Choose Your Team Wisely

Once I decided to stay in WA, I knew it was time to find a home. Everything I saw needed so much work. Then I found a block big enough for what I wanted: a home, a garage, and a separate granny flat/studio.

When I told people I was building a house as an owner-builder, empathy poured out. "Oh, you poor thing. How are you?"

I did my homework upfront, finding the right team for me. My architect and Sam had worked together before and had a great relationship. Anything that needed clarity was just a quick phone call away.

You spend a lot of time with your builder, so it's essential to have a good working relationship. For me, having someone who could take the plans and visualise them in 3D before building was crucial. This allowed us to make any tweaks at the perfect time—before construction began.

Of course, there are many decisions to make and opportunities to continually improve your plans. My house isn’t exactly as I imagined it; it’s better. Sam’s ideas, aesthetic sense, and attention to detail complemented my skills, and together we delivered a fantastic result.

If you’re considering taking on a big project, I can only say that you have a much better chance of a great outcome if you stay involved and have the right people on your team.

Wendy G.