Feeling unsure about your new build or renovation project?

Hear what others felt, were nervous about, and wanted to learn before they joined HOME Method – in their words.

Listen to the episode now.

Hello! This is Episode 358, and in it, I’m sharing something a little different.

Over the years of running HOME Method, we’ve welcomed hundreds of homeowners who are navigating all kinds of new builds and renovations. And when someone joins, we ask them a few questions – not just to get to know them, but to better understand how they’re feeling, what they’re hoping for, and where they need support.

In today’s episode, I want to share some of those answers with you.

Because whether you’re just starting out or already mid-project, I know it can feel like everyone else has it figured out – and you’re the only one who’s unsure or overwhelmed.

But that’s simply not true.

So in this episode, you’ll hear the real, honest reasons people join HOME Method – in their own words. What they’re afraid of. What they’re excited about. What they want to learn. And what stage of the project they’re in when they start looking for help.

My hope is that by hearing this, you’ll feel seen, supported, and reminded that you’re not behind in your renovation or new build – you’re just creating something that really matters to you.

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE NOW.

If you’re like most of the homeowners I work with, you’ll be excited at the thought of bringing your home dreams to reality. It’s totally natural – especially if your current living situation is less-than-ideal, or you have a strong vision of the kind of home and lifestyle you want to create for yourself and those you’ll be sharing your home with.

But, maybe, the overwhelm of making this project happen is creeping in… or totally overtaking that excitement. There’s been A LOT of change in the industry over the past decade, and especially in the past few years, with building code regulations, increasing prices, labour shortages, and a lot of hoops to jump through.

The thing is: most people feel uncertain, overwhelmed or even fearful when wanting to get started on their project. Fearful of getting it wrong, and of the costs and time involved. Many homeowners describe themselves to me as “feeling out of their depth,” “afraid of missing something,” or “unsure where to start”.

They often assume everyone else has it figured out. But here’s the reality: they don’t. And if you feel this way, you’re not the only one. You’re in good company

What I’m about to share in this episode comes directly from people just like you. These are the real words from members of HOME Method about why they joined, what they were worried about, and what they were dreaming of and excited about when thinking about their future, finished homes.

So, if you’ve ever thought “Am I doing this right?” or “What am I missing?”, or “I just don’t want to make a big mistake” – then this episode is for you.

Whether you’re still dreaming, knee-deep in design, or already dealing with a team and plans, I want you to know this: You’re not behind. You’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure it all out yourself.

Let’s dive into what’s really going on for people at the start of their project – and why investing in education and support is not only wise, it can be transformative.

When you join HOME Method, we ask you to complete an onboarding form. 

This helps us understand your situation better so we can immediately offer suggestions for your next best steps and support you more personally in the course, during Q&As, and inside the online community.

One of the questions we ask you is “Why did you actually join HOME Method?”

And what’s really interesting is that the answers are never, ‘Because I’m ready and confident and know exactly what I’m doing.’

Instead, the reasons I hear again and again are things like:
‘I feel lost.’
‘I don’t want to make a mistake.’
‘I’m overwhelmed and unsure where to begin.’

These are thoughtful, proactive homeowners. They’re not joining because they already feel fully in control. They’re joining because they want to be.

One person shared:
“We’ve never done anything like this before. We don’t want to make an expensive mistake.”

Another said:
“I feel HOME Method will give me great access to information and knowledge to help us on our journey with confidence.”

And another:
“I have never built or renovated before and really want to do the best job possible for myself and my partner. I will be taking on large responsibilities in this project and want to be armed with as much information as possible.”

And:

“I’m stuck and overwhelmed by the road blocks to renovating my property. Needing support on the way forward.”

I love reading new members’ honest replies to this question – and the themes they share are incredibly common.

Members also share that they just want someone to help them see the path ahead. 

Like this member who said:
“To gain a better understanding of what will [happen] down the track and get it right from the start.”

Or this answer:

To gain a lot more awareness of what we don’t know that we don’t know about the journey, to make more informed decisions, to save money on mis-steps by having more information and guidance.”

There’s often a deep desire for clarity – not just about design or selections, but about how the whole process works.
It’s the sense that “I know enough to be nervous. I know there’s things I don’t know – and I don’t want to get this wrong.”

So, many join HOME Method because they want to be more confident, so they can have greater clarity, and understand the steps ahead in their project, knowing the right decisions to make along the way.

And let’s talk about that for a moment. Because what does confidence actually look like in a project like this?

Now, in my experience, confidence in your project isn’t about being fearless or having all the answers. It’s about knowing the right questions to ask, and when to ask them.

It’s being able to say:
“I understand what’s happening in my project, and I feel equipped and credible to actively collaborate in it, even if I’ve never done this before.”

For example, one member said:
“I want to know what questions to ask professionals to gauge if we’re aligned.”

So, confidence can come in knowing how to interview and assess your team instead of just hoping they’re a good fit.

Another said:
“I need help to coordinate everything and not miss important steps.”

Confidence is knowing the sequence and timing – what comes first, what matters now, and what can wait.

And one of my favourites:
“I want to be informed so I can feel confident in what I’m doing.”

Confidence is about making intentional choices, not reactive ones. And showing up with the right mindset, skillset and toolset to make your project a success, and the future home you’re investing the best possible outcome for your effort, time and money.

Another member wrote:

“We built the home we live in 11 years ago and didn’t know what we were doing. We didn’t get good advice from the building company we ended up using and we live daily with the frustrations of having spent so much money on a house that really doesn’t suit our family and the quality of the finish is poor… We have the skillsets and the time to project manage the build ourselves and wanted to empower ourselves to go into the project with confidence.”

This learning from experience and being intentional about how you lead your next project through better support and empowerment can be instrumental in building confidence.

In practice, confidence might look like:

• Having your brief and priorities documented before your first designer meeting
• Being able to say no to a suggestion that doesn’t align with your goals or values
• Knowing that you’re making selections not just based on what’s pretty, but what’s practical and functional
• Being able to investigate and resolve cost or energy efficiency or material selection implications before a design is finalised – instead of after construction has started
• Staying calm when something unexpected pops up – because you’ve done the work to understand how this process works

And here’s where it gets interesting…

Once people start seeking confidence, they often think they need certainty in their project to feel confident.

That if they can find the right designer or pick a well-known builder then they’ll feel safe, and ready, and in control.

But confidence and certainty aren’t the same thing.

And the problem is that if you’re seeking certainty – which many people do – you’ll work really hard to avoid uncertainty, which will feel unsafe. In fact, research shows that people would rather be unhappy than uncertain. In the pursuit of certainty, you can create more fear, not less.

Any custom project involves unknowns. Even a project home that’s been built hundreds or thousands of times before has not been built on your site, or for you … and the uniqueness of you and your block of land will bring uncertainty to your project.

You can build your confidence by getting educated and informed – to be more resilient, flexible and strategic – especially in the face of uncertainty.

Confidence says: I’m equipped to move forward, even if I don’t know exactly all the details about what’s ahead.

And when you reach the unknowns – when something doesn’t go to plan, or a new challenge pops up – you don’t spin out. You stay grounded, and you know how to respond.

That’s when you’re able to make smart, aligned decisions moving forward.

Now, when someone joins HOME Method, we also ask them:

“What makes you nervous about renovating or building this home?”

And frankly, the responses are some of the most human and relatable parts of the onboarding process.

Because once the dreaming begins… so do the doubts. The stakes feel high. The investment is real. And suddenly, the vision of your future home is tangled up with all the ways it could go wrong.

For many, it’s the fear of getting it wrong, and not being able to fix it:

“The floor plan! It’s one of those things that would cost too much to fix if we get it wrong.”

Or there’s the financial stress:

“The cost is significant so we want to get it right. We want to make sure that we choose the right people (builder etc) to work with.”

Others are afraid of choosing the wrong people or feeling out of their depth:

“We have no knowledge or skills in this area and we’re worried that we may be blindly led into making decisions that we’ll regret – or not getting to make decisions at all!”

And another said:

“The fear of what both we and our team don’t know. We don’t want to make mistakes.”

Others talk about the overwhelm of juggling it all:

“Having to manage what we want in the budget we have and potentially making compromises constantly to stay within budget.”

Or simply feeling unqualified, like this person shared:

“I am vulnerable as I know nothing … yet!”

Or knowing that the decisions you’re making can have a big impact:

“Throughout the journey it is not always known what is the next expected or required step or decision, though when it comes, it’s required NOW and the decisions might not be the most thought out and lead to regrets of financial or design nature later.”

These are just a few examples of what people tell us. 

The nervousness is completely valid. It doesn’t mean you’re not ready – it means you care.

And this is exactly where so many get stuck. They don’t want to make a mistake… so they stall. They wait. They keep researching, hoping that certainty will magically arrive.

But here’s what I’ve learned from years of working with homeowners:
Nerves are not a red flag. As I always say to my kids when they get nervous before a performance or exam … it’s just because this means something to you and you want to do well. 

Your nerves are a sign that your project matters to you. 

And it’s exactly because you care that it’s so important to get educated, supported, and equipped – so those nerves don’t spiral into paralysis or regret.

That’s what HOME Method is here to help with. The guidance, the clarity, the framework – it’s all designed to take you from anxious and overwhelmed to calm, clear, and confident.

Because every fear you’ve heard in this section? There’s content inside the course, and guidance inside the Q & As, and conversations inside the community that speak directly to it.

Let’s now look at where people are in their journey when they join.

One of the most common misconceptions I hear is, “I’m probably too early to join HOME Method.”

And right behind it? “I’m probably too late.”

But here’s what actually happens: people join HOME Method at all stages of their project.

Some are still dreaming:

“We’re currently deciding whether to build from scratch or buy an existing property and undertake a major renovation.”

Others are just starting to engage professionals:

“At the very beginning, we have just set up meetings with professionals in the next two weeks.”

Some members haven’t even purchased the land they plan to build on, or the home they plan to renovate, when they jump into HOME Method.

And because of their learning, it helps them streamline their selection process, and choose a property to purchase that’s more aligned with their overall project goals.

Some are partway through early design, working collaboratively with their builder and their designer.

As one said:

“We’re halfway through design development with our architect and trying to make sure we don’t miss anything important.”

And others are on the brink of building, and about to sign a contract and commence construction.

We even have members who are deep in construction, or nearing completion – and still getting huge value from the support.

One person shared:

“We are at the end of knockdown rebuild and have made so many mistakes along the way. We have run out of budget to complete some of the interiors and landscaping so I think I will still get value out of the program to fully complete the current build. Your program is exactly what I needed to be more educated and empowered during the process. I’m looking forward to learning from my mistakes.”

All of these members have one thing in common: they realised they could make better decisions with better support – and they took action.

I share these because I want to say this clearly: There is no wrong time to join HOME Method.

Whether you’re still thinking about your project, about to choose your team, getting ready to commence design, already mid-design, about to sign a build contract, or even mid-build,  this program is designed to meet you where you’re at and help you make smarter, more empowered decisions from that point forward.

Remember: It’s never too early to get better prepared and informed for your project – and it’s never too late to make it better. Every decision you make from here forward still shapes your home, your budget, and your experience.

After asking what makes people nervous, we also ask:

“What makes you excited about renovating or building this home?”

And this is where the joy and heart of these projects really shines through.

You can feel the vision people have – not just for their home, but for their life in that home.

One member said:

“That we’ll finally live in our forever home that we all love being in and not have to move for a long time…”

Another shared:

“Having a home that we’ve created for our life, a place we love to be.”

And another said:

“The possibility of creating a more functional and enjoyable space for our family to live in.”

That’s not just about aesthetics and fixtures… that’s about creating a home that genuinely fits your family, your lifestyle, your future.

So many speak to sustainability, like this member:

“So many things … the idea of a sustainable build, not only for the benefits this will bring us but also for the positive contribution we’re making to the environment.”

Or the excitement of finally doing things on their own terms:

“What excites me most is both the process itself and the outcome – creating a home that truly works for us as a family. One that is tailored to our needs, aesthetically pleasing, functional, and energy-efficient.”

Others speak to the freedom and creativity of doing things differently:

“Control over the design (we built our first home with a project builder and we were very limited with choice). The lifestyle change for our family when we move in!”

Or the joy of reconnecting with family:

“Everything about it because it means my parents will be living in walking distance after living on the other side of the world from them for 24 years.

For some, it’s about finally getting the chance to put their own creative stamp on the home they’ll come to enjoy:

“Our last home was our first purchased home, and was very much a starter home… There were many things I’d love to change and make a home that better fits our needs and lifestyle. I love architecture and design, and never thought I’d get to design something from scratch!”

These responses are inspiring. They remind us that this isn’t about “the perfect house” or some kind of magazine-worthy aesthetic.

No one says: “I can’t wait to get my home professionally photographed.”

What they say, again and again, is:
“I want a home that feels good. That works for us. That reflects who we are and how we want to live.”

And I think this is something worth pausing on.

If you’re about to take on a long project, one that might get messy, stressful or challenging at times, having a clear vision of what excites you – what you’re working toward and most looking forward to when it’s all done – can keep you grounded and motivated, and help you maintain momentum towards what you’re truly building – not just physically but also emotionally and mentally for yourself and your family.

And of course, we also ask one more important question when someone joins HOME Method:

“What are you hoping to learn from your time in the program?”

Because information alone isn’t enough. We know that right? If all you needed was information, you’d be able to learn everything you need to know from YouTube.

It’s about learning the right things, in the right order, with the essential tools, resources, guidance, and personalised support in a like-minded community… all so you can make clear, confident, empowered decisions.

And the answers we receive are incredibly focused and practical. I love that new members come in with clear goals and the ability to identify the gap in their skillset.

They say things like:

“Everything! Where to even start… how to find the right team… how do you know you can trust them…”

“Questions to ask professionals to gauge if we’ll work well together, understand what each professional does and then what we can expect at each stage so we are prepared rather than reactive.”

“Create an overall plan, what is reasonable to expect, help me plan and think about what I want, prevent problems. Get clarity, structure, system for greater success & ease of project.”

“I’m hoping to gain a detailed understanding of the construction process – from start to finish. I want to learn the correct sequence of events and, just as importantly, how to identify and address red flags along the way. I’m also looking forward to connecting with like-minded people and becoming part of a community that shares my passion – something I know I’d truly enjoy.”

The best part of reviewing these responses ALWAYS is that I know they’ve landed exactly where they need to inside HOME Method. 

The program is structured to walk you through the entire journey – from first ideas to construction and everything in between… with tools, templates, training, and expert advice that speak directly to what our members say they want and need most.

Whether you’re asking:

• What’s the right order to do things in?
• How do I choose the right team?
• How do I ensure I get it right in my home design?
• What’s normal to expect – and what’s a red flag?
• Where should I spend – and where can I save?
• What decisions matter and where should I focus my attention?
• How do I make the right selections?
• What are the best inclusions for a sustainable, energy efficient home?
• How do I ensure I get what I’m paying for during my build?
• What can I expect to see on site during construction?
  

It’s in there. Plus so much more.

So if you’ve been thinking about joining HOME Method, maybe this is your moment.

HOME Method is here to give you the framework, the insight, and the confidence to move forward – no matter what stage you’re at.

You don’t have to wait until you’re 100% ready. And you don’t need to figure it all out on your own. 

You just need to be curious. And willing to take that first step. Remember: you unlock what is possible for your future home. It’s your dreams, your vision, your money, your time, your choices, your decision. You are the reason this project is happening at all. It all starts with you.

So, when you create your home with HEART, you stay ORGANISED in your project, you get MENTORED along the way, you can be EMPOWERED to bring your home dreams to life. 

HEART / ORGANISED / MENTORED / EMPOWERED – that’s what the H.O.M.E. actually stands for in HOME Method, and what I believe is the secret sauce to a great project and a great home.

RESOURCES

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my signature online program, HOME METHOD >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/

Learn more about how to interview and select the right builder with the Choose Your Builder mini-course >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/choose-your-builder

Want to create a sustainable home when building or renovating? Grab the 44 Ways to Create a Sustainable free e-guide here >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/44-ways