Advice
The things we end up explaining twice a week
Written by the people on the tools rather than a copywriter, which is why some of it argues against spending money with us.
RenovationsWhat actually drives the cost of a bathroom renovationWhy two quotes for the same bathroom can differ by $10,000, and which of the differences are real.Peter Halloran24 June 2026 · 6 min readHeatingHydronic or ducted gas? An honest comparison for a Melbourne homeBoth work. Which is right depends on your house, your budget and how long you plan to stay.Steph Nguyen19 May 2026 · 7 min readRenovationsRenovating a period home: what we expect to find behind the wallsEdwardian, Victorian and interwar homes each fail in their own predictable ways. Knowing which helps you budget.Marco Testa28 April 2026 · 6 min readAdviceSeven questions to ask before you sign a plumbing quoteThe questions that separate a quote you can rely on from one that will grow.Peter Halloran17 March 2026 · 5 min readHot waterHot water: when repairing is smart and when it is throwing money awayA failed unit is not automatically a replacement. Here is how we decide.Steph Nguyen11 February 2026 · 4 min readThe firmWhy we still train apprentices when it would be easier not toThree generations in, the apprenticeship is the reason the firm still exists.Danny Halloran20 January 2026 · 4 min read