Luck is not a management strategy and other truisms

Or if I say it another way, The (renovating) World According to Me.

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When I sat down to write The Renovator’s Survival Guide I was intent on helping people avoid some of the simple mistakes I know it’s so easy to make. I felt that if the book were going to appeal to people just like me, then it had to be informative of course, but it also had to be quick and easy to read, well signposted for easy dipping into, and preferably littered with other people’s stories to get those insights across powerfully (and with a bit of a laugh).

Judging from the responses I’ve had from people who’ve actually read it, I’m satisfied that I achieved what I set out to do. For example, my mum told me the other evening that a retired architect-friend of hers had read it and commented that it was “very fair” to both builders and architects as well as being full of good information. A number of the journalists who interviewed me when the book was released were surprised at how entertaining the book actually was - as well as being jam-packed with info. (Which is pretty much what Archicentre Managing Director Robert Caulfield said when he endorsed it, as well as builder Luke Van Dyck and ex-banking executive Ann Sherry.)

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Of course, there are always people who love to comment on things without reading or seeing the things they’re actually commenting on. And no matter how black and white you think you’ve made things, some people will always interpret what you’re saying to mean something totally different. So even though I think the book is a snap to read, (and has a cheat sheet at the end with the top tips all in one place) I thought I’d help some of those people out, with The (renovating) World According to Me

Not all builders are bad - and there are lots of good ones.
A good builder isn’t a silver bullet. As Luke says: “As a professional builder myself, I know first hand that a client who’s thoroughly prepared can make the difference between a job that goes well and one that doesn’t.”
A bad builder can be a nightmare. While finding a good builder isn’t the only thing you need to do, it’s right up there in the top 10.
Preparation is the key. Aside from your homework on builders this is all about the budget, plans, tendering and contracts. See 5.
Detailed plans are a must. You need a more detailed set of plans for construction than you do for the council - take out the room for interpretation to get more accurate quotes and minimise variations.
Specify everything upfront. Which kind of relates to item 5 - why wait to choose tiles, taps and other items once construction has begun? They’ll just leave more room for quote error and slow you and the builder up later.
Get interested in the non-glamour products - linings and waterproofing for example. Got any idea what it costs to do your bathroom? Who wants to re-do it because particleboard was laid under the tiles - a recipe for disaster if waterproofing fails. That’s just an example of course! Don’t just focus on the surface.
Just because you’ve hung a picture or two doesn’t mean you’re a building expert. Hire one to check the building quality at all the key stages!
Renovating is not synonomous with lifting a hammer yourself - there’s no shame in being a DIFMer instead of a DIYer. Play to your strengths. If it’s making money to pay for expert tradesmen, go for your life. If it’s being the tradesman, that’s ok too.
Luck is not a management strategy. So get prepared!