevity and durability in E
44 Ways #28: Choose for Low VOCs and Natural or Low-Tox Ingredients
Hello! This is Episode 428. This is Way #28 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section, I’m covering specific criteria for choosing materials and products for your home. We’ve talked about choosing for longevity and durability in Episode 426, and choosing for a low car
44 Ways #27: Choose for Low Carbon Footprint
Hello! This is Episode 427. This is Way #27 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. In this section, I’m covering specific criteria for choosing the products, materials, fixtures and finishes for your future home. Last episode, in Episode 426, Way #26, I talked about choosing for longevi
44 Ways #26: Choose for Longevity and Durability
Hello! This is Episode 426. This is Way #26 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re beginning Section Six: Choosing Materials, Fixtures and Finishes. Way #26 is: Choose for Longevity and Durability. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/426] The last couple of sections have been detai
44 Ways #25: Include Eaves and Window Hoods in Your Finished Home
Hello! This is Episode 425. This is Way #25 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and it’s the last episode in Section Five: The Building Envelope. Over this section we’ve worked through airtightness, windows, building wraps, and insulation. In this episode, we discuss something that can elevate the performance of your building envelope very simply. Way #25 is: Include
44 Ways #24: Install Insulation Correctly
Hello! This is Episode 424. This is Way #24 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re in the final stretch of Section Five: The Building Envelope. In the last episode, we went through the types of insulation, what R-values mean, and how to think about products for your ceiling, walls, and floor. This episode is the follow-up to that: what happens when the product
44 Ways #23: Choose Appropriate Insulation
Hello! This is Episode 423. This is Way #23 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope. Way #23 is: Choose Appropriate Insulation. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/423] The things we’ve been discussing in Section Fi
44 Ways #22: Review Building Wraps to Manage Moisture for Climate
Hello! This is Episode 422. This is Way #22 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope. In the last two episodes, we covered thermal mass and window selection. Before that, in Way #19, we talked about what building tight actually means: why you want a continuous air barrier, and why airtightness and ventilation have
44 Ways #21: Review Your Window Selection
Hello! This is Episode 421. This is Way #21 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope. Way #21 is: Review Your Window Selection. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/421] In my experience, as people go to design their new build or
44 Ways #20: Use Thermal Mass to Maintain Even Temperatures
Hello! This is Episode 420. This is Way #20 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we’re continuing through Section Five: The Building Envelope, A Sustainable Skin. In the last episode, Way #19, we covered airtightness and ventilation. We talked about what it means to build tight, why homes don’t need to breathe, and what ‘ventilating right’ looks like i
44 Ways #19: Build Tight, Ventilate Right
Hello! This is Episode 419. This is Way #19 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and it’s the first episode in Section Five: The Building Envelope. We’ve spent four sections of the ‘44 Ways’ series covering a lot of information for your sustainable renovation or new build. Site, orientation, breezes, passive design, energy and water selections, renewables,
44 Ways #18: Measure Your Home’s Carbon Footprint
Hello! This is Episode 418. This is Way #18 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And this episode completes Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. Across this series, we’ve talked a lot about energy efficiency, and how, as we improve energy efficiency, we reduce energy use, which in turn reduces the carbon emissions associated with energy p
44 Ways #17: Get a WUFI Analysis Done on Your Floors, Walls and Roof
Hello! This is Episode 417. This is Way #17 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know we’ve spent the last couple of episodes looking at energy modelling, and how you can use it during the design process so its
44 Ways #16: Use Other Options to Model Your Design Before You Build
Hello! This is Episode 416. This is Way #16 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series, and we’re continuing through Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. Way #16 is: Use Other Options to Model Your Design Before You Build. In the last episode, I talked about NatHERS energy modelling and why it can be so valuable as a design tool rather than simp
44 Ways #15: Use Energy Modelling During the Design Phase
Hello! This is Episode 415. This is Way #15 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And with this episode, we begin Section Four: Modelling and Measuring Your Sustainability. In Section Four, we look at the ways you can access data to inform your decision-making, beginning with energy efficiency assessments and modelling of your home’s energy use. We’re beg
44 Ways #14: Use Renewable Energy to Supply Your (Reduced) Energy Needs
Hello! This is Episode 414. This is Way #14 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. And this episode completes Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure. It may seem strange that we’ve taken a while to get here, given this is where many homeowners will start in their sustainability choices for their project. ‘Let’s make sure we put solar on the house w
44 Ways #13: Select an Efficient Hot Water Unit and Get the Plumbing Layout Right
Hello! This is Episode 413. This is Way #13 of the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. And we’re still in Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure, and reviewing our hot water supply. For many homeowners, their decisions about their hot water unit can come in a flurry, and simply be based on what they know. Sometimes it can be handed to the plumber, as
44 Ways #12: Store and Reuse Water for Greater Water Saving
Hello! This is Episode 412. This is Way #12 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. We’re continuing through Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure. In Episode 411, we looked at where household water goes, especially in indoor use, and how to reduce consumption through fixture selection and design decisions. In this episode, we’re looking at the oth
44 Ways #11: Reduce Your Water Use In and Around Your Home
Hello! This is Episode 411. This is Way #11 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. We’re continuing through Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure, and today we’re looking at water. In the last episode, we covered Way #10: reducing your energy use through your selections. In this episode, we’re looking at water efficiency. Where does water really g
44 Ways #10: Reduce Your Energy Use Through Your Selections
Hello! This is Episode 410. This is Way #10 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. And with this episode, we also begin Section Three: Sustainable Services and Infrastructure. If you’ve been following the series from the start, you’ll know that Section One was about designing for climate and site: orientation, breezes, passive heating and cooling, and climate zone. 
44 Ways #09: Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
Hello! This is Episode 409. This is Way #9 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. This episode also closes out Section Two: Sustainable Design Strategies. In this episode, we’re finishing Section Two with Way #9. Way #9 is: Improve Your Indoor Air Quality. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com
44 Ways #08: Future Proof Your Design with Accessibility
Hello! This is Episode 408. This is Way #8 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. We are in Section Two: Sustainable Design Strategies. The ways I include in this section are about the strategic design decisions that have consequences well beyond the immediate project, and Way #8 is a strong example of that. Way #8 is Future Proofing Your Design with Accessibility. [For all resourc
44 Ways #07: Create an Efficient Structural Design, Collaboratively
Hello! This is Episode 407. This is Way #7 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and we are continuing through Section Two: Sustainable Design Strategies. The ways in Section Two are about the bigger-picture decisions that shape a project from a strategic level, before we get into the detail of specific systems, materials, or construction. Way #7 is Creating an Efficient Structura
44 Ways #06: Choose an Aligned Team
Hello! This is Episode 406. This is Way #6 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series, and the second episode of Section Two: Sustainable Design Strategies. In Episode 405, we covered Way #5: Designing a Smaller, Smarter Home. The case for asking what is enough, and building to that rather than to the status quo that drives a bigger home with more in it. Way #6 is choose an aligned team
44 Ways #05: Design a Smaller (Smarter) Home
Hello! This is Episode 405. This is the first episode of Section Two of the 44 Ways to Create a Sustainable Home series. Section One, which we completed in the last episode, covered the foundational climate and site strategies: orientation, breezes, passive heating and cooling, and climate zones. We are beginning Section Two with Way #5: Design a Smaller, Smarter Home. [For all resources mentioned
44 Ways #04: Know Your Climate Zone
Hello! This is Episode 404. This is Way #4 in the ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’ series. It’s also the last episode of Section One, which takes you through Designing for Climate and Site. Over the past three episodes in this ‘44 Ways’ series, we have covered orientation, natural ventilation from breezes and protection from harsher winds, and how to design a
44 Ways #03: Naturally Heat + Cool Your Home
Hello! This is Episode 403. This is Way #3 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. Over the last two episodes, we have discussed designing for your site’s orientation, and considering how your home is positioned to work with the movement of the sun and prevailing breezes, and how your home is designed to maximise natural ventilation, whilst protecting you from harsher wind eve
44 Ways #02: Design for the Breezes + Wind at Your Site
Hello! This is Episode 402. This is Way #2 of the 44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home series. In Episode 401 we covered orientation, and understanding how the sun moves across your site and how positioning your home to work with that movement can transform its comfort, help it feel amazing to live in day-to-day, and reduce its energy use and requirements for artificial heating and cooling. In
44 Ways #01: Design Your Future Home for the Orientation of Your Site
Hello! This is Episode 401. And we are beginning something on the podcast that I’m really looking forward to sharing with you, especially if you’re wanting to build or renovate in a more sustainable way, but feeling curious, confused or even overwhelmed about what that might mean. This is the first episode of a podcast series called ‘44 Ways to Create Your Sustainable Home’
400 Conversations Later: What Many Homeowners Don’t Know About Building and Renovating When They Begin
Hello! This is Episode 400 - can you believe it? How exciting! And so I want to take the opportunity to celebrate a little, and share something a little different in this episode. Whilst we’ve done more than 400 actual episodes on the podcast, I do believe that hitting Episode 400 officially is a big milestone. That’s over four hundred conversations. Me talking directly to you. Me talk
Project Confidence, Interior Selections and Build Lessons: Update with Jan and Landon
Hello! This is Episode 399, and in it, I’m continuing my conversation with HOME Method members Jan and Landon, who are building a new home and granny flat as a Passive House in Sydney’s north. As a reminder: Jan and Landon are building on a site that has been in Landon’s family for over 70 years. Their new build project has been driven by clear goals around ageing in place,
Passive House Build in Action: Construction Update with Jan and Landon
Hello! This is Episode 398, and in it, I’m speaking with HOME Method members Jan and Landon, who are back to share an incredibly exciting construction update on their passive house new build in Sydney’s north. This is the fifth instalment of Jan and Landon’s journey on the podcast. They’ve been sharing their story with us across Episodes 338, 339, 367 and 368, and if you ha
How to Stage Your Renovation or New Build Project
Hello! This is Episode 397, and in it, I’m going to talk about staging your project. Whether you’re building new or renovating, for a range of reasons, you may be thinking you don’t want to do everything all at once. And so, in this episode I’m going to share the things you need to consider, how to avoid mistakes, and what’s involved in getting it right when sta
Should I Renovate, Extend, or Knock Down and Rebuild? Feasibility Studies Explained.
Hello! This is Episode 396, and I want to talk about something that comes up at the very beginning of almost every project I hear about. It usually sounds like one of these questions. "Should I add a second storey, or extend out the back?" Or… "Is it worth renovating what we have, or should we just knock it down and build new?" Or… "We've got a blank block - do we go with a volume bu
How to Enjoy Your Renovation Process and Keep It on Track, with Tanya
Hello! This is Episode 395, and this is Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method member, Tanya, about the renovation of their Melbourne home that they’ve now been enjoying living in for a year, and experiencing the results of their efforts in how it functions and performs. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.
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, functions and performs. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloada
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, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/393] Now,
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] In the last episode, we spoke about the journey from lock up through to handover, the detailing decisio
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 enjoying the finished home. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloa
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 screenshots, and a partner who is sick of hearing “I don’t know, I just need to think about i
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 your project experience actually is. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloada
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 folders, screenshots, notes. It can feel like the most responsible thing to do. To educate
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 right people matters far less than how and when you engage them. [For all resources mentioned i
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’re working with and even if you’re DIYing your design. [For all resources mentio
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 starting out and feeling overwhelmed or confused, you’re not behind. And in tuning into this
Managing Construction Decisions, Budget and Communication, with Louise + Zane
Hello! This is Episode 384, and this is Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method members, Louise and Zane. We’re catching up with them about their Melbourne renovation, and hearing more about their construction process. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/384] If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet,
Renovation Progress Update: From Design to Construction, with Louise + Zane
Hello! This is Episode 383, and in it, we’re getting an update from HOME Method members, Louise and Zane, about their renovation project. They’re currently under construction in their renovation and extension of a Californian Bungalow in Melbourne. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/383] If you haven
Dimensions, Landscape Design and Navigating Construction, with Ben
Hello! This is Episode 382, and I am back with HOME Method member, Ben, as we continue following his renovation and extension journey, which is under construction right now. If you are in construction now, or heading towards it, this conversation will give you a In this episode, we step deeper into Ben’s experience of construction. You’ll hear Ben talk about what it felt li
From Plans to Frame Stage: Site Meetings and Working with Your Builder, with Ben
Hello! This is Episode 381, and I am joined once again by HOME Method member, Ben, to talk about what happens when your project finally moves from drawings into real walls, a real roof and regular site meetings on your building site. If you are in construction now, or heading towards it, this conversation will give you a really practical look at how to stay informed, keep your communication organi
How to Enjoy Building a New Home, with Fionna and Ed
Hello! This is Episode 380, and it’s Part 4 of my conversation with Fionna and Ed, as they take us behind the scenes of their new build journey of their sustainable, accessible home, and share how they set things up so they could enjoy the experience. In this episode, it’s the last in our 4-part series, and we’re talking about what it’s been like on site - visiting regularl
What Makes a Cost-Plus Contract Work: Scoping, Selections and Teamwork, with Fionna and Ed
Hello! This is Episode 379, and it’s Part 3 of my conversation with HOME Method members, Fionna and Ed, as they share their new build journey in Canberra. I decided to continue sharing our conversation so we could have this as a four-part series on the podcast, and then you get to hear the whole scope of their project through Pre-Design, Design, Pre-Build and Build. I hope, as a result
Managing Budget, Design and Builder Selection for a New Build with Fionna and Ed
Hello! This is Episode 378, and it’s Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method members Fionna and Ed, who are building a new home in Canberra on a challenging but amazing site, where the home design responds to the unique site conditions, as well as the goals they have for their lifestyle into the future. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript,
How to Buy the Right Block and Build a New Home, with Fionna and Ed
Hello! This is Episode 377, and in it, I’m talking with HOME Method members Fionna and Ed. They’re based in Canberra, and are creating a beautiful, energy efficient and flexible home designed for their next chapter of life - a home that allows them to age in place, welcome family and friends, and accommodate their adult children when they come and go. [For all resources mentioned in th
Build: How to Make Confident, Clear Decisions when Renovating or Building
Hello! This is Episode 376, and it’s the final instalment in our 4-part mini-series on how to make confident, clear decisions in your project, across the four key phases that every renovation or new build travels through: Pre-Design, Design, Pre-Build, and Build. We’ve already explored how to lay the groundwork for clarity in the Pre-Design Phase (Episode 373), how to lead with intenti
Pre-Build: How to Make Confident, Clear Decisions when Renovating or Building
Hello! This is Episode 375, and it’s the third instalment in our 4-part mini-series on how to make confident, clear decisions in your project, across the four key phases that every renovation or new build travels through: Pre-Design, Design, Pre-Build and Build. We’ve covered the Pre-Design Phase in Episode 373, and the Design Phase in Episode 374. In this episode, we’re moving i
Design: How to Make Confident, Clear Decisions when Renovating or Building
Hello! This is Episode 374, and it's the second instalment in our 4-part mini-series on how to make confident, clear decisions in your project, in each of the four phases every project travels through. In this episode, we’re diving into the Design Phase: the part of your project where your ideas and inspiration begin to take shape, and the drawings of your future home start coming to life. [
Pre-Design: How to Make Confident, Clear Decisions when Renovating or Building
Hello! This is Episode 373, and I’m kicking off a 4-part mini-series on how to make confident, clear decisions in your project. SO MANY homeowners tell me they wish for the ability to make confident, clear decisions in their project. And that’s totally understandable when you’re investing this much time, money and effort, and creating something so long-term and impactful as your
What happens after you sign the building contract? The journey to site start, with Ben
Hello! This is Episode 372, and it’s part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method member, Ben, about the renovation of their Melbourne California Bungalow. In this episode, we pick up at the point where Ben and his partner, Mike, are preparing to sign the building contract. He shares how he approached legal review, navigated sensitive conversations with his builder, and managed the personal dy
What to do before signing a building contract, and save time, money and stress, with Ben
Hello! This is Episode 371, and I’m joined once again by HOME Method member, Ben, to talk through the big milestone of choosing his builder and stepping into the pre-construction phase of his project. If you're navigating your own decision-making process or weighing up quotes, builders, or final selections, this conversation is going to be incredibly valuable. [For all resources mentio
Planning Kitchens, Bathrooms and Finance for a Sustainable New Build, with Tatiana
Hello! This is Episode 370, and in it, I’m catching up again with HOME Method member, Tatiana, as she continues the journey of designing and planning her new family home in regional Queensland with her partner and three boys. In this episode, we dive into more of the details, including exploring how Tatiana is thinking ahead about her kitchen and bathrooms, researching materials and layouts
Designing a Functional Family Home on a Budget, with Tatiana
Hello! This is Episode 369, and in it, I’m talking with HOME Method member, Tatiana. She lives with her partner and three boys in regional Queensland, and is in the exciting stage of finalising their concept design and moving into preliminary drawings for their new family home. She’s back with her latest project update! [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloada
Navigating Interior Design and Other Project Choices for a New Build, with Jan and Landon
Hello! This is Episode 368, and it’s Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method members, Jan and Landon, who are currently building a passive house home for themselves in Sydney’s north. In this episode, we’re diving into a few key updates, starting with their Granny Flat and how its design and construction are coming together. We also discuss interior design selections, an
Passive House Design and Budget Lessons: Project Update, with Jan and Landon
Hello! This is Episode 367, and in it, I’m speaking with HOME Method members, Jan and Landon, about their new home and granny flat that they’re building as a Passive House in Sydney’s north. Jan and Landon have specific goals for their project. They’re both in their 70s, so they’re considering how they can age in place well, as well as create a home that’s in al
How to Avoid the Drama in Your Renovation or New Build
Hello! This is Episode 366, and in it, I’m diving into the Drama Triangle and how it can show up in the communication and relationships involved in your renovation or new build project. This episode is a little different to the usual tips, strategies, and homeowner stories I share here. But I know from experience - personally and professionally - that how you communicate can make or break yo
Project Mistakes You’re Making (Without Even Realising It): My Top 5
Hello! This is Episode 365, and in it, I’m sharing the top 5 mistakes I see homeowners make in their renovation or new build projects - without even realising they’re doing it. These aren’t the obvious, dramatic missteps you hear horror stories about. They’re subtle, sneaky habits and beliefs that can quietly derail your progress, blow your budget, or leave you feelin
When Sustainability Meets Real Life: The Perfect Home, with Shauna
Hello! This is Episode 364, and in it, HOME Method member, Shauna, is back with Part 2 of our conversation about building her new family home. In this episode, we dive deeper into the long-term view Shauna took with this home, and how that shaped her decisions around budget, investment, and design. And you’ll hear how she tested her thinking along the way, continually asking herself if her c
Balancing Budget, Sustainability and Family Needs in a New Build, with Shauna
Hello! This is Episode 363, and in it, I’m chatting with HOME Method member, Shauna, who has recently completed her new family home. Shauna is a sustainability practitioner by profession. So, what does someone who works in sustainability do when creating their long-term family home? Well, you’ll hear how she approached her new build with intention, clear objectives, and a p
How to Manage Project Costs Without the PAC Process
Hello! This is Episode 362, and in it, I’m sharing what to do if you’re not using the PAC Process - or Paid As Consultant Process - but still want to ensure you don’t get massively disappointed when your project gets priced before you start construction. Perhaps you still want to competitively tender your project? Or you’ve found out about the PAC Process too far into your
Top Questions About Home Building and Renovating
Hello! This is Episode 361, and in it, I’m answering the questions I didn’t get to during our recent live webinars. I hope these answers are interesting to hear, and perhaps help you feel more equipped and confident in navigating your own project. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/361.] Whenever I h
Getting the Best Build Experience, with Builder, Anthony Hickey, Two Tone Construction
Hello! This is Episode 360, and I’m back with Part 2 of my conversation with builder, Anthony Hickey, from Melbourne-based Two Tone Construction. Anthony recently completed a renovation project with HOME Method members, Tanya and Paul, and as he said in Part 1, they’ve redefined his benchmark for his ideal client! In this episode, Anthony and I talk about how to set up effective commun
Getting it Right in Your Renovation, with Builder, Anthony Hickey, Two Tone Construction
Hello! This is Episode 359, and I’m super excited to bring this conversation to you. For some time on the podcast, we’ve been hearing the stories of HOME Method members in all different parts of their projects. Some right at the beginning, some mid-way through and keeping us updated over their project timeline, and some who have moved into their finished newly built or renovated home.
Why People Join HOME Method: In Their Words
Hello! This is Episode 358, and in it, I’m sharing something a little different. Over the years of running my signature online program, HOME Method, we’ve welcomed hundreds of homeowners who are navigating all kinds of new builds and renovations. And when someone joins, we ask them a few questions - not just to get to know them, but to better understand how they’re feeling,
Perfection vs Reality: How to Navigate Your New Build Confidently, with Ellen
Hello! This is Episode 357, and it’s Part 2 of my conversation with HOME Method member, Ellen, about her new build and the construction process of her family home in Ballarat, Victoria. It’s been under construction for around 7 months. [For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/357] If you missed Part 1 of t
