Renovator's Survival Guide

Renovator's Survival Guide
Author: Amanda Falconer

Take chance out of your do-it-for-me renovation with The Renovator’s Survival Guide. This jam-packed book gives you the top tips for avoiding disaster and what to do if it all goes wrong. Even experts think it’s a must!

“Archicentre’s experiences show that renovating can be a dream or a nightmare. You shouldn’t start your project without reading this enlightening and entertaining book which gives a first hand look at some nightmares and how they could have been avoided.”
Robert Caulfield Managing Director - Archicentre.

When I decided to gut and renovate my inner city Sydney home, I didn’t really think a renovation disaster would happen to me. After all, I’m not an idiot, and I wasn’t actually going to be building anything myself, so with an architect, engineer and builder on board, as well as (embarrassingly) a career in the building industry, how hard could it be? What could go wrong?

After two years of building, four years of legal action, as well as an extra $120,000 in costs, I had a very clear idea. And after chatting with my building consultant about his other clients, and with other renovators I met along the way, I realised that finding a good builder wasn’t the only thing you needed to do to have a great renovation. I decided that the best kept secret was thorough preparation before building begins if you want to avoid poor quality, and blowouts in time and cost.

I made a promise to myself after I fired my builder: to finish the house, sue him and write a book about the experience - no matter how much I just wanted to forget it all once I reached the end. I was determined not to let the builder get off scot-free, and determined to help other people avoid the same mistakes.

The result is The Renovator’s Survival Guide. The top tips for avoiding disaster and what to do if it all goes wrong - from renovation survivors.