Preparing and Planning Your Home Renovation

What you'll learn

If you are planning a home renovation and want to avoid costly mistakes then this home renovation course in Sydney is for you.

Course description

Do you dream of creating a space that truly reflects your lifestyle, but feel overwhelmed by the complexity of home renovations? Whether you’re planning a small upgrade or embarking on a major build, this workshop is your essential guide.

Join this course to gain clarity and confidence as you navigate the renovation journey. Learn from an experienced architect how to stay on budget, manage consultants, and make informed decisions at every step. With practical advice and industry insights, this workshop empowers you to create a home that’s functional, beautiful, and truly your own.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this workshop, it is intended that participants will be able to:

1. Navigate the legal and planning processes, including legislation, Council requirements, and the National Construction Code (NCC), relevant to home renovations or new builds.
2. Develop essential project documentation, including a feasibility study, a design brief for a designer, and a comprehensive project programme.
3. Establish and manage a realistic budget, understand construction loans, and handle financial aspects such as builder quotations and payment processes.
4. Identify the required professional consultants, their roles, and the appropriate contracts for employing them, as well as understand the necessary drawings and approvals at various project stages (e.g., D.A. and Construction Certificates).
5. Understand the construction process, including builder contracts, insurance requirements, managing design changes during construction, and addressing potential issues effectively.

Course content

This intensive one-day workshop includes the following:

• Understand the legal planning processes and pathways required to renovate or build.
• Understand the legislation relative to a home Reno / Build.
• How to create your own brief ready for your designer to develop
• How to prepare a feasibility study to understand what you can build.
• How to establish a budget and how to stay on budget.
• Learn which planning legislation is relevant to a home reno / newhomebuild
• Learn what Complying Development is and how it could work for you.
• How to create a project programme for your project.
• Learn which professional consultants will be required for your project how they will be
• employed with what type of client/consultant contracts.
• Understand the different types of drawings required at different stages of your project.
• Understand the Council planning process. Where to look to find the information you need.
• Learn how to apply for a D.A.
• Understand the basics of what the National Construction Code (NCC) is for and how it relates to
• a home renovations & home new build.
• Understand what’s required for a Construction Certificate and how long it takes to obtain one.
• Understand construction loans and be better informed about how to apply.
• How to obtain a builders quotation.
• How to employ a builder – Contracts.
• Understand the insurance required when building.
• Understand the construction process and what everyone (including you) are expected to do.
• Learn about how and when a builder gets paid through the construction process
• How to make changes to the design during the construction phase.
• Understanding of what to do if things go wrong during.

Session 1 (9.00am–10.45am)

• Introduction to the renovation process: Turning your vision into reality.
• Feasibility studies: Assessing what you can build.
• Legal essentials: Key legislation (Home Builders Act, LEP, DCP, SEPP Housing).
• Budgeting and consultant selection: Staying on track and knowing who to hire.
• Crafting your project brief: Clarifying your goals and priorities.
• Council pre-planning: Finding the right information.

Session 2 (11.00am–12.45pm)

• Design essentials and construction methods: Making informed design choices.
• Approvals: Understanding Development Applications (DA) and Complying Development Certificates (CDC).

Session 3 (1.30pm–3.00pm)

• Construction preparation: Certification, tendering, and selecting a builder.
• Managing the build: Payments, variations, compliance, and resolving issues.
• Project completion: Ensuring quality and handling final steps.

Delivery method

• Visual aids such as a digital “flipbook” of key facts.
• Interactive discussions and guided exercises to develop your project plan.
• Demonstrations using 3D architectural software to explain design concepts.
• Online exploration of local authority resources to understand planning requirements.
• Summaries and recaps after each session to reinforce learning.