Early Design Phase: Budget, Plans, and Feedback, with Louise and Zane

Mar 24, 2025

Join Louise and Zane as they navigate the early design phase of their Melbourne bungalow renovation. They discuss balancing budget constraints with their wish list, while tackling structural updates on their 101-year-old home. Hear how they manage feedback from family and friends, weigh design decisions, and emphasize communication with their builder. Plus, they share insights into material selection and the iterative design process, making the journey both informative and engaging!

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INSIGHT

Use Builder Cost Data As A Reality Check

Builders who keep a bank of final-cost data provide more reliable early estimates than size-only costing.
Louise and Zane used their builder's historic job costs plus fixture-quality assumptions to increase confidence in early pricing.

ADVICE

Budget For Full-Service Upgrades Early

Factor likely full-replacement work (electrics, plumbing, cladding) into early budgets rather than assuming surprises will be cheap.
Zane says assume most weatherboards and services will need updating so you don't under-budget later.

INSIGHT

Keep Character Rooms Intact Where Possible

Preserving ornate, original rooms where possible reduces demolition cost and preserves character.
Louise and Zane kept their most decorative spaces intact and repurposed them to retain heritage detail and flow.

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Hello! This is Episode 355, and I’m back with Part 2 of the latest project update with HOME Method members, Louise and Zane, who are renovating their Melbourne Californian Bungalow.

They’re early in their design phase, and whilst they have a floor plan design that’s starting to tick the boxes on their wishes and wants, it’s still sneaking up over their budget.

This is a great insight into the early design stages of a project, how you juggle competing demands and priorities, as well as trying to ensure you’re capturing all the details so you manage your risk and avoid omitting something important down the track.

[For all resources mentioned in this podcast and a free, downloadable PDF transcript, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com/355]

If you haven’t caught Part 1 of this conversation, head back to Episode 354 so you can listen or read the transcript. You’ll find that at www.undercoverarchitect.com/354.

In this episode, I talk with Louise and Zane about how they’re taking their existing home into consideration when renovating, and factoring the potential upgrades into their approach and overall budget.

Louise and Zane also share how they’ve navigated receiving feedback and input from family and friends whilst they’re in this design phase. As is often the case, when you share floor plans with your loved ones, they can have an opinion about what they think is missing or not working in them.

These well-meaning opinions and feedback can be based on the personal experience of your friends or family, or because of their own professional backgrounds. However, balancing that input with your own project goals and budget can definitely be tricky.

We also talk about how their timeline is working in this early design phase, and I give them some tips on some specific things they can be doing sooner rather than later to help squeeze up timelines and pricing certainty as they move closer to their final documentation.

This early part of the design process can be super exciting as you see your dreams start to take shape on the page of your designer’s drawings. And yet, it can also feel like nothing is very ‘real’ yet, which can mean you stay too open to flexibility, and scope and budget creep.

It’s great to touch base with Louise and Zane at this point, and hear how they’re navigating this.

And if you’d like to grab a full transcript of this episode, you can find all of that by heading to www.undercoverarchitect.com/355.

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.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST NOW.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST:

For links, images and resources mentioned in this podcast, head to >>> www.undercoverarchitect.com/355

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

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/

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