Not sure who to talk to first when building or renovating?

Learn what to prepare before speaking to builders, architects or designers, so you stay confident and in control.

This is Part 3 in the ‘Start Here’ Mini-sodes Series.

Listen to the episode now.

Hello! This is Episode 387.

At some point early in a project, many homeowners often reach the same conclusion:

“If I can just find the right designer or the right builder, everything will fall into place.”

This episode is about gently unpacking that belief, and understanding why choosing the right people matters far less than how and when you engage them.

If you’ve been feeling unsure about who to talk to first, worried about making the wrong call, or hoping that the right professional will simply take the lead and guide you, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common pressure points I see at the start of projects.

This episode is part of the ‘Start Here’ Mini-Sode Series, designed to challenge unhelpful assumptions and help you focus on what actually matters first, before momentum or fear shapes your project for you.

Now you’ve seen how a project really unfolds through its four phases in Episode 385, and what to do before you begin designing anything in Episode 386…

In this episode, we’re talking about what to have in place before you speak with builders, architects or designers, and why informed preparation plays a far bigger role in your outcomes than simply finding the “right” person ever will.

So let’s dive into Part 3 of the Start Here series, ‘Before You Talk to Builders, Architects or Designers’.

Many homeowners believe that success in a project hinges on finding the right individual or company to work with. 

I’ve also had designers and builders share a similar sentiment. Those who struggle to work with an educated, informed client, suggest a homeowner simply needs to ‘trust them’ and they’ll take care of the rest.

This belief, however, places an enormous amount of pressure on one appointment or conversation, and it also encourages outsourcing responsibility too early.

It’s also common to crowd-source recommendations from friends and family, local community and Facebook groups. People will place a lot of trust in word of mouth recommendations, but it can be hard to know if those offering the recommendations really know if their project has followed best practice. 

Many look at the finished homes of designers, architects and builders, and use it as a means of assessing whether they’re a fit, however the PROCESS of your project and the way you’ll work together is really what governs how well your project goes, and how enjoyable it is for you.

Finding the right professional is about finding an alignment in communication, values, and what you’re seeking from your project experience. 

And to do that, you’ll need clarity on what you’re seeking from your future home and your ideal project experience, and then the ability to ask the right questions and know the checks to make to ensure the professionals you’re interviewing are suitably qualified and experienced to help you achieve your project goals, whilst managing your risk and expectations.

I find that homeowners can have a lot of assumptions about their potential team members. 

Architects can be seen as the most expensive, and only for high end homes and clients. 

Some don’t understand the difference between architects and building designers. 

Others think they just need someone to draw up their ideas, so will start working with a draftsperson and then get frustrated they’re not expanding the ideas with any design vision.

Builders are often seen as more pragmatic, cost-focussed and realistic. 

So, commonly, people will speak to a builder first to understand what’s realistically achievable for their project. This approach is understandable, but it can quietly limit what’s possible and lock in decisions too early. Many will then end up taking design advice from a builder, who isn’t trained or qualified to provide it.

There’s no single professional who can define your project for you. You are the one who unlocks what is possible. It is your choices, your priorities, your money, your goals and your vision that shape the outcome.

If you move too quickly into your project, and make a decision as significant as who you will work with before you have clarity about what you want to achieve, how you want to work, and what kind of experience you are seeking, it is very easy to find yourself operating inside someone else’s process rather than your own.

That lack of clarity shows up in a few common ways.

>> If you receive cost advice without meaningful design context, the information you are given will be incomplete and can create a false sense of certainty.

>> If you develop design ideas without a realistic cost framework based on comparable projects, or without a strategic approach to construction, you can spend a lot of time and money exploring outcomes that were never affordable or appropriate in the first place.

This is where a Design Brief becomes essential.

A Design Brief is not a list of rooms or a collection of images. It is a communication tool. It helps you articulate what you are trying to achieve through your project, what matters most to you, how you want your home to function and feel, and how you want to work with the professionals you engage.

When you have a clear Design Brief, conversations change. 

You are no longer relying on professionals to interpret vague ideas or fill in the gaps. Instead, you are able to present your project consistently, ask more informed questions, and assess whether the people you are speaking with are genuinely aligned with your goals… plus access early input on where your expectations and reality are or aren’t aligned.

The best outcomes tend to come from three things working together.

1. First, a strong design brief that creates consistency and clarity in how your project is communicated.
2. Second, the ability to have informed conversations with potential professionals, so you are not simply picking their brains, but actively interviewing them to determine fit.
3. And third, a collaborative approach from the outset, where the right expertise can contribute at the right time to shape both design and budget in a more strategic way.

Depending on your project, that collaboration might include design direction, construction advice, structural input, energy efficiency and performance guidance, planning and building code compliance, interior design or landscape design.

A well supported project rarely relies on one voice or one perspective.

That said, clarity is what determines which expertise you need, when you need it, and why. Without that clarity, it can quickly feel like a cast of thousands, or you can find yourself caught off guard by additional fees, requirements or consultants partway through the process.

When you understand the roles and responsibilities of different team members, and how they contribute to your project, you are far better placed to engage the right expertise at the right time. You are less likely to be swayed by someone telling you what you want to hear, and less likely to waste time and money in an unproductive process or on unrealistic ideas.

You do not need to be an expert, or constantly on guard. And you do not need to hand over your agency in order to be supported.

This is about preparation, so you can build professional relationships based on respect, collaboration and shared understanding, rather than assumption or imbalance.

So, notice if you’re looking for someone to take over, or whether you feel ready to participate in your project as an informed decision maker and an active collaborator. You don’t have to outsource your agency with the right team supporting and guiding you.

Successful projects aren’t built on finding the one perfect professional. They’re built on prepared homeowners who understand what they’re asking for, why they’re asking for it, and how to assess whether the people they’re speaking with are truly aligned.

Preparation doesn’t make things more complicated. It actually makes conversations clearer, expectations more realistic, and collaboration far more effective.

So take a moment to reflect.

Are you hoping the next professional you speak with will take over and lead?

Or do you feel equipped to participate as an informed decision maker, guiding your project with clarity and intention?

RESOURCES

If you’d like support in taking this thinking further, there are a few ways to do that. 

If choosing and engaging the right builder feels like your immediate challenge, my mini-course ‘Choose Your Builder’ will help you understand how to assess fit, ask the right questions, and avoid costly missteps when selecting and working with a builder.

If you’re still working out whether building or renovating is the right move, PROJECT 101 breaks down the five factors that shape every project. You’ll learn about cost, time, team, design and you, so you can see how a project really works and move forward with confidence rather than guesswork.

And if you want guidance and support across all four phases of your project, HOME Method provides the structure, tools and personalised support to help you navigate complexity, manage risk and avoid costly mistakes.

Inside HOME Method, you’ll find step-by-step guidance, practical resources, research and interview checklists for your team, and access to our UA Army. This is a community of architects, designers, builders and other consultants who align with Undercover Architect’s approach to doing projects well.

HOME Method is designed for homeowners who want to feel informed, supported and confident at every stage, with architectural guidance and a like-minded community with you every step of the way.

Note: This episode is for education and general information only, and it’s not a substitute for personalised professional advice.