What Building My Own Home Taught Me

Lessons from a Sydney knock-down-rebuild project.

Building a home is a journey that comes with plenty of decisions, surprises and lessons along the way. Having worked alongside architects, builders and homeowners for years, DECO Director and The DECO House homeowner Meika Doonan experienced her recent knock-down-rebuild from a unique perspective. Living through the process ‘client side’ revealed valuable lessons, unexpected challenges and insights that only come from being the client.

Seven key lessons from The DECO House.

Before we began the project, I felt fairly confident I knew what I was getting myself in too. I work in the building industry, so I knew the terminology, understood the order of works and had seen plenty of projects take shape. Still, nothing quite prepared me for what it would feel like when every decision was about our own home, and every delay, variation and unknown felt personal.

Our knock-down-rebuild in Sydney was exciting, exhausting and incredibly rewarding. There were days when the progress felt thrilling and others when the number of decisions felt relentless. Looking back, the experience taught me that a successful home is not created by one big idea. It is shaped by hundreds of small choices, honest conversations and people who care about getting the details right.

Lesson 1: Begin with the way you want to live.

At first, I was naturally drawn to the visible things – the façade, the finishes, the floor plan. But the questions that mattered most were much more ordinary: Where would we drop our keys? Where would bags pile up? How would the kitchen feel on a busy morning? Where could we retreat at the end of the day? Thinking through those moments helped us make choices that suited our real life, rather than simply looking good on a plan.

Lesson 2: Get ready to make lots of decisions!

One of my biggest surprises was how early some decisions needed to be made; you saw how many whites there were! A choice about cabinetry could affect power points; where windows go will affect the exterior product order, what colour combinations will go together may impact future decisions. Keeping a detailed selections schedule was not glamorous, but it became one of the things I relied on most.

Lesson 3: Treat the budget as a living document.

I also learned very quickly that the budget it a living creature! Needing and signing off on approvals, consultants, demolition, site surprises, landscaping, product orders (and returns!!) and all the finishing touches adds up quick! We tracked estimates, committed costs and actual spending separately, and tried hard not to see the contingency as spare money. Having that buffer did not make unexpected costs enjoyable, but it made them far less stressful!

Lesson 4: Communication is part of the build.

Being close to the industry, I thought communication would be the easy part. In reality, it took constant attention. We learned to confirm important conversations in writing, keep decisions together and be clear about who was doing what, and by when. Regular site meetings gave us a chance to ask questions, but the written follow-up was just as important. It helped us avoid the dangerous words: “I thought you meant…”

Lesson 5: Respect the order of things.

There were moments when I would walk onto site and wonder why so little appeared to have changed. I had to remind myself that some of the most important work would eventually be hidden behind walls and finishes: waterproofing, insulation, flashing, services and preparation for the next trade. Seeing the process from the owner’s side gave me a new appreciation for patience – and  for the fact that pushing ahead before something is ready rarely saves time in the end! Take a deep breath and let it happen.

Lesson 6: Choose partners, not just suppliers.

The people we chose mattered just as much as the products. The best partners listened to what we were trying to achieve, explained the trade-offs without jargon and stayed engaged when something became difficult. We used Masterbuilt Constructions, and Luke was our installer [add Luke’s website/ social] for our home and building. Our stunning Kitchen is through the local team at Cobbity Kitchens [link]. The solar panels were installed by Macarthur Solar, our outdoor area was designed and installed by the team at ORS and TK Outdoor Landscapes was who finished off the landscaping at the end of the build.

Lesson 7: Expect change!

No matter how carefully we planned and planned and planned – the build still changed along the way. Weather conditions are unpredictable, lead times move and a few ideas looked different in reality than they had on paper. Learning to embrace that flexibility made the experience far less stressful.

The view from the other side of the build.

Managing the project from the owner’s side changed the way I look at residential building. My industry experience helped, but it did not take away the weight of choosing for our family.

Our knock-down-rebuild was not perfect, but sometimes learned lessons later turned out to be our favourite features. We knew from the start what elements were important, and we were able to achieve those: energy conscious and sustainability at the forefront and maximise space for our kids to grow.

Looking back, I’m so pleased with the choices we made. Every product and design decision contributes to a home that feels functional, comfortable and true to us. Seeing it all come together has made every step of the journey worthwhile.