Hello! This is Episode 269. In it, I’m going to discuss a post I recently saw on Facebook that really had me shaking my head about what people are enduring when building and renovating their homes … and I want to help you NOT go through the same thing, so we’re going to talk about it.
[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/269]
The post began:
“I’m honestly so done with building. This is my first home and first building experience and I HATE it. I’ll never build again.”
And then, at my last check, within 2 days of the original post there were over 100 comments of people in varying levels of agreement with this. Stories of delays in site starts, price rises even though builders promised there wouldn’t be, projects taking two years or more to complete. It went on and on and on.
The author of this original post shared their own story, and I could understand why they never wanted to build again. They’d had promises made and broken, extensive time delays, issues with neighbours, and a raft of other challenges. 
I didn’t blame them at all for never wanting to build again.
I also wondered, if the construction experience had been like this, what was the quality of their home going to be like? And would their home cause them more headaches down the track as they discovered the shortcuts the builder had taken during the build.
The whole thing was just heart-breaking. And of course, at this point, they’re well into the process, so changing the situation requires a considerable amount of effort and work.
Over my 28+ year career as an architect, I’ve sat down across the table from so many builders, developers, designers and other industry professionals who’ve told me that, because the client doesn’t know better, won’t pay more, won’t be able to tell the difference, there’s no need for them to offer more or better.
The inference being: whilst the consumer accepts whatever we’re dishing up, we’re not going to improve, enhance or add to what we’re doing. 
This extended from conversations about choosing better, more durable materials, to including better design features, right through to improving the energy efficiency and sustainability of a project.
So, one of the many reasons I started Undercover Architect was because I knew that the residential design and construction industry could and CAN do better for those it serves: you, the homeowner.
But I knew that for YOU to know it could and can do better, you need to be educated about what “better” actually looks like.
And so, my work and mission with Undercover Architect is based on this: if I teach you what the process of building and renovating a functional, well-designed, energy efficient, sustainable and good quality home looks like, you’ll then be better equipped to find the right people and processes to achieve that for yourself. 
And through your education, you have the ability to demand better. And then the standard and professionalism of the industry is elevated overall, as it rises to deliver better to educated clients.
Listen now to the episode to learn the 7 ways to navigate your project so you don’t get to the end saying “I hate it, I’ll never build again!”
If you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, plus information on the resources we discuss, as well as loads of extra videos, links and photos, you can do that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/269.
Now, let’s dive in!

SHOW NOTES:
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