Get It Right with Undercover Architect

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, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/394]
What started as a cold, dark and disconnected house has been transformed into a warm, light-filled and comfortable home that truly supports how their family wants to live.
In this episode, you’ll hear about Tanya’s journey through her renovation, and how she approached it in a way that set her up for success from the very beginning.
One of the key tools you’ll hear her talk about is their Design Brief. Using the Brief Builder from HOME Method and taking time to fill it out enabled it to be a game changer for her project. By investing the time upfront to get clear on how they wanted to live, Tanya and her partner were able to confidently interview and choose their team, communicate their vision, and keep decisions aligned right throughout the process.
It’s a great example of how doing this work early doesn’t slow you down, it actually saves time, reduces stress, and helps you move forward with clarity and confidence.
You’ll also hear how Tanya navigated choosing her architect and builder, how she built a collaborative relationship with her team, and how being informed and prepared completely changed her experience of renovating.
In fact, her builder, Anthony Hickey from Two Tone Construction, who we had back on the podcast in Episodes 359 and 360, shared how much he loved working with her as an educated and engaged homeowner. This is something I see many people worry might create tension with their project team, but in Tanya’s case, it did the opposite.
Something I also really love about this conversation is Tanya’s genuine passion for sharing her story. They had such a positive experience, and Tanya is incredibly generous in wanting others to benefit from what she learned, so they can feel more confident and supported in their own projects too.
Whether you’re planning a new build or a renovation, if you’re worried about getting things wrong, feeling overwhelmed, or not knowing where to start, I think you’ll find this episode both reassuring and instructive about how to improve your project experience, and the home you create.
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/394
Now, let’s dive in!
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/394
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
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.

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, I understand why people say it. Usually, what they mean is that they’re not doing a full new build, they’re not taking on a huge extension, they’re not redesigning the whole house, or they’re only touching one part of the home rather than everything at once.
So the phrase can sound logical enough. And it can feel accurate in comparison to some other, much bigger project.
But here’s the problem.
That phrase, “small renovation”, often creates a whole set of assumptions that can be super deceptive.
It can make you think the work will be straightforward, that the process will be simpler, that the risks are lower, that you do not need much documentation or planning, and that you can largely sort it out as you go, keeping yourself on hand to help navigate decisions and timing.
And what I see again and again is that this framing can get homeowners into trouble, because what they are calling “small” is often still complex, expensive, disruptive, and deeply connected to how the home functions overall.
So in this episode, I want to bust that myth open. I want to help you think more clearly about what a small renovation actually is, why “small” does not automatically mean simple, why these projects can become surprisingly chaotic, and why even modest work in your home still benefits enormously from strategy, sequence, and proper preparation.
As always, if you’d like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/393.
Now, let’s dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/393
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
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.

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 decisions, and what it’s been like to finally move in and live in the home after more than five years of planning and building. If you want to catch up on Part 1, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/391.
And is the third instalment we’ve had from Michael about his project. You can catch previous updates in Episodes 323 and 324, discussing earlier parts of the project. And then Episode 347 and 348, where Michael discussed documentation, approvals, pricing, contracts and commencing construction. Check out those episodes to hear loads of helpful insights and information.
In this episode, we talk about the stress of construction - or in Michael’s case, the lack of it. We unpack how selecting the right designer and builder created a collaborative environment rather than an adversarial one. And we explore the role that preparation and education played in building his confidence as a homeowner.
Michael also shares the details of how their original external solar sunshading evolved during construction, what they learned about winter sun angles and summer heat, and the very real tension between performance, aesthetics, durability and budget. If you’re trying to balance eaves, hoods, louvres, waterproofing and cost, it’ll be useful to hear how Michael and his team have navigated this.
We talk about the completion of the workshop and studio, a part of the project that was initially going to be staged, and why Michael decided to proceed and have it finished in tandem with the home.
And finally, Michael reflects on what he would say to someone earlier in their project. His advice about design time, questioning assumptions, understanding your budget, and sticking fast to what matters most will be super helpful to hear.
Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find it plus other helpful links by to www.undercoverarchitect.com/392.
Now, let’s dive in!
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/392
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
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.

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, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/391]
This is the third instalment we’ve had from Michael about his project. You can catch previous updates in Episodes 323 and 324, discussing earlier parts of the project. And then Episode 347 and 348, where Michael discussed documentation, approvals, pricing, contracts and commencing construction. Check out those episodes to hear loads of helpful insights and information.
When Michael last joined me on the podcast, his roof was on, the home was about to be clad, and his separate workshop hadn’t yet begun.
Fast forward to now, and the home reached handover in August 2025. He and his wife have been settling in, shaping the landscaping themselves, refining the details, and actually living in the spaces they spent more than five years planning and building.
Michael’s project is a beautifully considered pavilion style home in regional Western Australia. It’s oriented to maximise northern sun, carefully detailed for performance in its climate zone, and designed as a long term transition home as he and his wife step towards retirement from farming.
In this conversation, we talk about what unfolded between lock up and handover. The logistics of trades. The unexpected delay with tiling. The coordination of finishes. What surprised him once they moved in. And those small decisions, particularly around lighting and services, that only truly reveal themselves once you’re living in the home.
We also dive into landscaping on a sloping site, reusing soil during construction, working with topography rather than fighting it, and how collaboration with a builder and trades can shape not just the outcome, but the experience of the build itself.
Remember, if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find it plus other helpful links by to www.undercoverarchitect.com/391.
Now, let’s dive in!
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/391
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
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.

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 it”, this episode is for you.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/390]
Because here’s what I see all the time.
Homeowners are not struggling because they are incapable.
They are struggling because they are learning a whole new world, a whole new industry, while the consequences feel expensive, personal, and irreversible.
You are trying to make decisions about layouts, contracts, drawings, selections, builders, budgets, timelines, and regulations. Often while living your very full, demanding, everyday life. Often while feeling like you are meant to already know how this works.
So when you hesitate, when you go quiet, when you avoid the email, when you freeze in front of a quote, you make it mean you’re not doing it right.
But most of the time, it’s not a motivation or confidence issue.
It’s the stage you’re in. It’s what naturally happens when you’re taking on something new and complex, and the stakes feel high.
In this episode, I’m going to walk you through a simple framework called the Four Stages of Competence, so you can see exactly where you are in the learning curve of your project.
And once you can name the stage, you can stop judging yourself for it, and start using the right strategy for what you actually need next.
As always, if you’d like to access a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources I mention, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/390.
Now, let’s dive in!
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/390
Accessing my free '44 Ways' E-Book will simplify sustainability and help you create a healthy, low tox and sustainable home. You can download your free copy here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/ways
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.