Why most homeowners are overpaying on their renovation and how you can avoid becoming the next renovation fashion victim.
For any homeowners who has been told their renovation budget is “unrealistic” you MUST Read this before you give up hope. Nobody’s trying to take advantage of you, but what an increasing number of homeowners are learning is that you can be getting a much better house for your euro than most people are getting.
There are two types of renovations, one is really expensive and the other is really smart.
1. The Build Renovation where you extend your home to add more footprint which is expensive.
2. The Reconfiguration Renovation where you do not add more space you reconfigure existing space using smart design.
The problem is hardly anyone offers #2 because architects and design & build firms make big money on #1. But in many cases all you need is #2. Now that’s like selling a client a Rollex Oyster, when all they need is an Apple i-watch. Many designers who do not listen end up over prescribing because they design for themselves, their portfolio, to win awards, not their clients. It’s not their fault! I love architects but they are trained to build more space not reconfigure existing space. When you are a hammer everything looks like a nail.
Hi, my name is Eleanor Clarke and while most architects and designers look to build you a new space at a greater expense, I look to reconfigure your existing space to work smarter for you, using smart design because a clever re use of space saves you hundreds of thousands and still gives you what you need. You don’t always need to built space.
What does smart design look like?
Smart design is about understanding what you really need and what can be achieved within your existing space to give your clarity on what to focus your budget on.
S – Spatial planning to improve the layout and correct the design fundamentals, flow function, connection and circulation
M – Memory Making Method-my unique design process where I listen and uncover what you really need.
A – Aligning the design with your needs, not overprescribing to blow your budget
R – Reconfiguring within your existing footprint to alter your space not to add
T – Tighter budget, designing smarter not bigger even when everyone else told you you need to spend more by extending to achieve what you want.
Let me tell you a story
Barbara knew her home didn’t work for her and so she reached out to an architect. The design she was presented with not only didn’t fix her problems and but made them worse, why, because it would have put her into massive debt. She was prescribed an over ambitious design and extension, far beyond Barbara’s needs and budget. Embarrassed, confused and feeling completely deflated she put off doing her renovation for three years not knowing who to turn to. Her life was put on hold, too embarrassed to have family and friends over, to host birthday parties or even to have the odd playdate, she was miserable.
Eventually, Barbara reached out to me and we were able to establish what she could achieve by focusing her budget on improving her existing space, reconfiguring within your existing footprint rather than building an unnecessary extension, saving her thousands and shortening her renovation timeline so she could simply get on with life quicker.
Are you Barbara?
For those whose home does not work for them but don’t know that there’s a more affordable way to get what they need, I offer my Reconfiguration Review™. In this exercise, I prepare a spatial and behavioral analysis, to evaluate what you need but most importantly why you need to do it, helping you to gain clarity on where you should focus your budget to get the home you want.
The longer you wait, the longer your life is put on hold and the more you will crack up.
This invitation is for homeowners who are being told they will need to spend more money to get what they want but don’t have the budget for a build renovation yet still need a space to suit their family better than the current one does.
Our clients report an average savings of 40% – 55% on their renovation by achieving what they need without building an extension.
If you want to save thousands on your renovation click here to arrange a time to get your Reconfiguration Review™ started.