Get It Right with Undercover Architect

Managing Budget, Design and Builder Selection for a New Build with Fionna and Ed

Dec 1, 2025
Fionna and Ed share their journey of building a new home on a unique site in Canberra. They discuss their positive collaboration with their architect and the intricacies of managing a building budget. Key design features like their flat roof and airtightness decisions take center stage. They explain the rigor of selecting a qualified builder and the importance of transparency in costs. Committed to timeless design, they also highlight their efforts to recycle materials, making their home both sustainable and stylish.
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ADVICE

Be Cautious With Cost-Plus Contracts

  • Avoid cost-plus contracts unless you accept most risk being yours and variable final cost.
  • Insist on thorough pre-construction documentation to reduce unknowns and scope gaps.
ANECDOTE

Tight Budget, Clear Expectations

  • Ed and Fionna set a tight budget expectation and asked the architect to value-manage design choices.
  • Their builder's early price-per-square-metre guidance aligned closely with final pricing and tracked near budget.
ADVICE

Demand Transparent Cost Reporting

  • Get transparent monthly cost reporting if using cost-plus: request invoices, timesheets and cost-to-complete spreadsheets.
  • Use that visibility to make informed upgrade or contingency decisions.
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