Pre-Design: Mistakes to Avoid

09/20/21 • 40 min

1 Listener

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 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.

This episode is about Pre-Design, and the mistakes to avoid during this phase.

I have three key mistakes many make, and I’ll share what they are, the damage they can do, and how you can, and should, avoid them in your project.

Even if you’re past the Pre-Design phase, keep listening, so you can ensure you’ve covered your bases. When these mistakes are made early in your project, they can rear their head much later, so it’s important to ensure you’ve got them sorted as soon as possible.

In the next episode, I’ll discuss the Design Phase. Then after that will be the Pre-Build Phase, followed by the fourth of our episodes, where we’ll cover the Build Phase.

I hope you’re looking forward to hearing the mistakes to avoid in all of these phases, because I’m really aiming to provide you with some actionable advice you can use to steer clear of some drama and stress in your project!

So, let’s dive into the first phase, Pre-Design.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

For links and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/214

Get your name on the list for our free online workshop “The 4 Universal Factors that will make or break your project” >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/four

Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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.

Now, let’s dive in!

SHOW NOTES:

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.

This episode is about Pre-Design, and the mistakes to avoid during this phase.

I have three key mistakes many make, and I’ll share what they are, the damage they can do, and how you can, and should, avoid them in your project.

In the next episode, I’ll discuss the Design Phase. Then after that will be the Pre-Build Phase, followed by the fourth of our episodes, where we’ll cover the Build Phase.

So, let’s dive into the first phase, Pre-Design.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

For links and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/214

Get your name on the list for our free online workshop “The 4 Universal Factors that will make or break your project” >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/four

Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

How to check your drawings: Build Phase

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 avoid dramas and mistakes on site.

In addition, your construction drawings form part of your contract and legal arrangement with your builder. So you want to be sure they include all the things you’ve discussed, and been agonising over, as you’ve worked to develop and finalise your design.

Now, if you haven’t listened to the LAST episode, where I talked about how to check your design drawings, be sure to do so. You can listen to it or download the PDF transcript by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/212.

There really is no point reviewing your construction drawings when you’re still changing your mind about your design, or finalising your ideas and thoughts about how you want your home to be.

You’re much better served knowing that the design is locked in, and your construction drawing review is about ensuring all that thought and discussion has been translated into the package your new or renovated home will be constructed from.

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/213. 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:

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.

Your construction documentation will form part of your contract with your chosen builder.

They, along with any supporting documents such as specifications, are what your builder will use to finalise your contract sum, and refer back to when identifying variations. So, it’s essential that they include all your discussions, changes of mind, and particular details you want in your future home.

Many a homeowner has been caught out because they discussed something in a meeting, missed that it hadn’t been updated in the construction drawings, went to contract, and then discovered it wasn’t included in their build.

Now, I’m not going to run through what my suggested list of drawings is to enable you to efficiently describe your future new home or renovation, and what you should seek to have included with your chosen design professional. I do have a sample set of documentation inside my online program, the HOME Method, to show my suggested set of drawings that balance budget, efficiency and control, so you can check out HOME Method if you’re keen to get more support in your project journey.

However, in this podcast, I want to dive into your construction drawings, and how to assess whether they include what you need, and what checks to make.

And in doing so, you’ll most likely get an inkling of some of the kinds of drawings that are worth including.

Again, as with the last episode, this won’t be an exhaustive list. I’m not going to talk about the various other consultant drawings you might need to include in your set, and how to review those as well. This will focus sole...

Next Episode

Design Phase: Mistakes to Avoid

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 links and resources related to this topic, as a free PDF download by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/215. 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 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.

Now, to clarify - design as I’m talking about it here, is the act of creating the three dimensional spaces and rooms of your future home. And deciding on the volume, the experience, the feeling, and lifestyle that those spaces will create for you. It’s when ideas are sketched up as floor plans with more certainty, and it’s when the home’s exterior is also discussed and also drawn up.

Design as I’m talking about it here is NOT just the act of picking finishes and fixtures, and deciding on the colours for your rooms and home.

Design itself is really an exercise of problem solving.

The problem to be solved is usually about how to create a building that can cater to the needs, wishes and wants of your future lifestyle, balanced with ensuring it suits your site and climate, and meets your budget and construction requirements.

Those can sometimes feel like competing demands, but the process of design is about keeping these things in mind, as the right solution is realised for you. It’s an involved process that can have a lot of too-ing and fro-ing as ideas are explored and tested. It requires careful communication, as well as skill, creativity and experience.

And it takes the ability to imagine a future that doesn’t yet exist for your family, and order the priorities of what matters most to you, into something that can be physically built on your site, for the money you want to spend.

This episode will be about the Design Phase, and the mistakes to avoid during this phase.

I have three key mistakes many make, and I’ll share what they are, the damage they can do, and how you can, and should, avoid them in your project.

In the next episode, I’ll discuss the Pre-Build Phase. Then after that will be the fourth of our episodes, where we’ll cover the Build Phase.

So, let’s dive into the second phase, Design.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:
For links and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/215

Get your name on the list for our free online workshop “The 4 Universal Factors that will make or break your project” >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/four

Access my free “Your Project Plan” online workshop and awesome bonuses now >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.