Owner-Builder School Call
Reno Crash Course · renovations and extensions

Extend or renovate without the costly mistakes.

One Saturday on Zoom for owner-builders adding to the home they live in: five hours in build order, then an hour going through your own plans and quotes. Built around the risks a renovation has and a new build doesn't: joining old to new, what's behind the walls, and living in a building site.

When
Sat 30 Jan, 9–2:30
Where
Live on Zoom
Plus
Plan and quote review
From
A$799
Talk to your instructor → Choose your level ↓

Questions? Call 0406 038 913

Framed walls with insulation and ducting, with trades working on the services.
Services going in on a Melbourne build your instructor project-managed
Choose your level

Two ways in. Most people choose the course.

Next Reno Crash Course: Saturday 30 January 2027, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, live on Zoom. 10 seats. Your plan and quote review is booked within four weeks of the Saturday.

Reno Partner
A$4,900

The course + three site visits

If you want your instructor on site at the stages that matter, this is for you.

  • One Saturday on Zoom, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm: five hours in build order, with breaks
  • One hour on Zoom with your instructor going through your plans and quotes
  • Ask your questions in every block
  • Your partner joins free
  • Every trade quote checked before you sign
  • Three site visits: before demolition, at frame, and before handover
  • A monthly call with your instructor until handover
  • Reno build pack: 4 sheets and checklists, worth A$2,400
View Reno Partner →
Our pick
Reno Crash Course
A$799

One Saturday + your plan and quote review

If you're extending or renovating the home you live in, this is for you.

  • One Saturday on Zoom, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm: five hours in build order, with breaks
  • One hour on Zoom with your instructor going through your plans and quotes
  • Ask your questions in every block
  • Your partner joins free
  • Reno build pack: 4 sheets and checklists, worth A$2,400
View Reno Crash Course →

Keep going with us: the A$799 comes off Build Partner, or covers your first two cycles of Build Mentor. See Build Mentor →

Just want your quotes checked? Quote check A$300, credited to the course →

Why renovations need their own course

Most reno risk sits in the old house.

Joining old to newRoof tie-ins, floor levels, stumps meeting slab, and services that have to be moved or extended.
What's behind the wallsAsbestos, rot, termites and old wiring show up after the quotes are signed.
Living in a building siteStaging the work so the kitchen, bathroom and power keep working for the family.
Permits for the right jobKnowing which work needs a building permit and when a certificate of consent applies.
The Saturday · 30 January · live on Zoom

Five hours, in build order.

Three blocks with breaks. Ask your questions in every block, then bring your own plans and quotes to the review hour.

TimeWhat it covers
9:00–10:40Scope, permits and the reno budget: scoping the extension so trades price the same job, building permit and certificate of consent, contingency for what you find once the walls come off, staying in the house while you build
10:40–10:50Break
10:50–12:30Demolition, tie-ins and trades: asbestos checks and when you need a licensed removalist, propping and protecting the existing house, joining the roof, floor and services to the old house, trade scopes, quotes and contracts
12:30–1:00Lunch
1:00–2:30Sequence, inspections and handover: a programme that works around a lived-in home, hold points and inspections, waterproofing and matching finishes, defects and final sign-off, then questions on your own job
What you get

The course, plus the tools to run your renovation.

Both options come with the reno build pack: the sheets and checklists your instructor uses on real jobs, yours to keep.

ItemValue
CourseThe Reno Crash CourseA$799

One Saturday on Zoom, five hours in build order: scope, permits and the budget; demolition, tie-ins and trades; sequence, inspections and handover. Then an hour going through your own plans and quotes.

Bonus 1Reno Scope and Budget SheetA$600Included

Line-by-line budget for an extension, with a contingency line for hidden work.

Bonus 2Tie-in ChecklistA$600Included

Roof, floor, stumps or slab, plumbing and electrical: what to check where new meets old.

Bonus 3Demolition and Asbestos ChecklistA$600Included

Before anything is pulled down: testing, removal rules, disposal and site safety.

Bonus 4Reno Trade Scope SheetsA$600Included

One scope per trade so every quote prices the same reno.

Reno build pack, included with both optionsA$2,400

Each template is also sold on its own at the price shown. See the templates →

Your classroom

Recordings, templates and help, in one private place.

When you enrol you get an invite to your private classroom and community, on Skool.

  • The recording of your Saturday, with its notes
  • Your reno templates and checklists, ready to download
  • Ask your instructor and other owner-builders about your own build, any time
  • Your class times in a calendar, with a reminder the day before

Skool is a members-only app for courses and communities. It works on your phone and computer. Your partner gets their own invite.

Enrolment

How it works.

  1. Talk to your instructorTell us where you're up to and when to call. Free, no obligation.
  2. We call youIn the next 20 minutes, or at the time you pick. Calls come from 0406 038 913.
  3. Choose your courseWe help you pick the right course and level for your build.
  4. DepositA A$200 deposit holds your seat on the Saturday. The rest is paid before the day.
Questions

Before you apply

Is this course for my renovation?

Yes, if you're the owner-builder on an extension, a second storey, alterations, or a deck or verandah big enough to need a certificate of consent. Building a new home or a granny flat? The Live Zoom Crash Course fits better.

What happens in the plan and quote review?

After the Saturday you book an hour on Zoom with your instructor, within four weeks. Bring your plans and your trade quotes, and we go through them line by line: what is missing, what does not add up, and what to ask before you sign.

What does Reno Partner add?

Your instructor on your site three times: before demolition, at frame, and before handover. Every trade quote checked before you sign, and a monthly call until handover. We take three new Reno Partners a month.

Can my partner come too?

Yes, free: one other person building with you joins the Saturday, from your device or their own.

Do I need building experience?

No. Everything starts with what an owner-builder is responsible for and builds up stage by stage. If you have renovated before, you will move faster.

Is this the government owner-builder test?

No. That's a free online assessment run by the Building and Plumbing Commission, and you'll still need to pass it yourself. This is about running the build.

Is it accredited?

No. It's independent. It isn't accredited, and it isn't affiliated with or approved by the Building and Plumbing Commission.

How do I pay?

There's nothing to pay to talk to us. After your call, a A$200 deposit holds your place and the rest is paid before you start. On a crash course, pay your deposit within 72 hours of your call and get a free 30-minute review of your plans and budget. See the course terms for the details.

What if it turns out not to be for me?

Live Zoom Crash Course: Come to the first two classes. If it's not for you, tell us before the third and we'll refund everything you've paid. Online Crash Course: Watch the first two modules. If it's not for you, tell us and we'll refund everything you've paid. Reno Crash Course: Stay for the first block on the Saturday. If it's not for you, tell us at the first break and we'll refund everything you've paid.

Reno Crash Course

Not sure which level?

Talk to your instructor. On the call we'll go through your build and confirm the right fit before you pay anything.

Talk to your instructor → Take the quiz first