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Did you know that in Australia the average three-bedroom house has more than 8000 bricks, 1000 metres of electrical cabling and 12 000 nails? As well as an impressive number of building materials, every building activity is carried out by a different tradesperson and it’s up to a contracted builder to supervise them. Between coordinating bricklayers, plumbers, roofers, electricians, tilers, plasterers, concreters and more, a builder has to juggle the weather and other unpredictable conditions. Understanding this helps to explain why building a house – and renovating one – is complicated.

I get great satisfaction from bringing a project from concept to completion whilst meeting the needs of my clients. As a client, it’s important to understand how the process works and why choosing the right contractors will save you time and money.

I discovered my love of residential renovations at a young age. My dad was a carpenter and he exposed me to the inner workings of the carpentry trade. Quite often I found myself tagging along to his job sites on Saturdays or in school holidays and lending a hand where I could. Looking back, I think this arrangement was more about child-minding, as my mum was working a full-time job, rather than preparing me for a trade. But I do remember it fondly.

My dad went on to become a builder. As a teenager, I remember him working long hours and witnessing him learn the ins and outs of the residential construction industry. In the evenings, he would study the business skills required for contracting to consumers.

I vividly remember the day Dad received his builder’s licence – it was a really big deal in our house. He had put in the hard work, and was ready to go and carry out contract work for people wanting to extend, renovate or build their homes. From then on Dad’s working days got even longer and Mum would help him do the day-to-day paperwork in the evenings. Every night my family would sit down together for dinner and Dad would tell my siblings and me stories from the job sites. At the dinner table, I found myself being drawn into the industry – and as the years passed, my dad’s experiences became mine, too. I was learning a lot about business and insights into building without realising it. And whenever my friends’ parents or family undertook home-improvement projects, I would keenly watch how the process worked: the good, the bad and the ugly. It didn’t take me long to understand that no matter how you approach your project, it’s always a stressful time as you allow a builder or tradespeople to disturb your nest.

I went on to become an apprentice carpenter to my father, who by this stage was running his own successful residential construction company. I spent the next 26 years learning and discovering the best ways to navigate home construction. After successfully completing my carpentry apprenticeship, I went on to study a Certificate IV in Construction, which enabled me to become a builder.

With a lifetime of experience behind me, I know how to engage with a fellow builder, how to best approach a project and how to work together to get the best outcome for your home-renovation project.

I know that when a builder says, ‘No problem’ or ‘Too easy’ or ‘She’ll be right!’ you should ask: ‘Can I see your plans, please?’ Not the house plan. You want to see the activity plan your builder will use to make sure everything gets done in an organised way. And if your builder doesn’t have a plan, chances are ‘She will not be alright!’

Building and renovating can be overwhelming but you’re not alone. Australians have an insatiable appetite for home renovation. Just look at the number of TV shows on the topic: The Block, Renovation Rescue, House Rules, Masters of Flip – just to name a few. These shows continue to drive us to renovate or develop our own homes; and according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the industry is worth a staggering $76.5 billion dollars annually.

The only problem is that these shows often portray the industry incorrectly – they have a cast of thousands onsite at all times to jump in when the next trade is needed. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in the real world. Real home renovations are much more complicated. This book will outline how, in the real world of home renovation, you are best to go about getting your project from a concept in your mind to a reality. It doesn’t need to be hard; however, you will need to be structured in your approach.