FOR HOMEOWNERS READY TO SAVE TIME, MONEY AND STRESS
Designing, building or renovating shouldn't feel like a gamble. You can enjoy your project and create a home you'll love living in.
With the proven, step-by-step method that radically simplifies your project, so you can feel confident, clear and in control. Whoever you're working with, and wherever you're located.
$3,450 AUD · One-time investment · Lifetime Access
7,830+
HOMEOWNERS SUPPORTED
$350M+
PROJECTS ACROSS ARCHITECTURAL CAREER
$1B+
MEMBER PROJECTS UNDERWAY OR COMPLETED
30+ YEARS
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
AWARD WINNING
ARCHITECT + MENTOR
Hi, I’m Amelia.
The architect behind Undercover Architect
REGISTERED ARCHITECT · 30+ YEARS EXPERIENCE · HONOURS + POST-GRAD QUALIFIED · AWARD-WINNING
I've practised privately, sat on the senior design team for a leading developer, and co-owned an award-winning architectural firm. But it was when my husband and I tackled our own renovations (three of them) that I saw a different side of the industry. Without my "architect" title in full view, I was treated as a mum with a baby on her hip, not a professional. I heard things like "We'll just wait for your husband."
I knew how to advocate for myself. But what about everyone who didn't have my training? I kept hearing the same stories. Cost blowouts. Hidden problems. Overwhelming stress. Disappointing results. So much of it could have been avoided with the right knowledge, structure and tools, applied at the right moment. That's why I built HOME Method.
I could tell you that your renovation or new build will be easy. However, I believe that anything this impactful to your life and finances rarely 'feels' easy. I do know though, that with the right Method, your project can be radically simpler, less stressful, and much more likely to deliver a home that makes your everyday life better. And make your investment of effort, money and time far more worthwhile.
You can picture it. A home that's light-filled, considered, comfortable, and designed around how your family actually lives.
What's harder to picture is the path between here and there. Where to start. Who to hire first. How to know if the design is right. What to check at each stage, so nothing slips through.
It's not that the information doesn't exist. It's that there's too much of it, in too many places, and none of it knows your project.
So homeowners chase hyper-specific answers (the unusual site, the tight budget, the heritage home, the impossible council), or hand the whole thing over to their chosen team and hope to just choose the colours and finishes.
However, the most unique factor in any project isn't the site, the budget or the team. It's you - the homeowner - and how you show up.
You don't need more information. You need a clear sequence (what to do, when and what to use), and a way to bring your voice into every decision. And experienced support and guidance every step of the way.
That's what HOME Method gives you.
"One of the things that I found came from investing in the Program was it just drastically reduced my anxiety, it stopped. I felt like I had a bit of control back and enough knowledge to make some good decisions. I felt confident."
BELINDA, HOME METHOD MEMBER
$3,450 AUD · One-time investment · Lifetime Access
Inside HOME Method's framework
Every renovation and new build follows the same essential sequence. HOME Method walks you through each phase with the lessons, checklists, templates and guides you need at the moment you need them.
MODULE 01
Pre-Design
Lay the groundwork before you design a single thing, so you don't waste time or money on false starts, or end up with expensive re-do's later in your project.
YOU'LL HAVE:
Clarity on your real financial position and what's actually possible
The right team identified, confidently interviewed and engaged on the right terms
A clear grasp of your local rules and approvals
A pre-construction process to help your project develop on budget, whilst protecting the design vision
MODULE 02
Design
Get your home's design right, whoever is designing it. Functional, beautiful, suited to you, your site and your life (informed by experienced, architectural insider know-how).
YOU'LL HAVE:
A design brief that clearly communicates the home you want, intentionally laid out so nothing is missed
A budget you can hold to under real conditions, whatever is happening in the industry
The skills to read, review and assess design documentation with confidence
The knowledge to make useful and data-driven design decisions, and optimise the potential and value in your project
MODULE 03
Pre-Build
Line everything up before your build starts, so the right decisions get made when they can be the cheapest to make, and before they cause blowouts or regrets during construction.
YOU'LL HAVE:
Lighting, electrical and selections planned for function and atmosphere
Drawings and specifications confidently reviewed for accuracy and completeness
Clear and fair contracts agreed before anything is signed
The right level of documentation to support a confident build and clear communication with your team
MODULE 04
Build
Stay in collaboration through construction. Know what to check, when, and what to ask, so when your project is finished, you have peace of mind it'll stand the test of time.
YOU'LL HAVE:
A collaborative process with the right builder you can trust
Control of contracts, variations and communication without your input being overridden or ignored
The confidence to visit site regularly, watching your home come to life and knowing you're getting the build quality you paid for
A clear path through to completion and handover, with comfort that when the builder leaves, your home is built to last
SIMPLIFYING EVERY STEP + DECISION
Your complete project toolkit, designed by an architect
As well as the Modules, HOME Method includes more than 40 industry-tested templates, checklists, and guides, refined for homeowners to help simplify your decisions and help you get it right each step of the way. Here's only a handful of what's included:
ROOM NOTES
Architectural guides on ideal orientation, recommended dimensions, mistakes to avoid and must-have inclusions for every room of your home.
TEAM SELECTION
Interview checklists and research tips for your designer, builder and other collaborators, so you don't miss the questions that matter most.
BRIEF BUILDER
The structured template for writing a comprehensive design brief that gives you clarity on your ideal future home, and communicates it clearly.
BUDGET TOOLS
Budget guides, a detailed spreadsheet template, and calculator tools to help you set, track and protect your budget through every project stage.
SELECTION SCHEDULES
Interior and exterior schedule templates that help you select and document every inclusion, so you finish with the home you imagined, not the one that fell through the cracks.
SPEC TOOLS
A descriptive specification guide, shopping list and template tools to capture every decision and detail in your finished home, from first discussions through to completion.
AUDIT TOOLS
Drawing review checklists, power and lighting checklists, and other critical stage tools, so nothing important gets overlooked as your project unfolds.
BUILD CHECKLISTS
Stage-by-stage checklists for confident construction management, including framing and pre-completion reviews to cover the biggest milestones of your build.
BONUS MODULE · 8 CONSTRUCTION STAGES
Manage Your Build
Walk onto your site at every stage knowing what to look for, check and what to ask, so issues get caught while they're still fixable. Be confident construction is being carried out as it should.
EARLY CONTRACT
Sign with confidence and protect yourself before work begins on site.
DEMO + SITE PREP
Know what should be set up before any tool hits the ground.
SLAB / BASE
Get the foundation right before mistakes are locked in permanently.
FRAME
Spot layout, opening and structural issues before you can no longer make changes.
LOCKUP PART 1
Walk the home as it takes shape and check what's hidden inside walls.
FACADE / LOCKUP PART 2
Confirm finishes, weatherproofing and external detail are landing right.
FITOUT
Manage one of the busiest stages without losing track and avoiding disappointment.
PRACTICAL COMPLETION
Hand over with the correct paperwork and the confidence the home is complete and signed off.
ONGOING GUIDANCE + SUPPORT
HOME Method Community · Q & A Sessions
You don't have to figure it out alone. Inside HOME Method, you're in an online community with other homeowners walking the same path, and you have direct access to Amelia and her team for the questions only an architect can answer.
YOU'LL HAVE:
A private member community of like-minded homeowners designing, building and renovating right alongside you
Regular live Q&A sessions with Amelia, where you can ask in person, post in the group, or submit through the course website
Every Q&A recorded, timestamped, and keyword-searchable, so the answers stay with you for the life of your project
Lifetime access, so you can return when your project moves to its next phase, and keep learning from the community as well
WHAT'S INSIDE HOME METHOD
4
CORE MODULES
30
STEPS
8
BUILD STAGES
30+
TEMPLATES + CHECKLISTS
25+
ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES
Live
Q & A SESSIONS
Lifetime
ACCESS + UPDATES
A REAL LESSON FROM INSIDE
Watch a sample lesson from Module 1
Before you decide, see how the teaching actually lands. This is an excerpt from a real lesson in Pre-Design, shared exactly as members experience it inside the program. Step #04 is 'Know Your Team' and is supported by 9 downloadable checklists to enable confident team identification, interviewing, selection and commissioning.
3 MINUTE SAMPLE
(LESSONS RUN BETWEEN 6 AND 20 MINS)
TAUGHT BY AMELIA, SUPPORTED WITH DOWNLOADABLE TOOLS + RESOURCES
ALL LESSONS SUPPLIED AS VIDEO, TRANSCRIPT, AUDIO AND SLIDES
Real homeowners. Real projects. Real homes.
HOME Method members designing, renovating and building across Australia and around the world. All types of projects, teams, budgets and visions.
ELLEN
NEW BUILD
MONIQUE
NEW BUILD
JACOBA
RENOVATION
PETER
BUILDER / OWNER
LINDA
RENOVATION
ELIZABETH
RENOVATION
TRINA
NEW BUILD
REBEKAH
RENOVATION
SARAH
BUILDER / PROJECT MANAGER
IN MEMBERS' OWN WORDS
ON ADVICE TO OTHERS
"It has been one of the best things I've done. The course has paid for itself. The knowledge I have learnt has paid for itself. And Amelia is very kind and generous in the giving of her knowledge. I would say just to do it, it's not something you'll regret."
ABBEY
ON SIGNING THE CONTRACT
"We signed our contract this week. Very exciting after working on the design and inclusions for 10 months. HOME Method gave me confidence to advocate for our needs."
SKYE
ON USING ROOM NOTES
"We've had the Room Notes out beside the plans and have been putting our scaled ruler to good use. It's because of these notes that we confidently asked for changes that have made the design so much better."
FIONA
ON CONFIDENCE
"I've gone from a person who would never even consider building to someone who is confident, excited and really grateful about our forever home-to-be."
GABRIELLE
ON MONEY AND STRESS
"I could not imagine doing it without going through this process and understanding what's possible and these tools. I know it's going to save me money. It's absolutely saving me stress."
NAOMI
ON FINISHING
"We finished. Moved back home yesterday after our 5 month extensive kitchen, bathroom, laundry and clothes room reno. We love it and look forward to living in it for many years."
KAYE
ON COLLABORATION
"We had our first collaborative site meeting. It was brilliant. We talked lots about open communication with all parties. Amelia without your course I don’t think we would have the team we have and it felt so cohesive. I was over the moon."
CLARE
ON PROJECT MANAGING
"It just gave me so much more confidence when I was liaising with so many different people in the industry about all the different aspects. I mean, all the tradies in town, you know, all the hardware stores, all that sort of stuff, they get to know you during the course of a build."
ROWENA
ON AVOIDING $$$ MISTAKES
"I didn’t think we needed courses. It was only after we almost made that massive mistake with the roof...it struck me that a bit of help would be good...we would have regretted it forever..the cost of the course compared to the cost of making this huge mistake, it's money well spent."
KAREN
ON SUPPORT
"You are able to answer our questions honestly and frankly, but also while being kind and supportive ... Thank you for everything you do to reassure us that we are doing the right thing, and challenging us gently when we need to reconsider a decision."
JANET
HOME Method in action
Member homes across Australia and beyond. New builds and renovations. Every style, scope and budget. Your home, your way.
ONE TIME PURCHASE OF $3,450 AUD
[APPROX $2,510 USD]
SECURE CHECKOUT · AFTERPAY AND KLARNA AVAILABLE
"You cannot renovate or build without first doing this course with UA. The mistakes that you will avoid will save you tens of thousands $$$!"
LISA, HOME METHOD MEMBER
Delivering clarity, confidence and control
Built from what HOME Method members consistently tell us changes for them.
Before HOME Method
Drowning in information from too many places, none of it knowing your project
Anxious about decisions you can't unmake, second-guessing the ones you have
Worried you'll waste money or miss something critical
Hoping the experts get it right, because you don't know what to ask
Lying awake wondering where to start and what comes next
With HOME Method to guide you
A clear pathway. You know what to focus on, when, and what to use
Anxiety drops. Control comes back. Decisions feel grounded
Confidence to ask the difficult questions and push back when something's not right
Your voice stays in every meeting and decision, not lost in someone else's process
You finish with a home that improves your everyday life, and the journey was worth it
Common Questions about HOME Method
ONE TIME PURCHASE OF $3,450 AUD
[APPROX $2,510 USD]
SECURE CHECKOUT · ONE TIME INVESTMENT · LIFETIME ACCESS
Photo Credits: MORGAN Architect: Cooee Architecture, Builder: Trend Building Solutions, Photographer: Ben King | CLARE Designer: Harmonic Design Studio, Builder: 35 South Building Company, Photographer: Unknown | BELINDA Architect: Maytree Studios, Builder: qldBUILT | JULIE Builder: Basalt Constructions | TRINA Builder: R Nurey Homes, Inc. | TANYA Designer: Altereco, Builder: Two Tone Constructiion, Photographer: Kip Scott | LEWIS Designer: Hygge Design | SOPHIE Sourced from @californian_reloved | BEK Sourced from @our_home_jumbullah | All other credits unknown.
With over 30 years industry experience, Amelia Lee founded Undercover Architect in 2014 as an award-winning online resource to help and teach you how to get it right when designing, building or renovating your home. You are the key to unlocking what’s possible for your home. Undercover Architect is your secret ally