10 Things to Know Before You Build or Renovate
YOUR ROADMAP TO A SMOOTHER, SMARTER, AND MORE INFORMED BUILD JOURNEY / GUIDEBOOK
NOVEMBER 20, 2025
Building or renovating a home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make, both financially and emotionally. Preparation is everything, and the right team can make the process feel grounded, informed and genuinely enjoyable. These ten essentials will help you step into your project with confidence.
Before you make any decisions, it helps to understand the parts of a build or renovation that have the biggest impact on cost, timelines and the final feel of your home. This guide breaks down the essentials so you can step into the process informed, prepared and able to make choices that truly support the way you want to live.
1. Your brief is everything
A strong brief is the heartbeat of a successful project. It goes beyond colours and floor plans. It asks how you actually live and what makes a space feel like home. This is where you get honest with yourself about daily routines, habits and the way you move through life.
Do you cook late dinners after the kids are asleep and need quiet, soft lighting? Do you both get ready for work at the same time and want a bathroom that lets you move freely without bumping elbows? Do you love hosting and need a kitchen that lets you socialise while you cook? These moments matter.
Clarity here helps your team design a home that supports your lifestyle rather than contradicting it. At Mayfair, we often say that the brief is your anchor. It keeps everything grounded as the project evolves.
2. Design and budget must work together
Beautiful design only works when it’s grounded in a realistic budget. Early conversations about cost, priorities and how you want to live help shape a design that’s both inspiring and achievable.
Material choices, structural considerations and spatial planning all influence the final number, so letting budget and design evolve together prevents surprises later. At Mayfair, we collaborate with clients and architects early to keep creativity and clarity aligned, ensuring every idea has both purpose and practicality.
3. Choose your builder early
Your builder is not just there to construct the home. They are a crucial part of the design conversation. When you bring a builder in early, you gain insights into structure, sequencing, cost planning and practical options you may not have considered.
Engaging your builder before or during design ensures constructability, cost transparency and a smoother planning phase. When the builder, architect and client are aligned early, projects run on time and on budget.
This collaborative approach is how we work at Mayfair. Early involvement helps us understand the vision deeply and build it with intention, rather than interpreting it from afar once drawings are complete. It sets the tone for trust and keeps the project moving in a straight line.
4. Site conditions shape everything
Every plot has its own character. Slope, soil, access, neighbours, tree lines, natural light and orientation all influence what is possible. Some sites reveal opportunities you might not expect, like capturing a northern treetop outlook or designing to embrace coastal breezes.
Others come with constraints that guide the layout in smart ways. Understanding the site early lets the design respond intelligently rather than fighting against the land. It also helps keep costs transparent and timelines realistic.
A site assessment upfront avoids expensive surprises later.
5. Material selections affect cost, maintenance and longevity
Selecting materials is one of the most enjoyable parts of any project, but it is also where lifestyle and practicality need to meet. Stone, timber, plaster, concrete and porcelain each have their own maintenance profile and long-term behaviour.
Good selections balance aesthetics with durability, lifestyle and long-term value. They support the way you move through the home and add value far beyond just the look.
Consider materials like brushed metal or micro-cement that naturally disguise fingerprints, or timber with a subtle grain that softens everyday wear. If you lean more toward a design-led aesthetic, you might opt for veined natural stone that becomes more beautiful as it patinas over time, or matte porcelain surfaces that photograph cleanly and hold their elegance without constant polishing.
Thoughtful material selections create homes that feel considered from every angle, just like our award winning Bunbury project.
6. Timelines include more than construction
A realistic timeline acknowledges everything that happens before the build begins. Approvals, engineering, documentation, design refinement, product lead times and on-site preparation all shape the journey.
Some projects take longer because thoughtful work happens up front. Others move faster because selections are confirmed early and the site is straightforward. When you understand what contributes to the timeline, the process feels calm and predictable.
7. Communication keeps the project moving
Clear, consistent communication is what keeps a project running smoothly. Weekly updates, transparent reporting and open dialogue create a build environment where you always know what is happening, what is coming next, and why each decision matters.
It’s how we keep everyone aligned.
At Mayfair, communication is grounded in the values that shape the way we work. It begins with integrity and trust. We believe clients should have complete clarity around timelines, budgets and progress, without confusion or hidden surprises. Collaboration is just as essential. A strong flow of communication keeps the client, architect, builder and trades aligned as one team, rather than separate moving parts.
And because craftsmanship sits at the centre of everything we create, we communicate the details too. The small choices, the finishes, the things that require consideration rather than assumption.
Good communication keeps the project moving. The right communication builds confidence every step of the way, because you should always know what’s happening on your project and why.
8. Quality trades shape your final result
Great homes come from skilled hands. The workmanship of your trades directly influences the feel, durability and finish of the home. Having our own in-house carpentry team is one of Mayfair’s greatest strengths. It gives us consistency, control and the ability to uphold our standards every single day on site.
This is where Mayfair’s integrated services truly shine. Having carpentry, electrical, plumbing, solar, environmental services and fine furniture capabilities within our group allows us to assess feasibility early and guide decisions with real accuracy. If we don’t offer it ourselves, one of our amazing partners will.
Your final result is only as good as the people who build it. Our in-house trades and long-term subcontractors ensure consistency, accountability, and craftsmanship from start to finish.
9. Contingencies protect your budget
Even with the best planning, surprises happen. Older homes reveal hidden issues. Coastal properties need added reinforcement. Products get delayed or discontinued.
A contingency buffer removes the stress from these moments. Instead of feeling derailed, you stay in control. It is not pessimistic planning. It is smart planning that protects the integrity of the project.
10. Think beyond today
Your home should serve you long into the future. Consider flexibility in layout, accessibility, energy performance and durable materials that hold up to real life. Solar integration, efficient electrical planning and thoughtful orientation can significantly improve the long-term comfort and running costs of your home.
Designing with longevity at the forefront means your home grows with you rather than limiting you over time. It is one of the biggest factors in creating a home you love not just now, but in the years to come.
Building or renovating is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, not just financially but emotionally. It’s where your routines take shape, where your rituals live, and where the small details of daily life matter far more than they seem at first glance. When you understand what to expect, when to ask for help, and how to set your project up for success, the entire experience becomes more grounded and far less overwhelming.
At Mayfair, we’re here to guide you through each step with clarity, expertise, and genuine care. Our aim isn’t just to build a home you love. It’s to create spaces that feel effortless to live in and that stands the test of time. If you’re about to begin your own project, or even just starting to imagine what’s possible, we hope these insights give you confidence and a clearer sense of direction.
If you’re ready to take the next step or want to talk through your ideas, reach out. We’d love to help you shape something beautiful.
This studio was designed as a true creative retreat, shaped around natural light, quiet corners and room for ideas to breathe. A reminder that a strong brief is more than a wishlist. It is understanding your lifestyle and building a home that supports it.
Every stage of a build relies on the groundwork you do long before materials arrive on site. Good planning, open communication and the right team keep things moving with clarity. Our crews work together from day one so each step is steady, safe and aligned with the vision.
A clear brief helps us design spaces that actually match how you live, not just how they look. This pool is a perfect example of a prompt done right — paired with condition planning and the right materials — this everyday oasis could be shaped around real routines and relaxation.
Open living needs more than beautiful materials. It depends on flow, light and a layout tuned to daily life. This space brings the kitchen, dining and living into one calm, connected zone where everything works together. A good plan always shows itself in moments like this.
