Home & floor-plan guides

Straight, practical advice for planning a home — free to read, no sign-up.

• Common floor-plan mistakes people regret
  The five floor-plan mistakes I see most as a home designer — no tambour, the corridor 'wagon', a broken kitchen triangle, double-height that steals space, and wrong sun orientation — with how to catch each on paper.
• Stop Designing the Floor Plan Before You’ve Found the Sun
  A practical guide to orienting your home by the sun—where to put bedrooms, living spaces, and the utility room—plus honest budget and setback guidance.
• The Two-Storey Trap: Why I Talk Clients Out of Going Up
  A residential architect’s honest take on one-storey vs two-storey costs. Foundations, roofs, walls, and the hidden price of vertical living. Guidance figures included.
• Your Builder’s Quote Is a Love Letter to the Shell (Read the Fine Print)
  Why the structural shell eats 55-60% of your budget, and where builders hide omissions. A practical guide to comparing quotes line by line without the fluff.
• The Open-Plan Kitchen Myth: Why I Talk Some Clients Out of It
  An architect’s honest take on open-plan kitchen-living: zoning, smells, light, noise, and when a wall is worth keeping. Guidance figures included.
• The Long, Skinny House: How to Make a Narrow Plot Feel Generous
  Building on a narrow plot? A practising architect shares hard-won tips on layout, daylight, stairs, and where to put the utility room. Real numbers, real talk.
• The Double-Height Living Space Trap: What You Actually Give Up
  Dreaming of a double-height living room? Here’s what it really costs in floor area, heat loss, and budget — and when it’s actually worth it.
• Where You Can Actually Build: Setbacks, Fences, and the Art of Not Falling Out with Your Neighbour
  Building a house? Before you fall in love with a plan, check the boundaries. Setbacks, fire gaps, and easements explained with real-world advice from an architect. Verify locally.
• Your Sofa Will Lie to You: Measure the Route, Not Just the Room
  A blunt guide to planning furniture layouts before you build or buy. Clearances, stair traps, and why the shell cost is only half the story.
• Loft Conversion or Full Second Floor? Stop Counting Square Metres, Start Counting Headaches
  A residential architect’s honest take on loft vs full second storey. Cost, light, slopes, and the 55% shell rule. Guidance figures, not gospel.