Planning your renovation · 5 minute read (estimated)
How to write a useful renovation brief
A clear brief brings your ideas, budget and everyday needs into focus.
You don’t need a polished brief to begin. Use these questions to collect your ideas, identify your priorities and note anything you’re unsure about.
01
Start with how you live
Describe what happens in your home on an ordinary day. Where do people gather? What feels cramped, dark or disconnected? A useful brief explains the problem as well as the room you want to change.
- Who uses each space, and when?
- What works well enough to keep?
- What needs to work differently over the next few years?
02
Separate essentials from possibilities
Give your ideas a simple order. A few clear priorities are more useful than a long list where everything feels equally important.
- Must have: the changes the project needs to deliver.
- Would love: features worth exploring if the space and budget allow.
- Flexible: ideas you are happy to rethink with your designer.
03
Be open about budget and timing
Share the amount you are comfortable investing in the whole project, rather than only the building work. Keep design fees, consultant costs, approvals, finishes and a contingency in the conversation. An indicative range is a starting point. Note what you have included and anything you still need help estimating. If you have a fixed move-in date or need to remain at home during the work, include that too. Your team can help test what is realistic before the scope grows.
04
Collect fewer, better references
Choose a small set of images and explain what you like in each one: the light, the connection to a garden, a material or a clever storage detail. Note anything you dislike as well. The aim is to understand your preferences, rather than copy somebody else’s house.
05
Bring what you already know
Existing plans, recent photographs and any relevant site information can make the first conversation more useful. You do not need a finished brief to get in touch. Start with what you have and flag the gaps.
- Your suburb and the spaces you want to change.
- A short description of your goals and top three priorities.
- An indicative project budget and preferred timing.
- Existing drawings, photographs and any previous advice.
- Whether a builder is already involved.
One thing to take away
A useful starting sentence: “We want to improve ___ because ___, while keeping ___.”
These guides are a starting point for a design conversation. Your project’s scope, site requirements and professional advice will be specific to your home or build.
Share what you have so far. Even a few notes are enough to start the conversation.
Talk through your renovation brief